Back In The Saddle

After a lifetime on horseback, Brad Langenberg, 56, had injured his body so many times he’d lost count. Pilates is now giving him a shot at a pain-free life.

- Brad Langenberg

I GREW UP ON A FARM OUT SIDE A TINY NEBRASK A TOWN: POPULATION 190. My grade school class had eight kids, and my nearest friend, Mike, lived about a mile away. After I’d done my chores, I’d jump on my horse, Ike, and ride bareback over to his house. Our horses were like other kids’ bikes, and the only rule was that we had to be back by sunset. In the summer, we were on those horses all day long, going anywhere we liked. I loved the freedom. I had two siblings die from congenital illnesses while I was growing up, leaving me an only child; riding sweet, gentle Ike was my coping mechanism and escape.

TEENAGE TROUBLES

Things changed a lot when I went to high school. It was pretty far away, and I had social anxiety being around so many people and worrying that they’d call me a cowboy and a hick, so I left horses behind for a while. Since then, I could have been diagnosed with ADD, ADHD and just about a billion different labels, so it’s no wonder I didn’t enjoy school. To fit in, I joined the football and wrestling teams— wrestling is a big deal where I come from. I’m 6’1” but a pretty small-boned guy. So in order to get bigger for sports, I started weight lifting obsessively. I had dreams of playing college football. But I also started drinking and doing drugs in high school.

THE DARK YEARS