Riders of a Certain Age

A delightfully honest look at the realities of starting out with horses — when you're getting older. Are you a woman at midlife or beyond? Have you just discovered you have a passion for horses? Or maybe you've now found time for them after years devoted to a job and family? Surveys show that riders over the age of 40 are the fastest growing segment of the equestrian world, with those age 65 and above seeing the biggest jump—so you are far from alone! With carefully curated guidance collected over years of horsing around, rider and writer Fran Severn wants to embolden and empower you with tips, lessons, and advice as you begin enjoying a life with horses in it. In these pages, you'll find options for: Riding—and not riding (but still having horses in your life). Finding an instructor and being a good student. Coming to grips with what your body can and can't do in terms of fitness, weight, and fear. Understanding the realities of arthritis, menopause, and changing vision, hearing, and breathing. Knowing the rules for buying, leasing, and boarding horses. Dealing with family and horse-related finances. And much more. Riders of a Certain Age provides an important reference to any older individual who craves the companionship of a horse and the sisterhood that can go along with it.