Coping With Arthritis in the Equestrian Sports

   Hello everyone!
         So today was a really bad day. You guys probably don't know that I have juvenile arthritis. I have this in my wrists, my knees, my ankles, and it seems to be developing in my jaw and maybe my hips as well. The problem with this is that these are all joints you have to use when riding! Today it was very bad, and I had to leave school early. This of course means I have to miss my lesson. It's so frustrating, wanting to be able to do something so badly but not being able to physically. It sucks. A lot. But pitying myself never helps, and the only way to make it through this is to just push through it and keep smiling. Sometimes I feel like quitting everything, I feel like I can't do it. But as I'm sure all of you know, quitting horses is not that easy. You'll be having your worst day, and you feel like giving up on life, but then you get to the barn. All that changes. Horses make life worth it for me. If I didn't have horses, I would have nothing. They are my everything, and whether I can ride them or not, I could never give up on horses. As you guys know, I have dreams of being a top equitation rider, which of course seems next to impossible considering the circumstances. Maybe that's why I do it, because it seems so outrageous that if I can do it, I could prove something to everyone. But some days that seems to be an impossible task. I want this so bad. When you want something this bad, you can't let anything get in your way, even your own body!
     I wanted to write a blog on how I cope with my JIA. Maybe some other people here suffer from the same kind of problems, and I would love to help. I have had arthritis since I was 8 years old, so I know a few tricks for getting through the bad times. Here is Annie M's guide to surviving joint problems while riding!
1. Ride stirrupless! The best way to avoid pain caused by stirrups is not to use them! This is also great for building leg muscles, which will improve your equitation. It's killing two bird with one stone. In the beginning it seems so hard to do, but once your leg muscles build up it's a piece of cake and kind of fun too! Even if you don't have arthritis, I highly recommend trying some stirrupless riding here and there.

2. Ride in special stirrups designed to absorb shock and prevent joint pain. There are so many different types of stirrups out there on the market, there is definitely a pair that will work for you. Some attributes in a stirrup  that will relieve joint pain that you should look for are

            - Jointed stirrups

            -Twist top stirrups

            -Wide tread

  I won't get into the function of each of these attributes, but I may write another blog about stirrups only. Personally, I ride in tekna stirrups (knockoff Royal Riders :P). 

These are black composite stirrups with wide tread and a little bit of flex. I recommend trying out several different types of stirrups before choosing, because different stirrups work for different people.

 3. Wrap the problem joints and keep them warm/cold. For me, warmth helps my joints, but this will differ between people. Wrapping your problem joints will offer some support. You can use tensor bandages, specially made wraps/braces, or anything that provides support and isn't too bulky for riding. Since where I live it is very cold, this causes major problems in the winter. So sometimes I get a bit creative in finding solutions. First I took some hot packs and applied them to my knees. This solved my warmth problem. Then I took polo wraps and wrapped them around the hot packs and my knees, holding the hot packs on and supporting my joints! 

 Here you can see my slight ghetto solution in action. I'm so classy with my white polos. Do what works for you, and don't let anyone make fun of you if it works! My coach thought I was crazy, but hey! I rode well and not in pain that lesson!

   I'm sorry if I just bored all of those who don't suffer from joint problems (lucky!) but I hope I helped out a few who do. Also sorry for the rant at the top, it feels good to let it all out though. So thankyouthankyouthankyou everyone who has read this far! You are amazing and remember to never let anything stop you in achieving your dreams. Thank you all for reading, and have a fantabulous day!

Annie