Anyone over 65 still riding?

[Patchworkpony]

I knew a couple who are 75 who started riding! One found it difficult in her knees and struggled to mount and dismount but will go out for short hacks. Her husband did his first work trot test a few months ago and has started jumping! So age is no barrier

Good heavens - now I feel feeble.

 

[JillA]

Me - I'm 66 and school my homebred TB X WB most days. He doesn't do hacking due to one or two problems but I love teaching him new stuff, I do try to ride at least every other day or I do get stiff in my hips and thigh muscles. It takes me a few seconds of a two point seat to get my knees where they should be - but my horse is exceptionally wide, a normal horse would be much easier. My one concession to my age is a mounting platform built across inside the corner of the school, and a little ladder to clamber on to it. I have trained my horse to stand close enough and the stirrup is level with my foot when I am on it, good for me and good for his back

 

[Patchworkpony]

I'm 68 and seven months! When my last youngster grew much more than predicted, became very fit doing long pleasure rides up and down our long rolling downs, I decided that he was becoming too much for me to ride "properly". I'm 5'9" tall, but only 7stone 7lbs. I've lost muscle in my arms, and he could almost unseat me, plunging around with enthusiasm! So, I found him a competitive home which he adores and they adore him!
I've bought a lovely 4year old mare, Exmoor x ?light cob, who is 14 hh, takes up the leg very well and is proving a clever, quick learner and a very promising ride.

I am reliant on keeping working (to keep pony, dog and cat in the manner to which they are accustomed) for as long as my intellect and body stay useful.
I bought Miss Pony to bring on well enough to be a reliable good all rounder. This will give her the best chance to have good care, and long periods in one home. She suits me well, being shorter than The Monster That Grew, and feels much more balanced because I can ride her in a competent, balanced manner. She's great and enormous fun every time I ride - about five times a week.

Very inspiring - I am 67 and 1 month and I have thought of getting a pure Exmoor (if I could lose a bit more weight) as I am a native pony person. I am loving these replies

 

[gold]

The queen

 

[splashgirl45]

im 68 and have my horse on diy livery, do everything myself and ride about 4 to 6 times a week depending on how hard the ground is as my horse is now 23 ... I also walk my 2 dogs daily. however I fall down on the housework front, only do the minimum, kitchen is always clean but the rest is not as immaculate as it used to be (or as immaculate as my horses stable!!!!!!) I have also had both hips replaced and take a while to get going in the mornings..i think if I stop riding I will find it hard to start again so don't intend to stop..

 

[[100323]]

I am 63, went back to riding a couple of years ago. Walking was very painful. Since I started riding again my hip has freed up and I can now walk briskly for two or three mmiles without pain. I have not got full use of the joint but it is a vast improvement. I have to dismount on the off side as it is a bit hit or miss that I can get my right leg high enough to swing it over the saddle. If I get it wrong I have pain for about a week, so safer to use off side. Pony has no problem with that. I can mount properly.

 

[Patchworkpony]

The queen

She borrowed my friend's fell gelding for quite a while, as he was quiet and safe. In fact I believed he stayed longer than my friend first intended!

 

[Skib]

OH and I started in our 60s. We are 74 now and we both still ride. Just for the pleasure of it and the health benefits are there too. I think it maybe harder for riders who rode when young and athletic - OH and I havent a rosette to our name. Nor do we do the yard work or have any obligations. I did dream of riding a flying change before I died and very nice RI set that up for me this summer. I thought it needed to be done before I was 75. But it was the pony which did it.

Please inspire me and also tell me how you deal with the lack of energy and aches and pains. I so want to ride again but my stupid body is not so keen!

What I did discover the hard way is that many of the conventional does and donts of riding and position have to be dispensed with when you are older. Similar to RDA, perhaps. As our RI says, none of us has perfect bodies and our horses dont either.
I can post here (as others do) that I have ridden three times a week this summer - true. But the reality is that I make choices due to my age. If I were to hack for more than 2 hours or were to go on long hacks two consecutive days or sit for lots of fast canter, my back would be wrecked.

And I never ride after a late night. Because I need my wits about me, the fav. mare is highly intelligent and has thoughts of her own. Real riders think my ways odd - but I do what works for me and I am sure you can do the same.

Make things easy. Be kind to your body - the right horse, the right tack, minimise strain to the joints. Ride in moderation. I do fall off, but I wear a body protector.

As for energy - You can adjust your riding. When I was convalescent, I shared an elderly mare and it was my brain that mattered - judging the days she felt less energetic and the days I did. If she felt like a canter and I did too, we were up for it. That mare has died, but if I am tired I still go for "a Granny" ride.
As an elderly rider with no achievements one's status at a yard is low. But what actually matters is the quality of communication between you and an animal which is willing to learn from you - the horse doesnt have any concept of age. Being old and slow round horses may even be an advantage. Someone once said that to me when I helped on the yard.

 

[Patchworkpony]

But what actually matters is the quality of communication between you and an animal which is willing to learn from you

I SO agree - having shown successfully at the top in the past it no longer matters compared with the joy of the close bond between horse and owner.

