We shouldn’t take riding horses for granted and we should tell others why we love it, says Pammy Hutton

Pammy Hutton shares her thoughts on the true value of horses and riding in the modern world

“There’s nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse.”

Often attributed to Winston Churchill or former US president Ronald Reagan, this truism is in fact from Sir John Lubbock’s book The Use of Life, published in 1894.

Lubbock was a liberal politician and banker, a contemporary of Charles Darwin, and an influential scientist and thinker. He is credited with helping to establish archaeology as a discipline and later purchased the land at Avebury, Wiltshire, to protect the historic stones that stand there today.

The human condition, and how best to make use of it, fascinated Lubbock. His astute observations on the value of horses to people, made at a time when equines were part of everyday life, feel more relevant than ever in today’s changed world.

I’m lucky enough to meet lots of people of all ages and from different walks of life at Talland School of Equitation, our family’s riding school. “Why do you ride?” I love to ask the unsuspecting.

Many clearly have not really thought about it.

But when they do, the floodgates open…

“I just love horses.”

“They make me happy.”

“I love the way they make me feel.”

“It’s the best part of my day,”

“It’s the only place I can find quiet peace.”

“It’s discipline and a challenge!”

Google tells me that enjoyable activities – including overcoming the difficult – cause your body to release “happy” neurotransmitters and hormones, leading to both physical and emotional reactions. The responses can be immediate and mood-enhancing as well as contributing to long-term health benefits.

In equestrian terms, that lovely endorphin rush doesn’t necessarily come from winning Badminton, a dressage championship, show or race. Its root lies in the physical and emotional connection that is our love for horses.

The modern version of Lubbock’s “inside of a man” is truly “a person’s physical and mental health and happiness”.

We have several riders at our riding school who are past their best – it’s not just me – and for whom riding once or twice a week helps with mobility issues and even dementia.

The lucky ones

Sometimes we take riding for granted. A friend in the north, who’d been snow-bound and unable to ride for a week, expressed sheer joy at the chance of a steady hack. “Never again will I complain about having to exercise my horse in all weathers. I’m the lucky one,” she declared.

A ride I had the other day gave me a high for a week. The feel, the togetherness, ease, harmony and fun. No wonder horses are addictive!

Equestrianism could be so much better marketed to the public with a focus on the benefits of riding for everyone. Let’s not make it too complicated. Let’s just say “I love riding” to as many as will listen.

Yes, the industry needs to look outside itself more. I saw on TV a 93-year-old woman giving dance classes. She looked as fit as a fiddle, and her pupils were ecstatically brimming with all the benefits. I wanted to join in…

Not only should we promote riding to children, but also to the life-begins-at-whatever-age-you-choose brigade. They’re the ones with disposable income, time and health consciousness.

So, are our governing bodies’ marketing departments working on this? Or was I the only person watching early-morning TV?

Don’t worry, though, I won’t be sitting in that chair for long. I’m off for a ride – “I love riding.”

Preserving peace

On another note, are equestrian establishments becoming easy targets for property developers and councils to grab land for house building?

Talland and The Kiln Equestrian Centre in Surrey know all about this. With 660 houses due to appear on our Gloucestershire doorstep, our peaceful hacking could become less peaceful.

However, if I really believe all the above, I can’t afford to be a NIMBY. The incoming residents could be good for business. So I’ll hack down there with the horse I love – and sell riding to them.

● How could the sport do more to promote its benefits to people of all ages? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your thoughts to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major events, as well as exclusive insights from top names, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also be interested in: