Post by ladynowak on Sept 3, 2012 22:57:25 GMT 1
Hi everyone, I don't post on here much now but I still lurk. This is a long one but I hope it might help.
I thought I should share my Mums story. She has always ridden, and in my eyes had always been indestructible. But she had to have a knee replacement in her 40s due to jumping out of helicopters one too many times. Our first pony Copper used to look after her, was her legs and they went up and down mountains/under trees and he was perfect. As he got older she rode my feisty coblet Ebony more. One day we were having a nice hack out when he had a bit of a moment and she came off, it didn't look like a bad fall but she broke her back, damaged her kidneys and fractured a rib. Loose horse galloping round, ambulance on way, in middle of nowhere...was an eventful afternoon!
Her confidence never really recovered and then sadly we had to have Copper PTS 18months later. If he was still around she would have been happy to get on him and potter around.
She then had to have her knee re-replaced in London in January..was told not to ride again! Then along came Pony. 5yo coloured ponio. Full of character,forward going but safe and a cheeky monkey. A match made in heaven but even so she has never looked quite happy.
This weekend I rode my big CBx and he was so chilled out I said she should just get on. So I threw her on (she was almost in agreement to thr indea!) and told her to get on with it. I don't think she has really cantered more than a couple of times since her fall. She certainly hasn't ridden Bailey in years! Bailey was an angel. Luckily you can just breathe out and he will stop on a loose rein, will do the smoothest walk to canter and back to walk traditions with washing line reins. She was cantering around the field within a few miutes grinning ear. I was fit to bursting, so proud of my Mum and so proud of Bailey. I have to admit that when she said I'd done such a good job schooling him I may have cried a little bit!
By this point she was full of confidence and decided to ride Pony in the schooling field (given he did a horrible rearing bucking combo with me when I took him up I was bricking it!). He was perfect. Just lovely to see and she couldn't stop smiling!
Today I nipped in to see Mum at lunch as she is off on holiday tomorrow, to find her in her jods telling me she was off to take Pony out to the plantation in the trailer with the dog. I asked who with. "no one...I'm going alone...only not totally alone because Blue [slightly mad collie!] is coming too". Let's just say I was a little stunned as I honestly don't think Mum has hacked out alone in about 5 years, certainly not since her accident. I have to admit I returned to work a bag of nerves!!
I got a phone call as they were part way round to say they were fine and she would ring be when she got back. An hour later I got a call, saying Pony was almost perfect. They met other dogs, past traffic cones (they were an issue last week!) a man with a scary plastic bag (which he kindly stuffed in his pocket when asked). The only sticking point was when two other riders went past and Pony decided he wanted to go with them. He got a bit silly and mum asked them if they wouldn't mind waiting so she could get off and lead him as she didn't want to risk her knee. They of course did, she led Pony abut 50 yards round the corner, stood him by a fallen log and got back on and carried on!
The phone call I got when they were back at the yard was pretty much a gushing "Pony was perfect, just perfect, so happy happy happy, I love him, I never thought I would be able to ride out alone again, I never even dreamt I'd be taking him out and about by myself with the dog". I'm still fit for bursting, I'm just so proud of her and Pony!
We know that there will be set backs, but there is atleast light at the end of the tunnel now. I honestly didn't think she would ever enjoy riding or having horses, but sometimes something just happens that makes all the difference. 5 years it has taken to get here! So anyone suffering with their nerves, just keep going...you will get where you want to be. Xxx
I thought I should share my Mums story. She has always ridden, and in my eyes had always been indestructible. But she had to have a knee replacement in her 40s due to jumping out of helicopters one too many times. Our first pony Copper used to look after her, was her legs and they went up and down mountains/under trees and he was perfect. As he got older she rode my feisty coblet Ebony more. One day we were having a nice hack out when he had a bit of a moment and she came off, it didn't look like a bad fall but she broke her back, damaged her kidneys and fractured a rib. Loose horse galloping round, ambulance on way, in middle of nowhere...was an eventful afternoon!
Her confidence never really recovered and then sadly we had to have Copper PTS 18months later. If he was still around she would have been happy to get on him and potter around.
She then had to have her knee re-replaced in London in January..was told not to ride again! Then along came Pony. 5yo coloured ponio. Full of character,forward going but safe and a cheeky monkey. A match made in heaven but even so she has never looked quite happy.
This weekend I rode my big CBx and he was so chilled out I said she should just get on. So I threw her on (she was almost in agreement to thr indea!) and told her to get on with it. I don't think she has really cantered more than a couple of times since her fall. She certainly hasn't ridden Bailey in years! Bailey was an angel. Luckily you can just breathe out and he will stop on a loose rein, will do the smoothest walk to canter and back to walk traditions with washing line reins. She was cantering around the field within a few miutes grinning ear. I was fit to bursting, so proud of my Mum and so proud of Bailey. I have to admit that when she said I'd done such a good job schooling him I may have cried a little bit!
By this point she was full of confidence and decided to ride Pony in the schooling field (given he did a horrible rearing bucking combo with me when I took him up I was bricking it!). He was perfect. Just lovely to see and she couldn't stop smiling!
Today I nipped in to see Mum at lunch as she is off on holiday tomorrow, to find her in her jods telling me she was off to take Pony out to the plantation in the trailer with the dog. I asked who with. "no one...I'm going alone...only not totally alone because Blue [slightly mad collie!] is coming too". Let's just say I was a little stunned as I honestly don't think Mum has hacked out alone in about 5 years, certainly not since her accident. I have to admit I returned to work a bag of nerves!!
I got a phone call as they were part way round to say they were fine and she would ring be when she got back. An hour later I got a call, saying Pony was almost perfect. They met other dogs, past traffic cones (they were an issue last week!) a man with a scary plastic bag (which he kindly stuffed in his pocket when asked). The only sticking point was when two other riders went past and Pony decided he wanted to go with them. He got a bit silly and mum asked them if they wouldn't mind waiting so she could get off and lead him as she didn't want to risk her knee. They of course did, she led Pony abut 50 yards round the corner, stood him by a fallen log and got back on and carried on!
The phone call I got when they were back at the yard was pretty much a gushing "Pony was perfect, just perfect, so happy happy happy, I love him, I never thought I would be able to ride out alone again, I never even dreamt I'd be taking him out and about by myself with the dog". I'm still fit for bursting, I'm just so proud of her and Pony!
We know that there will be set backs, but there is atleast light at the end of the tunnel now. I honestly didn't think she would ever enjoy riding or having horses, but sometimes something just happens that makes all the difference. 5 years it has taken to get here! So anyone suffering with their nerves, just keep going...you will get where you want to be. Xxx
