topic Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40? in Pet Lovers

Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

catlvr — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 20:59:33 GMT

Hi All,

I fulfilled a dream of a lifetime two years ago when I got my first horse (me 54 years old). I had a lot of experienced support in the process but my riding skills are not improving as quickly as I hoped they would.

I have fallen off 8 times, the last time breaking my shoulder. I ride English-Jumper. Believe me, I haven't jumped anything. I take riding lessons.

My horse is a dream boy. I big grey thoroughbred/warmblood cross. He is now 19 years old and still showing in Jumper classes. We have a young friend who is an excellent rider and she shows him. He loves to work.

So I just wonder if anybody has any advice for me about the riding progress or any experiences they can share.

catlvr

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

hoosieroriginal — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 21:16:35 GMT

My only advice, be careful! We break much easier at this age - that's a tall fall. Glad you are getting to do something you had always dreamed of.

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

nana59 — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 21:20:36 GMT

The tallest thing I get on these days is my couch......never been on a horse......take care..

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

Mz iMac — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 22:24:31 GMT

I taught myself to ride a horse in my teens.

I've never "jumped" on a horse. To scared.

I only "run" on the beach coastline.

To date, I have never fallen.

67 yrs young.

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

Kachina624 — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 23:14:44 GMT

I've never been a very good rider because I'm not a talented althete in any sport. I did take a bad spill off a horse (riding English) when I was in college riding with friends. We were in a wooded area and we jumped a log about 3' high. This started a lifetime of back problems for me.

Shortly after I was married DH and I bought horses. By then we lived in Texas and rode Western, which IMO is the only way to ride. I don't ride anymore but still have my lifelong love for horses.

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

catlvr — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 23:27:29 GMT

Thanks ladies. Nice to see that there are others who love horses.

I enjoy it, not only because I love him, but because riding requires my entire attention. So it's very distracting and mostly quite relaxing. Admittedly, there are moments of complete and utter terror. I ride indoors in an arena so there isn't much external danger but even the tractor going by outside as we rode inside spooked him once and put me on my butt.

catlvr

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

CamilleP — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 23:39:41 GMT

Catlvr, I first got on a Shetland Pony at aged six, so my experience does not mirror yours, but I second the advice to switch to riding a Western saddle. I rode bareback first (never had a saddle for the pony, I outgrew him too fast to make it worth buying one) but I started on my first horse at 11 on a Western saddle, and did not move to riding an English jumping saddle until I was already an advanced Western rider. My mare was a 14.2 hand Morgan/Mustang cross chestnut who was a terrible daisy cutter, so I would have been better off riding English so I could post her trot, but I learned to sit it anyway, and developed a solid seat because of it. A Western saddle would stabilize you and give you more security on top of your warmblood, with a deeper seat and more leg contact with your horse's barrel, which ought to help your seat become more solid more quickly. Best wishes, I hope you find a good solution so you can keep riding without falling!

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

Sooner — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 00:11:09 GMT

I've been around horses all my life. My advice? Get a GOOD western saddle with a padded suede seat, buy a high-stepping little quarter horse, and go out and enjoy the world in comfort and security.

No need to be fallin' off that horse! Just walk, trot and run for a sense of joy and freedom! And that quarter horse should be able to go from standing start to flame on in one stride and turn on a dime! Now THAT's a thrill ride! LOL!!

Horses are wonderful aren't they?

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

software — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 00:31:07 GMT

@catlvr wrote:
Hi All,

I fulfilled a dream of a lifetime two years ago when I got my first horse (me 54 years old). I had a lot of experienced support in the process but my riding skills are not improving as quickly as I hoped they would.

I have fallen off 8 times, the last time breaking my shoulder. I ride English-Jumper. Believe me, I haven't jumped anything. I take riding lessons.

My horse is a dream boy. I big grey thoroughbred/warmblood cross. He is now 19 years old and still showing in Jumper classes. We have a young friend who is an excellent rider and she shows him. He loves to work.

So I just wonder if anybody has any advice for me about the riding progress or any experiences they can share.

catlvr

Why are you falling so much?

I've ridden horses since a child, I've never fallen off.

Came close a few times.

You need a new riding instructor.

I don't know much about jumpers, maybe they don't make good riding horses.

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

Sooner — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 01:45:54 GMT

@software wrote:
@catlvr wrote:
Hi All,

I fulfilled a dream of a lifetime two years ago when I got my first horse (me 54 years old). I had a lot of experienced support in the process but my riding skills are not improving as quickly as I hoped they would.

I have fallen off 8 times, the last time breaking my shoulder. I ride English-Jumper. Believe me, I haven't jumped anything. I take riding lessons.

