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Skip your step class, dump your dumb-bells and head for the hills on horse back

This summer, thousands of people nationwide will be making the most of the long summer days by 'taking up the reins' as part of the Petplan Equine National Riding Festival. Horse riding is not only an enjoyable way to make the most of the fresh air and summer sun, but also provides you with an excellent work out.

So, for that dream holiday body, ditch the fad diets and celebrity exercise videos and head into the great outdoors with a four-hoofed friend. Every hour spent in the saddle not only burns 400 calories, but will also tone inner thighs, stomach, arms and back and improve your posture. What's more, spending time on horseback in the fresh air will not only give your skin a boost of oxygen and vitamin D, but will also help you de-stress to boot!

The Festival, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, runs from May until September and sees UK riding centres across the country throw open their doors to the public in an attempt to encourage more people into the saddle. The Festival provides a unique opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to experience horse riding for the first time, to learn about what's involved in caring for a horse and to watch a variety of stunning horse demonstrations, including vaulting and musical rides by local Pony Clubs.

If real horses are too daunting, Trigger the mechanical cantering horse, will also be available to ride throughout the duration of the Festival. A diary of his bookings for the summer can be found at www.nationalridingfestival.co.uk.

The British Equestrian Federation, Sport England, the UK's major equestrian associations and leading animal welfare charities, support the Festival, sponsored by Petplan Equine.

To find out more, or for details of your local riding centre, call the Petplan Equine National Riding Festival hotline on 0870 241 1481 or visit the website at www.nationalridingfestival.co.uk.

The following nine Open Days will be held throughout the country. Please visit www.nationalridingfestival.co.uk for more information.

Date	Name of Centre	Location
Friday 30th May	Grove House Stables Equestrian Centre	Doncaster, Yorkshire, DN10 4H
Sunday 29th June	East Lodge Stables	Northampton, Northants, NN6 0QU
Sunday 6th July	Quob Stables Equestrian Centre	Southampton, Hants, SO32 2AR
Sunday 13th July	Wellington Riding School	Hook, Hants, RG27 0LJ
Sunday 20th July	Woodredon Riding School	Waltham Abbey, Essex, EN9 3SX
Sunday 17th August	Scottish Equi-Complex	Lanark, Scotland, ML11 9TA
Sunday 24th August	Mobberley Riding School	Mobberley, Cheshire, WA16 7LQ
Thursday 28th August	Liege Manor Equestrian	Bonvilston, Glamorgan, CF5 6TQ
Saturday 30th August	Middleton Equestrian Centre	Tamworth, Staffs, B78 2AT

The National Riding Festival has HRH The Princess Royal as its President and is supported by the UK's major equestrian associations and leading animal welfare charities. The title sponsor is Petplan Equine, one of the UK's leading equine insurance providers founded in 1988. Petplan Equine believes in supporting the equine community and provides more financial support to equestrian sports and activities than any equine insurance provider in the UK.

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