Horses!

[Spanielady]

Anyone out there have a horse and ride when they can?

Brief history: I was diagnosed 20 years ago with fibromyalgia and ME/ managed it well as a teacher til I got shingles in 2015/ medically retired in June ‘17 after being off for 7 months/. Lost my best friend in July ‘17 to a tragic accident/ decided life’s too short. Moved house and achieved lifelong dream-bought a horse)

I find even the shortest hack absolutely exhausting and can never ride 2 days in a row! Can’t ride unless feeling reasonably well (ha!) and suffer afterwards. But I love it and I love my big fur babies.
I actually fell off just before the covid lockdown. At a walk on mr safe the cob. One minute I was walking along- husband leading the other horse in hand, just ahead of us, I was listening to him chatting...next second I was on the ground. I have no idea what happened. I had to ask if I dreamed or yelled...so I wonder if I passed out and fell...
Haven’t ridden at all since then as i’ve been in a flare...and we’ve been in lockdown

Anyone got coping strategies for riding, coping with the pem and pain???
PS this isn’t an option...
A school report- from days gone by, when you could just be honest- and not sugar coat everything- from an old school Head of Physics. Very clever girl in sixth form not doing well and with aspirations to be a doctor...
The school report addressed to her parents was 3 words long. It said...
‘Sell the horse’

 

[sunkacola]

I don't have a horse, but wish ever so much that I did. I started riding when I was 2 years old and have done a lot of it but cannot afford to support a horse now.

I say if horses are your passion, don't stop riding. Don't allow this syndrome to take that from you. You may have to be more careful, take shorter rides, and so on. but maybe you can just revel in the time you can spend on a horse, even if it is not as much as you want.

Animals are healing! Just take it easy and learn to ask your body and listen to its response about whether or not today would be a good day for it.
Best of luck to you and give your horse a little nose rub from me!