Yes, I have similar memories too.
I had a wonderful horse along time ago- now i have a bratty one and I'm too chicken to even try to ride her- she bucks!!
Well my wonderful horse did bolt and run through a electric fence and then bucked me off too...but he got scared of the tractor and plow- so it wasn't really his fault. {this is probably how my c spine got messed up as I landed on my noggin and was out for awhile}

I can't throw sticks or balls overhand for the dogs anymore.
shoot hoops- I can make one good shot but lose the arm control after that.
I can hit soft balls with a bat but not a hard ball because of the jarring /recoil.
no more jumping on trampolines or any jumping at all really just doesn't feel to good.

stuff i used to do easily with out any arm/neck/muscle problems-
Hiking, sports, fishing, catamaran sailing, camping , picnics, sewing, art/crafts, cooking, home projects, oh the list is too long to type it all out.