Ask any horse owner how long they plan to ride for, and most will say “as long as I can.” Renee Beiles is living proof that time in the saddle can continue well into your golden years. At the age of 85, Beiles drives from her home in Toronto to a horse farm in Caledon to ride. And she does this trek three to four days per week, even in winter.
That’s commitment for sure, but it’s also passion and love for her 29-year-old registered American Quarter Horse gelding, Neejee, which means ‘friends’ in Ojibwe (spelled Niijii). The pair have been together for 25 years and counting.
Beiles, like many of us, rode when she was younger, but quit after she got married, had kids and a career. Retirement at age 60 from her job as a medical social worker gave her more time on her hands. But it wasn’t until her second husband commented after she watched The Horse Whisperer for the 14th time, “We should buy a horse.”