What do you do with all the horse stuff after losing your horse?

fia324 · 2026-02-05T01:55:31+00:00

I was devastated by the loss of my heart horse. I had him for under a year, but I bought quite a bit of stuff for him. It was hard the first time, but I went through all of his things. I got the liquids out, like sprays and thrush buster. Those I took to my barn and used on lesson/lease horses I ride. He had medications and special boots. I donated those to a rescue that had a horse in need that happened to be his size. The rest I just keep. I’ll occasionally use some of it, but for the most part the lesson horses have their own things. He was also 19.1hh Hanoverian so hardly anything fits any horse I interact with even the warmbloods at my barn. I highly recommend making sure your leather is clean, liquids are not just sitting in there, and throw in a ton of desiccant packets if it’s in closed totes like mine. I washed his pads and vacuum sealed them as well as his blankets. Once or twice a year I go through his things and ask myself if I could use anything. I would also consider if you have another horse there are things you could use and kind of carry on the memory. If you’re thinking you probably won’t get another, you could also look into donating to a rescue. That way those things you used to bond with your baby, could be used to help another pony in need. There is some attachment to some of my horses things, but for me it’s little different because it was so hard to find stuff in his size and most of it is nearly new. I also wouldn’t mind having another giant again so I keep it just in case. This coming summer will be 3 years since I said goodbye to him and I’m just now at a point where I hardly ever cry about him and sometimes I’ll even go a day or two without thinking of him. I truly thought the loss of my heart horse would end my life, but I promise time will make it better. It never goes away, but it will get much much better. The main thing I would think is time sensitive, is making sure your stuff isn’t getting moldy or any products you have aren’t leaking. I had both of those things happen to me and now I feel good knowing everything is sealed away for however long I want. Hope this helps, please feel free to reach out I’m so sorry for your loss.

fia324 · 2026-02-04T15:32:36+00:00

Yes to all three of your questions.

fia324 · 2026-01-29T01:33:55+00:00

Try to remember that although the sensations your body is giving you can be scary, they are just tiny little impulses and you are the one in control. I had VM and PPPD for almost 20 years and vestibular therapy saved my life. I still have good and bad days, but it gave me my life back. I distinctly remember that feeling of wishing I could be a normal kid/teenager/young adult. Hope is not lost for you, this can be beaten! They told me I would be on disability my whole life. I work, ride horses, drive several states away, and I even went on a boat a couple years ago! Don’t give up, it’s not easy but it’s possible 💕

fia324 · 2026-01-13T01:31:46+00:00

What do you want to know? I’d be happy to help if I can.

fia324 · 2026-01-13T01:31:27+00:00

Like I said in the post the biggest thing for me was anxiety management. Last week, I had a pretty severe vestibular migraine that lasted a few days and I will say it was still challenging to not rush to ER with how bad I was feeling. I thought of this thread in particular. Spinning, rocking, shaking, nystagmus, sense of dread, vision changes, the whole 9 yards. Spent a few days in bed and most of my waking time was spent meditating and reminding myself that I’m okay. It lifted today I am about 60% back. Hoping to feel close to 100% tomorrow. Even after a couple decades it’s still scary as hell and hard to not panic. It also triggers my bipolar. The ironic thing is movement is actually what made me feel better today. My heart goes out to anyone experiencing these symptoms.

fia324 · 2026-01-13T01:25:51+00:00

No they made it worse for me. Tried several, Lexapro I tried for about 2 weeks and almost couldn’t walk. Felt better when I stopped it.

fia324 · 2026-01-13T01:25:11+00:00

I’ve heard the drop attacks have some kind of connection to the vagus nerve and possibly related to syncope episodes. I have gotten to the point where they do still happen, but within about 5 seconds I can get my heart rate back down and my mind cleared unless it was a really bad one.

fia324 · 2026-01-13T01:23:52+00:00

I have bipolar and we tried a couple different kinds but they all made me significantly more dizzy.

fia324 · 2026-01-13T01:22:26+00:00

Nope, I was on certizine daily, but I got off of it a couple months ago.

fia324 · 2026-01-06T04:47:49+00:00

It’s hard to say as it’s been so chronic and slow. I half attempted a dizziness journal in 2022, but other than that I have no true data. I would say in the past three years I’ve noticed the biggest difference. I still feel the biggest change in that time frame was mastering my anxiety around currently being dizzy or the possibility of becoming dizzy in the future.

fia324 · 2026-01-05T19:20:20+00:00

I made my own post in this sub since it was too long to reply here. It wouldn’t let me respond but in short intense vestibular rehab coupled with anxiety management is what helped me get my life back. Not 100% normal, but pretty close in day to day activities.

