Rotational Reflection

It's been just over a week since my unfortunate rotational fall while drag hunting at Milton Park with the Cambridge Uni drag hounds. It was on Scully the coloured cob, and it was one hell of a splat! 

The pace wasn't too fast at Milton but with a horse who basically thinks he's a mix of a land rover defender with the speed of a race horse it's fairly difficult to keep in control and stop when you need to. Talking of not being able to stop...

 

The situation was that 3 of us were lined up for a fence, all in a staggered position so not to jump onto each others heels. The thing was that the first horse stopped, which in turn caused the second and middle horse to stop also.. and with me about 3 strides out I instantly tried pulling up but Scully was having none of it and figured he could fit through the small gap left to jump. Unfortunately half a stride out changed his mind (I had been trying to tell him by pulling as hard as I could to stop) but by then it was too late; his momentum was still carrying him and I too fast into the fence. In a last ditch attempt to help himself and I scully got his left leg over and with that I was flying over his head, over the fence and onto the ground on the other side. Luckily and quite scarily time seemed to slow down and I saw the ground coming up rather fast. Luckily I was able to put my heads out and save myself from diving head first into the ground. In that split second from landing on the floor and turned to see Scully flipping in a rotational fall over the fence and towards me. But in that split second there was just not enough time to move out the way and Scully landed on my legs and pelvis. 

Now on top of me and on his back I could see and feel Scully on his back on me trying to right himself (Think a tortouise on it's back legs flailling, cause that it was it looked like). Quickly I put my hands on his belly and tried to roll him away from my torso and face, but he was too far gone towards me and was too heavy for me to push away so I had to let go and let him roll towards me so his tummy was now on my legs, pelvis and bottom of my torso. He lay there a bit shocked for a bit while I remember shouting "He's on top of me! He's on top of me!".

 

In those seconds that the fall and being to where we were now Sam, Clare and Tara had cantered over to me to help. I remember Sam shouting to me "Yes he is on top of you, can you pull yourself out?" 

With Scully a little bit more aware of himself now, put his front legs down and pushed the front part of his body up. Unfortunately my legs were still well and truely stuck under his bottom and back legs so there was no way I could pull myself out. I did try but couldn't do it.

He's not a little chap so I'd lost basically all of the feeling in my legs at this time so just had to wait until he was off me.

I remember telling Sam I could get my legs out and was instructed to just wait until he gets up! I remember pushing him and having to encourage Scully to get up. I think he was a bit worried about squashing me further but when he made moves to get up I basically then just covered my chest, head and neck with my arms and curled up as best I could and hoped he wouldn't stand on me. And to his credit he didn't, he missed standing on me completely so I was able to get up after that.

In the probably 30 seconds or more he was on top of me my legs had gone very numb and we're hurting so I hobbled over to the fence and propped myself up while Sam held Scully and her horse. 

Now that I was standing and away from danger and further injury shock kicked in very quickly. I remember standing holding the fence trying to speak and answer questions when I could feel my wind pipe starting to tighten up and close.. I spoke out and said "Honestly Im actaully ok but I'm now finding it hard to breath. Wind pipe tight" and trying to suck air in. 

Sam, bless her, was super good and asked me if my stock was too tight but it was sheer shock. I repeated I'm ok, im fine just...breathing. I was a very weird experience cause in my head I wasn't freaking out and panicing, I was perfectly calm but my brain was telling me to panic. Sam instructed me to breath in through my nose and out through my mouth, which I did of course bit still my airway got tighter and tighter. It wasn't long before I could feel myself getting light headed so I called out and said I had to sit down before I fainted. And being absolutely covered in mud already, what was the hurt sitting down in more mud? None, so I sat down and a bit undignified I swung my legs up in the air and put them on the fence. I've fainted and helped enough people while fainting in my time as a first aider to know that in shock your body automatically sends all the blood to vital organs and you faint from lack of oxygen rich blood in your brain. So by sticking my legs up I could get the blood from my legs back to my head and avoid passing out. I laid there trying to breathe and not pass out, I was mortified enough without doing that. Luckily after a minute or two my air ways relaxed, I didn't feel faint any more so I stood back up. Clare beckoned over a car to come and pick me up because at first I thought I couldn't get back on, but with not banging my head and not really having any pain anywhere in my legs, back, neck or shoulders I figured "F it, I'm going to ride back to the pack and see how I feel". Therefore we cantered back to the boxes which is where the second line had ended and people and horses were getting their breaths back. 

