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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
 
| Kry5ta1 - 2017-03-20 8:02 PM
I agree with you OP.
I have been devoting myself to a minimum of 3/4 gym days and 3/4 riding days.
It is HARD.
I don't want to say that my run times or riding style has improved from this extra effort. But I will tell you that I have been able to hang on for dear life in situations where I would have previously hit the dirt!!! 
Agree x10.
I'm in the gym every morning before work trying to work on myself so I can ride them better, keep up with them better, and so I can keep climbing the ladder to the top. I had one feeling a little fresh the other day, and I can say with confidence that he would have straight dumped me if this had happened 3 months ago! | |
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Member
Posts: 12
| Wow, I didn't expect this kind of response. I wasn't in any way judging appearances, just saying that this is a sport, and that we should hold ourselves to a higher standard than our horses. Is that wrong? If so I apologize if I hurt anyone's feelings but I stand by that. We have a barn full of the most giving horses, they deserve nothing but the best. Horses weren't meant to be rode, you should see the documentaries on how it destroys their backs, it breaks my heart. So what I'm saying is do your part and be the athlete they are and athlete does not refer to what size or age you are. My mom is almost 70, she works out almost every day so that she can keep riding, so that she is an athlete and can give her best to the horses. On the same note, if you are going to compete, keep your horses in shape and I am talking about size, the worst thing you could do for a horse is allow them to be overweight and ride them, it destroys their back, study after study has disturbingly shown this. I'm not here to make anyone mad or hurt anyone feelings, I'm here to share my deep passion for equine health. | |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
  
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Emtranch - 2017-03-21 6:27 PM Wow, I didn't expect this kind of response. I wasn't in any way judging appearances, just saying that this is a sport, and that we should hold ourselves to a higher standard than our horses. Is that wrong? If so I apologize if I hurt anyone's feelings but I stand by that. We have a barn full of the most giving horses, they deserve nothing but the best. Horses weren't meant to be rode, you should see the documentaries on how it destroys their backs, it breaks my heart. So what I'm saying is do your part and be the athlete they are and athlete does not refer to what size or age you are. My mom is almost 70, she works out almost every day so that she can keep riding, so that she is an athlete and can give her best to the horses. On the same note, if you are going to compete, keep your horses in shape and I am talking about size, the worst thing you could do for a horse is allow them to be overweight and ride them, it destroys their back, study after study has disturbingly shown this. I'm not here to make anyone mad or hurt anyone feelings, I'm here to share my deep passion for equine health.
Just a question not to be sounding mean but do you ride your horses, just wondering, if you do what type of riding do you do? | |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | 25+ years ago, I had a little mare that I had ran HS rodeo on. She was getting old so I went out and bought a younger mare. Somewhere I realized I was handicapping the new younger mare with my extra weight and decided to do something about it. I went from 190lbs+ (I 'm not entirely sure how much I weighted, i had been 190 the last time I had gotten on a scale and then refused to get on one again but I know my pants I had been wearing had gotten too tight) at 5'8" down to 145lbs in about 6 months by going and using the stairstepper at the gym for 15 minutes a night at first and then it was easy to up the minutes when I saw some results. Funny thing, as the weight came off me, the old mare started clocking again too. | |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Emtranch - 2017-03-21 6:27 PM Wow, I didn't expect this kind of response. I wasn't in any way judging appearances, just saying that this is a sport, and that we should hold ourselves to a higher standard than our horses. Is that wrong? If so I apologize if I hurt anyone's feelings but I stand by that. We have a barn full of the most giving horses, they deserve nothing but the best. Horses weren't meant to be rode, you should see the documentaries on how it destroys their backs, it breaks my heart. So what I'm saying is do your part and be the athlete they are and athlete does not refer to what size or age you are. My mom is almost 70, she works out almost every day so that she can keep riding, so that she is an athlete and can give her best to the horses. On the same note, if you are going to compete, keep your horses in shape and I am talking about size, the worst thing you could do for a horse is allow them to be overweight and ride them, it destroys their back, study after study has disturbingly shown this. I'm not here to make anyone mad or hurt anyone feelings, I'm here to share my deep passion for equine health.
I started riding at age 49 when my girls went off to college. We had several great horses hat I did not want to sell. They happily slowed down for me but I knew I needed to get in shape. I hit the gym, lost 40 pounds and worked on my strength. I could lose another 20 but at 56 I am not going to beat myself up over it. I am so appreciative of what my horses do for me I try hard to do my part too. I always say I am going to work as hard as I ask my horses too plus I want to be able to ride for many years. | |
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 Hawty & Nawty
Posts: 20424
| Okies, I'm gonna call it like I see it. A big girl on a horse is no big flipping deal. Look at some of these 2oo lb cutters on 14 hand horses. Horses are fine, quit treating them like snowflakes.
