Issue - meetings

• Funding
• Under-represented Group: Discussion Paper
• Health: Health Benefits of Riding

Members of the Working Groups gave an update on their work since the last meeting:

Finance

Neil Collie reported that the Group hoped to update, with the help of
Denise Snelson and Genni Butler, the Annual Funding Spreadsheet for the next Forum meeting.

Under Represented Groups

The Working Group had produced a discussion paper on their findings for the Forum to consider. 

The Group had looked at ways to encourage under represented groups to access the countryside more readily and had concluded that no single initiative would have a breakthrough effect on getting people into the countryside.  This was more likely to be achieved by a number of smaller initiatives such as:

·        improving information to encourage access

·        targeting work with children as a means of reaching adults

·        finding ‘challenge and reward’ incentives to visit the countryside

·        utilising new media to reach younger people

·        emphasising the viability of existing public transport systems as a means of access

The Group was proposing that a test event be held to see if the initiatives mentioned above could actually increase the number of people access the countryside.

Health

Helen Connolly reported on the key findings of British Horse Society (BHS) research on Health Benefits of Horse Riding. 

The BHS had commissioned the University of Brighton, in partnership with Plumpton College, to research the physical health, psychological and well-being benefits of recreational horse riding in the UK.

The research found that horse riding and associated activities expended sufficient energy to be classed as moderate intensity exercise. 

A survey of 1,248 horse riders had been carried out and the response indicated that the vast majority of horse riders were female (90%) and a third of these were above 45 years of age.  Horse riding was especially well placed to play a valuable role in initiatives to encourage increased physical activity amongst women of all ages. It was also found that horse riding stimulated positive psychological feelings and that riders gained well being from interacting with horses.  Being outdoors and in contact with nature was also an important motivation for the majority of horse riders.

Support was needed for better access to the countryside for equestrian users, with the provisions of safe routes to bridleways and better horsebox parking and the benefits of horse riding needed to be promoted more.