New to pacemaker

Will be getting pacemaker this week. Have Tennessee walking horse, anxious to know when I will be able to ride.

8 Comments

when you feel able

by nipper1 - 2014-02-17 05:02:19

Ive had my pacemaker just over a year now and riding was my biggest worry, as i have three ponies. I think i got back on in walk only at five weeks post op. I remember it was the greatest feeling ever. I didn't do the heavy stuff for a while as id already had the op twice due to my lead pacing my diaphragm.
The only problem i had was that i lost my confidence, i was scared of falling off and having to go through it all again. By six months i was riding normally again, jumping small jumps etc..
I still have moments when i l get worried but im enjoying riding again and tend to forget about my pacemaker. I always wear a body protector and if in doubt i don't take risks.
just enjoy your horse and go with what you feel comfortable with, its the greatest feeling in the world when you get back on and makes you feel normal again.

ps .. also what theknotguy says

by nipper1 - 2014-02-17 05:02:45

X

AS soon as you feel up to it

by BillMFl - 2014-02-17 08:02:26

But somebody else will have to do the saddle. No lifting. Same with mucking the stall, etc.

Slower speeds at first

by Theknotguy - 2014-02-17 11:02:20

Like Bill said, no lifting, mucking out stall, lifting bales of straw/hay, carrying 5 gallon buckets of water, etc. Most you can lift with arm on PM side is 8 pounds which is a gallon of milk. If you're going to curry comb the horse, you'll need to use the arm opposite the PM side. No extreme stretching and the elbow shouldn't go above the shoulder on the PM side. That's for the first four to six weeks.

You'll still want to move the arm on the PM side so it doesn't get stiff. Just watch how much force you use on it. I do knot work. Had to give it up for the first eight weeks because I would have to pull and tug and the force needed to do that was well beyond the eight pound limit. Same for you. You don't think pushing and pulling on a curry comb would exert a force over eight pounds but it can. Same for lifting tack, moving sacks of feed, moving stuff around, etc.

Don't lead horse with reins using the arm on the PM side. You don't want the horse to shy, pull the arm, and pull the leads. I've known of people getting a separated shoulder from a horse pulling on the reins while being led. If you get pulled that hard on the PM side, you'll probably pass out from the pain, rip out the leads. Not a good thing to have happen.

I'd start out riding the horse while at a walking speed. See how it goes. Rule of thumb is, if it hurts, stop. Then gradually work up to the faster speeds.

I personally, don't have a good "seat" while riding so I have a tendency to get bounced around. That's bad for the PM as it would get shaken in the PM pocket. Probably start screaming in pain. So you will want to watch the bouncing. Like I said, if it hurts, stop immediately.

I'd also go out with someone else for the first few trips. If something happens and you get into trouble, there will be someone there to help, call for help, chase down a runaway horse, etc.

Hopefully your horse is a calmer tempered horse? If not, I'd have someone ride him until he gets tired before riding. If you're one of the people who rides where - when I put my weight here - when I move my leg just so - and all those movements mean something to the horse so you are the only person who can ride it - then I'd do something to get it tired or calmed down before riding. Hopefully you've got one of those horses who can sense something is different and adjust accordingly. If you have one of those sensitive horses, I'm envious.

The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a person. So get out there and enjoy.

Theknotguy

Some actions are automatic...

by donr - 2014-02-18 07:02:34

...like reaching up for the saddle w/ your left arm to pull yourself up. It's something you automatically do w/o thinking.

That's the first & BIGGEST no no.

I'm surprised none of the horsemen above mentioned that.

Don

ha ha Don

by BillMFl - 2014-02-18 08:02:12

It all depends on which side of the horse you are standing at. Left side. Left hand. Right side. Right hand. So yes. Just mount from the right side.

I always heard...

by donr - 2014-02-18 08:02:38

...that you always mount a horse from its LEFT side. At least that's where every cowboy I've ever seen mount up does so. Except when he drops onto the saddle from a balcony or leaps up over its butt.

You mean John Wayne lied to us all those yrs?

Don

horsing around

by BillMFl - 2014-02-19 08:02:12

What does the horse say? You may not be aware of the mega hit video "what does the fox say". Anyway most gentle horses aren't gonna care. John Wayne had to keep his right hand free so he could fire his gun at the bad guys. Pilgrim.

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