Finding Fitness on the Back of a Horse

Following my joy in the stables has allowed me to reap more health benefits than going to the gym ever couldI hate going to the gym. I loathe itBLASPHEMY, I know. Especially coming from a physical therapist. Take my license awaI don’t hate working out, though, or getting exercise, or being healthy and fit, or being outside. I just really don’t like boring, gym-based, exercise routineSo what’s a girl to do? Well, get creative, I guess. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of treating patients who promise to do their PT homework but don’t follow through, it’s this: If exercise doesn’t excite you, you won’t do it — and you definitely won’t stick with it long terMy chosen fitness routine might surprise you, but there’s only one activity that keeps me coming back for more — even
after a 20-year hiatusCourtesy of Marcy CrouBack in the saddEver since I was a young, carefree, wild child, I’ve had a profound and deep love of horsesI feel a connection to them, and I love everything about them: the way they look, how they smell, the sound of leather and buckles, the clip-clop of horse hooves on the ground, the sounds of hay munching, soft nose kisses, and the rhythmic motion of brushing theAfter a 20-year break to get married, get my doctorate, finish residency, have kids, and move all over this country for work, I finally have found myself back in the saddle at almost 40 years younDuring that 20 years, I
tried to replace riding with other activities. Yoga, Pilates, running, triathlon, and spinning were all short-lived experiences for me. I enjoyed them and felt good doing them, but something was missingLooking back, I think I was trying to convince myself to love them. And we all know the truth comes out in the wash. Nothing was able to fill the void until got on the back of a horse.Making it look effortless takes effoJavier Pardina/Stocksy UniThe barn is my happy place, and I am able to fill my figurative cup just by being there. I would rather spend my day at the hot (or freezing), dirty, smelly barn, mucking out stalls, cleaning
water buckets, sweeping up barn aisles, oiling my saddle and bridle, hauling rocks out of pastures, and caring for my horse than spending time at a gym. Any dayAside from finding joy and being able to participate in something that is just for me (which is SO important as a mom), riding provides fitness benefits that most people never realize.his is clear if you’ve ever taken a 20-year hiatus and then tried to walk around Target the day after your first ride back. Cthe
Bambi on ice scenThey look soft, strong, and perfectly balanced. You know how they do it? Years of practice, hours upon hours in the saddle, and a remarkably strong coreHorses respond to “contact” or “aides.” The slightest shift in weight, a gentle tap on the reins with one finger, moving your leg a centimeter behind the girth, or moving your seat all tell the horse what you want them to doNow imagine doing all of that on a moving animal, at different speeds, while steering, navigating obstacles, and staying balanced, without holding your breath, for hours at a time.

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