Horseback riding

[Michelemarrano]

Hi folks! I've logged 1000 miles commuting alone this year. My goal is to cycle 50 miles per week. I live in Ohio so my last week of commuting ended on Nov 15. Last year I injured my hands by over-doing it on the indoor trainer. I'm not riding on the trainer as much this winter; I use an elliptical trainer and work out with free weights 2-3 times per week.


We outlived our horses, two American Saddlebreds, at the time we started having our kids. Now that our kids are in high school, my younger daughter and I are taking English horseback riding lessons ("Saddleseat" for those cycling equestrians). The work at the posting trot and sitting down at the canter work my cycling muscles in an OPPOSITE direction from cycling.

With cycling my body is worked front and back. On horseback, my body is worked diagonally. Now, after being back in the saddle, I now have even more control and better handling on a bike! Who would have thought????

[Fujichants]

I also started horseback riding again, and was so surprised by the fact that my inner thighs were so weak! I took a 5 year break from horseback riding, but I thought that running and cycling would have kept me strong, but I guess not!

But now that i'm getting those muscles back, I also find that i'm a strong cyclist. Funny how it all works out in the end.

Now if I could only have a stronger core...

[Michelemarrano]

Thanks for the reply! I read your blog--at least you are 25 years old and a triathlete! You are jumping! Jumping now scares the daylights out of me (we fox-hunted our Saddlebreds after their show careers).

I am 47 and have not ridden horses since 1994. I've taken about 4 lessons so far this year--I'm back to walk-trot-canter. I had actually forgotten how to ask a horse to canter (that's really BAD for someone who once showed a Five-Gaited Saddlebred)!

My trainer tells me to never stop biking. She claims my legs and ankles are very strong and riding in an erect (Saddleseat/dressage) position really helps my back after so many miles of road cycling.

I'm also active on the Saddlebred Rescue web site--all the old "Ohio" girls have emailed me-mostly with cycling questions!! I've spread the gospels of cycling on Ohio's rail trails--two horsey women have now gotten Trek 7100's for Christmas! Looks like 2009 will bring me lots of trail riding---both with bikes and horses!! YAY!

[StressFree]

Horseback riding, aside from tennis, is probably the best workout you can get. I am completely unmotivated to exercise unless I don't notice the time passing (I cannot work out at the gym.) You can always tell what kind of shape you're in if you haven't ridden in a while and then attempt to ride. The next morning is painful!

[Michelemarrano]

Hi Folks--this past Thursday I started my day with a Spinervals DVD with coach Troy Jacobson yelling at me. On Thursday evening, I switched gears and took a private horseback riding lesson with my trainer (normally 30 min).
She worked me for 90 min!! Then, when done, I was sitting on my mount for another 30 seconds and my trainer asked why I was taking so long to dismount. I told her my right hip was cramping and I couldn't MOVE!!

I feel so sound and fabulous on a bike. When I dismount after a horseback riding lesson, I feel so decrepit!

[Fujichants]

[QUOTE=

I feel so sound and fabulous on a bike. When I dismount after a horseback riding lesson, I feel so decrepit![/QUOTE]

I actually once fell on my butt right after dismounting. My legs hit the floor, were so weak, that I fell right over. Ahahaha. Must have been quite a sight!