NSV- I got to ride!!

I'm 7 weeks out and today I finally decided to get back in the saddle... literally.  I hadn't been on my horse since well before surgery.  Before I was afraid I'd get hurt and not be able to have surgery.  Now I'm just beginning to really feel like myself again.  I figured I'd better get to it before my body changes too much more.  So this isn't really weight related so much as I'm feeling recovered from surgery. 

Getting on and off was way easier though.  I had some extra room in the saddle too.  I'm sure Emmy (horse) was grateful for the 47lbs gone since my high weight.  She's never had any problems packing my butt where ever I wanted to go but it's got to be easier now.  And now I'm worried that when I'm much smaller, she's going to be a handful! 

I guess she's just one more anxiously awaiting the shrinking of my ass ....

Hurray, hurray.  I have felt the same way about my ponies.  My little guy is just about 450lbs, so I have lost close to 25% of his weight.  That has to make a difference in the cart for him.  Give Emmy a hug for me.

I will!!  Thanks!!

Being able to ride as much and as for as long as I want to is my biggest reason for having this surgery.  I want to be able to go camping for a week and spend 8 hours a day in the saddle!!!  At 300+ lbs I couldn't ask for more than an hour or so at a time regardless of how well the saddle fit.  Emmy's a tank but this is all for her!

Your little guy is soooo cute!!!  I want to squeeze him, lol. 

I have a week long camping trip planned in July at Blowing Rock.  I hope to take both ponies but maybe just Poppy, the Morgan.  She is better able to handle the mountains.  Can't wait.

I love to ride and one of my reasons for getting surgery was so that I could start riding again. I was very sad last fall that I couldn't do a horseback riding excursion on my cruise because I was over the weight limit.

Oh wow, I bet that broke your heart!!  Have you tried to ride since or will you wait until you're at goal weight?  I hope you get to ride soon!!  Looks like you're plenty light now! 

 Ive not ridding in about 20 yrs bcause of my weight. I used to ride train and show Arabians in hunter and dressage and miss it SO bad. Recently my 8 yr old daughter got bitten by thehorse bug and so we leased a thoroughbred for her, and i was given a reg quarter horse by a woman at my parents boarding stable who could no longer afford to keep her. Im SO tempted to get on her, but im still 338 lbs and afraid to. Shes stocky but only about 15.1 hands and im not sure she could handle the weight. Im so jealous of you right now lol! Congrats on your victory! You should post pics!

I rode at my highest weight, 347lbs.  I didn't ride for long nor did we work very hard but I did ride.  I've spent so much time and money trying to find a way to ride as heavy as I am.  I've got a super nice saddle that fits my mare very well.  I've got the expensive pad and all that.  And I've spent years justifying my decision to ride as a truly super morbidly obese person.  I closed my eyes  to the stares and comments I got when I was out riding.  I didn't want to hear that my horse couldn't handle it.  I've gone through several horses trying to find one that could handle it.  I've interrogated my vet over and over about hurting my horses by riding. 

I'm still 300lbs but it felt sooo much better today.  And it's just going to get better as I lose weight.  I really, honestly did this so I could RIDE.  Ride and not stress.  Ride and have fun and not worry about hurting my horse. 

When I hit 200lbs I  want to camp at Mammoth Cave and ride all weekend.  Of course I also want to be able to do the cave tour and actually walk back out! 

Okay, so my advice would be to try riding your mare!  See how she handles it.  If she's shakey or whatever, just wait until you've lost more weight.  It's not like you're not going to lose, kwim? 

Take care and let us know how it goes!!

My old mare is 29yrs old - we used to have some great adventures at the state forest in our younger (not so heavy) days. I'd stable her there and camp in the campground with my dog. They had marked trails that went for miles in the piney woods, with deer and various other wildlife. 
 Even after surgery I won't be riding Skye (she has heaves) but I have a new horse that will be 3 next April and that will ( hopefully) be at my 6 month mark!! Woot!

Cool!!  I live about 30 miles from a state park with miles and miles of trails and a nice campground.  I camped last year but ended up not riding much.  I had a good time but still. 

Congrats on your new horse!  I LOVE your avatar, btw!