 

I decided that actually nothing really hurt and I was a bit muddy, Scully was actually fine and wasn't hurt (I must make a good squishy landing mat)  but both of us were ok considering, so we carried on, although not jumping any more.

 

 

 

  

So, now that i've explained all that happened I wanted to talk about how I feel now, a week later and should I have done things different etc.

First of all, I was in fact really quite alright in the days after. I was absolutely stiff as a board, but nothing broken. I was a bit worried about my left shin as that was really rather painful and even more so when touched that night, but after a sleep it felt better and not so agonising so I figured it wasn't broken and to just take normal pain meds and not go to the hospital. 

 

Two days after the fall I thought I really should get back on a horse and well 'Get back on the horse' as they say so I went for a ride out with Georgie and what I figured would just be a walk. I bridged my reins and basically rode holding them in my right hand, leaving my left arm and shoulder to rest. Alas Georgie had different ideas and actually wanted to canter and I couldn't exactly not do it cause the horse I was on would have gone mental. So I gritted my teeth and had a short canter. I do think the ride in general helped ease off the stiff and tenseness in my muscles and I felt fine about rding still.

While on this ride I got a rather big telling off from Georgie about not wearing a back protector or air jacket but I honestly think an air jacket would have been detromental in that situation. Don't get me wrong, I am a avid fan of air jackets but rather than just being landed on and horse getting up I was laid on for quick some time, but a horse that probbaly weighs about half a tonne. What I realise though that actually if I had an air jacket on I would have been laid there basically immobile like some giant inflatable tyre. I would have struggled to put my arms out to roll Scully away from my head and torso and I think he would have struggled to get up and may well have actually trodden on me if I had a big bulky air jacket on. Same perhaps with a back protector but i'll obviously never know in this situation and a rotational fall is something I never want to have happen to me again.

On wednesday I met a man who's wife is an eventer and we chatted and I mentioned why I was stiff and hobbling abit and mentioned the rotational fall, he said his wife had a rotational fall and ruptured organs and was in hospital for 5 weeks. So it really did make me think about how lucky I had. Granted, she was competing in a BE 2 star where the fences were much bigger, but still.

The thing that actually has taken the longest to heel is my left shoulder and arm; I figured that that was the first limb to hit the ground and therefore take all of the impact. I landed on the shoulder rather hard I think. That really took about a full 6/7 days to feel good. I got the yesterdays meet at Trumpington with it still a little sore and stiff but actually feeling like it had strength in it.

 

Another thing I noticed was yesterday getting back on and standing in field mastering I realised that not only did I have to jump, but i'd be leading and all eyes would be on me! No mistakes could be made and I had to make sure to not fall off. I had had my confidence knocked by the whole experience really. On the ground I had told myself that I was fine and i'd be alright jumping but actually jumping and doing it well was another matter. 

Luckily Monkey is so scopey and jumped so cleanly and rather than getting in tight to a fence he could take a big one. I'd rather a horse take a stride out then put an extra one in personally.

 

I do feel I was rusty jumping yesterday and was absolutely not at my best. Looking at some of the photos proves that to me, I was not forward and up in the saddle really for jumping and I think that is my subconcious fear of flying over the horses head again. With time I'm sure I'm sure I'll get that confidence back and will jump much more fluidly and without depending on the horse so much. Seeing this photo makes me sad! I 100% used Monkey to get me over that fence, not the other way round and I feel embarassed about that. I never ever like holding onto a horses mouth and to Monkey I apologise! 

 

 This makes me sad, i'm sorry Monkey!

 

This photo may just be a one off as the rest of the photos aren't as bad, and I know that once I got back into the swing of things I ws jumping well, wasn't relying on Monkey and did a decent job. I had great wing (wo)men in Hugh and Emma who gave Monkey and I leads and confidence while up front! I really do appreciate it. Plus I did have a wonderful day 

 

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, hats off to jockeys! They have some bloody awful fall and they get back on and ride the next horse. That really does take ball!

 

I guess where to go from here... I'm working weekends now for the foreseeable future so I'm not sure when I will be hunting or jumping again but I hope that yesterday helped me get mentally positive about jumping going forward and that I can conciously and subconciously move on from that fall and that as time goes on i'll forget it and will be back in my stride again.

 

I big thank you to Sam, Tara and Clare for being so quick to come to my aid during and after the fall, it helped massively in not freaking out! As always to Henry and the drag hunt for letting me ride and lending me horses! To Sophie also for allowing me to ride Monkey and for asking me to field master. I've ticked off a line on my bucket list!

 

Keep on riding, head up, shoulders back, brain in gear and never give up!

