When things go wrong: Getting back up again

G’day friends and welcome to another week and another blog!

If you follow me on social media, particularly Instagram, you would have seen that I had a tiny accident last week. When I started to ride horses, I knew there would be a time when I would say hi to the floor. I have been super lucky to have ridden for around 12 months without hitting the deck. But that all changed last week.

Don’t worry, the horse I was riding is completely fine. I am a little worse for wear but I am okay. Let’s be honest we all care more about the horses than the rider! Its fine I totally get it! Even I didn’t care about me when it happened, only her!

So I thought I would go through what happened and my decision making process about getting back in the saddle, and even riding at all!

What goes up must come down.

Like I said before, what happened was a complete freak accident. My horse was an absolute gem and was so calm and relaxed. However, it doesn’t matter how calm they are, they can spook at the most simplest of things.

I didn’t see it coming as she was so relaxed, and so I was relaxed. I walked her to the start of this course we were about to do and stopped were I was told. Suddenly out of no where I felt a light thud, and the next thing I knew I was laying back towards her rear and then rolling out of my saddle and hitting the deck below.

1.5 meters is a long way to fall, and I swear I felt every centimeter on the way down, waiting for when the ground would say hi.

We are all still trying to figure out what exactly made my horse jump a little whether it was another horse or she smelt something given the wind.

However, as soon as I hit the deck I was immediately winded. My mother was at the paddocks this day thank goodness and she took over with initial assessments of injury, thanks to her sports trainer background. Mother’s are the best aren’t they!?

I kept asking how my horse was and that I wanted to get back on if she was okay. I was pleading to get back into the saddle. As the saying goes you fall off and you get right back on. However, everyone around me was saying ‘honey you keep calling out in pain every time you move so you aren’t getting back on and we are calling an ambulance’. Which honestly looking back was the right call!

Long story short, I was sent to the hospital and had CT scans. My GP was concerned when I started riding saying should I fall off it was a guarantee that I would break something given my bone density.

Fortunately I was given the all clear for breaks, and only escaped with a bruised lung! I fell completely on my right side, so I am so shocked that I didn’t break my collar bone and dislocate my shoulder! I think I will thank my tight muscles for keeping everything in place! Perhaps my MD saved me from serious injury? Or maybe it was just luck… Feel free to debate on that one!

What made me spend the night in hospital though wasn’t the injury but my reaction to strong pain medication. My blood pressure dropped very quickly and so they wanted me in hospital to monitor it. Clearly me and Endone will never be friends!! I have never felt so spaced out! It is a very strange feeling for sure!

What now?

It is very risky me being injured, especially my lungs. The doctors made it clear I needed to do breathing exercises to keep my lungs open and to stop infection or pneumonia developing. So that concerned me greatly!

However, the one thing that I am really good at when it comes to injury or my body in general, is recovery and rehab. I feel I have spent large chucks of my life in rehab or recovery; either from surgery, falls or just managing my condition.

I haven’t started back in the gym yet and have had a whole week off working out, but I am so excited and eager to get back to work in the gym and with physio.

Given I signed up for My Peak Challenge this year, I am dubbing this next phase the ‘Peaker Reset’. I am going to use this to start from scratch with everything, workouts, stretching, mindfullness, walking. You name it, it is a re-do.

I head back to see my EP and Physio tomorrow, and so I am eager but also a little nervous to see how far back I have gone in a week of doing nothing. I am expecting a significant drop in strength and fitness but we will see!

When will I ride again?

Pretty much as soon as I got to hospital, the doctors as well as a paramedic asked me if it has put me off horses. I immediately responded ‘heck no, why would it, my horse did nothing wrong and besides this is what you sign up for when you ride’.

A few other people have raised concerns and have questioned my ability to ride. I know that they are concerned for my health and safety. However, it also naturally puts doubt in my head that they perhaps don’t trust me or don’t necessarily support my decision. Which I also know isn’t true, but you can’t help but think.

Sure am I questioning my ability after not being able to sit a slight rear by my horse? you bet!! However, the question have been asking myself is if riding is worth more than my safety?

Someone close to me pointed out every time I get on a horse I am gambling with my safety. So it has certainly made me think if I am in fact cut out for riding.

However, I am most certainly without a doubt getting back on for at least one more ride.

I also have a dream of competing in equestrian sport, and riding means the most to me. It is the one thing that I feel completes the puzzle in my very unique life. I couldn’t imagine a life without horses somewhere.

So I am definitely getting back in the saddle, and going to work harder than ever in the gym to make sure I am as safe as I possibly can be when I ride again for the first time after the accident. What happens after that? Who knows!

I am a strong believer in when it hits the fan, your true character comes out to play, and you can’t stay down and out for ever! So I am ready for a good challenge!

till next week!

Rhi.