When can I resume normal activity?

I am almost 3 weeks post op and I was wondering how long until I can resume horseback riding and heavy lifting again?Unfortunately everything revolving around horses is heavy and I am not very good at letting everybody else do my work. I don't have much pain. Mostly it is at the end of the day or after I've been sitting up to the desk/table. How do I know I'm healed enough to do more than just drop feed in the morning?

You need to know that without any major complications, we are about 40% healed at six weeks, 80% at six months and it takes a full year for us to get back to 100%. You have a long way to go yet.

In terms of personal experience, I thought I was completely healed at about 5 and half months. I pushed a heavy cart in Sam's Club and paid for it in terms of pain for an entire week after. If you try to do too much too soon, you are going to set yourself back and extend your recovery. Let your body heal. Your doctor will be able to tell you when you can resume heavy lifting without causing damage to the work he or she has done.

Talk with your doctor and follow his/her advice for returning to your horses. This is a good time to practice patience. I also found it helpful, anytime I started feeling frustrated by the limitations or how long recovery takes, that I am blessed that this is just temporary. There are so many women in the world who must contend with such limitations everyday.