OT - I didn't know I had THIS in me!

[JemmAus]

I used to ride horses all the time. I had an A-grade showjumper when I was younger, and competed in cross-country insanity as well. (Galloping wildly down hills and jumping over jumps that are 'fixed', ie: if you hit 'em it's going to hurt)

It all slowed down when I had the kids of course, Horses are very expensive.

I haven't ridden now for a decade.

Well yesterday my dr read the letter he received from the neuro saying both my legs are failing (I thought it was just the left one, but no)

So I woke up kind of cranky, and though, **** you , MS, I AM GOING RIDING.

I just booked a half hour private lesson (I figure after ten years I'll need reminding :P) at a riding school . On a quiet pony.

In my entire life I have NEVER felt so determined to do something, I am shocked at myself. I keep thinking, how DARE you (MS) take this from me!! Well it might win eventually, but, by CRIKEY (oh there's that Australian bit of me) it's not going to stop me just yet!!!

I think it's ironic that when I was ok, it didn't bother me, I guess because I ahd a choice, but now this choice is potentially been removed from me, it has changed my attitude.

I am in shock. WOW for me! I didn't know I had it in me!

[JemmAus]

Tuesday, 12 noon ! So.....39 hours and 20 minutes from now :P.....I'll let you know how I go!

Oh, my mother already said, "No Pony Club behaviour, dear. You're not 15 now!"

[Udkas]

I love your descriptions they have made me laugh, I think just shortly before I got bucked off I was doing the Jesus things, I don't recommend riding bareback or doing balance things if your balance is impaired due to MS, (the ground is so much harder when you are older).  Hey how long before you go, have you been yet.

Cheers,
Udkas.

[JemmAus]

Yeah......I was thinking as well, I don't recall having to hang on with my thighs unless whatever horse I was riding decided it was time for a good old buck or ten........then some gripping thighs can come in very handy!

I remember having some lessons as an adult after a break of about 5 years, and the emphasis being on loose hips, letting your backside move with the movement of the horse, hanging loose, "doing a madonna", the instructor said.

Free movement of the hips -  as the horse's off fore (right front) leg goes forward, so does your right hip. left leg, left hip....etc

I also did so much work with no stirrups or reins at Pony Club as a teen that my balance was great........it's all about your "seat"......we used to do exercises over cavalettis -

http://www.carolis.ch/TestCheval/09_Equitation/02_ExSaut/09-02-01_cavaletti.jpg

for the purpose of improving our seat (balance).....  they would setup maybe 6 cavalettis, and we'd trot over them with arms spread like Jesus on the cross.........or with no stirrups. I think sometimes with arms out  AND no stirrups........it worked, but of course many kids took a tumble if their seats weren't so good or their horses weren't so nice........LOL......lucky for me, mine was nice!

Best thing I always found for learning to stay on in a relaxed and loose way is riding bareback.

[HVAC]

My legs are not weak. I have numbness and they spasm but my legs are not weak. I have also been walking in and out of the pool and I do a lot of yard work. I have great all over muscle tone. I am a very healthy person for having MS for so long. My Doctors think I am 15 years younger then I am.

I am learning a new style of riding things have changed since I was a kid. Back then you were told to get your heels down and grip with your legs. Now it it is all about being loose and relaxed. Moving relaxed with the horse. Your legs is loose as is your back. There is minimal pressure in the stirrup.


Last time I rode both hip flexors spasmed as soon as I got on. Later I had back spasms. I knew It would pass so I just waited. Posting at the trot was hard at first. I ride for over an hour and it is not easy but I do it. It makes me so happy.

Alex

[MsWobbles]

Question:  How do you stay in the saddle while on horseback if your legs are weak?  When I used to ride, I would grip with my legs, but not sure I could do that effectively now. Did you have a problem with gripping with your legs?

If you enjoyed hot-air ballooning, then I suggest you also try para-sailing when you get over to a beach.  I did para-sailing years ago while in the Bahamas and it was truly exhilarating!!!  They put you in a harness with a line going to a motorboat.  All you have to do is just stand up and watch the slack in the line being taken up as the motorboat speeds away.  Then you brace yourself, because you think you're going to be jerked up, but guess what, that jerking episode doesn't necessarily happen (at least it didn't for me). I just very smoothly shot straight up into the ethereal heights, above the birds, way up there so that the boat looked really tiny and the floating dock from which I had taken off was near-microscopic.  It was totally quiet up there!  Any higher and I'd have been at the pearly gates!  For a beautiful thrill, I strongly suggest you try para-sailing!!

WAF

[JemmAus]

Wow.... this just brings so many tears to my eyes......I have always loved horses so much, and to know that they give so much pleasure to so many people just makes them even more special for me.

I know a lot of people who have not had anything to do with them think of them as they do other large animals, like cows etc, but they are so much more than that ! Well, to me anyway.

It will be tricky at first and I will have to see my limits. The horse I had pre-kids was a brilliant show jumper. I had him when we lived in NZ in the late 70s. I had to sell him when we returned to Aus. He went on to be the North Island champion 2 years running. He died in 2002, aged 32. I cried for weeks......

He carried me over jumps that were taller than me (not THAT high - I am 5 foor 2) without a worry in the world. It was  more a case of stopping him jumping everything in sight than anything.

Anyway, I live in hope of being able to jump again, just for fun, and just to know I've "still got it" (whatever 'it' is - I presume nerve and ability).

I don't know which specific arreas of my legs have lost strength (how can you tell?) - but if it's only the lower leg that'll be ok, they don't have to grip anything to stay on. If it's thighs that could become an issue down the track. I am really looking forward to see how my balance is atop a horse. At Pony Club when I was a kid so much time was spent on balance,: riding without reins and stirrups, arms spread like jesus on the cross, trotting over poles etc, to make sure our "seat" was good and we could stay on withough the security of reins and stirrups.

Mine was always fine. Like HVAC, I used to bolt around bareback on my horse, jumping fences and gates like a lunatic. Those were the days!!

I'll keep you all posted, and I'll try and get some photos .

I am  also looking forward to that devine horsey smell on my hands.........ahhhhhhh!!

Jemm