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Margaret H... I've been a trail rider since I was about 5 years old when I used to ride with my grandpa thru the mountainous areas surrounding Los Angeles as I was growing up. Of course, we rode horses decked out in western tack. Both of my daughters were raised around horses as by then my ex and I had two Arabian geldings. The girls both rode and showed dressage, and Jamie, now 28, was a supurb rider who also rode hunter-jumper. She was trained by Hilda Gurney, US bronze medalist in the '64 Olympics. I've occasionally been able to go horseback riding since my Oct.'94, pallidotomy, hampered not by the PD, but by the fact that I no longer know anyone with a decent horse I can exercise for 'em and don't want to rent a 'plug" from the local stables (which aren't all that close to my home). I miss trail riding more then ever for the very reasons you listed as giving you pleasure in riding. Plus, of course, the sheer joy of being on a horse ambling thru the foothills. I especially enjoyed early evening rides after our our oh-so-hot Southern California summer days had cooled. In fact I and even liked cleaning up the "stuff" 'round the stalls and the turn out area, then perching on the pipe corral oiling a bridle as the darkness deepened into nite hearing Boo (Abu Too Much) and Venture muching on Hayter's mix and alfalfa. That was a very special time in my life. Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] ---------- From: PARKINSN: Parkinson's Disease - Information Exchange Network on behalf of Margaret Hayon Sent: Tuesday, November 19, 1996 1:39 AM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: Re: bloating/horseriding 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)