We own horses, but I really haven't ridden in YEARS. I couldn't really get myself ON to a horse, and really you shouldn't ideally weigh more than about 15% of what the horse does, so I didn't want to injure THEM. I'm close enough now to give it a shot this summer (I should be more like 180, but I think 215 is close enough since I'm not exactly planning to make them run a rodeo with me.). Thing is, I'm absolutely TERRIFFIED! It has been so long, I've become very afraid of hurting myself (considering I've sprained my ankle a couple times in the past few years just by tripping over a rock or root and falling in my own yard). If you've ridden you may be able to picture how I'm not even sure I'll be able to muster the agility to MOUNT the horse, and I'm not exactly sure what kinds of exercises would help me practice that. Okay...I think I'm talking myself "out" of my new goal But my main reason for posting is that any time before the last year or so, I whole heartedly assumed I'd never have the opportunity to try again. That part of my life was over, door shut. How did I ever get myself so convinced that obesity and poor health was inevitable and irreversible? I'm only 47 for cryin' out loud! I was about ready to curl up on the couch and wait out the last years of my life.