Thursday, June 24, 2010

For the love of a horse

Sometimes life throws us curves and we have to just figure out how to deal with them and move on. Through my lifetime I've had several curves and so far, except for a few scars here and there, I've managed to plug through them and move on with a minimum of trauma or disgrace in some instances. My latest hurdle, though I suppose this could be a lifelong hurdle, has been my weight. This hurdle I have taken on all on my own and I accept full responsibility for it. None of them blaming my parents, my teachers or the doughnut maker at the local shop - though their doughnuts are sublime let me tell you! No, this one I take on all on my own and am reminded of it constantly, especially when I'm doing something like oh I don't know... tie my shoes! Ugh!

In any case, this year earlier I decided that at 42 and .. well, more than a little heavy... I either needed to do something or die. That's it period. My other motivating factor other than really not wanting to be dead by the time I'm 50 of a heart attack, was one beautiful little white horse, my purebred, Straight Egyptian Stallion Jasoor of whom I feel I share a heartchord with. At 14.1 hands and about 900 pounds, let's just say that at my current weight I would look a little silly on him. Not to mention being strong enough to hang onto him if he gets squirrely, which as a 7 year old stallion he is prone to do at the most inopportune times, primarily when we have an audience and there are not cute paramedics nearby!

About 2 weeks ago I joined a local gym to get some exercise and work on this hurdle... mmm doughnuts... and with this in mind, not only have I been walking every morning mostly before work, but started on Tuesday night attending an aerobics class, trying to eat better and just in general getting more active than I have been in a couple of years. This weight is not something that came up overnight, it is something that has creeped up on me over the years and frankly.. I hate it. I hate being fat, I hate feeling frumpy. I hate that I don't shop for clothes by what catches my eye, but by what sizes they have available.

So this basically I hope will be a blog of my journey. A journey of health, of weight loss, of the love of a horse that motivates me every time I see him to do something better for myself and be able to better work on our partnership as horse and rider.

How do I feel today? I am SORE! Aerobics teachers have their own special brand of sadism but honestly I can't blame my current uncomfortable status fully on Robin as it falls in part on the big QH mare I was riding last night working on a canter, on straight lines and on balance. Who ever said that riding was not a sport was on drugs, or should have been. Actually.. drugs sound quite tastey! Off to find some Tylenol and a heating pad and plan for my next aerobics class and riding session both :)