Riding after a cheilectomy

[ratchet]

I’ve read most of the similar threads on here (bunions etc which is a bigger surgery imo), but want to put this specific case out there. Due to a lot of wear and tear I have arthritis in my major big toe joint, and a bone spur. It’s been getting to the point where I can’t fit into most shoes and it aches constantly.

Surgery to shave off the spur and clean up the joint is pretty easy, but I will have a 5cm incision on the top of the foot. I should be weight bearing almost immediately with a walking cast/surgical sandal. I was hoping that after the first week, I could be back on a horse – potentially just doing stirrup less work until I can kind of comfortably use a stirrup again.

Has anyone here at this done, or something similar? I recently came from a long-ish unintended break of 3.5 weeks out of the saddle and it really showed today. But I can’t keep putting this off…

[Mealticket]

Yes. Horse stepped on top of my foot resulting in 2" blood clot. Clot removed leaving hideously ugly frankenfoot. I could see my bones. However I just kept it covered really well and rode bareback. My biggest concern was infection. Doctor was less than thrilled and threatened to dump me but everything was good after 2 months. Biggest fear was/is getting stepped on again.

[ratchet]

Ouch! I can commiserate, although I’ve only had my toes wrecked from horses so far.

I learned that it will be a combined bunionectomy/cheilectomy (foot problems are my family’s genetic gift to me). In a stroke of divine luck, my instructor isn’t even in town during the second week of my recovery and seemed fine with the idea of me riding completely stirrup-less for a while if needed.

We horse people are kind of odd.