Horse Illustrated Magazine

There’s a reason
so many riders enjoy riding on the beach—or have it on their bucket
list. It’s a challenging but fun environment. With a good horse, a
beach is the ultimate equestrian playground. Now, what if you could
take that fun experience and do some good with it? That’s what
happens every year at the American Horse Association’s beach ride
in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

For 35 years, the
AHA has held the beach ride as a fundraiser, and over the years,
riders have helped the organization raise $4 million for
cardiovascular research. This year, the AHA reports that the ride on
Nov. 13 raised more than $315,000 for the cause.

In the slideshow
above, we get a look at some of the scenes from a fun day at the
beach at the 2016 AHA beach ride. In the video below, a few of the
1,277 participants in this year’s event share why it was important
for them to ride to support the AHA.

According to the
AHA, heart disease affects both men and women, but it is the leading
cause of death for women. Heart disease causes one in three deaths in
women each year, a higher rate than all cancers combined. People of
all ages and fitness levels can be at risk—even active, young
equestrians. The beach ride is one way that the AHA raises funds to
expand education and research to help people affected by heart
disease live longer, healthier lives.

Find out more about
how you can help and stay tuned for more news about next year’s
ride at ahabeachride.org.

Leslie Potter is a writer and photographer based in Lexington, Kentucky. www.lesliepotterphoto.com