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Friday, July 05 2013 / Published in Weekly Feature

Still Riding At 90!

By Jenny Johnson

 

Ginny and Sam at their Century Club ride in 2002, when Ginny was 79 and Sam was 29.

Ginny and Sam at their Century Club ride in 2002, when Ginny was 79 and Sam was 29.

Ginny Wegener of Canon City, Colorado, recently turned 90 years old but isn’t letting age slow her down. She is a two-time member of The Dressage Foundation’s Century Club and continues to ride and care for her horse, RT Loki.  She said, “I plan to continue my horse activities until at least 95. I always had it in my head and heart to be an active rider and participate in horse activities. Exercise keeps me moving and clinics increase my knowledge and keep my brain moving.  Determination, passion, as well as good genes have gotten me here. Seniors can do it!”

 

Sidelines caught up with Ginny and asked her to share some stories from her horse life, as well as advice she has for other riders:

 

How did you become involved with horses and dressage?

My first involvement with horses was as a 16-year-old in Kansas City where I lived with my family. I would ride my bike many blocks to the riding stables. I made friends with one of the stable men and he would let me ride the horse to my house, even over train bridges and waterways. It was thrilling to me. I didn’t own my own horse until I was 58 years old. At that time I said to myself, “I would like to become a rider,” so I purchased a young Arabian gelding named MHR Handsome, Sam for short. Sam was my teammate for my first Century Club ride in October 2002 and he was with me until after his 39th birthday. We shared many adventures!

Do you have a favorite horse-related memory?

My favorite memory…well of course there are many. But to pick one, I remember when Sam was in a horse show and received a blue ribbon. We were all standing under a tree and I had Sam standing close to me. A friend had brought champagne and glasses. As we all raised our glasses to make a toast to Sam, he reached over my shoulder and slurped every drop of the champagne. He was quite surprised and we all laughed!

 

What do you enjoy most about riding dressage?

After Sam came into my life, there were several dressage shows in my area and I was really drawn to learning how to become a dressage rider. I enjoyed the challenge of riding to the tests and increasing my abilities as well as Sam’s. Sam was very well suited to the discipline. Now that Sam is no longer here I ride my Norwegian Fjord, Loki, and did my second Century Club ride on him in May 2010 at the age of 87. Loki is a great guy! He is 14.2 and I am five feet tall, so we are a perfect match at this time in my life.

What advice do you have for young riders?

When I was raising my three girls, Carol, Diane and Su, the older two became interested in having horses. I think the involvement my teenage girls had with their horses and animals kept them busy and out of trouble, as well as teaching them so many life skills. To this day they love their horses as do some of their children. To the younger generation I would say: Follow your passion (I hope it is horses). Always love your work, stay positive, and honor the commitment to protect and care for such wonderful partners in your life as horses!

 

Ginny and Loki at their Century Club ride in 2010 when Ginny was 87 and Loki was 15.

Ginny and Loki at their Century Club ride in 2010 when Ginny was 87 and Loki was 15.

The Dressage Foundation’s Century Club is a program designed to honor senior dressage riders and their senior horses. To become a member 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. For more information on the Dressage Foundation, please visit www.dressagefoundation.org.

About the writer: Jenny Johnson is the Administrative Director at The Dressage Foundation in Lincoln, Nebraska. In addition to that full-time job, she also has the full-time job of being a wife, a mom to three children, and “mom” to her 20-year-old Quarter Horse who she’s owned for 19 years. 

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Tagged under: Along for The Ride, Canon City, colorado, dressage, dressage-riders, equine magazine, Ginny Wegener, horse-magazine, jenny johnson, senior riders, sidelines-magazine, the Dressage Foundation, The Dressage Foundation’s Century Club

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6 Comments to “ Still Riding At 90!”

  1. Laura Popovich says :
    July 9, 2013 at 12:06 pm

    Ginny is my idle. I hope I get just a little of the horse knowledge she must have. I am 65 and have been riding only for 3 years but will continue for the rest of my life. I have found my passion.

  2. judy preston says :
    July 9, 2013 at 4:11 pm

    Very inspiring! My Mom is still riding at 83 and I am just starting a young horse that someday I want to do my century ride with. Way to go Ginny!

  3. Felicity Hill says :
    July 10, 2013 at 8:05 am

    What an inspiration Ginny is. Thanks for sharing her story!

  4. Christiane Rudolf says :
    July 10, 2013 at 8:37 am

    I have never ridden a horse, but from childhood on, I always wanted one. The closest I have been to a horse was when a friend, whose son owned two harness racing horses and had a small track on his farm, let me drive one of the horses around the track. It was an experience that I will never forget. I was wearing a t-shirt and shorts, no goggles or helmet, in other words, no protection of any kind. They told me how to hold the reins, how to make her go slowly and how to speed her up. I was to take her around the track three times and when they held their hands up, I was supposed to speed her up, go around the track three times, and then slow her down for three more times around the track. Fool that I was, I did exactly that, and I was enjoying the slow ride around the track when they gave the signal to speed her up. I did, and pow, we went flying around the track, with sand and gravel blowing behind me, sometimes going around the bends, on one wheel, and I thought my days on this earth had ended. I kept thinking if I should just jump off, but thought better of it, hung in there with all my might until they gave me the signal to slow down, which I was very thankful to do. Fortunately, this horse had been very well trained, because I sure did not know what I was doing.

    I got more and more involved in showing and raising German Shepherds after I finally got the dream of my life, a little acreage out in the country. I often thought about getting a horse, but decided that it would not be fair since I had a bunch of dogs to take care of. Besides, at my age, I figured it would be better to stick with something small like a German Shepherd.
    A few years later, I discovered alpacas, and decided, because they are much smaller than a horse, I could handle them. Now I own twenty one of those soft, critters, and everyone is amazed that I can handle all that by myself. My neighbors have two horses and my other neighbors have three, so I get to see them, but am glad I stuck with a smaller animal.
    Kudos to this lady who is a real inspiration. I intend to stick around to at least a hundred, and have my critters until my eighties, or as long as my body will let me do.

    1. Karola says :
      July 10, 2013 at 4:53 pm

      I started rig at 50 something and I am now just turning 63…I started with a 6 year old Thoroughbred mare that had been in pasture all her life – mistake on advise of a very young trainer. I am now riding a 23 year old Swedish Warmblood schoolmaster, Nelson…what a difference. Will continue riding as long as I am healthy…Ginny, you are my encouragement that I can DO IT.

  5. Barbara Hopper says :
    July 10, 2013 at 7:30 pm

    Wow, Ginny, you are my new, favorite role model! I’m 68 y/o and have been thinking to myself that maybe I might have another 7 years or so of riding, but maybe not! I’m now setting my sights on 90!

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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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