My horse has been out to pasture for a year or more as a lot went on in my life, so I moved her to a stables close to my home to start riding again. Tonight will be my first ride in a long time, I have a very nice older warmblood horse so she's great even when not ridden in awhile. I know I used to be in better shape when I was riding more, plus I think just being outdoors is healthy. But I wonder if it really "counts" as exercise.

I mostly ride first or second level dressage or trail ride, likely for now we'll just go on trails. Dressage people like to do pilates for their core so maybe as boring as I think pilates is, I'll try to do some exercise especially targeting my core muscles a time or two a week. Who knows maybe I'll do more with my horse then I think - I used to be obsessed and rode all the time, took lessons and wanted to show. I'm trying not to be an all or nothing person anymore though, so I just want to enjoy...

I do! I have an Arab mare in my backyard. I've always wanted to learn dressage but recently got into reining instead and am loving it. I used to show when I was a kid, we grew up with Arabs, and I recently decided I want to start showing again.

Good luck with your first ride...hope you are able to walk tomorrow. My first ride again after a few years was painful...I felt it for days! LOL, it totally uses muscles that you forgot were even there! And my husband says it isn't exercise...YA RIGHT!

I know, my legs are going to hurt, especially if I cruise around trying to do dressage again - which I really want to do, fly across the arena like I was before. Dressage is fun to learn, but the people are boring compared to other horse sports, and often stuck up because it's so expensive. But more are competing with arabs - the girl who won first level a few years back was on a small arab and beat out all the huge warmbloods - it was quite funny actually, she was a backyard horsewoman - and worked harder then the rich ones with their 30k horses! Reining sounds more fun though.

How long's it been since you rode? I find even now when I don't ride for a couple weeks I feel it when I get on again...and I'm not even doing advanced dressage. The first time I got again after a few years I was surprised at how rusty I was.

And I'm not surprised about the Arab beating the warmblood...they are so versatile and they really give you their all and work their little hearts out. I'd never own anything but an Arab...though there are some absolutely gorgeous warmbloods out there and a part of me admires their size. Though being only a little shorty myself Arabs are generally a good size for me. *grin* I've really drooled over some hanoverian/arab crosses.

I'm still holding out hope to learn dressage sometime in my life, but I'm not as young as I used to be and it's sooooo much work. Plus, there really aren't any people in my area into dressage so that makes it harder. *grin* I'm having a lot of fun with the reining. I was always a bit of snob about western/reining and the whole "cowboy" image but it really is a blast. It's by far the most fun form of exercise around...and oh yes...it's exercise. No doubt about it...when it's done right that is. I've worked up more of a sweat and gotten more out of breath from posting for a few minutes than even running...and it's so much more fun!! I'd love to just lope/canter and post around all day long...

I had to sell my horse when I moved from L.A. one and a half years ago. I just couldn't afford it Sucks! My riding boots and dressage saddle are just sitting around, as I don't have a horse I gave up trying to find lessons. Even though there are of course tons of horses in Palm Beach County even in the summer, I couldn't seem to find lessons from someone with a schoolmaster. Can't wait until I can get another horse though, one I can keep forever!

My main present to myself once I hit 60 pounds lost forever is riding lessons again. I briefly owned a horse before I got pregnant with my frist child (who is turning 5 in a matter or weeks!) so I am so rusty it's not even funny. It's a huge motivation to lose weight for me, even more so than the smaller clothes sizes! I can't wait to ride again!

Oh cakses - me too! Originally, I thought I would start riding again when I dropped below 200 lbs, but I think now I am going to wait until I reach my goal weight, for a couple of reasons: first, I can hardly wait to buy all new riding gear in a MUCH smaller size , and secondly, I tend to think it is more fair on the horse! Actually, I will also be going back to my figure skating in the autumn, and then skiing in the winter, so riding seems like it should fit in nicely next summer - and fingers crossed, I'll be (or close to!) where I want to be then

I can hardly wait - and absolutely, it is one of my MAIN motivations for getting slim and fit!

Heather

Yay for riding! I grew up riding and competing in eventing and later on I got into polo. Riding is SUCH a fantastic workout!! Unfortunately I haven't been able to ride in a while, I've been struggling to make ends meet for a while now and I just can't afford a horse of my own again or any lessons. Luckily I work at an Equine hospital so I get to work with horses every day I just don't get to ride them

Yep...getting back into it was the best thing I ever did!! Actually, it's one of the reasons I've been working so hard on the weight loss...I needed to fit into the saddle...and all the cute little riding clothes that they make for equestrians such as ourselves. LOL Besides, my mare is going on 19 and I wanted to give her poor back a break.

Horsey, how'd the riding go the other night?

I found a barn within 5 miles of me that boards and does lessons, so now I just have to focus on the weightloss and get there. The barn is by a gas station and a drive through coffee shop (I live near Seattle) and we were in line to get coffee in our car and on the other side three teens rode up on their horses and ordered smoothies and I just thought OMG that is the coolest thing ever! I am way motivated to get back into riding, even more so than running or swimming but those are cheaper than riding so they will help me get there.

LOL, that is pretty cool!

I rode last night...it was pretty hot but so much fun!

These are us...the quality is crummy b/c they are shots taken from a video.