Horseback riding-when to resume?

Hi Ladies,
I have a question for all those avid horseback riders out there or even the once in a while ones.
I had my TAH on January 18 2010 ( I am almost 2 weeks post op). When would I be able to ride my horse again?
If so what would I be able to do?
I am an english rider who has ridden for the last 40 or so years. I mostly ride on the flat and I hardly ever jump--the fasted I usually go is a trot even though i canter every once in a long while.
I am sure after the 6 weeks are up I will be dying to ride...warm weather, loveable horse, etc etc.
Any suggestions or ideas would be wonderful!

I would ask your doctor... he/she is the only one who knows your exact situation and how your healing process is going. It's really very individual. Just remember, just because you ride on the flat and physically it's not all that demanding... what if the horse spooks and you have to suddenly tense up, or what if you feel yourself falling and try to catch yourself? How would that feel? It's the possibility of those kinds of things that should keep you on the cautious side for a while.

s,
-Linda

Thanks Linda,
I am going to ask my doctor when I go back for my Post op appointment this coming tuesday. I know all horses have a tendency to spook and yes I would be concerned that there is a possibly of falling off.
I really do not have anything to worry about it with my horse who is a quiet Quarter Horse who loves and cares for me. I would more than likely limit my rides to 15 minutes or so.

Definitely ask your doctor.

Here's a bizarre story that my doc told me: he said one of his patients went horseback riding a few days after she got home from the hospital. She told him "you never said that it was prohibited" even though he had no idea that she rode horses.

Just hearing him describe it made me hurt. He said he had to go back in and "fix" the mess she made. I cannot imagine!!

Thank you December 14, I do plan to ask my doctor the question.
I am going to be super careful when it comes to getting back into riding.
About 20 yrs ago I had a grapefruit sized fibroid removed from my uterus which they performed a bikini line abdominal incision. I waited I believe about the six weeks time frame and he had informed me I could ride but take it easy. Well I did and it felt somewhat weird on the inside but it was not to the point of being in pain or discomfort. At that particular time frame I had a horse that would spook at a moments notice so I kept the time short.
I know that I have done so well so far with my recovery that I would not want to take 2 steps forward and then a huge leap backwards.

My doctor told me I could resume riding 6 weeks post-op. However, I felt so good following my lap. hyst. that I actually went for me first ride about 3 1/2 weeks post-op. But, I did take it easy the first few times -- didn't do a lot of trotting/posting. My doctor's general advice is, "If it hurts, don't do it." Listen to your body, it will definitely let you know if you are doing too much too soon.

Thanks Cinderella21-I hope you had a good ride. I am definitely going to take it easy when I am finally able to ride. Actually I would have to take it easy for the both of us; my horse has not been ridden any faster than a walk since September of 2009 when I had tendonitis in a shoulder. So now he is as fat as a little piggy...he is a stocky 15 hand Quarter Horse.

I have a 15 -2 hand, 20 year old Quarter Horse. Right now, he is fat and lazy, too. Really wish all the snow would melt so I could get some riding in. Right now, we have 30" of snow with more on the way! Hope everything goes well for you and you are back in the saddle again soon!

Hi Cinderella21: oh how cool. Where do you live that you have 30 inches of snow. I live in Northern VA and we normally do not get this much snow.
Do you ride English or Western? My horse is 21 too and he enjoys being ridden. My family seems to be of the mindset that once a horse reachs 20 they have to be retired. I do not feel that way; I feel as long as I take good care of him we have a lot more riding to do.
I hope so too!

I live in southern PA along the mountain ridge. I ride Western, but am very much a beginner; mostly just trail rides. My daughter is the real rider in the family. She rides English and competes on her university equestrian team as a hunter/jumper. Since we have this horse that was only being ridden when she was home on school breaks, I decided I needed to learn how to ride. It gives me some much needed relaxation and the horse a little exercise. He is in great shape for being 20 years old. My daughter actually shows him during the summer and has him jumping up to 2'6". Not too shabby for a horse that had never been trained to jump until we purchased him four years ago. I think he has a lot of good years left in him