My Fitness Routine?

Steep Mountain Horse Trails

Since I am somewhat limited in what I can physically do, how about I tell you about what I would be doing, rather than just the simple walking, etc. that I am more or less now restricted to.

Until my ol' body got all wrecked up, I rode horses a lot, often for fifteen hours at a time. I threw around bales of hay, and fifty pounds of horse feed, dog food, etc. I loved doing physical things, such as hiking, and even occasionally wrestling, for fun only, of course. I loved fishing, and even occasionally doing my own mechanical repairs, when I had the time.

When I say I rode horses, I don't mean simply sitting there and letting my horse do my walking for me. I loved riding distances, and really moving along.

My mare, Dusty, was an appaloosa horse, that really stepped out, and was nearly always leader of the pack, so to speak. She loved our outings as much as I did. When we rode to higher elevations in the nearby mountains, we packed food and drinks along to take us from about 5 AM until maybe 10 or 11 PM. There were times when we trailered the horses into the mountains, so we would be able to ride deep into the interior, following trails that were way too narrow for any four-wheeled vehicles, and too rough for bikes, even mountain bikes or motorcycles. It was either hike in, or ride a horse or mule.

I don't have any photos of Dusty, as they are in an album which I cannot seem to locate.  It's got to be here someplace, but I can't seem to locate it. That was in the days before I had a computer and before digital cameras.

Nearby Mountains
Where I Loved to Ride My Horse
©2010 PK Hawk

There was a beautiful waterfall there called Tenaja Falls, which drained into a natural rock pool, somewhat similar to a good sized jacuzzi, where my nieces loved to play and rejuvenate themselves after a good long ride.

Mountains I've Ridden In
©2010 PK Hawk

We all sat, resting under lovely oaks, munching on our provisions, eating such things as homemade trail mix, fresh fruit, and enjoying plenty of fresh water, and an occasional beer, or maybe a Pepsi.

I used to ride Dusty about halfway up the mountains, and along wildlife trails, from where I lived to another part of the area, where my sister lived, which was about five of six miles from my home. Dusty and I would stop and gaze out overlooking the valley, and the local lake, just taking it all in. No traffic, or people were up there, just us. It allowed time for reflection, and let the stresses of life just fade into the distance.

I loved camping, hiking, even more so if I had my horse to ride while there, too.

Now, since I can only occasionally take walks of any decent distance, I don't get nearly as much exercise as I should.

"Savanna"
My Sister's Paint Stallion
©2009 PK Hawk

"Journey" (Paint) & "Jessica" (Quarter Mare)
"Journey" is the daughter of Savanna
Journey is a certified posse horse
Jessica was a quarter brood mare.
©2009 PK Hawk
Due to shoulder injuries she sustained as a foal,
Jessica was not ridable, but was a wonderful horse and had some fantastic offspring 

"Chula"
Buckskin Quarter Mare
©2009 PK Hawk
Chula lived to be 37 years old.
She was a working cattle horse, as well as a certified mounted posse horse.
She also belonged to my sister.