| When you have had a bad fall, it can take a long | | | | Even if you did not sustain a serious injury, pay |
| time before you feel confident enough to get | | | | attention to what is going on inside you and in the |
| back on a horse. And so it should be, caution is | | | | immediate area around you. Rediscover your |
| the body's way of protecting itself. But what do | | | | sense of touch and physical orientation. Body |
| you do if you love horse and you love horse | | | | awareness is an essential attribute of all good |
| riding and you are yearning to get back in the | | | | riders. |
| saddle but your riding confidence is a rock-bottom | | | | 6. Review your commitment to observe standard |
| low? | | | | safety procedures. Always wear appropriate riding |
| 1. Maintain physical fitness, strength and | | | | apparel, always check your equipment, always |
| suppleness | | | | wear a helmet. |
| Start with what you have. Get fit. Lose any | | | | 7. Learn how to fall |
| surplus weight that may have accumulated while | | | | Martial arts students spend a lot of time learning |
| you were laid up. Slowly build up your strength | | | | how to fall without injuring themselves. If you |
| again and gradually regain your suppleness with | | | | haven't mastered this useful art yet, take some |
| stretches and yoga. If it was a severe injury, | | | | time to do so now. You will be investing in your |
| work with a professional, like a physiotherapist. | | | | future. |
| You will automatically feel more confident when | | | | 8. Get your timing right |
| you are strong and fit. | | | | Next time you ride, take all the variables into |
| 2. Eat a healthy diet | | | | account. Don't go riding if you are rushed, or feel |
| After an injury, you need to rebuild your physical | | | | under the weather, or have too many other |
| strength. Eat enough, but not too much. Make | | | | things on your mind. Give your horse not only |
| sure you ingest all the vitamins you body needs | | | | your time, but also your full attention. |
| while it is under all this physical and mental stress. | | | | 9. Take the environment into account (as well as |
| 3. Limit alcohol, avoid drugs | | | | your horse's reaction to the environment). Do not |
| Most horse riders know to avoid alcohol (and | | | | put either yourself or your horse at risk because |
| drugs, for the same reasons) if they plan to go | | | | you are desperate to go riding. Life's too short. |
| anywhere near their horses. Be careful not to | | | | 10. Buy insurance, personal, horse and third party. |
| self-medicate with alcohol while you are feeling | | | | Make sure you are fully insured, and so is your |
| low and bored, it will not make you feel happier or | | | | horse. Last thing you need when you are |
| better. You are only delaying the healing process; | | | | recuperating from the physical and mental effects |
| a very unwise approach indeed. | | | | of a horse riding injury is to worry about doctor's |
| 4. Get enough sleep | | | | and/or vet's bills. |
| When you sleep, your body takes time out to | | | | So you see, there is a lot you can do to restore |
| heal itself, physically and mentally. At no other | | | | your confidence long before you gat back into the |
| time does your body need to recharge its | | | | saddle. And doing something physical is good for |
| batteries as desperately as after an injury. Invest | | | | your body and your mind. Once you are strong |
| in eight hours of deep, rejuvenating sleep a night, | | | | enough to start exercising again, remember |
| until you are fully restored. | | | | exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, the |
| 5. Increase your body awareness | | | | body's natural analgesic. So get out there and |
| If you were injured physically, you probably have | | | | start mucking out those stables. It will cheer you |
| no difficulty paying attention to your body's | | | | up no end and in no time. (Just joking! |
| messages - especially the parts that were injured. | | | | |