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- Riding with a likeminded friend is one of the best ways to keep enjoying your favorite activity throughout life.
- H&R photo files
- A basic, easy-to-do strength-training workout for riders (just minutes a week!) in the article "Get Fit, Ride Better."
- The latest information and research on health, nutrition, and fitness at "Defy Your Age," an MSN health-and-fitness blog.
- Ongoing nutrition and fitness support tailored to active horse people at "Weight-Loss Resources for Riders," Horse & Rider's blog by Sandy Denarski.
- Tips on maintaining your horse activities despite major health issues, in the article "Diagnosis: Health Problems (Yours, Not Your Horse's)."
- Stay active by riding out--sign up for Horse & Rider's On the Trail newsletter, and check out the American Competitive Trail Horse Association.
- Motivational tips and comments from real riders like you (see below).
READERS OFFER KEEP-RIDING TIPS
A sampling of advice and encouragement from Horse & Rider readers of a certain age who are still riding-and loving it.
Accept (Then Deal With) Reality
I've had to accept the inevitable fact that I'm not as young as I once was and, therefore, can't or shouldn't take the chances I once did. "When you're young and you fall off a horse, you may break something. When you're my age and you fall off, you splatter," said Roy Rogers, and he was right.
Staying in shape for riding is critical; it makes riding possible plus diffuses the muscle aches between rides. Stretching, core-building, and cardio workouts-all are important.
Don't Stop!
I've seen riders in their 70s and 80s in the hunt world doing just fine--mostly men, admittedly, which may mean they have more testosterone or who knows what. But they're so mentally and physically healthy and vital as a result!
As one 80-year-old I know says, "I ride because I want to live." He also said one secret is never stop riding because you can't easily get back to it once you're past a certain age. His own mentor hunted and jumped into his early 90s!
Beyond a can-do attitude, I think yoga and weight training are essential, for balance and strength.
Good boots, a great helmet, and not too much horse are also assets. Many midlife women have more horse than they need, in my opinion.
Find Friends
Finding cronies to ride with is important. I don't want to share trails with young hot-rodders anymore; I just want to putt along. Finding age-friendly group activities is also good--a walk/trot drill team, perhaps?
Also, older riders often need accommodations for things like hip/knee pain/replacement. I knew a gentleman in his late 60s with a knee replacement who desperately wanted to fulfill a lifelong desire to master riding. We came up with compensations in mounting (from the off-side, with a mounting block), stirrup length (longer than normally suggested). I also knew a woman whose doctor pulled the reins after a severe osteoporosis diagnosis--she was out of the saddle, but not out of the scene. She'd come to the barn and help groom or whatever, just to keep smelling the sweet smell of horse poop.
Take Lessons
Now that 50 is the new 40 and 60 is the new 50 and so on, I'm not sure what category I'm in anymore. But at age 58, I no longer choose to compete, so it's now much more about pure enjoyment.
Staying fit enough to be a safe, smart, sounder rider is my biggest challenge. As ever, there's not enough time to do everything--that is, balancing all the other priorities in my life--so I struggle with that. Still, I do believe in lessons, lessons, lessons! You're never too old to learn more. Having someone on the ground watching and guiding you is the best. I'll always welcome the feedback and improvements.
Beyond that, I hope to be riding with like-minded folks well into my 70s. That's the goal.
No--Skip the Lessons!
I find myself less interested in trying to improve or challenge myself nowadays. After decades of riding, I increasingly find the concept of taking a lesson far less appealing than, say, a relaxing trail ride with friends or just some solitary arena time with my horse. It's not that I don't think I can learn more--of course, we ALL can, at any age--I just don't fancy being constantly told what to do for a solid hour, especially with free time at such a premium.
Go Mental
I've reworked my riding goals. I was gutsy in my 20s and 30s, but now I'm into fun and safe. I still love jumping, for example, but instead of 3'6" fences, I do nothing over 2'6"--and at a more moderate, hunter pace, not whipping along like a jumper rider.
