Specific exercises and supplements to help us 50+ ride well, and work at the barn

[Ann Hatfield]

What are you doing to keep fit/get fit, keep supple, improve or keep your balance, stretch muscles or even to control nerves and be calm? And what supplements are people taking, or herbs or meds to keep from feeling pained and creaky before and after riding or barn work?

[Sit_the_Trot]

Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement and occasional Functional Integration lessons, that's what keeps me moving with the motion of my horse, sitting the trot, feeling great, and doing all the barn chores. I'm biased because after realizing it would keep me riding I became a practitioner and now I teach riders to move with more fluency and better balance, have independent arms and legs and move in harmony with their horses. But since I feel and move magnitudes better at 50 than I did at 40--who better to promote the method. It helps people regain the movement they had as children, it helps children move with better coordination and balance. My articles at SitTheTrot.com include lessons that apply the Feldenkrais work to horseback riding--and all you have to do is lie on the floor and do funny little (or big) movements pay attention to your own habits and patterns of movement!

[Queenrider]

I do Pilates myself. Pilates is great for balance, strength and coordination. MSM works wonders as well for me. I see an osteopath regularly as well.

[Rosemary Aud Franklin]

I swim, swim, swim. at least everyother day. 500m. back stroke. and hydro afterwards. I can really tell the difference in joint health when I have to miss.