horseback riding/neck pain - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

stolie · 11-03-2003, 06:46 PM

Hi,
I recently joined an outdoors club and this weekend's activity is horseback riding. I really want to go, but I have spondylosis in my neck at C-5-6 that leaves me with a stiff and painful neck and upper back pretty much 24-7. I am not a surgery candidate. Although the bone spurs are growing and I have reversed curve and smaller disc space, my spinal cord is not being compressed at all.

My question is, has anyone else out there ever done horseback riding and what does it do to your neck? I'm not worried about serious injury, just that I may end up in serious, unmanageable pain afterward. On the other hand, I don't like the idea of just folding up and living my life in a little box because of this neck problem. I'm only 30. Thanks for any input.
Dave

Tiddgys · 11-04-2003, 03:24 AM

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Hi Dave, just wanted to say hello to another horse fanatic i use to have my own horse..

Dave due to my extensive back surgery and now i have a pump implant in i cannot ride anymore, My dream is to one day own another horse but i will have a little welsh pony or simular and show in hand, so your life as you see as not got to be over, i too am only in my late 30's and i still have dreams too!

I would say to you go for the riding but know your limatations, My hurt if i over did it especially as i did all the looking after the horse too like lifting heavy feed buckets and bales of hay, I would leave hat to someone else now..

Good luck..

Tiddgys x xx

NanetteB · 11-04-2003, 08:12 AM

Dave,
I started riding in the spring, my daughter has a horse, it was shortly after that I noticed my index finger and thumb were tingling & numb on both hands. I ignored it all summer and it got worse the more I rode, I even bought myself a horse, an Appaloosa. By the end of summer I felt so awful I went to the doctor. To make a long story short, I found out I have a herniated disc at the C3-4 level and bone spurs at C5-6 and 6-7. The doctors say it is Degenerative Disc Disease, I am 51. I will need to have surgery soon. I don't have alot of pain in my neck, just alittle soreness, am unsteady when I walk and my fingers are numb. I have not ridden since I found out. I would say to you if it is just trail riding you may be able to ride, but don't trot. Make sure you have a mild mannered horse, one that doesn't spook easily and then there is no guarntee he won't. There is always that risk. I don't think riding caused my problem, just aggravated it. Go out and try it, you can always get off if you start hurting. I still go out and brush and take care of my horse and hope to be able to get back on soon. Have fun and be careful.

Nanette

stolie · 11-05-2003, 09:13 AM

I've pretty much decided to go through with it. Tiddgys, thanks for the encouragement, I 'm sorry you can no longer ride. I have never done it before but I expect it would be a lot of fun. Hopefully you'll own that pony some day soon!

Nanette, I'm not sure what kind of riding it will be, but a lot of people going on this trip, myself included, have never ridden horses before, so I assume it will be an easy pace. I'll be sure to ask for a mild mannered horse, I think if I fell I'd probably never get up again the way my neck and shoulders feel most days. I don't have many problems with numbness and tingling most of the time (it's popped up intermittently in the past), but I do have a lot of neck pain and shoulder spasms most of the time.

DaniLou · 11-08-2003, 06:38 PM

I am 1* yrs old with the same problem + kyphosis, lordosis and tons of other problems. I still ride 3x a week. Riding takes some time to get used to and any person is sore after riding. Don't give up...it is a great sport!

To the person who has a pump, check out Paso Fino horses, they have an incredibly smoothe ride and are smaller than regular horses. They really are amazing little guys! Good luck!