 

Christmas Hunting

I'll start by admitting that I have been absolutely rubbish at updating my blog and I only have myself to blame. Slap on the wrist for me, but then again I have been really rather busy!

I've been up to lot's leading up to Christmas with riding, mucking out for a trainer and seeing the pointers get ready to run! I've also been able to go on Hound Exercise which I enjoy. I must admit I'm getting a big soft spot for the drag hounds, they're such a sweet quirky bunch of bitches (I do mean that in the correct way of describing a female hound)!

But before I go any further, with people's opinions on Hunting strong ones both for and against I will say this, I go to ride horses and jump and that's it. I'll say no more on it and hope no arguements will ensue!

Anyway, I was lucky enough to try out a beautiful horse from a friend on Boxing Day to go out with the Fitzwilliam (Milton) Hunt who met at the Bell Inn in Stilton. I've not been to a boxing day meet since I was about 12 or 13 so to meet in the village high street and be so utterly surrounded by people was a bit overwhelming. Again, say what you will about hunting but a hell of a lot of people turned out to welcome the Masters and Hounds, as well as the Field. And I mean rammed, the streets were packed!
My photo I snapped quickly does not do justice to the amount of people there, there were equal that amount behind me that I couldn't photograph.




Thank you to Mum and Dad for my Christmas present of this gorgeous Shires navy jacket!

After a brief speach to a good few hundred people by the Field Master the horn was blown, the hounds spoke and off the Master trotted back up the high street and up the hill, followed by from what I read, 83 mounted Field followers and god knows how many cars!

As I trotted up the hill on Shay, a horse I'd sat on for about 20 minutes 3 days prior I started getting the nervous excited butterflies in my stomache. The field master shouted "Jumping field to the right, non jumping field to the left!" I had but a moment to weigh up in my head of should I jump or should I not?! "F**k it" I thought i'm going right and I'm gonna jump!

Turning into a beautiful grassy field with a good half of the Field in toe we kicked on into Canter and I could get to know my mount for the day. Very good I thought as me eased into canter and didn't proceed to yank my arms out the socket. Quite on the contrary as I didn't really have to hold on too much, he seemed very gallant in fact!

In no time at all the first fences appeared across a field, a double of post and rails about 2'9" high. I was nearer the back of the jumping field so got to watch as others before me tackled it. It seemed to be jumping well, so as I steadily cantered towards it I wasn't that apprehensive. Shay briefly lost his gentlemanly demeaner for a very 'Gung ho' style of steam towards it and push others out the way. I jumped it just after two girls, one on a grey and one on a coloured. A stride out I see the girl on the grey become unseated and much to her credit she stayed upright and on her feet, running next to her horse, but with no time to pull up I had to just keep left out of her way and pray Shay wouldn't refuse the second part of the double after all the kerfuffle!  Although refuse he did not, he stormed at it and that was that, clearing them with ease and landing safely to continue bowling up the hill towards another post and rail, which he again made light work of.
"This is going to be a fun day I thought" as I continued a speedy canter across the field to meet up with Polly and friends who were just in front. 

After a brief stop while the hounds worked and a sneaky (small) swig from a hip flask we were back off again across another couple of fields, and with the Jumping field rather tightly grouped and with Shays gung ho into the last couple of fences I opted to not jump the twisty track through the woods as knowing my luck I'd have come off so close to the start of the day and would have had to go home. 
I'm rather glad I did avoid it as the next jump I had to jump (the only way of getting into the adjacent field) meant Shay literally pushing Kerrie out the way in order to jumping it. My sincerely apologies again Kerrie!!

We were back into a steady canter around a verge track next to some farmers field and I kept in control as to not have any leg problems in the deeper ground. We had come upon a large wood so myself and the rest of the field lined around the outskirts of the wood and waited while the hounds worked and did their job. 

It gave the horses and their riders a chance to get their breathes back and stretch out after a quick and speedy first run!
I saw in front the single file line of horses neatly popping a ditch and had a quick flash thought of "oh crap I've not jumped a ditch in years, must not fall off! Must not fall off!" but the big Grey gentleman Shay popped over it no problem, I remained in the pilot seat and all was well and good! Again another steady canter round the farmers field lead to another set of jumps and another set of ditches. Well was going well until the last ditch..

