Horseback riding is rare among Amish

amish ride horsesAmish are closely associated with horses.  Horses pull Amish carriages, and provide brute force on the farm, powering a range of farming equipment.  Yet Amish rarely saddle up.

There are a few reasons why Amish do not often ride horseback.  One is that horseback riding is for many Amish too close to the idea of sport.  Modesty is another issue.  Additionally, as Amish have large families and often travel together, riding horses is less practical.

However, you will occasionally see Amish on horseback.  Farmers may ride horses on their land.   Generally, Amish youth are more likely to ride horses than adults.  And there are at least a handful of Amish horse trainers who work with horses.

Read more on Amish horseback riding.
Photo credit: leeno


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