Have you ever wondered why riding is healthy? Riding is not only fun, but has also been proven to be good for your general well-being. This is true for horse riding in general, but especially for
Haflinger horses, as their friendly nature and calm character make them a real all-rounder and therefore very popular with adults as well as children. We have listed for you the most important reasons why riding has a positive effect on body and mind:
1. improving your physical fitness:
Riding requires a certain amount of physical strength, helps you to build muscles and improve your endurance - and not only when mucking out. Exercising on a horse strengthens your abdominal and back muscles, pelvic floor and legs. People who are likeley to have posture problems and back pain due to frequent sitting, as well as those who want to improve their endurance, do something good for themselves on horseback. Riding has a preventive effect on precisely these diseases of civilisation and also improves your coordination and balance.
2. stress reduction:
Riding can be incredibly relaxing and have a positive effect on your mood. The connection with the horse and the time spent outdoors help you to calm your mind. The natural movements of the horse, which are directly transmitted to your body, have a positive deep effect on the cardiovascular system, the organs and the entire musculoskeletal system. At the same time, you experience the exhilarating feeling of being carried - in the truest sense of the word. Taking care of the horse before and after the riding session also helps you to put the hustle and bustle of everyday life to one side and let the almost meditative atmosphere of a riding stable take effect on you. The soothing snorting of the animals, the rustling of their mouths in the hay, the absence of computers and mobile phones and the spicy air are perceived by many busy people as a soothing balance. Hectic and nervousness have no place with horses anyway: As flight animals, they demand a sovereign, cautious handling, which only succeeds when their rider breathes calmly and meets his horse with a healthy basic trust.
3. reduction of fears and aggression:
In the interaction with horses you learn to overcome fears and aggression. Horses initially tend to react dismissively to people who have insecurity, compulsion and aggression in them. Through trust, self-awareness and self-knowledge you can step by step strengthen your self-esteem and your ability to relate by taking the reins into your own hands.
4. improving mental health:
Riding requires concentration and focus. What counts is the here and now, everything else is unimportant. So horses help you to sharpen your perception of the moment. They are a wonderful mirror that registers even the smallest distraction. With targeted coaching, psychosomatic disorders, depression, eating disorders, burn out and social phobias can be treated in a supportive way. Children and adolescents in particular look forward to the playful work with the horse and get down to business with enthusiasm and motivation. In this way, great progress can be achieved without pressure and stress.
5. strengthening the immune system:
Riding outdoors also helps to increase the vitamin D level in the body. Since vitamin D can only be absorbed to a very limited extent through food, but is formed in the skin through exposure to sunlight, regular moderate exposure to sunlight is essential for strengthening the immune system and general bone health.
We have not considered here only to a small extent, the various forms of riding and horse therapy for people with physical and mental disabilities, as well as competitive sports. It is amazing what these great animals can do and achieve. No wonder equestrian sports are so popular.
The
riding stables with or without accommodation offer you your personal horse experience in the holiday region Hafling-Vöran-Meran 2000.