22 SIDELINES JULY 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
dom to share! We asked a few of the Century Club Rid-
ers for advice on staying fit and riding during their senior
years. Each rider serves as an inspiration and gives us all
something to aspire to! Thank you to the following riders for
contributing their thoughts and advice!
e
Never Too Old
The Dressage Foundation’s Century Club Members are
riders who are rich in years and experience. To become
part of the Century Club, the ages of the horse and rider
must add up to at least 100 years and they must ride any
level dressage test before a judge or dressage professional.
Add all those years together and these riders have wis-
Marion Julier of Maryland, who competed at age 71 with
Schaeferin, age 30
As a dressage rider, I can say that almost all exercises are
good for the senior rider. It’s such a pleasure to be able to ride
and it really doesn’t make any difference what age we are.
For more information on the Dressage Foundation, please visit
.
Words of Wisdom from Young-at-Heart Riders
Toni Frary of New Jersey, who competed at age 76 on Some-
thing Special, age 24
To stay fit, I belong to a walking group and walk for an hour
almost every day. I also attend yoga and Zumba classes every
week. Weather permitting, I work in the yard gardening. To keep
my senior horse fit, I ride three times a week and do a lot of
lateral work: leg yields, haunches, shoulder-ins, stretching down.
I also do lengthening/shortening at the walk, trot and canter.
Anne Ramsay
of Florida, who
competed at
age 78 with Fri-
djoff, age 23
My advice
applies to ev-
erything in life —
“Never give up.”
Photo by Ayala Pavia
John Claridge of Pennsylvania, who competed at age 83 on
Clockwork, age 17
As a senior rider with a senior horse, I have found that most
helpful to me is to have a plan. Taking into consideration that age
has imposed physical limitations on both you and the horse, de-
cide ahead of time just how many days a week you will ride and
for how long. Make sure you keep in mind that quality is more
important than quantity. I take a one-hour lesson each week from
a professional and work by myself on what she has taught me for
about a half hour three other days. The remaining three
days are
split between student hacking and time off. Weather permitting, I
follow this schedule religiously and have found it a good balance.
So far it has kept my mind fresh, and aches and pains to a mini-
mum; and I would hope the same for my horse.
Photo by Casual Creations
