Let's face it horses really need to come with their own pit crew! Between feeding, cleaning, riding and caring for their body it's very easy for you to kill your body! I was 39 and it was the stroke of midnight before my 40th birthday when I turned into an old pumpkin and pain became as normal a daily routine as a bowl of cereal. I'm learning at 52 I just can't do the same things I did when I was 20. And the problem with that is horses require work similar to working on a chain gang. Now, there all kinds of barns. There are thoroughbred breeding barns with grooms, trainers, grounds keepers, vet staff and farriers and then there are small operations like mine. At my age and being a single gal in a new city my farrier is a 4 year old Saint Bernard mix, my groom is an orange tabby cat and the only grounds keeper on my roster is me. This is for the girls and guys doing horses solo.
I hear that if you don't take care of yourself you cannot take care of others and that
includes horses. As much as I love my horses, riding and even caring for them I have a full time job in the travel industry that puts a serious dent in my saddle time. I dream of the day my dog goes out into the workforce and I become a stay at home horse sitter. Time has to be crunched. As tedious as it sounds creating a list of duties to be done and then fitting them into a schedule is a great way to ensure you've completed your tasks. I go old school with a pen and paper and then I create a bulletin board. Of course the techies can do the exact same thing on just about any device. While your work and chores have to get done your time has to include some sort of rest. It's true,all machines wear out eventually and our body is no different. Time has to be managed with a balance of rest and work based on individual stamina. Even if a chore doesn't get done on your schedule make sure to take the proper amount of rest. Imagine being half asleep on your feet and falling into the manure pile!
Going back to that manure pile; yes I know. We all dearly love the manure, right? The good news is that all the manure hoisting works our biceps, triceps and deltoids. When you combine that with hauling hay, lunging your horse and fixing everything that falls apart from fences to stall doors we really get an awesome workout! You know the routine, you drag yourself out of bed and tromp out to the barn in your jammies with your muddy boots, your hair orbiting around your head and your eyes drooping to the ground. You know full well your ensemble will be in this year's fall fashion catalog but the horses have to be fed. Our physique suffers for our equines but what happens if we can't get out there? They go hungry and you know how your mare feels about that! By all means feed, haul and trot all over but do it safely. Number 1 priority: Get some caffeine! Number 2: A good stretching routine combined with some light strength training can keep you going through a truckload of hay and do wonders for your seat when you ride. I suggest gentle leg stretches along with fitness bands to help condition your legs. I absolutely love a 65cm. stability ball to work my core! My mammy gams cause me to roll my shoulders forward when I ride but the ball forces good posture due to my tummy tightening. I feel so much stronger and limber on my horse from just short workouts. My confidence even shoots up! And what's inside is probably the most important part in my opinion.
I have a dear friend who teases me about how I tell her anything can be solved with a bath and a nap. The soul has to be nurtured. Our equine friends are tops when it comes to soothing a savage breast but they deserve our undivided attention. They shouldn't have to work out our problems for us. No matter what, my horses know how I feel as I walk across the paddock. I don't have to say a word. That kind of sensitivity requires I take care to be serene and gentle with them. And I can't do that if I'm fuming over a parking ticket!
Everybody has something in their life that calms them. Some people like to go to church, others go fishing and that dear friend of mine plays video games. For me a short nap and a bath refreshes me if I'm stressed and cleans off any negative energy I may be harboring. Whatever you do find something that washes your soul of the harshness of life so you can be free and open with your horse. I guarantee you'll hear that whinny as you walk up to them. They'll feel your clarity and see right through to your heart. And their gift of sensing our emotions before we even know is the main reason we love horses.
The fact that horses are tanks walking around on matchsticks that eat a lot and poop a lot is why our bodies suffer aches and pains every day. Still, think about the alternative. A world without horses is a world without grace, kindness and nickers. Who can live without nickers? Please take care of your bodies. Stay strong with some light dumbbells and fitness bands, keep sane while scheduling the vet or farrier with a bulletin board and by all means, consider a nap and a bath!
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