Exercise isn’t always fun. Who has the space to move freely? The quiet to focus on your health? How does a person find the place or time to get the exercise they need today? The gym isn’t a motivational place for everyone. There’s little feeling of success walking on a treadmill for an hour, as opposed to walking an hour in nature. But not everyone is lucky enough to live by nature. And sadly, although the gym is not a favorite place for all, it is sometimes their only option because they have no other way to get exercise. And when those are your options, you don’t always feel excited to exercise. But the truth is, our bodies need that nitty gritty use once in a while to build basic muscle and support heart health. Which is why a trip to Dude ranches could do a person good. The main point of a ranch visit is to enjoy yourself, but some may not realize why they are enjoying themselves so much. A person gets everything they need, from good food, to unpressured exercise. A person may even find his or herself learning how to ride horseback. A body can respond better to having a purpose. Human beings were hunters and gatherers for so long, the short switch into modern society these last few centuries hasn’t translated into our DNA yet. In other words, our bodies still want to move, and jump and be useful. And while you think that riding a horse or making a chair with your hands is only stimulating your mind, your body feels useful when in action. The symmetry between body and mind is restored when both get to be used. When both are stimulated, a person is healthy and happy.

The problem is, not many people think of going to a ranch when they start feeling the weight of the world upon their shoulders. Yet they are everywhere if you just open your eyes. Montana dude ranches, for example, are some of the best around. The point of a ranch is to go back to a time where the body and mind were both used and both needed, and feel like there is a purpose for both again.