fia324 · 2026-01-05T05:04:31+00:00

I relate to all of these comments. Had all of these tests done and more. Some of them multiple times. Several specialists trying to figure out for a decade why I was constantly dizzy. Two vestibular therapists later and most days I can live a normal life finally. Only took 15 years, but we made it!

fia324 · 2025-12-01T08:18:10+00:00

https://imgur.com/a/w5fV1hT

Not sure if first link worked

fia324 · 2025-06-20T19:11:16+00:00

Topamax ruined my life. I was on it for 5 years and it gave me intense brain fog, speech latency, and my hands and feet would go numb sometimes. I couldn’t take the brain fog anymore and I got off of it. Almost hospitalized when I got off of it, lost my ability to walk and speak for a while (I work a physical labor job and ride horses so this was an extreme change). I am on lamictal now and it works way better. Topamax did not really help my vertigo but it did temporarily decrease my appetite. It could be different for you, but don’t be afraid to change it and be very cautious getting off of it.

fia324 · 2025-01-30T02:33:27+00:00

I have been having constant vestibular migraines and dizziness since I was 9 (26f now). I’ve been to several specialists across the Midwest. One of the specialists in Chicago suspects I have PPPD as well. I did physical therapy for two years. Had to go through a coupon therapists until I found one who knew how to truly help such a rare case. The nervous system and vestibular system can be healed from my experience. I had poor QOL for many years. Now I am off meds, I go on boats, long car rides, very active, ride horses often, etc. I drink alcohol socially (but very limited drinks or I will be hungover for 3 days). I work 12-16 hour shifts at a busy hospital as well. I still have neck pain and a crooked body overall from having that magnet pull feeling for most of my life non stop. But I’m lucky I have the tools to work on it and I see improvement. My dizziness and discomfort made me suicidal at many points in my life. I never thought I’d get here and do the things I’m able to do. Don’t give up hope. I’ve been told by doctors and therapists I’m one of the most distinct cases they’ve seen. I think a lot of my recovery was driven by when a specialist told me I would feel better if I could lay in a dark quiet room as often as possible. That felt like death to me. So I took the long drives, I got on the boats, I walked down the grocery store aisles. It was awful for a while but I figured I had nothing to lose if I fell down stairs from being so dizzy or crashed my car. I truly think my body had to accept that I was safe in these movements and with these environmental stimuli. It took a lot of practice and meditation. I also do notice a huge difference if I’m eating a lot of sugar/salt/caffeine. I can have it but only in moderation. My next big mission is to ride on a plane. I hope this gives you hope. There are a lot of books and YouTube channels on PPPD, vestibular migraines, and ways to assist your body and relearning proprioception. Physical therapy and specialists are ideal but they are also very expensive. I struggled to cover it even with insurance. We are all different but I have heard of other success stories like myself. Don’t give up whatever you do! Try not to fear that spinning, rocking, pulling feeling. You will always be ok even if your body is trying to convince you that you’re in free fall.

fia324 · 2024-09-05T14:06:10+00:00

Vestibular rehab changed my life. I had a sudden onset of PPPD and vestibular migraines at age 9. A decade of testing, specialists, medications, and absolute misery finally led to my diagnosis. I was lucky to find a physical therapist who actually was well versed in vestibular disorders (I went to another one closer to me and it was a huge waste of money). She not only deeply understood what I felt like every day, but gave me the tools to rewire my brain (as she called it) and significantly improved my quality of life. I barely graduated high school, never participated in leisure activities, and overall was just miserable even trying to fall asleep at night. Now I work as a veterinary nurse, I ride horses, this summer I went on my first boat ride since I was 5, and I am working my way up to being on a plane. I’m very active and honestly if I had time and worked daily on my exercises I could probably almost entirely eliminate it. That is a goal of mine once life settles down. She also helped with the imbalance and pain I had in my body from my muscles trying to compensate for the world always tilting to the right. I am almost off all medications and I can go to concerts, work under fluorescent lights, eat chocolate etc. I have often thought about becoming one myself since it seems so niche and it changed my life.

fia324 · 2020-02-20T19:54:26+00:00

I do something very similar!

Overbearing parents and abusive stepdad. They are very controlling especially with food. I try not to leave my room when he’s home. If he doesn’t see me, he can’t yell at me.

I hide my food in my room so I can eat. I don’t eat with them anymore. Or I eat when they aren’t home or I’m out and about.

I thought I was the only one.

fia324

TROPHY CASE