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At 05:41 PM 18/11/96 -0500, you wrote: >Physically active --recently quit tennis because falling. Took up horseback >riding, keeping eye on the ground for balance, instead of on the tennis ball. > >ANY IDEAS? PLEASE! > To James Newman: Sorry I'm not qualified to advise on bloating (I guess others will advise you). However, as a horserider (non-PD), I'd advise: DON'T keep eye on ground for balance - sit up straight, and look ahead between horse's ears! A motto I heard years ago: "Heels down, head up; hands down, heart up!" Congratulations on taking up riding at age 80!! The next-oldest horse-rider I know is a 75-year-old lady in Wales (had been riding much of her life, bought her own horse when aged nearly 60) - had open-heart surgery 2 years ago, and was back on her horse within a month! It's never too late. I find riding a wonderful therapy, both physically (especially for muscular endurance, balance and coordination) and psychologically (openair activity, feeling of freedom, communication with the horse). Especially good for people with walking limitations - I know it's used as therapy for cerebral-palsy and other handicapped children, also for disabled people - I saw a TV documentary about a young soldier paralysed from waist down from war-injury, who resumed riding. I took up riding again a couple of years ago, at age 51, after interval of nearly 30 years. Slight arthritic stiffness in my hip-joints makes mounting and dismounting a bit painful - I can no longer vault on as I did in my teens! (one can use a mounting-block); but once in the saddle I feel wonderful! Any other horseriders want to comment? Margaret Hayon (Haifa, Israel; CG for David 78/7)