As we got nearer the very experienced hunt staff and seasoned hunters took this large uneven ditch in their stride. The take off was lower than the landing, which was about a foot and a half higher on the landing side and had an awkward tree on the right of the landing which had a dangly branch hanging over it which would smack you in the face and head upon landing. 
"Must avoid that" I thought "don't want to get hit in the face.." well Shay must have also had the same thought because we took off no problem, and landed no problem but in my maneuver to not get a tree whipping across the face I lent forward but in doing so did not see Shay's trajectory towards the oncoming tree...
My right leg impacted the trees body and that was that.. so on the cantered exit to the rest of the pack, who had now parked up ahead, I was in agony. I audibly swore out loud, pulled up and rubbed the impact area vigorously. I'd read somewhere that rubbing a place in pain helps dull the nerves and help it from hurting so much, which actually did work. But I'm not gonna lie I had to bite my lip no avoid crying.
I tried not to make a fuss and when we pullled off again I just prayed the adrenaline with mask the pain, and luckily it did. We cantered over a few more fields and had another break just off the road, which we shared with a large number of awkwardly placed foot followers in their cars and had a chat while the hounds worked.

Before long we were at, what I understand, is called Moonshine (someone from Gidding please tell me why it is called this as I am very intrigued) where all the foot followers had parked up, jumped out of their vehicles and were in prime viewing places to watch the jump into the field. 
I understand from friends that this is a prime place where people fall off so people grab their phones in the hope of watching a tumble. The jump is a 2'9"-ish up right post and rails about 2 strides off the road so you have to trot from the road, ask for canter as soon as they touch the grass, kick on and hope your horse doesn't jump it awkwardly and has enough speed to get over it.
With a rather achy leg I kept with my friends group and watched as others tackled it before me. Some jumped it too slow and got a cat leap or an awkward stumble over it, other jumped it with a bit more speed or with a more genuine horse and popped over it. Luckily Shay is genuine as the day is long and popped it no trouble!


Georgie complimented my jumping position and said it was rather good, so i'm pleased with that

Once you were inti the field the gallop was on towards a rather large hedge. I kept steady and watched as a girl in front of me had a refusal and was mid turn away from the fence. In a split second I had to decide; Do I stop and wait while she represents and potentially has another stop, or do I kick on and try and jump it while she's turning away?! I quickly decided that Shay wouldn't appreciate being asked to wait and if I stopped now I might not get enough propulsion to jump it cleanly, the take off was already quite chopped up.
So kick on I did and Shay took into auto pilot and flew over and with that a rush of adrenalin and relief flooded over me. "Right" I thought, "That's hedge one, I know there is at least 2 more!" The first of which I flew over with no-one in sight, the next I'd have to pop a smaller post and rails to get over into the other field, which I did, and bowled on. A small group had congregated at the open gate on my right about half a field in front of me, I then spotted Sam about to tackle the biggest hedge of all. I tucked in behind her and pushed on.. Shay autopiloted again and I just took deep breathes instinctively and kicked on and we flew over! Although mid way over I saw Sam part company from Coco and hit the deck! I pulled sharpe right to avoid collison and pulled up as I watched Coco high tail it over the field towards the rest of the Field. Sam got up and bravely brushed off (which is more than I could say i'd do after falling off that high so hats off to you Sam) and we watched as her friends had retrieved a wayward Coco. Not wanting to loose the adrenalin in my system I kicked on and headed towards the large post and rails. It's a pretty big post and rails and with Shay getting in a little close I lost my balance on landing but clung on, quickly picking myself back up and foot back into the stirrup. To avoid a repeat I pushed on Shay and he took a big one, flying over the second post and rails and we sailed through the air. God it felt amazing and from the photo evidence it looked pretty cool too!!




I now knew where I was and could tell we were nearing home. We had a steady canter up the hill to rejoin the main Field and soon approached the main road into Gidding. A photographer caught this wonderful picture as we approached.



We'd been out a good two and a half hours so as we neared Gidding I kept with my friends and we all mutually decided to call it a day. It looked like a good few others thought the same, as about two thirds of the field slowly followed back to their boxes which had all been strategically moved to the Fox and Hounds on Gidding High Street.

I patted the lovely Shay and thanked him for being such a good boy for me all day. I swear they know what you're saying to them, even if they don't I still like telling them and giving them a good pat!
I was absolutely shattered, sore and ready for home.

Thank you for all of those who stuck with me and reassured me through out the day - Polly, Sam, Clare, Kerrie, Phillipa you're all so kind and good to me! 
Thank you SO much for Katie for Shay, he is an absolute Star!
Than you to the Fitzwilliam for such a wonderfully well organised day, to their lovely staff and loyal supporters who helped me through out the day

I'm now going to put an ice pack on my leg and put myself on box rest for a few days because I am well and truly lame!

Owwww!! Im now off to ice my leg again!