The majority of women will have their final menstrual period between the ages of 45 and 55, and it’s not an easy experience. Keeping active, including through horse riding, is something medical professionals recommend during perimenopause and the menopause.
“Medical advice is not to stop riding because of the menopause. You will find doctors who recommend not to ride as they see some terrible accidents in A&E, but that is something of a personal decision to make based on risk,” says junior doctor Alice Palmer.
Supporting body changes
Riding — and exercise in general — is good not only mentally but also physically when going through the menopause because it can help offset the effects of the change in oestrogen levels.
“The drop in oestrogen associated with the menopause leads to a decrease in bone density over time,” adds Dr Alice.
“Most exercise is good at helping to prevent some of this loss, with low impact exercise being particularly good. Hacking a horse for example generally tends to be fairly low impact, falling nicely into that category.”
Weight bearing — rising in the stirrups while trotting and standing in the stirrups while cantering in a light seat, for example — is all thought to help counteract the changes to your bone density.
Remember that there are numerous women of menopausal age and above excelling in disciplines that would be considered high impact — endurance and eventing, for example, and beyond equestrianism running and climbing.
They are proof that while the menopause means a change to your body, it isn’t the end of enjoying the sport that you love doing.
Comfort in the saddle
Horse riding comes with a level of risk and most people accept that — but it is something to be particularly aware of for women going through the menopause due to symptoms they may experience.
Not necessarily because changes to your body (such as bone density) may leave you more vulnerable to injury in the event of a fall, but because long hours in the saddle can cause discomfort.
Some women may find that they are uncomfortable riding during perimenopause and menopause. This is typical for those who suffer from urinary and vaginal symptoms, as riding can cause some discomfort.
“There are treatment options for this such as oestrogen creams,” advises Dr Alice, “and I would encourage anyone who finds themselves more uncomfortable when riding, which might be chafing in the saddle or other discomfort around the vulva, to speak to their GP.”
Mood swings and brain fog
Changes to mood and temperament is usual for menopausal women, explains Dr Alice.
“Mood changes are common and can come in the form of anxiety, depression, irritability or problems concentrating and processing information,” she explains.
“Trouble sleeping is the most common problem reported. This is due to hormone levels dropping and causing the thermoregulatory centre of the brain to struggle to remain balanced.”
Clearing the brain fog associated with menopause is something Sharon Tomlinson — who started the menopause aged 48 — found that horse riding, particularly hacking, does for her.
“For me it was more like brain fireworks,” she confesses. “I would have a million random thoughts all at once so being able to go hacking and clear that did wonders.
“My thoughts would be so random — about things that weren’t even real, like aliens, or about something that happened 20 years ago — nobody warns you about that.
“It can make you feel like you have been run over by a bus. On menopausal days I get slower and slower, then frustrated with myself when I’m doing yard jobs, but I know being outside and moving is good.”
Losing confidence
Sharon found that her riding confidence nosedived when she started going through the menopause and it affected her horse.
“I’m a confident rider and have ridden all my life. I’ve always had Thoroughbreds and favoured a sharp ex-racer, but I find now that I have a couple of days a month where I get nervous over silly little things,” she says.
“I start looking for monsters in bushes and thinking, ‘What if something goes wrong?’ As a rider I have never had those thoughts, but now they creep in.”
Despite suffering from an increase in nerves, Sharon still rides ex-racehorses and finds her seven-year-old gelding Company has the perfect temperament.
“I bought him without trying him and I never would have if I’d ridden him as he’s so laid-back,” says Sharon.
“Younger me wouldn’t have enjoyed riding him, but he isn’t sensitive to me being nervous and isn’t affected by having a day off if I can’t ride. He’s the perfect horse at the perfect time.”
How riding helps
Dr Alice shares four ways in which horse riding is thought to help women going through the menopause:
1 Positive impact on wellbeing
For some women, being close to horses and caring for another creature is therapeutic — even if on a frosty January morning at 6am we might think otherwise!
2 Supports bone density
The drop in oestrogen associated with the menopause leads to a decrease in bone density over time. Most exercise is good at helping to prevent some of this loss.
3 Decreases oestrogen levels in a regulated way
“There is emerging evidence that shows exercise in general decreases the levels of oestrogen and other sex hormones in the blood,” explains Dr Alice.
“This may help to regulate the decrease in oestrogen, rather than the unpredictable highs and lows triggered by the menopause which cause so many side-effects.
“The theory is that if you regulate the symptoms, they are less severe. Anecdotally, we believe that exercise can help with menopausal symptoms, but the evidence for this is tracking behind a little.”
4 Good motivatation
It is important that the exercise a woman does is something they enjoy, otherwise they’ll lose motivation to stick to it.
So do keep riding your horse if you feel happy and safe to do so. It’s good for you!
Main image: copyright Shutterstock
