Who's horse keeps them healthy?

After a tough day at work, I always wonder if I should go see Citrus, but immediately when I see my "swishy boy", I feel better. Being around him is therapuetic.... I am calmed, somehow excited to see him even when exhausted and beat down and I just love being around him. Owning him and being with him is good for my soul.... anyone else feel the same way?

I am positive that even though I work around sick people all day (RN) that I stay well because I have a horse to "wind down" to.....

Oh I agree! It's so calming to be around them, not worrying about work, family or friends. But also they are healthy in the physical way, I've lost 45 pounds since I've gotten back into riding!

My horse(s) help with the mental/ physical aspect definitely!! I can vent and exercise with no one watching or hearing other than them!! Cheaper than a gym and a shrink!

Same here! Some days I get so exausted that I can barely keep my eyes open. But if my instructor calls and asks if I want to go riding, I'm ready to sprint out the door to go see the horses. And I anxiously pace around my house until my instrutor gets to my house.

Mine do! I don't play any sports or go to the gym, so being around horses is the main form of exercise I get. When you're lifting bags of feed and wheeling barrows all day, you get fit! Being outside in the fresh air is also a huge thing for me. If it wasn't for my horses I would probably be a very sad couch potato!
They also keep me mentally healthy too. After a stressful day it's nice just to hop in the saddle and go for a nice relaxing trail ride. They also keep me goal-oriented. I'm always thinking things like "How can I get my horse to become more flexible?", "How could I have improved that last jump?" and "How can I improve my position?".
I don't know what I'd do without them!

My horses keep me sane. I'm a raging *itch if I miss a couple days with them. Just overly irritable and I blow things way out of proportion but my job is at the barn so luckily I'm not far from a good horsey fix.

The women in ny family have a very bad reputation for being either Bipolar or Schizophrenic. I can be slightly Bipolar, but it's nothing I can't handle and not extreme. I think it definitely has something to do with growing up with the horses.
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Similar to Sorrelhorse's, my family is famous for depression and addiction. Every member of both my maternal and paternal family have experienced at least mild depression and both my mom and dad (and most of my other adult kin) are recovering alcoholics.

I've been depressed before. It's not what most people think. You can't just stop and go back to normal. It's a recovery process. Horses have me something to look forwards to. I was anxious to the point of not sleeping at night. While I was riding, horses miraculously allowed me to forget about everything and focus on them. I'm not sure what it is about them, but I'm glad they helped me so greatly.

I have to say, they help me mentally and physically.

I had gastric surgery this past year, and my exercise of choice is cleaning stalls and barn duties, then riding. I can DOUBLE my weight loss by doing those things.
When I've had a hard day, I go to the barn and grab a horse, any horse, and start grooming and it makes me mentally more focused and calm.
So yes, they do. And..just looking at our mare makes me feel good inside, because I know she would be dead if I didn't have her.

Yes yes yes yes yes!

The other day I was so upset and stressed out over money and work and exhausted over all the overtime I've been doing and just felt terrible. I went out to see my guy and by the time I came home I felt like I'd spent a day at the spa. Sure, I was dirty and tired and very un-spa-like but he just made me feel completely better!

I feel like I have withdrawls if I don't see him for a day. Horses are so calming and such wonderful friends it's unbelievable.

He also keeps me healthy in another way which is getting into shape! I let myself get a little bloby and very out of shape but I want to get better for him and with him and build core strength and lose some weight and he is the world's best motivator!

I love that they get us out in the fresh air and sunshine too! I work on a computer all day and do a lot of work at home on a computer (and chat on the forums on a computer - ah!) and it feels down right healing to be out in the fresh air and on the trail or even just cleaning a stall.

My horse gives me a purpose and tasks to keep busy and someone to worry about and fuss over besides myself. I love him and I don't know what I ever did for my six year break from horses but I wasn't this happy.