Riders As Athletes
I can honestly say that I’ve been very impressed over the last few years by how many riders I’ve been seeing in the gym, religiously working out each day. I have to admit that, until 1988, at 32 years of age, I had never even thought of spending time in a gym. If you asked me, I had more than enough exercise just riding my 12 to 14 horses a day and teaching who knows how many lessons.
But the thing is that, as I have written before, nobody told me that just the simple act of touching my toes could be the difference between having my health in my middle age versus the surgery I required last year on my back. All because I didn’t think that stretching my hamstrings each day had any bearing on my spine and vertebrae. How wrong was I!
So, as I said, I am so pleased to be seeing more and more of my friends in the horse world in the gym, working out, doing yoga or pilates, or just taking stretch or dance classes. I promise you will thank yourself a thousand times over 10 or 20 years from now for the exercise you perform today. A very wise person said, “It doesn’t matter if you like doing it or not, as long as you do it.”
And I can safely say, because of making the promise to myself last year after my operation to take my workouts to the next level in order to fully recuperate, I am now in the very best shape of my life. What shape will you be in when you are 39 like me ….. again? 
Cheers!
RD
Stacey MacLeod — October 29, 2009 @ 2:03 pm
Attention all trainers, riders, amateurs, etc., if you know of a deserving amateur or professional who has dreams or aspirations to come the Winter Equestrian Festival in South Florida but had to put these dreams on hold due to the rising cost or other hardships please forward them the following information: Stacey MacLeod, owner of Everything But the Horse, LLC would like to extend an offer of a stall for the winter season at her home and training facility for EBTH, llc and its riders.
Please contact Stacey or Beth: Store: (561) 790-6786 or Stacey’s cell: (561) 644-6178 or email us at info@everythingbutthehorsellc.com
Marci Brown — October 30, 2009 @ 7:33 pm
Okay Stephanie…. this is where you get to “weigh” in…. I think Robert needs to hear our theory on plump riders, what do you think ?
robert Dover — October 30, 2009 @ 7:41 pm
OK. Ladies, retract those claws and remember my pholosophy of being of a generous spirit!
Let’s make fun of some poor defenseless tramp like Brittany Spears instead!
Marci Brown — October 30, 2009 @ 8:06 pm
Don’t get me wrong, Stephanie is as talented as they get ! She can out sing Brittany any day ! Those long horse hauls… and a Grease soundtrack… the making of memories I tell ya ! ( somehow I always get stuck singing the boy part )
And, I see she already let the cat out of the bag on our weight theory ! She shared it on another post ! Damn her and her quick thinking.
Stephanie — October 30, 2009 @ 8:39 pm
I can’t help it - I’m just THAT quick. And as far as you getting John Travolta’s part on the Grease soundtrack, well, that’s because you wear the pants in this relationship. Oh, and your voice is much deeper. I just can’t pull that off :D.
While I do love insulting my best friend on a blog that is read worldwide, I do really like Robert’s idea of insulting Britney Spears…if only I wasn’t a dead ringer for her…lol.
And Robert, we promise to try to behave. I must warn you though that up until now, we have been physically incapable of going more than two minutes and thirty-four seconds without insulting each other. *sigh*. But we promise, we’ll try it, just for you *insert batting eyelid smiley here*.
Ok, as for a real response to this blog…its funny because Marci and I were just talking about this. We thought, just like you, that by riding as many horses a day as we do, and teaching, we got all the cardio and working out we needed. We were wrong. Very very wrong. Apparently there ARE other muscle groups than just the ones we use riding…who’d have thought?! The gym really does benefit your riding though. I guess I need to renew my membership and get to work, and get rid of our theory - that we *purposely* (yeah, right) carry the extra few pounds for some security in the saddle when our ’special’ horses chose to have ‘Thoroughbred days’ (well mine anyways). Ok, so I’m motivated - let’s do this! Let’s bring sexy back
…says the girl with the slice of pizza in her hand…lol
Marci Brown — October 30, 2009 @ 8:53 pm
okay…. seriously, okay…. Stephanie stop schmoozing. You gave me no heads up on this abandonment of the fat theory ! I feel rather violated, now how can I ever trust you ?
Ooohhh, and the pants comment ? Bad call Steph, bad call… you just left the door wide wide open there ! I will refrain though.
Stephanie Cook — October 30, 2009 @ 9:21 pm
Oh Marci, you must have misunderstood me. I meant the pants comment in the most loving way possible. You look better in pants than I do - that’s all
And Im sorry for the abandonment of the fat theory…but Robert’s right - who wants to see THIS in breeches?! LOL. You dressage riders and your skinny little selves…
That’s ok, after the gym, Britney and I will still eat our pizza and keep our curves. The stick insect look is out. HAHAHA <3
Megan — October 30, 2009 @ 10:39 pm
Well, I have to ‘weigh’ in here as well. I used to ride every day, and I felt pretty fit about it. But I haven’t ridden in two years and my body misses that exercise! For whatever it’s worth, riding every day really did help keep me somewhat in shape, even though I still can’t touch my toes. Sadly, it hasn’t helped Stephanie at all, riding all her very, very special horses every day, although her body shape could be a self-defense mechanism to help her stay on. Like one of those clowns we used to have as kids, that would counter balance to stay upright? Remember those?
Marci - You Look Mahvelous! Especially when you are wearing the pants.
Stephanie Cook — October 30, 2009 @ 10:51 pm
Oh Megan Megan Megan, you forget that I ride Hamburger (Romeo) every day. You HAVE to be a super athlete to ride THAT! One day you’re a gymnast, being contorted every which way, and launched into the rafters, and other days your legs-o-steel wish they had some help from a cattle prod…lol.
Isn’t it funny though, that non-riders actually laugh at us when we say riding is exhausting?! And that we’re worn out and at times even out of breath?! …if only our sport was as easy as, say, football (I think Im safe here ripping on football). LOL
Marci Brown — October 30, 2009 @ 10:56 pm
I can’t touch my toes eithor? Maybe I need to work on that. I guess I also fit into the group that believed that riding a bunch of horses, cleaning stalls and teaching kept me fit. Who has time to fit in going to the gym ?
Seriously though, I want to look good and be effective riding. Not one of thoses frail waif types that looks like they might blow away in a strong canter breeze, but fit and strong. I am trying hard by eating better, but extra workouts ? I don’t know how to find any more hours in the day.
Maybe we should use our powers for good rather than evil on here and start a support group….hehe
Alex Evans — November 4, 2009 @ 9:46 pm
Hi , I am almost 49 and just got back to riding dressage after about 10 years and if I don’t stretch my hips get pretty stiff and I can’t get the suppleness through them that I need. I totally agree with Robert that if you don’t work out and stretch it is a recipe for future aches and pains and will hurt your riding.
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