This gentleman will be the oldest competitor at the London olympics this year. He is 70 and will be competing as an equestrian in Dressage for Japan. The oldest ever olympian was 72 and competed in a shooting event.
I hope when *I* am 70, I'm still limber enough to climb atop a tall dressage horse!!!! That is a respectable feat in itself - then you figure he has to tack up the horse and feed it and clean after it.... haul it to shows - and at that level, ride EVERY SINGLE DAY......
When I used to ride more, I was sometimes surprised at how exhausted I would be after riding an hour, and that was western. Dressage takes so much core strength on the part of the rider, as you have to have your seat, and keep your posture, all while you are on a horse that is moving, and the leg strength needed too, he's obviously got to be in phenomenal physical shape.
Talked with a Gentleman at the VA a few months ago. He was in perfect health. His age was somewhere in the nineties. He was in the Navy in WWII and involved in protecting our coasts and gulf. never knew about all the Nazi subs in the gulf and off our coasts or all the sunk ships until then.
He had more vigor and better memory than anyone I know of otherwise.He could probably go through basic again and not raise a sweat. Not really of course.
Genetics I guess. He was smoking a cigarette. Those things will kill you.....maybe at 125 in his case.
Sue Bee wrote: When I used to ride more, I was sometimes surprised at how exhausted I would be after riding an hour, and that was western.
My wife is 71 and finally got cross riding off her Bucket List. She went out with a guide cross country in the National Forest for an hour. Up and down hills, rocky ground, meadows, crossing streams, etc... When she got back, she did not stop smiling for over a week. Now she is hooked. She did have a bit of a problem with her bad knee. But, then walked a mile or so back to the campground. Still not exhausted, it pays to stay active, we used to go backpacking to 8,000 Plus feet in Yosemite and Sequoia... But at 82+ have quit doing that.
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My grandfather shot an 80 on the golf course the day before he fell and broke his hip and went into the hospital. A couple of months later, he passed on due to complications from hip replacement surgery.
Oh yea - he was 101 years old at the time. His sister is still around - she turned 108 last December.
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