Horse riders/equestrian folk?

[SacredHeart]

Just wondering if there are any horsey people on this message board?

 

[geebee]

I do ride occasionally but would not really consider myself an equestrian. I do not have my own horse but ride at a local stable or have a few times while on vacations.

 

[SacredHeart]

I do ride occasionally but would not really consider myself an equestrian. I do not have my own horse but ride at a local stable or have a few times while on vacations.

Hi and thank you once again for your reply Gina! Horses are certainly wonderful, life without riding is practically unimaginable for me! It can certainly be quite a sedate sport but I am quite an adventurous rider. I really hope my condition doesn't have too severe an effect on me in the future!

 

[bvdr]

I mentioned it in another thread but I did ride when I was younger. I have not ridden in several years now but I quit because of arthritis and nothing to do with my heart. Residents of the last community we lived in jointly owned a stable of horses and was a lovely aspect of the area. I would regularly take my little grandson who was then 2-3 years old to pet the horses and sit up on them while I would lead them around in a pasture. Afterwards we would brush the horse down and my little grandson would love it. I didn't allow him to feed an apple from his hand to his favorite horse but he would put it in a pail and let the horse have it that way. I even love the smell of horses! I am certainly no expert but I do understand you not wanting to give up that part of your life and you may not have to. If you do end up having to eventually give it up then you will have to make the best of it at that time.

 

[hayden]

I don't ride horses, but I sold about 50 neglected and abused horses at Auction last year. I am an a Auctioneer and volunteered my time to sell them to benefit the humane society who had gotten them through court order....

 

[SacredHeart]

Thank you very much for your feedback guys! I really do appreciate that!

 

[Granbonny]

American member that lives in Italy

American member that lives in Italy

Ross, Nancy , Ann .who is the American member that lives in Italy..and that was her concern about surgery. Not being able to ride her horse again..She hasn't posted for awhile..Bonnie

 

[SacredHeart]

Thanks for the info

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Question....

Question....

Kris -- what type riding do you participate in? That would probably be of some importance. You're not a jockey are you?

Are you near London?

 

[SacredHeart]

Hi! I am about 30 miles from London, I used to live there. Now I live in Buckinghamshire in the countryside

Oh no, I'm not a jockey! Nor do I do anything particularly adventurous/highly dangerous like cross country. I do dressage and a little jumping but my horse is quite spooky and hot headed. He is GREAT but quite an exciting ride which I do enjoy. If it was just very calm trail riding/hacking that would be one thing but I have had a couple of falls off my boy and I would expect that I'll have more!

 

[Sagebrush]

I have horses

I have horses

I ride a few times a month. We have cattle and move the cows around to different pastures and check them in the dessert. I used to compete but my doctor isn't so thrilled about me riding so she kind of scared me and I lost the competative bug and it costs alot of $$. I have the best horse he is 23 this year I have had him since I was 16 and competed in high school rodeo and he is so much fun to ride. He actually acts like a 3 year old when he sees a cow trying to get away...

 

[SacredHeart]

@Lewis]I ride a few times a month. We have cattle and move the cows around to different pastures and check them in the dessert. I used to compete but my doctor isn't so thrilled about me riding so she kind of scared me and I lost the competative bug and it costs alot of $$. I have the best horse he is 23 this year I have had him since I was 16 and competed in high school rodeo and he is so much fun to ride. He actually acts like a 3 year old when he sees a cow trying to get away...[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the feedback Faye! Its such a shame that anticoagulants strips us of our ability to ride competitively. The greatest shame of all is that riding is a sport that is not limited by age, people still ride competitively well into their 60's. I'm just hoping and preying that there will be an alternative therapy some day

 

[Rebecca]

I used to like to go on trail rides, but their not as must fun as they used to be because my legs hurt after riding. My daughter rides English at Georgia Southern University. There are always riders falling off horses at their shows. This last Saturday I through my daughter was going to fall off during competition because the horse was acting up. The rider that rode the same horse next fell off during walk trot. Dressage riding is a neat thing to watch because the horses look like they are dancing. Have you already had a valve surgery? If not you can get a tissue valve and not be on coumadin and still ride horses and have children. My daughter has been step on and kick by horses and we don?t talk about her falls off of horses. My daughter has been jump over by a horse when she fell trying to lead a horse into its stall. My daughter who is in high school like horses but does not loved them like her older sister. My younger daughter fell off a horse at the first day at camp when she was 6. The next day she didn?t want to go back. I made her finish the camp and about five years later on a trail ride her horse tripped and fell on to it?s knees. She fell on to its neck and skin the inside of her legs.

 

[KristaDeAnn]

Time to join the ranks and it looks like I found a thread just my style
I just found out in Feb that I have a severely leaking Mitral valve and a moderatly leaking Tricuspid valve. Shock of all shocks!! I have never had any kind of surgery at all....so Im terrified as well. But trying to keep a stiff upper lip..

I meet with my Surgeon Dr. Wang at Loma Linda University Medical Center on Thursday the 14th and I want to get this overwith ASAP!! I have become a complete basket case with this looming over my head.

Well back to the thread. I own 2 horses a 6 year old Buckskin Quarter Horse mare and a 7 year old 1/2 Arabian Black and White Pinto gelding. The other have of him is Quarter horse. I have trained both of them myself and have owned them since they were 2 and 3 respectively...They are my "kids" since I dont have children.

