rider exercises

[vwheeler@mail.tds.net]

A couple of the posts over the last few days got me thinking & hopefully
you successful 50 & 100 milers can help us less experienced.  Truman's
comment about the "athletic ability of the rider" & Raymond Santana's
comment about keeping the legs still when posting both point to us, the
riders.  Sunday during my first long distance conditioning ride of 1998, I
kept hearing my former riding instructor's voice, "heel's down, legs still,
shoulders back, sit deep".

We concentrate on conditioning our horses, but what are the most successful
exercises for the human part of the team?  I have no problem conditioning
Felix, but can't seem to get off my tush when it's for me.  There have been
many comments about the ill effects a tired rider has on the performance of
the horse, but what do y'all do to prepare yourselves?  

As a note, I have a physical disability that prohibits running/jogging or
any product thereof.  Please tell me that something else works.

Thanks in advance for all the advice that I'm hope this will generate.
Vicki Wheeler & Felix (since it's raining, we don't have to ride...do we?)