My horse is a dream boy. I big grey thoroughbred/warmblood cross. He is now 19 years old and still showing in Jumper classes. We have a young friend who is an excellent rider and she shows him. He loves to work.

So I just wonder if anybody has any advice for me about the riding progress or any experiences they can share.

catlvr
Why are you falling so much?
I've ridden horses since a child, I've never fallen off.
Came close a few times.
You need a new riding instructor.
I don't know much about jumpers, maybe they don't make good riding horses.

@catlvr @Kachina624 Are you falling off or getting bucked off or what? I was bucked off once, a horse fell with me once, and one simply jumped out from under me when someone on a motorcycle came over to shake hands with me while I was on the horse (stupid, yes I know). But I didn't normally fall off. Course I wasn't jumpting either. Intentionally jumping let us say. . .

If the horse is the problem, it needs training or traded! LOL!!

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

Kachina624 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 03:16:47 GMT

@Sooner I alway chose for my riding horse one that was at least 7-8 years old, having seen everything so wasn't so jumpy and easily startled. I had a gray mare I just adored. She was near unmanageable when a man rode her, my DH wouldn't get on her, but she was a well-behaved, perfect lady when I rode her. She was a natural pacer and very comfortable to ride. We didn't know her background but I wondered if she was a Standardbred.

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

Desertdi — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 06:24:58 GMT

Nope........not on my bucket list

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

AngelPuppy1 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 09:33:12 GMT

That's wonderful! I have always thought horses were such beautiful, awesome, brilliant animals! But have always been slightly fearful of them as well. I have not been around them much so am not really comfortable with them. Always wished that I had been exposed to them as a child and that I would be able to ride them. Now, I am too old and have very bad osteoporposis. I would be too afraid to fall and break something!

Good luck and enjoy your riding!

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

catlvr — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 18:15:25 GMT

For those who asked why I have fallen off.

Everytime it was because something spooked him or he did something that I wasn't prepared for. Example: we were trotting over poles on the ground. Everything was fine until we got to 3 poles that had been stacked together. He trotted to them and went over and broke into a canter. That's what jumpers do. I had not cantered yet and so I lost my balance and fell off.

Spooking is stuff like the tractor starting outside the barn as he goes right by that side. He is 19 years old and really bullet proof. The falls are more the result of my inexperience.

When we found him he had been pretty neglected both food wise and no exercise. He was slow and run down and kind of really ok for a beginner like me. But I wanted the best for him and gave him top food and supplements, vet care and continued training. He came on really strong. Regained his strength, his skill and pretty soon it became clear to my trainer and me and all at the barn that he lives to jump.

At 19 he is not jumping 4 foot fences but 2'6" at shows and he almost always gets a first or a second.

The fact is, he was not that much horse when we got him and now he's not a horse I would ever think about buying for myself. However, he is a love and we have the most awesome relationship, he knows exactly where he was and where he is now and he is a grateful horse. And he really is terribly polite considering the bouncing around on his back that I do.

catlvr

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

Sooner — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 01:07:28 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
@Sooner I alway chose for my riding horse one that was at least 7-8 years old, having seen everything so wasn't so jumpy and easily startled. I had a gray mare I just adored. She was near unmanageable when a man rode her, my DH wouldn't get on her, but she was a well-behaved, perfect lady when I rode her. She was a natural pacer and very comfortable to ride. We didn't know her background but I wondered if she was a Standardbred.

@Kachina624 We had a mare that didn't like men or other horses. She bossed the lot and the others waited until she ate. I could not catch her if she got out. Daddy had a 4yr old quarter horse t hat had Ben ridden in a quadrille group. Touch her with your heels And you had better hang on. Fun but exhausting and daddy loved it--thought he looked fine. Lol

Re: Anyone here learn to ride horses later in life? After 40?

cerb — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 04:17:16 GMT

Hi catlvr - I got my first horse when I was about 45 years old. She was a Thoroughbred, a retired race horse. She really wasn't a very good choice for a calm trail horse, lol. My DH is a very good rider and was fine on her, and my DD who was 13 when we got the horse, became a decent rider. I never felt at ease on her back, and I knew what it was like to be sitting on the ground after she spooked. But I loved that horse. We put her down 3 years ago due to age-related health problems, and I still cry remembering having to say good-bye. I am glad that "Sugarplum" spent the last 9 years of her life in happy retirement with our family. She was well cared-for.

The post-script is that my DD's earlier life experience with livestock made her feel much more at-ease around all kinds of animals, and she is now a veterinarian.