First Post-Op Lesson Success!

If you have been following Sonata Equestrian's Facebook feed, you know that Wednesday was my first time back in the saddle following arthroscopic surgery on my left knee.  I won't say that everything went perfectly, as taking those weeks off (practically a month!) took it's toll in terms of my strength, balance, and endurance, but I can say I did better than expected.  For one thing, I had less weight to try to balance.  I also noticed a greater range of motion since stretching was one of the few exercises I could continue to do during my recovery period.  The two most important things I took away from Wednesday are a greater appreciation for my trainer and for my equine partner (in this case, a lovely grey gelding named Evan) who helped rekindle my confidence and who "took it easy on me" my first day back.

Wednesday started out as a pretty typical "day off" for me: I slept in a little, hopped on my bicycle and rode for about three miles to warm up my knee and legs, and then came home to stretch.  It was during the stretching phase of my morning that a little bit of panic crept in.  Suddenly, I wasn't so sure if I could even get my tall boots on, much less ride a horse.  The boots fit, however, so I wore them-- and I conquered my worries and doubts.

Upon arriving at the barn, my trainer interviewed me briefly to see how I was feeling and to get an idea for my abilities for the day.  She recommended that I ride Evan, a friend from past lessons, and recommended a saddle for me to use (you may recall that we had decided at my last lesson to try a different saddle to see if I'd have better luck maintaining a proper leg position).  I pulled a very good-natured Evan from the pasture and went to work brushing him and getting ready to ride.

We entered the arena and Jessica sent us to work through some exercises on the flat.  I swelled with glee as I walked, trotted, and cantered around the arena and over ground poles-- I'd missed it terribly, and Evan was a delight to ride.  I noticed some weakness and imbalance in my body, but nothing like when I'd started a few months ago.  I noticed that I felt lighter (thanks to some serious nausea and an overall lighter appetite following surgery, I'd lost a few pounds).  I noticed no pain.  Most of all, I noticed that I could not stop smiling.  In the saddle is where I'm supposed to be.

Now that I've gotten over the bump of starting again, the time has come for me to put myself back into work.  It's time to tone up what has gotten soft, stretch those muscles that have gotten short and lazy, and put myself back on the road to greatness (or at least the point where I feel great about my riding!).  The first hiccup is over, let's move on to the next big dream!

The handsome guy who asked me to dance.  :)