Not a long one, but on Sunday I got on my horse and rode for a couple of miles.  I felt. . .normal.  For the past couple of years I felt clumsy and floppy up there - this time, I felt centered and secure.  My saddle was slipping a little (mutton withered Morab, as chubby as me), but it sure felt great to be really riding again.

Well from what I went through.

1) Do not try to push your body too soon. We all know horsebacking is a full body workout...especially in the core. So it wont matter whether you had laproscopic surgery or open...hernias can happen. Give yourself a few months to heal atleast.

2) While my first time back in the saddle was great. Boy did I learn a few things. Such as I had to completely reteach myself to ride properly. Because without the gut and weight in the way your center of gravity changes. So have a good solid horse to ride who will tolerate you relearning.

I got on for a "pony ride" around the lawn at about day 18.  But we just walked, and only for about 15 minutes.  I'm hoping to do a bit more this weekend.  It's already easier being 25+ pounds lighter!

I've had no issues mounting from the ground with most horses. Only one I cant is my 14.3 HH arab gelding Because he is one of thoes ones who gets "pissy" if his hair gets rubbed around and with him being built like a 55 gallon drum it ALWAYS happens if you mount without a block. But yet I can mount my 16.1HH Thoroughbred mare without issue...wide as a tank but has wither to help keep the saddle in place.

The only time it is actually bad to the horse is if the horse doesn't know how to properly shift its weight during the mount.

But nothing wrong with using a mounting block. Just is a pain if out and trails and you have to dismount.

Although I'm not riding right now, I have a two step mounting block, which I've used since I went over 220.  Of course, I haven't ridden hardly at all in the last 4 years.  So my question is, will I ever mount comfortably from the ground again?  I have heard it isn't good for the horse, anyway, but maybe that's because people got so darn big. . .