Equine Thighs? :)

LoneStarDiva started this discussion · 6/20/2011

So.. I don't think I've mentioned this previously (and I'm curious if there are others on here) - I have been Horseless for 6 years now. :(:( AND I'm not in a position to have one at this time.. HOWEVER.. :):):) The 'Universe' saw fit to provide me with a (possible) horse to ride!! I'm really excited about this and going to meet "Lucy' tomorrow!! I think for ME, w/bad left. knee and all the lower body that needs a Serious workout that this will be a wonderful way to start getting my lower body to where it needs to BE to improve my poling potential!! Yay. Just mounting and dismounting the saddle should be a great help in strengthing those muscles surrounding that awful knee. You know what they say - "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger'! :) Any other horsewomen out there in Veena land?

7 replies

LoneStarDiva · 6/20/2011
I'm also trying to get the BF to get his bike out more often w/me on the back. I watch for road bumps, holes, etc, and 'post' thru them to gain thigh strength! lol hey... we all gotta start SOMEwhere. :)
nymphdancer · 6/20/2011
I don't ride as much as I used to despite taking care of 20 horses everyday. I used to show and compete in dressage, hunter and jumper divisions on arabs and half arabs. I have finally gotten my legs to where I can make them straight during v moves after stretching all the muscles that were shortened by years of riding.
Runemist34 · 6/20/2011
I had 3ish years of English riding some time ago, and I've been sad ever since that the place I went to had to close down! I love love love horses! I'm always looking enviously at the horse and carriages that pass my work sometimes (bit of a tourist thing). I seriously wish I'd had the opportunity to take care of horses and deal with them more, but it seems like you kind of have to have been born into it around here, in order to get into it!
Veena · 6/20/2011
I did some English riding in my early teens. Was in one show, and place 3rd out of 3 in each division lol. My horse hated my English saddle, because he was trained with a western saddle and last I knew he went to a wonderful home where he was happily racing barrels 😀
nymphdancer · 6/20/2011
my first horse is still with me, he just turned 30 and I've had him for 26 years oy! been riding for 33 years. although as I said not as much now as in the past. Pole and other things have become my addiction and horses have taken a back seat.
HilaryKate aka LolaSlaytor · 6/20/2011
I've never been lucky enough to own my own horse, but I rode regularly from the time I was seven until about 3 years ago, when I started medical school and have NO time (let alone money!). In the last 6 weeks though, I've had a rotation at home where I used to ride and so I've jumped on the chance to take 4-5 lessons just while I was here. Felt AMAZING to be back on the horse, I knew I missed it but I didn't know just how much of a gap it left! Definitely one of the guaranteed ways to lift my mood and relax me! I think "equine thighs" helped me out a lot when I started pole... Any moves using lower body strength came much easier to me than those with upper body strength :)
willio · 6/21/2011
Oooh hello everyone this is my first post on Studio Veena!!! I was interested in your equine thighs post...I ride, not much now as I have 3 kids, but I used to event here in the UK which is dressage, X country and show jumping. I now ride my daughters pony to keep it fit and train it for her to compete on, but I cannot afford to own a horse for myself at the moment plus I am so busy with my children and all the things that THEY do (pah!!!) I find pole dancing is ALOT cheaper, and sort of gives me a little of the adrenalin rush that I miss from eventing! I know quite alot of poledancers here in the UK that also pole and do it very well. We seem to have good core strength to start with, but interestingly just last night a group of us got together to practise pole and do stretching and we noticed that us horsey girls had pretty poor flexibility when it came to box splits...I reckon it is because when we ride we turn every thing in and grip around the horse, totally opposite to say ballet or other dance. One suggestion to improve our flexibility was to ride fatter horses!!!!...mmm not sure this is going to do much good lol, I'm sticking to Veena's stretches! I think riders especially pro 3 day event riders are seriously bad at thinking about their own fitness and flexibility, They are brilliant at getting the horses in first class condition, but the riders barely even bother to stretch or warm up, let alone do any kind of physical training (other than the riding) Here in the UK pilates is starting to get popular amongst eventers as a way of keeping in condition, but I think pole is also really excellent and really complements the muscles you use when riding too. I wonder if the British 3 Day Event team will start using pole as their official rider fitness training?!!!!!!