What gets me annoyed is watching some peeps spend hundreds of dollars on the best suplements for their horses but regularly take thier kids to McDonalds. Yeah, Eff that. | |
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 Maine-iac
Posts: 3334
Location: Got Lobsta? | rodeomom3 - 2017-03-19 2:30 PM I work out ALL the time but you sure wouldn't know it if you watched me ride, lol.
OMG that got me laughing! I'm sure its not true, but that was funny! | |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| Emtranch - 2017-03-21 6:27 PM
Wow, I didn't expect this kind of response. I wasn't in any way judging appearances, just saying that this is a sport, and that we should hold ourselves to a higher standard than our horses. Is that wrong? If so I apologize if I hurt anyone's feelings but I stand by that. We have a barn full of the most giving horses, they deserve nothing but the best. Horses weren't meant to be rode, you should see the documentaries on how it destroys their backs, it breaks my heart. So what I'm saying is do your part and be the athlete they are and athlete does not refer to what size or age you are. My mom is almost 70, she works out almost every day so that she can keep riding, so that she is an athlete and can give her best to the horses. On the same note, if you are going to compete, keep your horses in shape and I am talking about size, the worst thing you could do for a horse is allow them to be overweight and ride them, it destroys their back, study after study has disturbingly shown this. I'm not here to make anyone mad or hurt anyone feelings, I'm here to share my deep passion for equine health.
I agree that horses need to be fit and we need to take care of them to the best of our abilities. I also think that many who work their own farm and ride multiple horses a day are pretty fit. I started working with a personal trainer who had to increase and increase and increase. We signed up for buddy sessions but I was in much better shape than the buddy and so it wasn't overly helpful. If you take care of your own horses, I would guess you are more fit than the average person. But I am with a lot of the posters, I work one full-time job, one part time job, run my own farm by myself and have 2-4 horses I am working at a time. I don't have time to go to the gym 5x a week. But when I do go to the gym, I can keep up with the best of them.
I just think there is so much judgement, not necessarily size or age or whatever but just judgement. Why does everyone care so much about what other people do? | |
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 Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | I'll bite: I am a bigger rider, I work and run my own business and was having cardiac issues so I haven't been cleared to work out at the gym hard yet, I used to do cross fit 3-4 days a week and ride. I am now at my heaviest BUT I ride better then I ever have because I ride so much. I always make time to ride and exercise my horses, the MOST important thing I've learned is BALANCE and core strength.... under those love handles and gut their are muscles....I know because I don't flop around like I used to. As soon as I'm cleared from my cardiologist I'll be hitting the gym as much as I can. I can afford to loose 40 lbs but I am still strong and try my best!
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| RidenFly - 2017-03-22 2:59 AM
Okies, I'm gonna call it like I see it.  A big girl on a horse is no big flipping deal. Look at some of these 2oo lb cutters on 14 hand horses. Horses are fine, quit treating them like snowflakes.Â
What gets me annoyed is watching some peeps spend hundreds of dollars on the best suplements for their horses but regularly take thier kids to McDonalds. Yeah, Eff that.  Â
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Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Emtranch - 2017-03-21 6:27 PM
Wow, I didn't expect this kind of response. I wasn't in any way judging appearances, just saying that this is a sport, and that we should hold ourselves to a higher standard than our horses. Is that wrong? If so I apologize if I hurt anyone's feelings but I stand by that. We have a barn full of the most giving horses, they deserve nothing but the best. Horses weren't meant to be rode, you should see the documentaries on how it destroys their backs, it breaks my heart. So what I'm saying is do your part and be the athlete they are and athlete does not refer to what size or age you are. My mom is almost 70, she works out almost every day so that she can keep riding, so that she is an athlete and can give her best to the horses. On the same note, if you are going to compete, keep your horses in shape and I am talking about size, the worst thing you could do for a horse is allow them to be overweight and ride them, it destroys their back, study after study has disturbingly shown this. I'm not here to make anyone mad or hurt anyone feelings, I'm here to share my deep passion for equine health.
I get what you're saying, truly I do. I bust my butt for what I've got, and cling to physical fitness with a pinky with a 60+ hour a week job. I'm not bragging to say I've got some really nice horses that I'm very proud of. We don't get to go as much as I want to, due to said job and life responsibilities.
However, I think you need to stop worrying about what other people do, and understand that there's not very many barrel racers out there that don't love their horses and have their horses best interests at heart. The people that you felt the need to complain about, the ones that blame their horse, are of course frustrating, but they make up a very small percentage and should be ignored. They'll get frustrated eventually and change, or quit.
