We are hearing more and more about getting out and keeping active to stay healthy as long as possible.  As you may already know, the U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health in 1996: www.cdc.gov/needphp.srg.htm stated that:   "People of all ages can improve the quality of their lives through a lifelong proactive of pursuit of moderate physical activity."

Horse owners and enthusiasts often choose their chose of physical and mental activities to evolve around the horse.  These activities can range from grooming horses, mucking stall, hauling bales of hay around, carrying water buckets, repairing fences, attending seminars on care and training or just spending time with their horse. Many volunteer at local rescue farms to assist with grooming and general horse care. 

Horse back riding as a sport has been shown to bestow a multitude of therapeutic benefits on the riders.  Some of these benefits include improved posture, balance and coordination, which is important in later years.  The movements required by a rider to control a horse strengthens muscles and increases problem-solving skills.  Concentration is improved and sensory awareness is heightened in the rider. 

Horseback riding improves self-esteem, independence and confidence.  The constant interaction required between horse and rider also tends to increase the riders' social skills.  No man-made health machine on the market today has been able to duplicate all the physical, emotional, mental and social skills that develop and are put in constant use from riding a horse.  This only goes to prove the age-old adage, "What 's good for the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a person."

The New York State Horse Council encourages various recreational trail groups and legislators and trails planners to work together to provide trail access and trails for equestrians, so they can pursue activities that will keep them healthy, active and fit for life.  Many Senior riders will continue to ride horses well into their sixties, seventies and even the eighties, particularly if trail opportunities exist close to their stables or farms.  

In addition, the NYS Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) p.xi also states this concept.

Our Land Managers and Legislators need to recognize that seniors are an important percentage of land and trail users.  Recreation resources (such as trails) can provide an important opportunity for people to be physically active, which can lead to significant improvements in health.  Physical activity on a regular basis can contribute to a decrease in the risk of numerous debilitating diseases and conditions.  For more information about how staying active in later years can improve people's lives, log onto www.Move4Life.org and http://www.nysphysicalactivity.org/site_beactivenys/.

Vintage Riding Groups are springing up in the USA and some operate similar to US Pony Clubs, Visit www.oldpeoplesridingclub.org as an example of one of these groups.

Janet Pfohl, NYSHC Vintage Riding Program Chair, Email: JPfohl4301@aol.com