I have a great cardiologist who said I look like a "rough and tumble cowgirl"..and I guess that fits. The surgeon just happened to be available that day to view my Echo and he said he 'COULD' repair my valve BUT that I would probably have to have surgery again to have it replaced..
You have got to be kidding....AGAIN!! No thanks!!
Im only doing this once UNLESS it is my destiny to go through it again!! I know I dont really have any control over that..

I am opting for replacement rather than repair...Coumadin or not. I told my surgeon that I am not giving up my horses. He didnt seem too pleased. (He isnt as fun as my Cardiologist is... ) I love my Cardiologist (who is also a Surgeon..Dr. Bansal) he was cheerleading the whole time for me. He asked me when I fell off last... I told him I ususally take a beating trying to stay on.. ha ha.. I havent fallen off a horse in over 20 years..but I have gottne pretty bruised trying to avoid it. Guess it is time to buy a helmet too..

My horses are fortunately starting to get passed the temper tantrum baby stage and so I think everything will be fine. I saved my pennies for 8 years to get these horses and life without them would be well....like not having a life. So I know I will have to extra careful. I used to barrel race, and ride in gymkahanas but those days are long gone. I only ride for pleasure so Im hoping me and coumadin can find a happy medium.

I just turned 40 and to be honest this news has just blindsided me. I feel fine, but both the Cardiologist and the Surgeon are amazed I am asymptommatic..(spelling). Whatever symptoms I may be having I have just trudged through. Now that I know there is a problem...go figure....I notice the fatigue. So I am looking forward to getting my energy back. I don't know exactly how much coumadin will impact my life, but Im trying to remain positive. I guess I will know more when I talk to the Surgeon the 14th.

It is great to know there are other horse people in this boat...
But for now I am:
Keeping a leg on each side and my mind in the middle...

 

[SacredHeart]

Time to join the ranks and it looks like I found a thread just my style
I just found out in Feb that I have a severely leaking Mitral valve and a moderatly leaking Tricuspid valve. Shock of all shocks!! I have never had any kind of surgery at all....so Im terrified as well. But trying to keep a stiff upper lip..

I meet with my Surgeon Dr. Wang at Loma Linda University Medical Center on Thursday the 14th and I want to get this overwith ASAP!! I have become a complete basket case with this looming over my head.

Well back to the thread. I own 2 horses a 6 year old Buckskin Quarter Horse mare and a 7 year old 1/2 Arabian Black and White Pinto gelding. The other have of him is Quarter horse. I have trained both of them myself and have owned them since they were 2 and 3 respectively...They are my "kids" since I dont have children.

I have a great cardiologist who said I look like a "rough and tumble cowgirl"..and I guess that fits. The surgeon just happened to be available that day to view my Echo and he said he 'COULD' repair my valve BUT that I would probably have to have surgery again to have it replaced..
You have got to be kidding....AGAIN!! No thanks!!
Im only doing this once UNLESS it is my destiny to go through it again!! I know I dont really have any control over that..

I am opting for replacement rather than repair...Coumadin or not. I told my surgeon that I am not giving up my horses. He didnt seem too pleased. (He isnt as fun as my Cardiologist is... ) I love my Cardiologist (who is also a Surgeon..Dr. Bansal) he was cheerleading the whole time for me. He asked me when I fell off last... I told him I ususally take a beating trying to stay on.. ha ha.. I havent fallen off a horse in over 20 years..but I have gottne pretty bruised trying to avoid it. Guess it is time to buy a helmet too..

My horses are fortunately starting to get passed the temper tantrum baby stage and so I think everything will be fine. I saved my pennies for 8 years to get these horses and life without them would be well....like not having a life. So I know I will have to extra careful. I used to barrel race, and ride in gymkahanas but those days are long gone. I only ride for pleasure so Im hoping me and coumadin can find a happy medium.

I just turned 40 and to be honest this news has just blindsided me. I feel fine, but both the Cardiologist and the Surgeon are amazed I am asymptommatic..(spelling). Whatever symptoms I may be having I have just trudged through. Now that I know there is a problem...go figure....I notice the fatigue. So I am looking forward to getting my energy back. I don't know exactly how much coumadin will impact my life, but Im trying to remain positive. I guess I will know more when I talk to the Surgeon the 14th.

It is great to know there are other horse people in this boat...
But for now I am:
Keeping a leg on each side and my mind in the middle...

Great to to read your post Krista! I have also started feeling fatigued after I heard the news but I'm certain it is psychosomatic, its got to be in my case! I had an echo a few days ago and am told that my natural aortic valve will hopefully last another 10 or 20 years or more (I'm 25) FINGERS CROSSED!!!!! I am totally with you, there is no way I'm giving up my horses/riding after surgery...no siry! I would rather have biological valves implanted when the time comes to try to beat the need for coumadin! Even though I know a great deal of the negative implications about coumadin are myths, when you are a keen equestrian, there is no ruder 'c' word is there?! Its not really fair of your surgeon to act displeased when you say you don't want to give up horsing around. I guess you have to be into horses to really understand it but without riding there is just no quality of life for some folk. The fact that I was alive would be no consolation for me if I had to give up my horses due to coumadin!

What do you plan to do after your surgery in terms of trail riding? Will you be just walking or going at speed too? Do you think the coumadin may cause bruising on your butt or thighs? There is still so much I don't understand about the drug and quite how bruise-prone it makes you. Its great to meet another dedicated rider, please do feel free to PM me!

I'm really routing for you and mustering up positive karma to send your way!

warmest regards,

Kris