Hi silverfae ~ I am particularly upset by her statement that you can RIDE HORSES 2 months after a FUSION!

A surgery like that doesn't even BEGIN to fuse until about one YEAR. Why in the world would she want you to risk your surgery by riding horses?
And like Lookieloo said, pain is relative. What you can stand and what I can stand is completely different. Perhaps what YOU can stand would put me on the floor!

Or vice/versa.
You may have a very high pain tolerance. Perhaps the condition of your cervical spine is worse than you think because you tolerate pain better than the next person. That may be why you have to have the surgery now.

But I still think you should NOT ride horses 2 months after surgery! I would MAKE SURE that I was completely fused before I got on one, and that might be a year or more.
I wish you the very best. God bless and keep us posted on how you're doing. Hugs, Lee