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      in lifestyle and culture

      6 places in the UAE for an unforgettable horse riding experience

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      Lifestyle

      by Sarah Joseph
      58 mins ago

      From a spacious paddock to qualified instructors, the UAE is well-known for this exhilarating sport which is available all year round for you to enjoy.
      So, get your equestrian hat on to enjoy the outdoors and experience nature at its finest.
      As here at Emirates Woman we are quite the fans of horse-riding, here’s a curated list of stables with fully equipped facilities for you to embrace throughout the year, especially now.
      Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club

      With a state-of-the-art polo and equestrian community located in Dubailand, with over six million square feet of land, it consists of four world-class polo fields, a polo academy, a riding school with a dedicated riding aren’t emulating that Andalusian elegance with an oasis of excellence and uncompromising luxury. The instructors help fine-tune your skills with the well-schooled horses as it operates from Sunday to Saturday, 6am to 12am. Prices start at Dhs240 for beginners in a group setting and Dhs475 for a private beginners class.
      For more information visit poloclubdubai.com
      JA Equestrian centre

      Featuring its own air-conditioned stables with a vast expanse at JA, The Resort. This wonderful place for horse riding in the UAE provides expert qualified instructors for both experts and beginners in a fully-equipped schooling environment where regular riders can venture out and enjoy the natural desert environment, making it available all year round. The stables operate from 7am to 12pm and 4pm to 7pm.
      For more information visit jaresortshotels.com
      Dubai City stable

       
      This family-friendly oasis located in Umm Sequim district, being only 10 minutes from Dubai’s Downtown area is perfectly suited for city residents who are either trained or wish to begin their horse riding journey as this stable is truly the perfect point for all horse desert adventures as they offer both private and group tuition for beginners through various events too. Starting at Dhs190 for 45 minutes, this place is definitely one to visit.
      For more information visit dubaicitystable.com 
      Sharjah Equestrian and Racing club

      Being one of the first equestrian clubs in the UAE established under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, this riding club is located on Al Dhaid Road. It’s home to one of the largest indoor riding facilities in the Middle East ensuring that its well equipped with qualified trainers and riding instructors who have advanced their technical skills. The riding school is closed on Tuesday and is open from morning 8am to 12pm and 4pm to 8pm.
      For more information visit serc.ae
      Emirates Equestrian centre

      Whether you’re interested in horse riding or simply wish to experience a tranquil equine desert escape, riders of all levels are welcome and also have the opportunity to learn about show jumping, dressage, eventing, join the pony club or visit the riding school. With fully qualified instructors being able to answer your queries, polo events also take place for you to simply visit. The lesson hours are available from 7am to 11am and 4pm to 7pm and is located on Al-Ain Road, Dubai.
      For more information visit emiratesequestriancentre.com
      Al Wadi Equestrian Centre
      Located at the Ritz Carlton resort Al Wadi in Ras Al Khaimah, this equestrian centre offers lessons and experiences for guests of all ages and skill levels. Group and private lessons are available for experienced and beginner riders, including children. Spacious paddocks and a horse-walking arena are among the facilities.
      For more information visit www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/uae/al-wadi-desert/

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      in fitness and body

      How Triathlete Vicky van der Merwe Balances Training With Motherhood

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      Well-known Stellenbosch-based triathlete Vicky van der Merwe is on the comeback after a break after her son was born. She will be competing at the Woolworths X TRI off-road triathlon in Elgin on Saturday 4 December.
      Vicky van der Merwe: having it all as an elite triathlete and a mom
      Top triathlete Vicky van der Merwe is also a business owner at Stellenbosch Triathlon Squad (STS), where she is a coach and race organiser, and in the last two years she has added wife and mother to her roles. The 32-year-old athlete is a familiar face on podiums across the country and internationally, and she is now focused on her return to competitive racing in short-course triathlon since the birth of her son Adriaan in February 2021.
      She says being both a mom and an elite athlete has given her a new perspective: “The amazing thing is you have to make every session count as every opportunity to train is time away from the family. You have to be so intentional with your time. I love it. I always knew that I would return to racing, but I did not have a clear plan. It was my first pregnancy and I had planned a natural birth, and then I had to have an emergency c-section at 37 weeks – you really can’t plan these things!”
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      “I threw myself in the deep end with training four or five weeks after Adriaan’s birth, and started slowly building up.”
      Three months later she went to Africa Champs, claiming fifth place despite not having a great race. She feels optimistic about re-establishing her place as one of the top female South African triathletes. Since returning to competition with the 2021 Africa Champs, she has won the Walker Bay Xtreme Big 6, the Torpedo SwimRun (she holds the record), the Caveman Triathlon, the African X Trail Run, and recently the 2022 Cape Town Triathlon.
      Vicky at the CT Triathlon 2022
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      Vicky says she loves racing and has a few more years of competitive racing ahead. Her immediate focus is on the Woolworths X TRI the off-road triathlon on 4 December at Paul Cluver Family Wines Wines in Elgin. This race is a bit more about the fun, but a challenging event nonetheless if you are taking on the full triathlon.
      “I find mixing it up a bit with off-road triathlon is so good for me as an athlete, and the WW X TRI is perfect for triathletes like myself looking to cross-train and test themselves in different disciplines. I will for sure be looking to stand on the top step of the podium, but this event really hits the mark for family fun as well, with a Lite event plus fun trail runs and a shorter walk.”
      When asked if her goal is to qualify for the Paris Olympics, she is hesitant to confirm: “You obviously have to be in the top two or three in the country and we have some very strong women athletes. Because I’ve been out of it for so long, I have set myself small goals, with SA Champs being my next big one in March next year.”
      With some confusion for the layperson about what constitutes a triathlon, Vicky sums it up, “Triathlon is any race involving a swim, a cycle and a run. There is off-road triathlon where the Xterra World Championships is the highest honours, then Ironman, full and half, that are more focused on endurance, and the World Championship held in Kona in Hawaii is the big goal. Then there is the Olympic Triathlon which is my discipline, and I prefer the sprint or short-course which is a 750m swim, 20 km cycle and 5km run. Standard Olympic Triathlon distances are 1.5 km swim, a 40 km bicycle ride and a 10 km run.”
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      As someone who was National and African Junior Triathlon champ when in high school, Vicky has triathlon in her veins, and beneath the fun and bubbly personality is a fierce competitor who juggles being a wife and mom, a businessperson, a coach and an athlete.
      Get to Paul Cluver Family Wines in Elgin on 4 December for the WW X TRI to catch Vicky in action and support the work of the Woolworths Trust, the beneficiary of all proceeds from the event.  For more information and to enter visit www.wwxtri.co.za More