10/16/2026
“... 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞, 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞.”
We have been asking customers the same question and their responses have been amazing! Riding is so beneficial and so is a healthy barn family. At Silvers we get to enjoy a great barn family, a fantastic facility, and the best horses. Here is TINA STEVENS’, an adult rider here at Silvers, response to the question:
***𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙?***
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I think riding has impacted many areas in my life. One is with my physical development and maintenance. As I’ve aged, and as arthritis has set in previously injured joints, I cannot exercise and train like I used to. Riding helps keep me active in a more joint friendly way. Riding also requires mobility, such as with external and internal hip rotation, which also translates to strength and stability needs as you age.
A second area of impact is with my anxiety management. Having an anxiety disorder is certainly not fun and while I didn’t ask for it, it is my responsibility to manage it. I can be excited all day about my lesson and then on the way to the barn my anxiety can become so overwhelming that I want to turn around and go home. If someone would ask me in that moment if I wanted to quit riding lessons, there have been times I would have said yes. Now that is ridiculous as I most assuredly do not want to and have never wanted to quit, however the "anxiety wants what the anxiety wants". :D
I have to pray while I’m driving to get me there and I have to pray while I’m tacking up and sometimes, I’m still praying while I’m standing in the arena holding my horse and waiting to mount.
If I didn’t have an activity that I loved to force me to face my anxiety then I would just avoid it, which actually makes the anxiety worse. That's why I joined the show team. I knew what competing would do to me but if I wanted to grow, then I had to (and still have to) put myself in uncomfortable situations. And yes, at some point before we move to the warm up area, I have hugged and prayed with my horse to get me through my classes.
Riding also helps me with stress management. I do realize that may contradict my previous paragraphs regarding my insane anxiety, however, it is true. With work and family and teaching, I feel stressed more than I don't. Someone is always needing something from me but when I ride, it is just about me and my horse. Everyone and everything else can wait and I can do something for just me. My brain is quiet, well mostly quiet, and I can get a break from thinking about all the things I have to do and all the things I'm dreading and all the things I have forgotten to do...it never ends. But it does stop while I ride. There is also a freedom to being outside. I spend most of my life inside and sometimes I feel "caged". Outside I feel free. Cantering with a breeze on my face, I feel lighter than I do any other time. (Disclaimer - this does not necessarily apply to learning to canter new horses as, while I want to do it and I’m excited to do it, this activity falls strictly under the anxiety category). :D
Lastly, I would say riding has impacted my general perspective. I will admit that I get stuck in focusing on what is wrong instead of what is right, what is missing instead of what I have, and what my body cannot do instead of what it can still do. I've loved horses straight out of the womb. I believe and I've always had a fascination with them. I can remember sitting on the floor of my room and pulling out the H encyclopedia (yes, I’m that old) and looking at the pictures of the horses again and again and again. To be fair, I also did that with the C and D volumes as well. My favorite Barbie accessories were her Palomino and Arabian. I dreamed of riding every time I saw a western or jumping competition or rodeo on TV. And now I get to ride every week. I've had to let go of many childhood dreams but this one was realized. Every lesson, while I’m praying for my anxiety, I also thank God for the blessing of my riding lessons, instructors, the horses and the barn. While I’m grooming, or even cleaning a stall, I thank God for that horse and how blessed I am that creature has intersected with my life. Even Heater. (You know I love that old man).
I forget how blessed I am so when I thank God for allowing me to ride, it reminds me of other blessings and how many things I should be thankful for. While I have not progressed to have this perspective full time, because of riding I practice it more often and for those moments I feel more at peace and closer to God. I suppose that has been the biggest impact of riding -- as what more is there to say other than that?
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THANK YOU, Tina, for being an awesome part of our barn family and for sharing your story! We have seen you keep going, developing, and being grateful for what you have. We are grateful we are part of your journey!
