I have just returned from my check up with my surgeon and it is all good news! The surgeon is really pleased with my progress and how well the graft in my knee is doing. He spent some time prodding and poking my knee and scars and checking how strong the graft is. He then spent more time talking about the downsides after so much cartilage had to be removed, and the use of glucosamine and other joint supplements, which I am already on! This turned into quite a discussion as my dissertation at university was on the use of these drugs in equines. There is different evidence in all different species. In the laboratory it is known that cartilage does much better when it is supplied with glucosamine, chondroitin, cod liver oil and similar, but in the real world there still isn’t strong evidence of how much gets to the cartilage in the body, its use and what dosage is required or ideal. All current dosages are estimated and recommended. Some people find a difference, some don’t. Whether this is relevant or just the placebo effect, is not yet known for sure.

As I am slowly increasing my exercise and building up my muscles, Blue is starting some lungeing and long reining as well. Mum is too big to ride him and now the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged he can start light work (we don't have the joy of an all weather arena). I will be on his back soon and very slowly increase the work we do together. I need my muscles to be well built up so I can stabilise the lateral/sideways movement in my knee and not risk damaging the graft. So no leaning off the side of the saddle to do mounted games yet, and I have been forced to promise I will NOT attempt to vault for some time! The thing I’m really looking forward to, now that everything seems to be going in the right direction, is seeing if I will set off any metal detectors!