TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - There are many sports you can try to improve your health. Horseback riding can be an interesting activity to fill the children's holiday. Check out the benefits of horseback riding for physical and mental health.
1. Strengthening the Heart
Quoting the American Heart Association, horseback riding is a good form of aerobic exercise that improves heart health. Riding a horse, especially during intense activities like brisk walking, increases heart rate and optimizes blood circulation. This increase in heart rate also helps strengthen the heart muscles, which are important for maintaining heart health.
2. Strengthening Muscles
Horseback riding involves many muscles in the body simultaneously, especially the leg, back, abdomen, and arm muscles. Having strong body muscles is beneficial for carrying out daily activities, including lifting objects, walking, and running. You also have good endurance. Strong muscles can reduce the risk of injury during daily activities and exercise.
3. Improving Body Posture
Another important health benefit of horseback riding is improved body posture. This is because when horseback riding, you are required to maintain good posture and balance as much as possible. Regular horseback riding is also good for spinal health and prevents back pain.
4. Improving Body Coordination and Balance
Horseback riding can also be the right choice for training body coordination and balance. When riding a horse, you need to maintain the balance of your body posture to adapt to the horse's movements. Good body movement coordination techniques are also very necessary during horseback riding for running, brisk walking, or jumping over obstacles.
5. Maintaining Mental Health
Horseback riding is also good for maintaining mental health, especially in children. A study in the Journal of Men's Health shows that regular horseback riding can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in children with attention deficit disorder (ADHD). Interacting with horses (equine-assisted therapy) turns out to be a therapy to increase self-confidence, overcome depression, anxiety, or other mental conditions. Horseback riding is indeed a fun sport. However, you need regular practice, technical skills, and a good emotional relationship with the horse to ride well. If you're new to the sport, it's best to consult a professional coach to prevent injuries.
6. Reducing Stress
Horseback riding allows you to break from daily stress and feel the fresh air. Spending time with animals and exercising can also release serotonin hormones. This hormone can improve mood and reduce stress levels.
7. Providing Therapeutic Effects
Interacting with horses also has therapeutic benefits. This results in the emergence of Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) treatment. The benefits of this activity for mental health can help treat those suffering from mental disorders, such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), anxiety, autism, depression, dementia, and other mental health conditions.
8. Building Self-Confidence
Self-confidence plays a key role in maintaining a person's mental health. Individuals with low self-confidence tend to be more vulnerable to anxiety and depression. Besides requiring courage, horseback riding also requires a high level of self-confidence. When someone is going to do this sport, it is important to believe that they can control a powerful and possibly wild animal. Therefore, horseback riding can be an effective way to increase a person's self-confidence.
Playing with horses is certainly inseparable from horseback riding equipment. So far, the horseback riding equipment market in Indonesia has been dominated by foreign brands. Local products are rarely considered and are even thought to be unable to meet international standards. However, a new wave of local entrepreneurs has dared to design, produce, and market domestically made horseback riding equipment with global quality. They sell products and promote pride in the abilities of the nation's children.
Anton Pratama is one of the founders of the Kezillaz brand. He made his experience and love for the equestrian world the foundation for the birth of this brand. The name Kezillaz itself is a combination of the names of his three daughters: Kezia, Mikella, and Ellena. "We want to prove that Indonesian products can not only compete but also be the main choice on the international stage," Anton said in a press release received by Tempo on June 15, 2025.
As a brand that focuses on the equestrian world, Kezillaz has released a variety of horseback riding equipment. Their products range from apparel for riders to horse equipment, such as saddle sets, saddle pads, and gel pads, as well as horse care equipment, such as grooming sets.
Kezillaz also released a sub-brand called Horse Guard, which focuses on horse hoof and hoof care. This product is made locally to continue to encourage innovation in horse care in Indonesia. Support also comes from important industry figures, such as Budi Tulodo, a certified farrier from the American Farrier Association and the Secretary General of PP Pordasi Equestrian. According to him, Horse Guard is a reliable local solution, and he is currently actively providing free training for young farriers, using tools from Kezillaz. "This product is not just business, but about the spirit of building the equestrian ecosystem from top to bottom," said Anton.
Now, Kezillaz products are available in markets in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Germany. Anton believes that when a local brand has strong values, quality, and a strong story, the market will accept it. "I hope that in the future, more local brands will be brave enough to appear and be confident. Because when we believe in ourselves, the world begins to believe," he said.
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