Day 1 & 2

(Check out my FB page where all this stuff gets posted. I am copy posting everything to the blog for reference/timeline/retrospect, but it'll always be on the Facebook page first, because I had overwhelming response that people would prefer to see our journey chronicled there. I just can't let go of a blog. LOL.)

Day 1 & 2

Ride by my birthday; Countdown: 70 days

I'm going to try to post daily. Definitely easier that way.

So, in October it will have been 3 years since I rode. Wild, right? First pregnancy kicked my butt and then winter, and then the rest kind of got away from me and here we are, with my kid turning 2 in September. So it's time for me to do some things I want to do, return to my roots, and benefit from the whole reason we bought this property in the first place -- to have my horses nearby so I can do stuff with them!

(ICYMI, I got married in October 2015, found out I was pregnant in January 2016, bought a house in April 2016, had my baby in September 2016, and here we are. In the last 4 years, I've also built a (small but exciting) career as a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary western romance as my alter ego Amity Lassiter, Romance Author, which started in September 2014. So that's the down and dirty of the last few years.)

Anyways, Bronwyn and I have reached critical mass (har har). I think the both of us are as unfit and chubby as we've ever been and it's time for that to change. I'm not the only one in this partnership who enjoys working together; Bronwyn loves being in regular work, and despite being in my backyard for 2 years now, she hasn't gotten any of that. So here we are.

Through the blog, I've always encouraged everyone to ride a suitable horse at whatever weight. So I feel a bit hypocritical saying I feel too heavy to ride right now -- truthfully, it's not even that, really -- it's fitness. I've *always* talked about fitness over weight loss, and right now, the idea of tacking up and going for a ride feels like overwhelmingly too much work -- like I'd be too tired from struggling into breeches and boots, tacking up, and warming up, to even execute any kind of ride, nevermind carry out my duties as a mother, wife, and keeper of the house, afterwards. So that's where *I* am working from.

B is working from three years since she was last ridden and longer still since she's been in any kind of shape besides 'round and jiggly'. Yes, she's cresty. Yes, she's creaky. She is definitely in desperate need of losing weight. So we're working from that point for her. Plus, I don't think her saddle would fit her right now.

I'd like to get on by my birthday, September 20th. That's 70 days. I think it's doable (I didn't say it had to be a hunter pace, lol). Just a little plod around.

I'll have to work around naptimes and heat waves and writing deadlines and day job, but I hope that by posting it, I'll feel more accountable and keep going.

So day 1 -- it was nice and not too hot when I went to turn the horses out for the night (they stay in out of the heat and bugs during the day) so I decided to lunge Bronwyn. 5 minutes in each direction. A couple of trot circles, but then beyond that just walking, forward motion at the speed that she chose, as long as it was forward. I set a timer. She was done by the end. :P

Day 2 -- the same again. 5 minutes in each direction. A tiny bit of trotting and then mostly walking. She didn't even get warm, so I'm not too worried. But we're both going to start slow. For my benefit, I marched in place for the last five minutes. I kid you not, it was tiring enough -- that's how out of shape I am!

Tomorrow, I start a round of night shifts, so I'll have to get creative. I'll probably do a midday or morning work out tomorrow and then do mornings right when I get home the next couple of days. We will probably take Monday off because I get ~4 broken hours of sleep between Sunday at 4 and Monday night at bedtime.