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Any horse riders out there who can give me advice.

Posted , 5 users are following.

hippy28
hippy28

I own my own horse and was riding her until the day before my op. I always felt great once on board when my muscles had warmed up. Dismounting was difficult due to my lack of mobility in my bad hip. Often had to call for help as I'd got stuck!!!!

I've been told I can ride gently at 12 weeks. I always use a mounting block for getting on but need advice for getting off.

Before the op I was riding into the stable and bringing my bad leg over my horses neck and jumping down.

I really don't think this is such a good idea with my new hip because of the impact on landing.

Just wondered if anyone has experience of what to do as I so want to ride again.

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • AlexandriaGizmo
    AlexandriaGizmo hippy28

    Posted

    I did write a long reply of how I imagined you could continue riding but the more I reread it the more I realised how hard its going to be.

    I personally would suggest the best person to ask would be your surgeon/physiotherapist I don't think its going to be easy for anyone to tell you how to get on and off, it most definitely want be how you did it before because your hip will have precautions that will be lifted as you progress along your healing route, good luck and I hope you find a way to ride at 12 weeks

  • kel40
    kel40 hippy28

    Posted

    Hi.who was it that told you that you could ride again at 12wks?i've got horses and was told that riders like ourselves would need to have intense physio before we could ride again?

    • hippy28
      hippy28 kel40

      Posted

      It was the physio at my 6 weeks review who said it would be ok as long as I was careful . She was also a rider so understood.

      She also went to great lengths to tell me how difficult it would be if I came off and broke the femur on my operated leg.

      There was no mention of extra intensive physio.

    • kel40
      kel40 hippy28

      Posted

      I've been for my 6wk check up today and have now been referred for the more intense physio before i can get back onboard.i suppose it must vary from physio to physio.

    • hippy28
      hippy28 kel40

      Posted

      I'd be interested to know what the intense physio involves.

      All I was told was to practice squats with my legs apart as if I was sitting on a horse.

      At 12 weeks I was thinking of putting my saddle on a saddle horse (used for tack cleaning) and just practicing putting my leg over as if mounting and dismounting. Then once I'm comfortable with that trying it on my horse for real.

      I think it may have been easier if my operated leg was my left one!!

  • denise79180
    denise79180 hippy28

    Posted

    I am a rider and a qualified riding instructor for the disabled. I am 9 months out from rthr. I haven't ridden as I'm to scared of spooked horse and coming off. I can however, mount and dismount properly in the normal manner. I would be able to ride comfortably. I had extra physio and did squats lunges etc. just give it time. You'll be back to it soon.

    • hippy28
      hippy28 denise79180

      Posted

      Hi Denise, thanks for the reassurance that I should be comfortable riding again, and mounting and dismounting in the normal way. I keep practicing squats and other stretching exercises.

      Did you have to request the extra physio sessions for riding or were they offered to you?

    • denise79180
      denise79180 hippy28

      Posted

      I suppose it depends where you are. I'm in nz. We get very basic physio from the hospital physio. I just paid and went to physio after 9 weeks because I wasn't really progressing. I also have realised I have to keep doing them or my leg muscles loose strength.hope that helps.

    • hippy28
      hippy28 denise79180

      Posted

      Yes it does help thanks Denise. I'm in the UK and like you I've been given minimal physio from the hospital.

      I thought that I may have to go privately to a physio. Fortunately I know a very good one who helped my back years ago when I had problems then.

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