I would have said NO WAY. I had tried everything.
When I was 5, I wanted my aunts to sit on the floor and play a board game with me. They declined and said they would be in too much pain. I remember I was shocked. I vowed right then and there; I would NOT be that person that couldn't sit and play a board game with the kids.
Fast forward 50 years and guess what, I was that person. Not only could I not sit on the floor to play a board game, but my horse riding had suffered since I just had lost my flexibility and was so stiff and sore. Even putting on my socks was a challenge.
I tried this and that and there was improvement but not a complete solution. I tried yoga but hated it. I tried exercising but I already get enough of that with the farm. I tried eating different but that was just a challenge to know what to eat, what not to eat, I just didn't have directions. What happened to our owner's manual? Life would be so much easier.
Well, the wonderful Marth Krejci, gave me the owners manual. It came in the form of an 11-day jumpstart that I did the beginning of January. It has the food to eat. When to eat it. The Water to remove the toxins. The supplements to latch on to toxins and allow the water to remove them. It was easy. Step by step. For the first time in years, I am looking forward to spring riding! I am looking forward to the grandkids visiting.
I feel GREAT! The flexibility and balance I have gained reduced my anxiety getting on my horses!
If you would like to check out the 11-day program (and the bonus stuff I am throwing in for horse people!), just click here!
I used to think that riding, was a great way to tone my body and get my exercise, but then I realized that getting in shape, especially balance and flexibility would help my riding and my courage!
Riding does help keep my body toned and in shape. People say the horse does all the work and I just offer to let them take a horse around a course of jumps. It is a lot more strength than anyone really thinks about. Riders are athletes just as much as their horses, except maybe those that just relax on easy trail rides (which I used to do).
Let's take it a step further. If we can improve our balance and our flexibility, we can be better riders and then gain even more strength and benefit from the riding. I recently did an 11-day jumpstart program to reduce inflammation and I was shocked at how much better I felt overall. My wedding ring fit over my knuckles, which it hadn't done in three years! I could touch the ground at my feet, which I am not sure I have ever been able to do.
This newfound flexibility is a breath of fresh air. I can't wait to get riding this spring now that I feel GREAT, my body feels better, and even though I didn't want to, I lost weight. Most of all, with reduced inflammation, my energy levels are through the roof! That means cleaning the tack room, cleaning tack, mucking stalls, and all the other chores are so much easier.
So, back to the question, how does horse riding affect your body? Well, the riding improves how my body is toned but all the other things I can improve about my health, improve my riding and that to me is everything! Bring on SPRING!
If you want in the next 11-day jumpstart for riders, Click here!
Imagine, you are the one in the pasture, or stable, and our horses are in charge of our health and wellbeing.
Would you have great food? Fresh water? Or would you be eating fast food, drinking coffee and soda?
Would you have a good night's sleep, every night, in a comfy bed?
Would you have all your vitamins every day?
This really hit home for me in a coaching call I was doing last week. Why don't we take care of ourselves, as well as our horses or others would take care of us?
We get so used to just rushing through life, living in a state of overwhelm and stress that we don't even know how to just "Be" a human. Here are my top 5 tips for living more like our horses are taking care of us:
1. Drink lots of cool, fresh, clean water.
2. Eat good food for your health. No processed foods, no sodas, no yuck. Think of your horse feeding you for your best health. Not every person is the same, just like not every horse is the same, but there is a great diet for each human and for each horse.
3. Take time to just BE. Whatever that means for you, meditation, prayer, nature, yoga, whatever just "BEING" looks like, take time to BE, in each moment.
4. Exercise. Keep your body flexible, strong, and balanced. Use both sides of your body, take care of your core, build strength just in case some day you need it.
5. Sleep. Deep, wonderful rest, will heal our bodies, heal our minds, and rejuvenate all the things that we have done for so many years.
Why don't we take care of ourselves? Like our horses would take care of us?
Would love to hear your thoughts if you would like to reply!
I have a chapter in my book for health of horse and rider! If you haven't read it yet, now would be a great time during the summer heat! You can pick up a copy here: Rise From Fear To Courage
I was having a conversation this week that really hit me right between the eyes. We bend over backwards for our horses to make sure of the following:
1. Peace - that they live in a peaceful environment.
2. Love - We want them to know they are loved.
3. Provided for - that they have everything they need
4. Truth - You can't lie to a horse; they see right to your soul.
How do you take care of yourself? Would your horse approve.
1. Peace - do you stay in a state of peace, trusting that life if going in the right direction?
2. Love - do you love yourself, 100%, with your whole heart?
3. Cared For - do you care for yourself, your health, your flexibility, your balance, your strength?
4. Truth - are you honest with yourself. Living in the present moment, in joy. Is your plate overfull and are their things you can say no too?
Would your horse take care of you better than you take care of yourself?
Here are some things that your horse would do for you:
Your horse loves you, would fill you up with love so you can love yourself, all of you, inside and out. Your horse would provide nutritious food for you, food that would help you thrive. They would research it and feed you the best food for you. Your horse would make sure you were happy and fulfilled. Your horse would want you to be 100% honest, with yourself and with them. If you wanted to go for a ride, or just wanted to hang out, your horse would listen and be there for you. Your horse would want to go on adventures with you, as long as you were present, not worrying about the future and not depressed about the past, but in joy, right here, right now.
Love from me, love from my bay girls. Love yourself first.
I was putting on my socks one day, and realized, I just didn't feel as good as I did as a kid. It was shocking and hit me like a ton of bricks. I wasn't as flexible, I wasn't as balanced, and I didn't have that amazing go anywhere, do anything energy I had when I was young. That energy that kept my parents hopping along after me.
When this realization came over me, I decided to change things and become that kid again, with how I felt. Here are the first four things I did on my journey to feeling great!
- The Red Drink. This is what gave me the energy to get the ball rolling toward feeling better. When you don't have energy, you have to do something to get energy. This consists of Ningxia Red, a delicious infusion of superfruits and essential oils; Sulfurzyme, great for joint support, immune support, circulation, bone, hair and skin; Lime Essential Oil, adds a zing and contains antioxidants; all mixed into 8 ounces of water. I love this drink and it gave me the energy to start my journey to health.
- Fix What You eat. You are what you eat became very apparent when I started this journey. I was suffering from inflammation and stiff joints, I was putting on some pounds, I just didn't feel well, and I didn't have much energy. I had to align my food with my body. I chose to cut out processed sugar and flour. I chose to learn how to eat for me, for my body, so that I would feel better.
- Move. I started moving to get flexibility and balance back. I don't think it is fair to have our horses try and carry us when we are not at our best. I started dancing through the pastures going out to feed. I started doing "Yoga in Jeans with Sam" which is really movement to help our bodies for riding. I skip, dance and wiggle walk just about everywhere I go. I swing my arms around and do swimmers circles as I walk. I move. The more I move, the better I feel.
I would love to have you join me on this journey to becoming the healthy rider your horse wants you to be. The ingredients for step one (with a few thrown in for the horse) can be found here, Healthy Rider. Join me on this journey to feeling like a kid again.
