Excerpt from Chicago Equestrian Association, 1921: Organized 1908 Many other forms of physical exercise have general recognition as being beneficial, but horseback riding is much more than merely beneficial. It is, for example, convenient. There are many forms of physical exercise available to any one; golf, tennis, the gymnasium, moun tain climbing, hunting, swimming, and so on, in an end less and various enumeration. But compared with horse back riding, any of these present certain disadvantages and inconveniences. Golf numbers hundreds of thousands of addicts, but to play golf means a protracted period of leisure; a journey to the links; the uncertainties of caddies, and many other things that makes playing golf require a definite and pre arranged program. And so with practically all of the other forms of outdoor physical recreation. Hunting means a journey; a lodge in some vast wilder ness, and an absence from one's usual avocation. Every one knows that the gymnasium quickly becomes monoton ous, and though its benefits are unquestionable, it palls in its deadly routine. Horseback exercise, in contra-distinction to all of the other things we have mentioned, need not interfere with one's regular business or social duties. It requires no spe cial pre-arrangement; nor does it involve the assistance of any accessory. It is an ideal way to begin the day's work, and a brisk hour in the saddle in the morning is an idea] preface to even the most arduous daily task. It clears the cobwebs from the brain, and it puts a joy and vim into living that nothing else can take the place of, and that nothing else supplies. One of the greatest advantages of horseback riding is the fact that the physical benefits are not ordinarily the prime purpose and motive for engaging in it. These phys ical benefits are really incidental; one might even say almost unconscious. They are a sort of bi-product. Usually one rides because one likes to do so. It is just pure, unadulterated, boyish fun. A man or a woman enjoys a horseback ride in exactly the same spirit as a kid enjoys a game of marbles. We do it for the fun of the thing, and subconsciously realize that in having our fun, we are also gaining distinct bodily benefits. And by one of the curious quirks of our physiological endowment we always benefit most from those benefits which are indirect, and unobtrusive, in their operation. Thus the horseback ride is first of all the thing we enjoy, and co-incidently the thing from which we benefit. This is one of its greatest virtues. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.