Want to Ride Into Your 80s? Start Protecting These Skills Now.

Your future in the saddle depends on more than your horse's soundness. Strength, balance, vision and the ability to respond to changing situations deserve a place in your riding routine, too.

Most riders have a plan for keeping their horses going. We pay attention to soundness, adjust feed, schedule veterinary and dental care, and look for the saddle that fits. We may be less deliberate about maintaining the abilities our own bodies need to keep riding, especially in midlife.

Riding asks a great deal of us. We need enough strength to control our bodies, enough balance to stay centered as the horse moves, and the coordination and attention to respond when something changes. Vision matters when judging distance, reading the environment and watching the horse in front of us. Experience helps, but it cannot replace physical readiness.

None of us can guarantee we'll still be riding at 80. Health, injuries, genetics and circumstances all play a part. We can, however, take steps to maintain the skills that support an active, independent life as we age.

Build strength for the work riding asks of you

Strength training is not just for riders who want to jump higher, ride a more demanding horse or compete at the next level. It is part of maintaining the physical capacity to keep doing everyday activities as we get older.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening activity that works all major muscle groups on at least two days a week. Its Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, Second Edition, published in 2018, also recommends that older adults include activities that challenge balance alongside aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise.

For riders, a sensible strength program can include exercises for the legs, hips, back, abdomen, shoulders and arms. Squats or sit-to-stands, step-ups, rows and appropriately loaded resistance exercises are examples. The right choices depend on your current fitness, injuries and experience.

The goal should be to preserve the strength needed to mount, dismount, manage daily tasks around the barn and maintain control of your own movement. Riding itself is physical activity, but it should not automatically be treated as a complete strength-training program. The demands vary with the horse, discipline, duration and intensity of the ride. Many riders benefit from training outside the saddle.

Train your balance on the ground for riding into your 80s

A steady seat is valuable, but balance is not something riders should practice only while mounted.

Everyday balance depends on several systems working together, including vision, the inner ear, sensory information from the body and the nervous system's ability to coordinate movement. Some people notice changes with age; medical conditions, medications and inner-ear problems can also affect balance. The National Institute on Aging explains that balance problems have several possible causes and recommends medical evaluation when symptoms arise.

There is strong evidence that targeted exercise helps reduce falls among older adults. A systematic review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2019 examined 59 studies involving nearly 13,000 participants. Researchers found that exercise programs reduced the rate of falls by 23%. Programs that included balance and functional exercises were particularly useful.

The research examined falls in everyday life, not falls from horses. It does not establish that balance training prevents riding accidents.

However, many of these balance exercises can help your riding foundation too. Sit-to-stands, supported heel-to-toe walking and controlled weight shifts may be appropriate for some people. More challenging work can be added as ability improves. Use a stable support when needed, and ask a physical therapist or qualified exercise professional for guidance if you have a history of falls, significant weakness or balance concerns.

Don't practice standing on unstable surfaces or closing your eyes to make an exercise harder unless a qualified professional has determined that it is appropriate and safe for you.

Keep your vision in the conversation

Riders use their eyes constantly. We scan the arena, judge distances, notice changes in footing, monitor other horses and pick up visual cues from our own horse.

Age-related eye conditions can develop without obvious early symptoms. The National Eye Institute recommends comprehensive dilated eye exams to help detect eye diseases before symptoms become apparent. The appropriate screenings depends on a person's age, risk factors and eye health.

Vision changes can also contribute to falls. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention includes regular eye care among its recommendations for reducing fall risk in older adults, alongside strength and balance exercise and a review of medications that may cause dizziness or drowsiness.

For riders, that means paying attention to more than whether you can read a chart at the eye doctor's office. Tell your eye care professional that you ride and describe any difficulty with glare, depth perception, changing light or seeing objects clearly. Don't assume a change is simply something you must accept due to age.

Don't overlook coordination and attention

A ride can change in an instant. Your horse may shift sideways, another horse may approach, or a gate may swing open. Responding requires attention, coordination and a timely decision.

Aging does not affect everyone the same way, and there is not a specific age at which a rider becomes less capable. Physical changes, health conditions, poor sleep and medication side effects can influence how alert or steady someone feels on their feet.

A practical response is to pay attention to changes in your own performance. Are you finding it harder to mount? Do you feel less steady when leading your horse? Are you getting dizzy, struggling to see clearly or feeling unusually fatigued? These are reasons to pause, not to push harder.

Some medications can cause drowsiness, dizziness, changes in vision or impaired balance. The CDC advises older adults to discuss medications and possible side effects with their health care providers. Never stop a prescribed medication on your own; ask whether an adjustment or alternative is appropriate.

Sleep, regular physical activity and appropriate treatment of health conditions are also part of staying ready to ride. When a change is new, persistent or unexplained, discuss it with a health care professional before assuming it is a normal part of aging.

Protect the years you want to spend with your horse

There is a difficult truth about riding longevity: even a fit, experienced rider cannot control every risk. Horses are large animals, and falls can cause serious injuries.

A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in 2019 examined U.S. emergency department data on horse-related injuries from 1990 to 2017. The researchers found that the annual rate of horse-related injuries among adults older than 60 increased during the study period. The findings are a reminder that injury prevention deserves attention as riders age. They do not predict an individual's risk today, and they do not mean older adults should stop riding.

Keep wearing a properly fitted, certified equestrian helmet. Choose horses and riding situations that suit your current ability, not just your past experience. Work with an instructor when you need help adjusting your riding or returning after an injury. Take changes in your health seriously, and don't hesitate to modify your goals.

Most of all, make your own physical health and fitness as routine as your horse's care. Schedule your strength sessions. Practice balance safely. Keep up with vision appointments. Ask questions when something feels different.

You may want to jump a bigger course, take a long trail ride or simply enjoy a quiet afternoon in the arena. Whatever keeps you coming back to the barn, those years are worth preparing for.

The goal isn't to ride exactly as you did at 30. It's to give yourself the best opportunity to keep riding safely, adapting as you go and enjoying the horse in front of you for as long as life allows.

Sources

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, Second Edition. 2018.

• Sherrington, Catherine, et al. “Exercise for Preventing Falls in Older People Living in the Community.” British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2019.

• National Institute on Aging. “Balance Problems and Disorders.”

• National Eye Institute. Educational resources on vision and aging, including comprehensive dilated eye exams.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidance on vision impairment and fall prevention among older adults.

• Horse-related injury study using U.S. emergency department data, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in 2019.