u/chiono_graphis

My goal is to be able to ride a horse for half a day, two months from now.

I have a business trip to Mongolia planned. Since it is business firstly I'm not sure it'll be on the schedule yet, but there may be a chance to go horseback riding. Not a days-long trek. Just a little ride of up to a half-day hike.

I'm excited because this has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, riding a horse in an open steppe with no fences. I want to try galloping too. I owned a horse in my teens and galloping was our favorite, going so fast the wind blows tears out my eyes straight back into my ears haha.

However, I haven't ridden in nearly two decades. Am not overweight but have been strictly deskwork jobs with no workout/sports/outdoorsy habits. I walk and public transport to work so I feel I could walk all day, but I don't actually have much core, leg, arm strength nor endurance. Also the Mongolian style of riding is to stand in the stirrups at any pace faster than a walk, so I will need thigh and core strength back especially.

Before attempting a gym, I'm working on building a little endurance first at home. Here's my routine:

10-15 minutes warm up with yoga: mainly cat-cow and bridge poses, also practice hip opening poses/doing the splits

60 squats

60 seconds planking

60 seconds air-chair against a wall

5-10 pushups (all I can physically manage at this point)

To wind down, 60 seconds of standing on one foot with eyes closed, or until my motion sensor light goes off lol, to improve balance

I have to break up each exercise, sometimes I can only do 5-10 at a time before needing a break. I get sweaty and winded just from this little routine that barely takes me 30 mins.

I have been doing this daily for only 5 days. Lots of muscle aches. I still have two months and will add exercises (+running too!) and time as I get better. But sometimes feel so defeated at how weak and out of shape I am that there's not nearly enough time in two months to undo two decades of sedentary living and get me in shape enough to safely ride again, especially at the level I used to enjoy as a teen (the dear soul was a firecracker and put me through her paces lmao)

Has anyone gotten in shape enough for an outdoor sport in two months, or is this completely unrealistic?

Hi I've had an awful metallic/blood/salt/acid taste in my mouth and tingling tongue feeling going on for a couple weeks now. Thinking I should get it checked since it's not going away. I haven't changed anything like foods, toothpaste, skincare at all recently, nor am I on any medications nor supplements, nor do I have any other symptoms.

I haven't had the best experiences with doctors here when I don't know what the issue is (i.e., getting meds for influenza or a bladder infection or eczema is always fine, but for vague symptoms it's like oh you just must be stressed). And I'm not sure what sort of clinic to try first. Naika? ENT? Or is this neurological?

Anyone else experienced similar and how did you get it treated?