Welcome! Yes, we've been a little slow lately. I don't have any experience dealing with knee issues, so not much help there. Hope you are recovering well.

I grew up riding walking horses, then quit for seven years due to kids/work/money/weight gain. I decided to start taking lessons again after losing some weight, and here I am a year and a half later leasing an Irish Draft, a member of a foxhunt, and learning to jump! We might do some showing in a little local hunter circuit this summer, depending on how things go.

Endurance sounds fun--do you have plans to do that again or just stick to trail riding? I wish I had more opportunities for trail riding now, but I am without a horse trailer. I recently contacted our competitive trail association, and I might go watch one to see what it is like.

ETA: the horse in your profile pic is gorgeous--someday I want to own a paint or spotted saddle horse.

Hi there! I'm your resident knee surgery veteran. 5 total knee surgeries, including both ACLs reconstructed out of my own hamstring tissue. I do not regret for a second any of those surgeries, and I would have another one if I needed, but I don't so far knock on wood. My last surgery was over 5 years ago, and everything is working perfectly!

I rode for a year with a busted ACL, my surgeon had me fitted for a custom made DonJoy brace and the knee never gave me problems for the year I wore it. I called it my Borg knee. That was my left knee, and my only real limitation was mounting, which I did from the right for that year. My horse became so adjusted to it that if given a choice at the mounting block, he chooses the right side! The only problem I had with that brace was a small wear spot on my saddle fender. I rode miles and miles in that brace, through the Canadian Rockies on a pack trip where I got frostbite on my fingers, had a bear in camp, and narrowly escaped diving off a cliff when my horse got bit by a hornet. My knee was never a concern out there!

I also did physical therapy which focused on building up quadriceps and hamstrings which can help minimize the extra movement the knee has without an ACL. I opted to get the surgery anyway since the first one had been so successful. But my surgeon said people can go their whole lives in those braces and can ski and everything that normally would kill a knee with no ACL.

I'm a trail rider, and the horsey love of my life is a mustang I've had for 17 years now! We ride English in a decidedly Western part of the world and one day I hope to get back into jumping lessons. Part of my motivation to lose weight was to keep my knees as they are now for as long as possible!

I understand your pain. I'm available for knee surgery pep talks if you need them!

I went 7 years after I broke my first ACL before I got the surgery and it was always a guessing game. When will my knee give out, when will I be incapacitated with pain? It was finally a mis-step dismounting my horse that made my final decision for me. That's why I didn't hesitate to get the second one repaired, it was just a matter of scheduling that put it back any time at all.

Surgery sucks, no doubt about it. But it's 3 months of pain and rehab, and then a lifetime of doing what you want without limitations. The other option is constant fear of tweaking that knee hanging over your head, limiting your activities, and frequent painful flare ups. Don't listen to the naysayers, surgery technology has come so far in the last 10 years alone. Everyone wants to tell you about their friend's aunts husband who had the surgery and can NEVER walk again. Ignore them at all costs.

I stepped back into the saddle 3 months to the day after both of my ACL reconstructions!

Hi there! I had ACL surgery and went back to riding about 2 months after. It was pretty rough Im not going to lie - it hurt way more than I thought it would and it was really an eye opener to see how weak I was.... BUT - Im all good now.... I was lazy in college and didn't do my physical therapy how I should have.... it actually took YEARS for me to get off my fat a** and start doing what i had to do to get my knees 100% better.... but on the other hand, I met a guy while I was at the doctors who was THREE DAYS out of surgery and WALKING without a crutch. His leg was small and black and looked disgusting... he used the word "gnarly" and spoke super loud when he was talking to me about working hard and pushing through the pain...The doctor then introduced him as a professional rugby player and it all made sence....

anyway, Im rambling, but I guess my point is recovery time is up to us and you can totally bounce back and your knee will be fine - and yes, those months of pain are worth not having to constantly worry about your knee poping out.... just do your physical therapy no matter how much it sucks and hurts, just do it - and you will be back in the saddle in no time!

Oh, good luck with the surgery! One of the trainers I used to ride with had a double knee replacement and she is back in the saddle and thrilled she had it done. I will send you a friend request so I see when you post!