After a two year break, how long to get back up to speed (or just not ache all over?!)

[Julia0803]

Hello All,

I’m hoping you might be able to comfort me, as I’m hobbling about!

My lovely wonderful heart horse has been retired almost 2 years after an injury in May 24.

Prior to that we were both very fit, competing in low level endurance, and lots of hacking. We were getting reasonable mileage in during training, plus lessons. So multiple hours in the saddle every week without blinking. I’ve had him 13 years, and in that time only really ridden him (I think I can count on one hand the times I’d sat on anything else!). He was/is perfect in every way, I trusted him completely and knew him inside out. For a long time I felt like, if I couldn’t ride him I didn’t think I wanted to ride at all. But I was starting to feel the itch again…

The lady who runs his retirement home very kindly mentioned that one of the liveries on her main yard was looking for a sharer and introduced us. I went up and met him on Monday and had a little 20/25 min session in the school in w/t/c. He was very sweet and we agreed we’d go for a hack almost a week later.

All good…. Except I’m absolutely crippled still, 4 days later, from just 20 min! My thighs are still in absolute agony! I thought I might be a bit achey the day after but seriously underestimated just how much! Obviously I haven’t ridden in almost two years, but I’ve not been a complete couch potato, and walk the dog every day for 1-2.5 hours so it’s rather humbling!

I was wondering if anyone who’s had an extended break and then gone back to it, could tell me how long it took to get back into the swing of things and not feel like you’ve not been hit by a bus post ride? Thanks!

 

[Alibear]

Weirdly I found that riding most days meant I ached less than riding once a week. It's the same when I go from riding 1 hour 4 days a week to a holiday where I'm in the saddle 6 hrs a day for 5 days, I'm fine whilst I'm doing it but once I stop, ouch!

 

[kaiserchief]

I started riding again in September after a 9 year break and it was a good month of weekly lessons before I stopped aching, but I did incorporate stretches into my daily routine which I hadn't been doing before and I'm sure they helped.

 

[New Forests Rock]

I had a 10 year (health enforced) break, compounded by being 10 years older (67) . Climbed back on board sensible coblet who was also very unfit, which meant we both had to take things easy. So rode every other day, starting with just 20 minutes, and was pleasantly surprised that after a month we were both much fitter and shell shocked thighs (mine) were no longer aching. Good luck, it will be worth it.

 

[Orangehorse]

Not that long really. You do get back into it. Maybe fast work would be harder though. Although you think "I have been riding all my life, why am I stiff?"

 

[Sanversera]

About 6 weeks if i remember correctly

 

[Peglo]

Your body just needs to build up the muscle again. It really depends how often you are riding. If you’re only riding once a week it will take longer than if you are 3 times a week. I’m not surprised you were sore after a canter on your first time back in the saddle it sure does test the muscles

Hope you have a lot of fun with your new share horse.

 

[Kaylum]

Also get yourself as fit as possible cardio wise as that really helps, especially if you are going to have lessons. There is pilates for riders that some people do on here.

 

[Maxine67]

I returned to riding last year after a 10 year break, I was only riding every 2 weeks at first so was sore after every lesson, since I've started riding once a week I recover much quicker and don't ache as much, pilates (for riders or "normal " definitely helps)

 

[feesh]

I've found it depends SO much on your non-riding fitness. One of the times I went back to riding, I was generally running, cycling, and climbing, which meant I had decent thigh muscles, good flexibility and strength in weird directions, and good cardio. My seatbones and inner thighs were sore the first couple of rides, but I adapted really quickly.

The lastest time I'd mostly just been walking and gardening that year, and was generally WAY more out of shape. I was much more sore, sore in much weirder places, and it took a lot more rides to adapt.

For off-horse fitness, I always (try to) focus on stretching first - I find it's the thing that makes the most difference the fastest.

 

[planete]

Lessons are not the easiest way to get back into riding. Quiet hacks slowly increasing in speed and duration are kinder to your body. Same as for a horse really.