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judy bishop, 68, has been riding for 38 years.
Horseback riding isn’t
just for the young, it’s also
for the young at heart.
“I was the mother of
the little girl who saw
the horses in the pasture
and wanted to pull
over on the side of the
road. So I did. When she
started riding, I realized I
didn’t want to sit on the
sidelines, so we started
together,” Bishop says.
Today, Bishop owns two
horses: one, a 12-year-old
quarter horse/Trakehner
cross she’s owned for
nine years, and a black,
solid colored paint with a
striking white blaze. As
an adult rider, she has
different goals than some
of the competitive horsewomen
at her barn. She
dreams of riding over a
2-foot-6-inch jump course
perfectly. Bishop says her
biggest challenge is keeping
the body strong enough to
be able to ride with the best
of them. It’s a challenge
she welcomes five days a
week.
“Horseback riding
makes me feel like I’m 10
again,” Bishop says. “It’s
just a joy and a freedom
when I’m connected with
my horse. And I’ll ride
right on. Right until the
day I die.”
Judy Bishop rides her
12-year-old quarter horse/
Trakehner cross, Golden
Halo, during a lesson at Old
Homestead Farm.
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