Guest guest Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 Hi Brit: I have horses too, and know how much work goes into maintaining and caring for them. We have five, but I am hoping to get down to three soon with selling two of them. It's simply too much work for me now with the RA, OA and Fibro kicking my butt on a daily basis anymore. I still try to ride maybe once a week, my daughter helps me with tacking up my horse, and getting on and off by way of a set of stairs my husband built for me for that purpose. I absolutely feel that riding is my best therapy - when I am riding, I am totally focused on my horse, what is going on around us, and what is going on with him, and my pain just kind of fades into the backgroud, and I feel " normal " like I used to. Then I get off, hobble back up to the house, and pay for it for the next day or so lol. But I am not giving up yet! If anyone asks about your looking like you are having trouble walking, moving different, etc., or you want to tell anybody about your RA, I would simply tell them that it is an autoimmune disease that affects your joints and causes pain and stiffness. When you add in the word " arthritis " it seems that they forget the autoimmune stuff and simply latch onto the word arthritis, and next thing you know you are hearing how they have arthritis in their knee, hands, etc, and they really don't understand just what we are going through, and tend to minimize the RA down to " just arthritis " . We wish. Hope that you are able to continue to do what gives you joy for as long as you comfortably and safely can. Do you train young horses? We had one 9 month old that we raised and trained (ground work ourselves) and then sent to a trainer (he is now 6, but unfortunately was dx with Wobbler Syndrome so is no longer rideable - he's just our big baby boy), so I know just how hard the work of a trainer is, and how dangerous too, at times, with young horses. They sure can move quickly and often unexpectly do the strangest things, and can hurt you very easily. You take care of yourself - don't push it if your reflexes are suffering because of pain and stiffness - Best of luck - your horsey friend, Kathe in CA --- horse_n_joy <horse_n_joy@...> wrote: > I developed RA after the birth of my first child in > 2000. > My health has slowly declined over the last 5 years. > I n the early > stages when it only affected my feet and hands I > managed fairly well. > Now it has severely invaded nearly every joint. My > knees have gotten > so bad that I cannot get up and down off the floor > anymore, and I > can't pull myself up with my hands or wrists. My > husband an I own a > horse boarding and training center, and I still > manage to get my work > done, but the pain is so draining that I barely > enjoy my favorite > things in life. I am still able to train horses > but I feel like my > time is running out. I don't know how much more I > can cope with > before somethig has to change. I have been able to > hide this disease > from clients up until about 6 months ago... but > trying to explain to > people that a once strong and healthy 26 year old is > cutting back > because she has arthritis is often embarassing, not > to mention > pointless because no one seems to get what Im going > through. > Any suggestions? > Just sounding off, Brit > > > > > > Kathe in CA __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Hi Kathe, I dont know but somehow it is comforting to know that someone else knows what I am going through. Yes, I do train horses. I started my first colt when I was 12, and I just had a knack for it. I have been starting and training ever since. I now have the husband of my dreams, training stable of my dreams, (with an indoor arena!) so the RA just doesnt fit into my plans!!! I had a bad fall from a 2 yr old TBred I was starting for the track about 3 months ago. It put things into perspective. A buck that I could have ridden out a few years ago, dumped me and messed up my hip. It is kind of funny though, I never remember the ground being so hard! Anyway, the colt is on the track now and doing pretty good. I certainly dont want to give up my career, but I may have to cut back. Hey Kathe, dont ever give up your horses... they give us our freedom! > > > I developed RA after the birth of my first child in > > 2000. > > My health has slowly declined over the last 5 years. > > I n the early > > stages when it only affected my feet and hands I > > managed fairly well. > > Now it has severely invaded nearly every joint. My > > knees have gotten > > so bad that I cannot get up and down off the floor > > anymore, and I > > can't pull myself up with my hands or wrists. My > > husband an I own a > > horse boarding and training center, and I still > > manage to get my work > > done, but the pain is so draining that I barely > > enjoy my favorite > > things in life. I am still able to train horses > > but I feel like my > > time is running out. I don't know how much more I > > can cope with > > before somethig has to change. I have been able to > > hide this disease > > from clients up until about 6 months ago... but > > trying to explain to > > people that a once strong and healthy 26 year old is > > cutting back > > because she has arthritis is often embarassing, not > > to mention > > pointless because no one seems to get what Im going > > through. > > Any suggestions? > > Just sounding off, Brit > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Kathe in CA > > > __________________________________________________ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Hi Brit: Oh my gosh, you are living my dream life - if only RA were not in the picture - you are a very lucky woman. Yes, my daughter loves the young ones too, and she was very good with them. I prefer my old guy, 20, who is an ex-roping horse, very spunky still, but controlled. My daughter rides a horse I used to ride, a young mustang/quarter cross, who is used for team sorting too, who just became a bit too much for me with the RA and all. I feel much safer on the old guy lol. Amen to keeping on with my horses - there is a saying I just love - " To ride a horse is to borrow freedom " - and that just kind of says it all. When I ride, I am " me " again, and I think you will surely understand what that means to me. Hang in there - Kathe in CA --- horse_n_joy <horse_n_joy@...> wrote: > Hi Kathe, > I dont know but somehow it is comforting to know > that someone else > knows what I am going through. Yes, I do train > horses. I started my > first colt when I was 12, and I just had a knack for > it. I have been > starting and training ever since. I now have the > husband of my > dreams, training stable of my dreams, (with an > indoor arena!) so the > RA just doesnt fit into my plans!!! I had a bad > fall from a 2 yr old > TBred I was starting for the track about 3 months > ago. It put things > into perspective. A buck that I could have ridden > out a few years > ago, dumped me and messed up my hip. It is kind of > funny though, I > never remember the ground being so hard! Anyway, the > colt is on the > track now and doing pretty good. I certainly dont > want to give up my > career, but I may have to cut back. Hey Kathe, dont > ever give up > your horses... they give us our freedom! > > > > > > I developed RA after the birth of my first child > in > > > 2000. > > > My health has slowly declined over the last 5 > years. > > > I n the early > > > stages when it only affected my feet and hands I > > > managed fairly well. > > > Now it has severely invaded nearly every joint. > My > > > knees have gotten > > > so bad that I cannot get up and down off the > floor > > > anymore, and I > > > can't pull myself up with my hands or wrists. > My > > > husband an I own a > > > horse boarding and training center, and I still > > > manage to get my work > > > done, but the pain is so draining that I barely > > > enjoy my favorite > > > things in life. I am still able to train > horses > > > but I feel like my > > > time is running out. I don't know how much more > I > > > can cope with > > > before somethig has to change. I have been able > to > > > hide this disease > > > from clients up until about 6 months ago... but > > > trying to explain to > > > people that a once strong and healthy 26 year > old is > > > cutting back > > > because she has arthritis is often embarassing, > not > > > to mention > > > pointless because no one seems to get what Im > going > > > through. > > > Any suggestions? > > > Just sounding off, Brit > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Kathe in CA > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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