Just wanted to add a note about all this talk about sore muscles
etc...
One of the reasons that horses are used for therapeutic uses in paralyzed
people is because the swaying of the rider when the horse moves, (especially at
at the walk)
mimics the the way hip and leg muscles move when a person walks. That's why
some doctors give prescriptions saying that people that have limited
mobility need to be on a horse for so many hours a week. When a gaited
horse moves, although the rider appears to be moving a lot, the ride is
generally smoother because the muscles don't work as much but must remain in the
same position for an extended period of time.
