Had two super new saddles fitted but now can't ride!!

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We were off XC schooling again with Diaz, this time to the fantastic Bonfleur XC course, last Saturday and she was super! She is really getting the hang of this XC malarkey now, I can't wait to get her out to her first event soon!

The following day I was having my two new custom made saddles delivered and fitted courtesy of one of my fabulous sponsors, D A Saddles! Both saddles are absolutely fantastic and Milli felt great in them so she clearly likes them and I love the position they put me in and I get a great feel of the horse, although Milli did have a cheeky moment which ended with an afternoon spent in A+E...........

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Unfortunately, as you may have seen / heard on Facebook, I have frustratingly broken my hand in a few places! I was having my two new saddles fitted by Dave, courtesy of D A Saddles and Milli had a cheeky moment at a tiny fence which resulted in me doing an involuntary dismount! I landed on my feet so am still unsure how I broke my hand as I was still holding her with my broken hand! I knew straight away I had done some form of damage to my hand as I had really bad pins and needles, not that it stopped me from getting back on....I had a new saddle to ride in and nothing was going to stop me trying it out! Milli continued to feel cheeky but was jumping out of her skin and popping 1.35m as if it was 75cm! Prior to us parting company in my new Orpheus dressage Milli was schooling amazingly and felt so free through her back and shoulders, plus her medium trot was feeling great :)
(For more pictures of Milli and I in our super new saddles please Click Here)

The pins and needles weren't getting any better so I knew I'd either broken or severely damaged something in my hand! So whilst everyone was un-tacking and sorting Milli out for me I sat with my hand wrapped up in ice trying to control the swelling. My nan had a hospital appointment that afternoon so I tagged along with them and headed into A+E, still trying to convince myself that I'd just banged it and all would be ok......whilst sat waiting, for what felt like hours the swelling continued and I was starting to believe that I'd broken something! The triage nurse called me in and I was sent straight to have an x-ray. I was then asked to go and wait back in reception whilst they looked at the x-ray. I wasn't sat for long this time before they called me back in and gave me the news that I'd 'done a good and proper job' and broken my hand in a few places! Great, just what I wanted to hear!!! I then had to sit in the 'cast throne' as they called it waiting to have a cast put on it!

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Following the cast being put on I was allowed home and told to take it easy, which isn't something I'm that good at doing! I didn't sleep that well Saturday night as trying to keep my hand higher than my heart was proving quite difficult whilst I was lying down so I did wake up a few times with it throbbing as the blood rushed back to it! I probably did a bit to much yesterday morning as it was feeling very sore in the afternoon / evening but being treated to a nice meal out by the other half made it much better, momentarily at least :) I'm back at work today, trying my best to take things steady and although I didn't manage to muck out this morning, although I was quite impressed I managed to change rugs, make feeds, feed, fill haynets and turn them out!

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I was back at the fracture clinic Tuesday to hear my prognosis and when I left Saturday I was given three outcomes; I may need surgery on it, I may need to have it in a cast for 4-6 weeks or I will have my last two fingers taped together and a split made for me. As I'm sure you can imagine I was hoping and praying it to be the later of those three scenarios! Luckily after a few hours spent in the fracture clinic I had my cast removed and had my last two fingers taped together. I was so pleased to get the cast of that was for sure! I have another appointment in 6 weeks time where they will x-ray it again and check it is all healing as it should. I had been told no riding until the 6 week check up as well but we all knew that wasn't going to last.....I got home from work Tuesday and went outside in my tracksuit bottoms with no intention of riding at all but I did end up having a little ride on Milli as she looked so confused when Sophie was riding her as she has hardly ever been ridden by anyone else since being backed and she couldn't understand why I wasn't on board! She behaved very well and I was in no more pain riding which was good news! I will be good and take it easy though over the next few weeks as I'm off on holiday soon so will have a break with no riding which will do my hand the world of good, I just won't be able to do that many water sports! Oh, well just relaxing on the beach or by the pool for me then :)

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Until next time,

SG Eventing
X

***Keep Calm * Canter On***