With many of us, myself included we just have to make decisions for ourselves and not really worry about what the doctor’s say. I was first told never to ride again at 18 years old. Have been in pain management for 3/4th of my life due to the choices I made but I don’t regret any of it.
Not telling you not to worry about it or not to listen to your doctor, just sharing my personal experience about making decisions. I didn’t ride for 15 years mostly because I was training race horses 7 days a week and the last thing I wanted to do was spend more time with horses. Riding would have just been one more job. It didn’t stop my body from continuing to break down however.
I have had three labral repairs in my hip and finally a spinal fusion that left me with a permanent spinal cord injury but still ride lightly pretty regularly. All of this is to say, take care of yourself, make the best decisions you can and hope for the best while still living your life. I am so sorry you have so much to deal with, please PM if I can be of any help.
Here is an xray of my pre-op spine showing how it is pretty much not attached to itself anymore.
Thanks for your thoughts and perspective. Ouch on those pre-ops. PM sent.
For about six months, every time I went to the rheumatologist, he asked me if I’d sold my horse yet. And every time I ended up at the local imaging office due to yet another injury, I was met with a chorus of “Sell the horse!” I finally did sell him after the last injury. I was way overhorsed, and really shouldn’t have been riding anyway because my balance was so bad. So I took up driving. Much safer, right? /s
I don’t know about driving but being over horsed is a big concern. I am very careful about what horses I ride
I have a very, very gentle Fjord that would rather eat than do anything else. I exposed her to a lot of things including my mom’s wheelchairs, and then I trained a big “WOAH” into her, so any time she senses I’m off balance, she automatically stops. She also parks herself by the mounting block for me to mount and get off. I put a lot of hours into her to get her where she’s at and she’s only five, so she still have a lot of maturing to do.
I have purchased riding “aids,” so specific tack that helps me out. I thought about starting a thread about what equipment or grooming tools works best for people.
I see the big second opinion doc Monday, so fingers are crossed.
I think the potential big heartbreak is I’d started back jumping this year, going to shows and seeing success. My guy is amazing, and I love him to pieces. He’s super forgiving of my adult, “remembering all this again”, fun as heck to jump but honestly not a guy who likes to flat. He is a super star at shows, no spook, easy peasy. At home, good lord, the bucket can be new every day. Often snorty silly until we jump, then pretty much down to business.
He’s not really a guy to just sit and cruise around for an easy ride around the farm or just buzz around for a little ride. 
I do have some options to continue puttering around, friends with AQHA/NSBA Ranch Riding horses. They aways have the door open so I can come ride when I have the itch. Not quite the same as having one of my own. But it’s something.
Please start that thread.
I am interested in stuff that I have not personally discovered yet.
I didn’t have very good judgement when I bought that horse. After giving up riding, as a beginner driver, I bought a hot Hackney pony who had never been driven outside an arena. I got him to drive around my neighborhood. My trainer wasn’t with me when I bought him even though she’d been shopping with me, and boy was she mad at me. “You bought a Hackney pony? Have I taught you nothing?” It wasn’t her fault. She was busy that day and I went to try him without her.
But the only time that pony hurt me was when I was handwalking him past a neighbor’s place, even though he usually had great ground manners. The neighbor had gotten cattle, and poor Crackers seemed to think they were aliens who would take him away in their space ship. I walked him by to try to get him accustomed to them, so he wouldn’t blow up when we drove by. He became a kite, and stepped on my toe where I’d just had surgery. I was glad he only weighed 500 pounds.
That pony taught me a lot, and we had a lot of fun. When I started driving my other pony, he was so calm that he was kind of boring. But was my judgement regarding horses ever sound? No, never. Somehow I survived, although I certainly don’t recommend being impulsive like I was. I was just lucky.
Fab news with second opinion! This spine specialist works with a lot of high level athletes (not that I’m one), but he gets it. I won’t have to quit jumping! Woot!!!
We are doing a spine injection next Thursday. This area has a disc that is torn and leaking causing the most pain.
The rest is “manageable”. I’ll continue Pilates, keep up the core strength, add in some other specific spinal focused therapy and we’ll see how I do. Number one is to calm everything down. So, I will be off my Wiz for the next couple weeks, then maybe a bit of walking and back in jumping mode in “hopefully” 4-6 weeks.
It’s ungodly hot right now, so it’s not SO bad. We’re getting Wiz some maintenance of his own since I’m off, so we’re both on time out. I can’t be happier with the news. Happy dance!!!
@Cinnybred,
I am so very happy for you. Not being able to ride truly sucks.
May your spine injection work perfectly and end your problems riding.
