Japanese developer and publisher Koei has announced that it plans to bring some horse riding to the family-friendly Nintendo Wii by starting the development of the next iteration in its popular G1 Jockey series for the aforementioned console. The full name being G1 Jockey Wii 2008, the new title promises to take advantage of the latest innovations brought to the controller schemes, therefore it will also use the balance board.

This means that players will now be able to leap fences and steer their horse to victory all through the feedback from the Wii Balance Board. Assuming a jockey crouch and powering to victory should brighten up even the longest faces this September when G1 Jockey Wii 2008 is released in Europe. And, since it looks like some really tough exercise is involved, it might be the next big thing to do by people who want to lose weight.

"With G1 Jockey we have always strived to recreate the full horse racing experience in the most realistic and enjoyable way possible. The Nintendo Wii and now the Wii Balance Board have enabled us to continue our desire to bring every facet of this fascinating sport into the homes of passionate horse racing fans and gamers who want to enjoy a sporting experience like no other," said Naoki Katashima, Koei vice president.

Also, G1 Jockey Wii 2008 contains a career mode for those willing to keep the number one spot for a lifetime, as well as the chance for players to breed their own horses. Which could probably be another good thing - we don't really know, we only care about racing!

This means that, if you love horses and have always dreamed of becoming a jockey, Koei and the Nintendo Wii will make your dreams come true. The balance board is needed, too, but having in mind the huge sales of WiiFit, I doubt that could be a problem.