Joint surgery helps Nashville horsewoman get back in the saddle

For Tammy Hyler, life has always been active. A Nashville-based music industry professional, lifelong athlete, and competitive horsewoman, Tammy has never been one to slow down. Whether training in the arena, roping cattle, or working long days on her ranch, she’s lived every day with determination and grit.

But years of activity caught up with her joints. “I wasn’t born with the greatest cartilage,” Tammy said. “Over time, my knee, hip, and shoulder joints just started to wear down. It wasn’t from a big injury—it was years of wear and tear.”

In 2019, Tammy underwent her first major surgery, a knee replacement at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown, performed byDr. Gregory Raab of Elite Sports Medicine, a partner of Ascension Saint Thomas.

“The care was amazing,” Tammy said. “Dr. Raab really understood athletes and active people. My first question was, ‘Will I be able to get back on a horse?’ He assured me I could.”

Not long after, Tammy’s hips began to deteriorate. Between 2020 and 2022, she had both hips replaced, also with Dr. Raab and the team at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown. “By then, I knew the routine,” she said. “The nurses and anesthesiologists would recognize me in the hallways.”

Her final hurdle was an old shoulder injury, dating back to high school tennis, that finally required surgery. In 2022, Dr. David Moore, orthopedic surgeon at Elite Sports Medicine performed a rotator cuff repair. When a mishap in recovery forced her back into surgery in 2023, Tammy trusted Dr. Moore and the care team once again.

“The staff at Saint Thomas is just phenomenal,” Tammy said. “They’ve seen me through four major joint surgeries in just a few years. Each time, they’ve been kind, encouraging, and truly supportive.”

For Tammy, recovery wasn’t optional—it was necessary. Ranch life doesn’t wait. “When you have animals to feed and pastures to take care of, the work doesn’t stop,” she explained. “That was my motivation to do my physical therapy exactly as prescribed, so I could get back out there.”

Back on her horses, Tammy found that riding was not only possible but beneficial. “Riding keeps my muscles toned and my joints moving. Honestly, my hips feel even better when I’m on a horse,” she said. 

Team roping even helped her shoulder rehab, since the roping motion mirrored the PT exercises she was already doing.

Now at 63, Tammy is healthier than ever. She continues to ride, rope, and even work long days on set with ABC’s 9-1-1 Nashville, where she wrangles horses for the camera.

Her message to others facing joint replacement? “Keep moving. Work your muscles before surgery, do your PT after, and don’t be afraid to get back to living your life. These surgeries gave me a new lease on life—I’m still doing everything I love.”

For 10 years, the Ascension Saint Thomas Joint Replacement Institute has helped thousands of patients, like Tammy, get back to doing what they love. Celebrate with us and learn more about our orthopedic and joint replacement services.