Bluegrass-raised and body-and-spirit driven, Sunny Bayne has spent her life dedicated to three things: family, fitness, and her first love, horses.
Sunny started riding on her grandfather's farm at ten years old and quickly discovered that riding, breaking, and connecting with the spirit of horses was her calling. That connection never left her, and neither did the lessons it taught her about trust, presence, and the language the body speaks when words fall short.
In 2004, a serious riding injury left her in a wheelchair, neck brace, and sling, and it changed everything. Sunny spent years rehabilitating her body, and in that process she found her second love - fitness. Discovering what movement could heal, build, and restore set the direction for the rest of her life.
Early in her career, Sunny worked as an exercise rider. She galloped racehorses for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, where she learned meaningful riding skills and horse training wisdom, and went on to work for retired jockey Jimmy Miranda, Vicki Oliver, WinStar Farm, the Juddmonte Farms breaking and training division, and Margaux Farms. Along the way she rode graded stakes horses including Site Reed, Module, Daring Duchess, and Golden Soul. At WinStar, she rode Justify, the future Triple Crown winner, in his first year of training. Some of these names are ones racing fans will recognize, but to Sunny the famous horses and the ones nobody has heard of hold the same place. Every horse she sat on taught her something, and every one of them is part of her story.
At Timber Town Stables, Sunny worked with Havre de Grace, at that time the highest-selling horse on record at $10 million, and her first foal, Heavenly Grace. When mother and daughter were in quarantine, Sunny was their primary caretaker and formed deep bonds with both.
While earning her equine degree at the North American Racing Academy, Sunny trained under Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron and worked at the Hall of Champions, where she handled Hall of Fame horses including Cigar, Funny Cide, Da Hoss, and Go for Gin. She later returned to the Academy as an adjunct instructor, teaching multiple classes to equine students.
After earning her NASM Personal Training Certification, Sunny kept building - a degree in Equine Studies, Youth Exercise Specialist, RYT-200 Yoga Instructor, Exercise Specialist, and Certified Online Personal Trainer. She is also a certified Reiki healer. What makes her approach unique is the breadth she brings to every session. As a master of body mechanics who understands the physical body and the subtle energy body with equal fluency, she works the whole person, not just the muscles, whether she's coaching a strength PR or guiding a client through breathwork and recovery.
Her private training business, Sunny Bayne Fitness, grew into more than a client roster. It became a community where people felt seen, supported, and successful. When that community outgrew its walls, Sunny created a space where it could keep growing and where other health and wellness professionals could join her. Sol Fitness was born in 2022.
Today, Sunny works with private equine clients, teaching them to connect with and gentle their horses using R+, Natural Horsemanship, and the Balance Through Movement Method. Drawing on both her human and horse training, and her understanding of biomechanics in both, she helps horse and rider become better movers together so both can thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally, moving as a team and co-regulating.
Sunny also leads group training and is a sought-after resource for Kentucky's high performers - athletes, executives, and wellness-minded professionals who want results and a deeper understanding of their bodies and minds. Her 6 AM sessions typically sell out, but she remains committed to serving her community and conducts new client consultations every day to welcome those joining the Sol family.
Want to train with Sunny or bring her in for your team? Sunny is a Master Certified Personal Trainer and works with private clients in the gym and on the farm. She is available for corporate wellness sessions and can be invited to work with businesses and organizations across Lexington and beyond. Email info@solfitnesslex.com to get connected.