I started riding when I was 52 and that group was invaluable. And since other countries don’t have the premium on youth and glamour that we do in the US, the international flavor is encouraging and inspiring. Seems like there are lots of, e.g., little old Scottish people living up in the heaths, unaware that you’re “supposed” to slow down and ride differently when you’re over 50, 60, or 80.
The older I get, the more I feel the horse as an extension of and compensation for my waning powers. I become a Centaur out of necessity—unlike the barn brats all around me who can yahoo around, never caring if they fall.
Having been a sports medicine doc, the best incentive I have found for fitness is the need to stay strong and balanced for this other Being, your horse. Try my (un)patented Dr. Kane’s Be Kind to Your Horse Diet. Just ask yourself, every time you’re about to put something in your mouth, Do I want my horse to carry this ? To paraphrase an old saw, “A moment on the lips, forever on your horse’s hips.”
And when I can no longer lift 50# sacks of Equine Senior, I will be depressed indeed.
BK
On 12/6/07 12:16 PM, "Beth Leggieri" <trailyaya@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Wondering if such a group exists--for riders over 50? Man, I *hate* whining and complaining around all these youngsters!
Biggest surprise of my life -- finding I can't do what I used to do. But I want be "smart" about how I do use my body. Strength, agility, and balance are no longer taken for granted! Doing enough to stay fit? Stopping before it's too much? What is that balance?
I DO know that when I was working out 5 times a week (cardio), lifting weights (strength), and doing Pilates (agility and balance), I was able to do more and felt better afterwards. Ride longer, harder, etc. Since dropping that routine, I can definitely tell a difference. So back to planned exercise--with common sense. And I would certainly benefit from others' experiences, so if there's a group out there for the over-50 riders, I'd really like to know about it.
