I have a strong dislike for going to the gym. I absolutely despise it.
Yes, I know it sounds sacrilegious, especially coming from a physical therapist. You might as well revoke my license.
However, let me clarify that it’s not exercising itself that I hate. I actually enjoy staying active, being fit, and engaging in physical activities outdoors. It’s specifically the monotonous routines at the gym that I find unbearable.
So, what’s my solution? Well, I’ve had to get creative. Over the years of treating patients who make promises to do their physical therapy exercises but often fail to follow through, I’ve learned one valuable lesson: If exercise doesn’t excite you, you won’t do it—and you certainly won’t stick with it in the long run.
Now, my chosen fitness routine might surprise you, but there’s only one activity that continually draws me back, even after a 20-year hiatus.
Since I was a young, carefree, and adventurous child, I’ve had a profound and deep love for horses. There’s an indescribable connection I feel with them, and I adore everything about these magnificent creatures—their appearance, their scent, the sound of leather and buckles, the rhythmic clip-clop of their hooves, the soothing munching of hay, gentle nose kisses, and the calming motion of brushing them.
After a 20-year break filled with marriage, earning my doctorate, completing residency, having children, and relocating across the country for work, I’ve finally found myself back in the saddle at nearly 40 years old.
During those two decades, I attempted to replace riding with other activities like yoga, Pilates, running, triathlons, and spinning. While I enjoyed them and felt good while doing them, something was always missing.
Looking back, I believe I was trying to convince myself to love those activities. But as they say, the truth eventually reveals itself. Nothing could fill the void until I mounted a horse again.
The stable is my happy place, and just being there replenishes my inner being. I would choose to spend my day in a hot or freezing, dirty, and smelly barn—mucking out stalls, cleaning water buckets, sweeping the barn aisles, oiling my saddle and bridle, removing rocks from pastures, and caring for my horse—over spending time at a gym any day.
Beyond the joy it brings me and the personal fulfillment it provides, riding offers fitness benefits that most people never realize.
This becomes apparent when you take a 20-year hiatus and then attempt to walk around a store like Target the day after your first ride back. Cue the Bambi on ice scene.
Over the years, non-riders have often told me that riding is “easy” and that “you just sit there.” However, nothing could be further from the truth. Skilled riders make it appear effortless, showcasing beautiful posture, steady hands, and balanced legs.
They exude a sense of grace, strength, and perfect equilibrium. Want to know their secret? Years of practice, countless hours spent in the saddle, and an incredibly strong core.
Horses respond to subtle cues and aids. The slightest shift in weight, a gentle tap on the reins with a finger, moving your leg slightly behind the girth, or adjusting your seat—all of these actions communicate your intentions to the horse.
Now, imagine performing all of these actions while atop a moving animal, at various speeds, while navigating obstacles, maintaining balance, and without holding your breath, for hours on end.
Embracing a Holistic Fitness Journey through Riding
The equestrian realm offers a comprehensive approach to fitness, encompassing the finest attributes found in all sports. On the back of a horse, one can cultivate strength, balance, coordination, flexibility (ever attempted mounting a horse from the ground?), mental fortitude, endurance, cardiovascular fitness, clarity of mind, and trust.
Mastering the art of riding demands an extraordinary level of core strength and cardiovascular endurance. Furthermore, research reveals that riding enhances both static and dynamic balance.
Studies have demonstrated that even non-experienced riders, including healthy adults and older adults, observe improvements in balance, coordination, and strength after engaging in riding programs. Such enhancements can effectively reduce the risk of falls, which pose serious concerns for older individuals.
However, the benefits of equestrian activities extend beyond physical well-being and extend into the realm of mental health. Hippotherapy, the utilization of horses to augment neuromotor, sensory, and cognitive outcomes in rehabilitation settings, has proven highly beneficial. Individuals such as children with cerebral palsy, adults recovering from stroke, patients with psychiatric disabilities, and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) all experience decreased stress and anxiety, improved balance and strength, and report an enhanced quality of life through hippotherapy. Moreover, studies have indicated mood and concentration improvements in both adults and children with schizophrenia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
These remarkable advantages align precisely with the personal experiences encountered while mounted on a horse. The fulfillment derived from an hour of riding surpasses the physical and mental gains attained at the gym.
Upon leaving the barn, one is drenched in sweat, weary yet gratified, ravenous, and ultimately HAPPY. Day after day, rain or shine, the desire to return for more remains unquenchable.
Discover the fitness regimen that brings you unadulterated joy
Horses, and the profound connection they provide, possess an indescribable allure. In the words of Sharon Ralls Lemon, “The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire.”
This sentiment resonates deeply within when mounted on my horse. Riding grants an unrivaled sense of liberation and self. Even while engaged in mundane tasks like cleaning out a stall, my thoughts wander, and the entire experience becomes a meditative and joy-inducing journey that leaves me longing for more.
Consequently, I have grown stronger, happier, more patient, and remarkably more fit within just two years. The remnants of hay in my car, dirt beneath my nails, white horse hair clinging to my clothes, and mud-stained boots have become symbols of a life I wouldn’t trade for anything else.
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