Yes, I have a horse and LOVE spending time with him. Just this year we started on our riding journey. We started and stopped over the years. I started him using natural horsemanship. Started everything on the ground. Got him use to the pad, then the saddle, wearing the saddle while playing on the ground. Nothing was ever forced. It was his choice. He was never tied up or cross-tied and forced to endure anything. Patience and taking it slow has paid off. We are now working on walk, trot and canter. He is a left brain extrovert and everything has to be fun and engaging. This keeps me mentally on my toes. I have to constantly be thinking of new ways to present the same thing or a put a new twist on the old.

While I expect him to be in shape to do the activities he enjoys and not worry about injury, I expect the same for myself. I work out hard to keep in shape. This means cardio exercise, strength – upper, lower and core, endurance, flexibility and mobility. How do I do this you may ask? Well, use to try to do it on my own. Run in the morning with the dogs, then lift weights in the evening. Make it up as I go. Then, I found some really good fitness programs from Beachbody and started seeing results, and results faster than what I was achieving on my own. Some programs I do and keep going back to: P90X, P90X2, Les Mills Pump, Insanity, Insanity: Asylum, TurboFIre, Tai Cheng and Chalene Extreme. If you want to get in shape and stay in shape then there is a program that will help you achieve your goals.