Anyone else started riding in their 30s?

[djlynwood]

I started riding when I was 31 for the first time ever. I was a typical horse mad little girl and wished for a horse every christmas and drew horsey pictures in my school books. I was brought up in foster care and was never given the opportunity to ride.

It all changed when I reached 31. I decided I wanted to do what Ive always wanted to and booked a riding lesson. From that time onwards, Im hooked. I have fully embraced all things horsey and cant get enough of it.

Im 34 now. I have had lessons on and off and have had some great horses on part loan.

Im wondering if anyone else on here started later in life. Ive been told that Im brave starting now but Im taking it all sensibly in my stride. I cant wait to be experienced and have a go at SJ, XC and some hunting with my own neddy. (am I being a bit too adventurous

)

 

[dwi]

Go you! I was lucky enough to be able to ride as a child but my parents could never afford my own horse so I've only taken that step in the last couple of years and thats been a really exciting learning curve.

I look forward to seeing the photos of your first hunt

 

[StarFell]

No, you're definately not being too adventurous, good for you for giving it a go! I used to have group lessons with two women who started riding in their 50s and both were happily jumping after around a year. You're never too old!

 

[Ottinmeg]

agree with FPF your not being to adventurous, ive ridden on and off for the last 30 plus years. hadnt been near a horse in 13 years when my mother in her wisdom 2 years ago decided to buy my kids a pony..they now have one each and i got fed up with lugging them about allover the place and doing most of the dirty work so i bought myself one 3 months ago. id like to be jumping little (and i mean little ) courses both showjumping and xc by the end of the year. good luck with it all

 

[TheresaW]

I have ridden on and off since I was a child, but there is a guy on our yard who started in his early 70's, after he lost his wife. He has owned his own horse for about 7 years now. (He is now 82, but if you met him, you would think he was in his 60's)

 

[Chumsmum]

I was 29 when I first sat on a horse but like you had dreamt all my life of having one but never had the opportunity.

I had my mini shetlands when I was 30 and my pony when I was 31 and can truely say that my life has completely changed - I have to pinch myself sometimes

I think that is it great that you are doing what you have always wanted to do and that you WILL have a go at these things when the opportunity presents itself.

I think that starting at an older age means you have missed out on the reckless spirit you would have had riding as a youngster but I find alcohol a good substitute for youth

I'm mostly a very happy hacker but have had a go at showing (disaster), hunting (still sussing it out), riding on the beach (fantastic) etc etc and I am going to do some XC training soon. I think a good network of experienced friends help as they will push you - perhaps join a RC?


Good luck with whatever you try next

 

[Llwyncwn]

I have the utmost admiration for you. An old friend used to say 'Take life in both hands and run with it'

I had my first riding lesson at 3 years old as I constantly nagged my parents. Unfortunately, I was 24 before I got my own horse, in the meantime I would do anything just to be near a horse, helping out at the riding school, begging my friends to let me groom and muck out

I had a ten year break and when I did go out and buy my lovely TB (sadly no longer with me) things had changed so much - so many feeds, suppliments, dont grip with your knees anymore etc. It was a minefield!

Be adventurous, do your XC and SJ, but flatwork is the key

Cant wait to read all your updates - life begins at 34

 

[WFL]

I started on a whim when I was 30. I had never been on a horse before (none of my family had) and all my early lead rein lessons were with pre-teens.

I started eventing and jumping BSJA at the end of 2007.

 

[Murphy3]

I rode as a child at a riding school - we lived in Dublin and the riding school was miles away the other side of the city but I used to troop out there every weekend on the bus to be a helper. I stopped at 12 when the riding school moved even further away and didn't get back to horses until 11 years ago when I was 39. I made huge changes to my life because of getting back into horses and am now living in the country where I have always wanted to be. I finally got my own horse a few years ago aged 47. When I got him he was the right horse at the right time and having him has been nothing but pleasure (I even enjoy the poo picking!).

One of my friends followed exactly the same path and now has her own horse. She fulfilled a childhood dream at the age of 50 last year when she won a showing class.