 

[Orangehorse]

I know a lady who did a ranch holiday at 70 and has just given up riding aged 73, not that the riding was hard, but the general looking after the horse, mucking out, etc. was getting too much.

I am over 60, and don't have the competitive drive now, but I am thinking of trying hunting again. I don't think I am old, but I am a bit more careful.

 

[Limit]

Although I still have my retired mare at home, I had my first ride for three years a couple of weeks ago. It was great to be back in the saddle. Its a lot easier on the body than a hard day in the garden !!! I am almost 67.

 

[mle22]

There was a 67 yr old jumping in the Grand Prix in Dublin last week!

 

[catembi]

Ta for that, mle22! That's just what I needed to hear. I'm 43, & due to my last 3 horses having health issues, I haven't competed properly for aaaaages. I'm about to start a doctorate, which I hope to get finished in 3 years, then buy something higher powered if neither field ornament has recovered & get jumping & BDing again, with the aim of jumping Fox (previously I've been to 1 m 15) & competing BD at Adv (previously I've got to the dizzy heights of Novice).

I've been wondering whether I'll simply be Too Old for BS in 3 years' time...and now I know the answer!

Thank you, everyone, for your inspiring stories!

T x

 

[oldie48]

if you find as you get older it's harder to achieve a good position because your hips are less flexible, moving to a narrower horse really helps! Lots of people suggest getting a cob when you are older, I'd say get a really forward going narrow/medium horse with good manners and decent brakes and a mounting block!!!

 

[eahotson]

For goodness sake, the 60's are the new 40's! I'm 65, just bought a new horse and hope to be riding into my 80's. you are only old when you can't face a new challenge, some people are old at 20!!!!!!

Like

 

[angrovestud]

I thought I would share this wonderful pic of my hubby with our homebred ex racer, he was rehomed in 2012, Made my hubby day to ride him, he is 70 next year and a total beginner

 

[Merrymoles]

The Princess Royal is 64 and I bet she's not thought about giving up next year...

 

[Patchworkpony]

The Princess Royal is 64 and I bet she's not thought about giving up next year...

OH used to compete against her years ago. Scary lady - old age wouldn't dare to tap her on the shoulder!

 

[happyclappy]

having spoken to moan a month or so ago, i believe she is 71 and has just started riding a newly trained 4 year old cob.
the of course there is the queen!

 

[Patchworkpony]

I thought I would share this wonderful pic of my hubby with our homebred ex racer, he was rehomed in 2012, Made my hubby day to ride him, he is 70 next year and a total beginner

Lovely picture.

 

[Chavhorse]

My Dad was still riding his old hunter (28 at the time!) at 84 he gave up riding at 87 when Hec got to 31 they then used to go off for little in hand walks every day until Hec passed away at 35.

At 92 he still used to come to the yard most days and play with my horses.

I had a friend in Cyprus who was 63 and was the one gagging for a good gallop whenever we all went out.

 

[paulineh]

What is age. If you feel well and fit then there is no reason why you can not continue to ride.

I'm 65 , ride every day to get and keep my 3 Endurance horses fit. Still compete at rides up to 160km (100 miles) including the Golden Horse Shoe all over Exmore.

I break and school horses and sort out difficult ones too. Keep riding.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Age is in the mind, I still enjoy my 5 horses, as others have said I need a mounting block but there again I always had difficulty mounting from the ground, I muck out 5 stables every day through the winter and poo picking everyday through the summer when they have their summer holidays and the oh and I can catch up with the maintenance jobs then and we are 65 and 66.

 

[cptrayes]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshi_Hoketsu

Olympic team at seventy

 

[Nitro mouse]

I have three friends over 65, one who is 65 and has two replacement hips. The other two are 72, one had a replacement shoulder last year and a replacement elbow in April, she had her first ride since her op last week. The only thing she needs help with is lifting the saddle up onto her horse! A remarkable trio who are a massive source of inspiration. At 49 ( me) I feel a bit of a youngster lol

 

[PippiPony]

My dads lady friend just did double clear at the BRC Eventing championship last weekend. She's 63 just done her first BE90 this spring.
There was one lady at the BE event in either the 90 or 100 class who was 70

 

[exmoorponyprincess1]

Exmoorponyprincess1 does your friend ride her Exmoors - if so how tall is she?

Hello - yes she does, she is about 5'5

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Our RC has several members who are well over 55, with youngsters who they are intending to break and ride for the rest of the horses' lives. There are 2 ladies over 65, one who was treated for breast cancer a few years ago, who when she retired bought the pony she had been loaning. She has a sharer in her 50s and the other, who has had 2 replacement hips replaced again, still rides her daughter's horses - and in fact had a very exciting ride recently when they all got stuck in a bog!

 

[Madam Min]

My FIL is still riding at 70

 

[Patchworkpony]

Hello - yes she does, she is about 5'5

Thank you for that - I feel inspired. An Exmoor would be about the right height for me to get on and off; now I've just got to lose the weight for one to carry me.