Physical results of riding

Riding has many expected and unexpected results on the physical body.  There's the obvious fact that it is exercise, and as such is attributed with some mighty fine sculpting.  I read in a book, actually mom read in a book, a description of a woman's "shapely" "equestrian" legs.  Sounds good, sign me up, right?  And luckily, the prancing around in skintight britches only accentuates the shapeliness.  And the pantylines (which always inappropriately makes me think of Lil' John?).  Sooo glam.

I don't know that I'll ever get comfy with the leather cupping look, though.

Anyway, there also seem to be some way less glamorous consequences.  My back still twinges from when the Taru-bear buck slammed me into the back of the saddle during a ride approximately 3 months ago (imagine the glamour of not only walking like a hunchback, but trying valiantly to appear a-ok to your guests while gasping and choking for air).

This is Taru, when he was a baby, before he learned how to buckeruski.

Then there are the constantly chapped and dirty hands.  I know I have dirt magnet fingernails, but the situation is hopeless whenever I get near a farmyard.  Most recently I dealt with the results of trudging around in boots 10 hrs a day.  Really pretty feet.  Especially when said boots consistently find a way to blister you in new places every week.

So I had dealt with that for a few months, and a few months later just dealt with the results while getting an apparently much needed pedicure.  I'm really glad those pedicurists at least appear so non-judgmental when they pull out the razor and start hacking away at your feet, and that there was no one else in the shop at the time.  Really very gross and embarrassing, but also so satisfying.  There's nothing a little razoring can't clear up!

During my time on the ranch I always try to balance being a a wrangler and still being a human being, which basically just meant trying to scrub the hands and slapping on quick-dry hot pink polish on Friday nights, which then would be shabby chic chipped come Monday.  That, combined with the hunch-back gait really accentuated the the allure of the shapely legs, making obvious why all the riders are always in such high demand.  No, no, we are.  I swear.