Honestly, it really just doesn't have anything to do with you. An adjustment of tone and attitude is something I recommend very highly to you. Worry about yourself, and worry about your own horses. There's nothing you can do with an approach that hurts others, but a solid approach would be to be supportive of others in their journies. The best way to educate people is with the presentation of studies and informational publishings supporting your beliefs that will help someone think about their own situation, without accusing people of perceived negligence.
Shining a light so rudely on anyones deficiencies, unsolicitated, which often they are all too aware of, makes people shut down and doesn't really change anything, not really. Good luck to you.
Edited by classicpotatochip 2017-03-22 10:25 AM
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Expert
Posts: 1226
| My mom has always said "it's not your business what other people think about you." And same goes true for how we think of other people. Spend less time on how others look, ride, tack, how they parents or what they feed their kids and horses and on and on. It's none of our business. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 2128
| Southtxponygirl - 2017-03-21 6:39 PM Emtranch - 2017-03-21 6:27 PM Wow, I didn't expect this kind of response. I wasn't in any way judging appearances, just saying that this is a sport, and that we should hold ourselves to a higher standard than our horses. Is that wrong? If so I apologize if I hurt anyone's feelings but I stand by that. We have a barn full of the most giving horses, they deserve nothing but the best. Horses weren't meant to be rode, you should see the documentaries on how it destroys their backs, it breaks my heart. So what I'm saying is do your part and be the athlete they are and athlete does not refer to what size or age you are. My mom is almost 70, she works out almost every day so that she can keep riding, so that she is an athlete and can give her best to the horses. On the same note, if you are going to compete, keep your horses in shape and I am talking about size, the worst thing you could do for a horse is allow them to be overweight and ride them, it destroys their back, study after study has disturbingly shown this. I'm not here to make anyone mad or hurt anyone feelings, I'm here to share my deep passion for equine health. Just a question not to be sounding mean but do you ride your horses, just wondering, if you do what type of riding do you do?
Also, we have bred horses to meet our needs for decades now. They are bred to have stronger backs and better conformation to do the things we ask them to do. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 227
Location: Heart of Texas | Just for FYI, Horse Science News posted an article about how much weight a horse could carry comfortably. It's being circulated on FB but it basically says a horse should not carry more than 25% of it's own body weight, ideally no more than 20%. And horses with wider loins carried weight better than narrow horses. So there you have it. Science figured out the problem for us, we can all get along now | |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| jewishprincess - 2017-03-22 12:21 PM
Just for FYI, Horse Science News posted an article about how much weight a horse could carry comfortably. It's being circulated on FB but it basically says a horse should not carry more than 25% of it's own body weight, ideally no more than 20%. And horses with wider loins carried weight better than narrow horses. So there you have it. Science figured out the problem for us, we can all get along now
I'll just keep my horse really fat then 
Its a joke | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 682
Location: Northwest | turnedout - 2017-03-19 9:31 AM
Just because someones physical appearance doesn't meet your requirements for an athlete, doesn't mean they aren't one.
There is a gal that shows up to a lot of the same races I do. First time I saw her, I will admit...I thought she was a touch too big for her horse, however...I watched her run that day and she was a fantastic jockey and stayed very centered. She didn't hinder her horse one bit and she outran lots of skinny girls. Put an end to my thinking that someone who is quite large can't Barrel race. | |
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Member
Posts: 12
| I guess ask yourself two questions. Is barrel racing a sport? And do you care about your horse (yes I know this will **** most off but I don't care, horse were not built to be rode, it kills their back, destroys it, so yes if the weight ratio isn't right and you continue to ride them, then no you don't care about your horse, they will live a miserable older life, scientifically proven as it is if you compete on an out of shape overweight horse)? Hate me all you want, I'm here for the horses | |
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Nut Case Expert
Posts: 9305
Location: Tulsa, Ok | One thing I just cannot figure out. By the time you eat well, work out, condition and care for horses so that the whole team is at the athletic best, just how do you fit in time to worry about how other individuals approach their horses and the sport? | |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Emtranch - 2017-03-22 3:53 PM
I guess ask yourself two questions. Is barrel racing a sport? And do you care about your horse (yes I know this will **** most off but I don't care, horse were not built to be rode, it kills their back, destroys it, so yes if the weight ratio isn't right and you continue to ride them, then no you don't care about your horse, they will live a miserable older life, scientifically proven as it is if you compete on an out of shape overweight horse)? Hate me all you want, I'm here for the horses
So why do YOU ride? With that logic, you are no better than anyone else that rides. Pretty hypocritical if you ask me. I have been riding all my life, I'm over 50, and I have never had to retire a horse because his back went out. Our horses have all been well over 20 yrs. old before passing away. | |
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Member
Posts: 12
| I'm only worried about the horse. They don't have a say. | |
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