[h=2][/h] In March I have to have shoulder surgery and the doctor says no riding for 4 months…and in a sling for 2 of those. My horse is finally back after having healthy issues. We are jumping and will get to show the first of March. I am so excited!!! But right after I am up for surgery:(
I don’t want to loose all the work we have done getting back in shape since I won’t be able to ride. I have a girl that is awesome to ride her for 2 months but only twice a week. I have one more person to ask that maybe be able to ride 2 more days but not sure. My trainer is looking to see if she knows anyone. I can’t afford to send her to a training program of have my trainer ride her every day. I can’t just have a random person who doesn’t have much experience ride because she can be some what hot and fussy but not dangerous.
So I am looking for any ideas for a 1 arm person to help keep her fit and/or places to search for people to excericse her? Any ideas are welcome!
What kind of surgery? I have some experience with shoulder surgery and a huge brachial plexus injury.
Torn labrum and stabilization, hopefully no rotator cuff damage, still to be determined. Not really looking forward to it. I have had bad injuries before that left me unable to ride but I just dealt with it as it came. Now I have to plan for it and it is stressing me out! LOL
I would do literally nothing horse related. The slightest movement is going to hurt and you don’t want to risk messing anything up. This too shall pass.
^ this ^
I had a Bankart repair done in 2000 for a shoulder that popped in and out for decades, until one day it didn’t pop back in. I think the problem is that the labrum got mashed over the years, so they put little anchors in and tied everything together. My surgeon said it would never go out again, and he’s been right for 18 years and counting. What I do remember was a lot of PT, and that you really do have to keep at it to avoid a frozen shoulder during recovery. He also said it takes 6 months to get to 100% and that was correct also. It just felt better in different way at the end of the 6 months, even though I was well past rehab.
At the time I was getting back into horses and was volunteering at a therapy program within walking distance from my condo. At this point I don’t remember specifically what I did, but after a couple of months I started doing some leading from the “wrong side” for some easy-does-it walk only lessons. I also spent a good deal of time hanging out because I was between jobs and it sure beat sitting home watching TV all day. I did help the BO with research into building her new facility. She is now a very close friend, taking good care of 69 y.o. me and my 23 y.o. horse.
I am ten weeks post op this exact surgery, plus they moved my bicep tendon. Recovery is a b!tch and is SLOW. My surgeon told me anywhere between 4-6 months for me to be back to “normal”, and I can tell you right now I am not close to normal yet. My muscles are impeding progress, as we are fighting 15 years of muscle memory and trying to get them to relax for therapy is the current challenge.
Ironically my horse injured a suspensory in September, so giving him time off was perfect. Unfortunately he is now cleared to start back lunging and tack walking but I don’t have anyone I trust to help me out, so he’s just hanging out. I have lunged him one handed and long lined very carefully, but I don’t push it. If you can find someone to lease your horse that is your best bet. It is absolutely not worth risking being back in the saddle before you are cleared. In the grand scheme of things, four months off is not long. I know exactly how you feel though. I dealt with a mystery lameness for two and a half years before making progress, and my horse is on a very careful management/maintenance schedule to keep him that way. His suspensory was a freak accident…he went outside for the day Saturday and came in sound. Sunday morning he was three-legged abscess lame.
I am extremely anxious and impatient and I want to ride NOW, but after going through surgery I decided that I would rather wait and be ready than go through surgery again to repair something that I messed up by coming back too quickly.
runNJump86 my horse is on a careful management program too and I don’t have someone I really trust that can work her daily.
It is comforting to hear I’m not the only one going thru this!
I will certainly take it easy and wait it out. Sounds like lunging or free lunging will be our exercise of choice for a while!
This was my experience as well. Give it Time. You don’t want to go back for repair work. Definitely do not skip PT and follow up. Good luck!
As frustrating as it is, IMO that’s the best situation. This week has been really good for me, PT-wise, and I’m getting more and more mobility and range of motion back. It’s a long, frustrating road, and you’ll have moments where you question why the hell you even had the surgery done. I’m still not convinced I made the right call :lol: but that’s because I’m so freakin’ impatient. But having it done now is WAY better than ten years from now. Recovery gets harder with age.
