Last July, I reported on Matsushita/National's plastic horseriding machine, Joba EU-6310, a.k.a. the bucket toilet. The idea was nice and neat. But it was outright silly to sit on the bucket and jolt yourself like a happy kid on daddy's shoulders. Obviously, this was a flop. No sane ladies would want to be seen doing things on this funny-looking utensil.

So, the manufacturer repented and brought back some of the traditional horseriding functions it had discarded for the sake of streamlining. This year's model, the 4th generation of Joba machine EU-6441, looks rather decent and old-fashioned. At least, nobody would dare to call it "bucket something" anymore.

Matsushita's Joba EU-6441. Rather a decent horseriding simulator.

One important thing EU-6441 forewent was a bridle. Instead, the pommel took an unusual shape, not unlike the gymnastic pommel's, and gave firm holding points to both hands. The position of stirrups can be manually adjusted. So, you can pretend yourself to be a Mongol horseperson and ride on extremely short stirrups. Or, maybe, fancy yourself as a jockey at Kentucky Derby and stand on stirrups, though you would very much look like a monkey.

The movement of EU-6441 is not a simple 3D jolt of roll, pitch and yaw. The saddle moves in 3D figure-8. I mean, figure-8 seen from any angle. Rather similar to the complicated saddle locus of real horses.

The speed can be controlled manually on the panel which is located on the front of saddle. Nine stages. Also, three preprogrammed training courses can be selected. Simple exercise, hip muscles, and waist course. A course usually lasts 15 minutes.

Unpopular bucket to... er... EU-6310 model.

Everybody in Japan firmly believes that horseriding is good for your health and fitness. (Your Mobile Ojisan sincerely doubts this baseless myth, though.) Anyway, that's why thousands of hospital rehabilitation wards, nursing homes and community centers buy up Joba machines in droves. Nobody in Japan can afford to buy a real riding horse and leave it with a faraway stable these days. Therefore, I expect its cheap substitues, Joba machines, will propagate in this land... well, actually, it's not cheap at all. EU-6441 costs 138,600 yen (US$1,155).

Gentler XEU-6414, a special model built for the excercise of senior people.

 

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