How old is a woman of ‘a certain age’? According to a 1995 column in the New York Times, “only a Nosy Parker would try and find out.” A joke, of course, but one from a (hopefully) bygone era when women felt pressured to be coy about their age. One thing is for certain — older women have considerable presence in the horse world today.

According to Fran Severn, author of the recently published Riders of a Certain Age: Your Go-To Guide for Loving Horses Mid-life and Beyond, riders over 40 are the fastest growing segment of the equestrian world, with those 65-plus seeing the biggest jump. True, there may be men included in those stats, but surveys — and a visit to your local barn — confirm that the majority of riders are women.

Riders of a Certain Age is pitched at “re-riders,” women returning to horses later in life, as well as new riders finally realizing childhood horse dreams. Mature riders may not need tips about things like barn drama (by a certain age hopefully you know how to deal with gossips), but I suspect many will have their curiosity piqued by chapters with alluring titles such as “Bouncing, Chafing, Leaking, and Arthritis.” For the record, chafing solutions include better undergarments, better saddle fit and better rider position, not necessarily in that order.

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