So these childhood dreams don't always come true for a long time but somehow the waiting makes the fulfilment sweeter! Follow your heart!

 

[A1fie]

Yes I started riding 7 months ago at the age of 35 and like you fell in love. I had never sat on a horse before. The one thing that I wish was that I had the confidence of youth. I see so many kids and they will be better riders than I willl ever be.

I don't think you are too adventurous at all and hope that you get to follow and realise all your dreams x

 

[Butterbean]

My OH did and got sucked in remarkably quickly - now he has his own horse and is a darn sight braver than me.
I was a little bit younger - 27 I think (though had sat on ponies a few times when I was about 8) - completely fell in love with it all and bought my horse about 6 months later.
So go for it!!

 

[Tiffany]

WELL DONE You! I was a late starter but I've got my own horse now, we do a bit of prelim dressage and ridden hunter classes. Only advice I would give you is keep having lessons with a good instructor and don't over horse yourself but have a go at everything on a well mannered horse. ENJOY

 

[Parkranger]

Well done! I rode for 2 years when younger and was lucky enough to have a few horses/ponies. Gave up and then started again in 2006 and am totally hooked again!

x

 

[kerrylou123]

I am starting to teach a beginner next sunday on her daughters cob. She's in the late 30's.

 

[Sprout]

My husband finally decided that it would be easier to keep up with me and my daughters on a horse rather than a bike, so last year he started having lessons and now hacks out with us on his own horse - he is in his mid 40`s.
I think he is really brave, and its lovely to share our passion with him.

 

[SteveGG]

Not quite my 30's but I started riding at 27 so only a few years difference. I have always been willing to have a go at anything. It is useful to have a good instructor who will let you know when you are ready. Also don't worry when things go wrong it's all part of the learning. Now in my 40's I event regularly & with my current mare have completed 2 CCI* and a few intermediates. Good luck.

 

[kombikids]

i returned to it at 30 after a 15 year break - my horsey was a 30th bday pressie (as featured in Horse mag last month tee hee!) I dont think you are too adventorous, get out there and have fun. I am doing my first XC at the weekend for 15 years and feel like a teenager again!

 

[Parkranger]

[ QUOTE ]
i returned to it at 30 after a 15 year break - my horsey was a 30th bday pressie (as featured in Horse mag last month tee hee!) I dont think you are too adventorous, get out there and have fun. I am doing my first XC at the weekend for 15 years and feel like a teenager again!

[/ QUOTE ]

After my own heart! Only thing that bugs me is that after 17 years I have a strange need to do things properly - like ride in an outline.....what's that all about?

 

[kombikids]

i know - wish i could bomb around on ponies again,falling off used to be fun back then too!!!

 

[Patches]

I always, always loved horses.

As a child I never asked for a puppy or a kitten, it was always a pony I wanted. I never got one though, or riding lessons. My parents simply weren't interested and neither would they probably have been able to finance it either.

As an adult, I always admired other people's horses when I saw them, more so since I met my hubby and moved onto his dairy farm. It's a big horsey area.

When Hannah, my daughter, was five she asked if she could go for riding lessons. Not wanting to disappoint her like I was (and secretly keen to get up close to neddies) I jumped at the chance to take her for lessons. Loved it. I loved being around the horses, the smell of them. It was like being catapulted back to my childhood.

Hannah had been having lessons from the April and it had gotten to November. I was joking with the owner of the riding school about how cold I was standing watching. It then dawned on me that I'd be warmer if I was having a lesson too!!!!

That's where it all began. Fast forward four years and I now have my own horse. We do farm rides, basic schooling, hacking and I've just ordered myself some gear to go hunting the clean boot with Bloodhounds.

Can't wait. I feel like I've found that thing that was missing in my life. A dream that turned into reality. I have my weaknesses as an adult rider (namely the pointy out toes!), as things don't come as natural as they do to a small child. However, I'm happy, safe and horse is happy too.

Enjoy it!!!!