Does anyone else suffer with the miconceptions of others as a result of being disabled and horse riding or owning horses? 
The worst is always from non-horsey people, but it is a truely horrible feeling and makes me feel that I have to justify myself, or carry around diagnosis letters and test results to prove myself to people 
I almost lost my job three years ago because my employers were accusing me of hypochondria and "regularly faking 'sickies'" (despite me passing on a report from one of the country's leading specialists in my condition).
The general concensus in HR was that "riding horses" (which was information my superviser must have passed on) was enough to prove that I cannot possibly be disabled. The issue was that I was requesting some expensive equipment to assist me to do my job, and that I had been off sick more than the company's "average" in the last twelve months, so they sent me to an Occupational Health doctor. Their letter to the doctor (which he shared with me) went along the lines of "we believe the 'disability' only effects her on Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am and 5pm, as outside of work she admits to riding horses and singing with a band" and was virtually requesting that he prove that I was a liar. Fortunately, the doctor was very understanding and had come across my particular disability previously.
Aside from the report from Occupational Health, I provided copies of my award for Disability Living Allowance and my blue parking badge as well as a variety of information on the condition from national organisations, my doctors and specialists. I also wrote a long report about the benefits of Hippotherapy, although I never got an opportunity to present it
Funnily enough, since that time, HR have pretty much left me alone, although I never got an apology for the stress and distress that the whole scenario caused me, and the increase in anti-depressants that was necessary to get me through it.
A colleague was telling me recently how his daughter has just taken up horse-riding, and (any excuse) I showed him a photo of Salsa and I. Later on when he saw my boyfriend pushing me in my wheelchair on the way home, he felt the need to give me a piece of his mind about how if I was well enough to have a horse, I could damn well use my legs and WALK! At the time I was so gobsmacked that I couldn't think of anything "educating" to tell him, but afterwards I wish I had explained about all the support and assistance that I need in keeping my horse; all the training that has gone in to making him safe for me to handle on the ground; all the equipment that I need, or have modified to make caring for him manageable; and just how damn painful caring for and riding him is 
But the way I see it is that 99% of things in life cause me pain, so I either get on with it or do sit on a sofa for the next fifty years, because moving hurts
I can't be the only one who has come across such attitudes?
The worst is always from non-horsey people, but it is a truely horrible feeling and makes me feel that I have to justify myself, or carry around diagnosis letters and test results to prove myself to people I almost lost my job three years ago because my employers were accusing me of hypochondria and "regularly faking 'sickies'" (despite me passing on a report from one of the country's leading specialists in my condition).
The general concensus in HR was that "riding horses" (which was information my superviser must have passed on) was enough to prove that I cannot possibly be disabled. The issue was that I was requesting some expensive equipment to assist me to do my job, and that I had been off sick more than the company's "average" in the last twelve months, so they sent me to an Occupational Health doctor. Their letter to the doctor (which he shared with me) went along the lines of "we believe the 'disability' only effects her on Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am and 5pm, as outside of work she admits to riding horses and singing with a band" and was virtually requesting that he prove that I was a liar. Fortunately, the doctor was very understanding and had come across my particular disability previously.
Aside from the report from Occupational Health, I provided copies of my award for Disability Living Allowance and my blue parking badge as well as a variety of information on the condition from national organisations, my doctors and specialists. I also wrote a long report about the benefits of Hippotherapy, although I never got an opportunity to present it
Funnily enough, since that time, HR have pretty much left me alone, although I never got an apology for the stress and distress that the whole scenario caused me, and the increase in anti-depressants that was necessary to get me through it.A colleague was telling me recently how his daughter has just taken up horse-riding, and (any excuse) I showed him a photo of Salsa and I. Later on when he saw my boyfriend pushing me in my wheelchair on the way home, he felt the need to give me a piece of his mind about how if I was well enough to have a horse, I could damn well use my legs and WALK!
At the time I was so gobsmacked that I couldn't think of anything "educating" to tell him, but afterwards I wish I had explained about all the support and assistance that I need in keeping my horse; all the training that has gone in to making him safe for me to handle on the ground; all the equipment that I need, or have modified to make caring for him manageable; and just how damn painful caring for and riding him is But the way I see it is that 99% of things in life cause me pain, so I either get on with it or do sit on a sofa for the next fifty years, because moving hurts I can't be the only one who has come across such attitudes?
How you feeling now?
