Can we fess up to our ages, and how we keep going??

I'm a relative youngster at almost 48, I keep mine at home and have to do everything myself, but struggled a bit this winter for the first time ever! My mare is also rising 20, so hopefully we can age disgracefully together.

I did see a couple in their late seventies out on a sponsored ride a few years ago, they had lovely cobs and wore the old fashioned mackintoshes, a real blast from the past, but it was lovely to see them out and enjoying their horses.
 
Dear Jilla, In my youth (a long time ago) I too knew a lady in her 80s who hunted side saddle in Cheshire. She was tiny and only ever rode huge TBs, went out twice a week and was always towards the front! Maybe the same lady? All I can add to this discussion is my father's instructions on his death bed: "whatever you do, don't give up riding, I've regretted it for 15 years" He was 85. It's the only bit of Dad's advice I'm determined to follow!!
 
oldjumper said:
Dear Jilla, In my youth (a long time ago) I too knew a lady in her 80s who hunted side saddle in Cheshire. She was tiny and only ever rode huge TBs, went out twice a week and was always towards the front! Maybe the same lady?
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I doubt it - this was in Albrighton Woodland country, her name was Mrs Cadbury, I don't know if she had chocolate connections lol. She might have gone further afield for additonal days I suppose. :D Your dad was wise :)
 
Loving this thread, gives me so much hope for my future :)

Im nearly 44 and just had an 8 year break from horses, I am riding a 16hh cob which I loan and I have a 3 year old Anneigh who I own. I am so unfit whilst on horseback I struggle to look behind me :eek:

You lot put me to shame :o:o:o
 
Champion1969 said:
Loving this thread, gives me so much hope for my future :)

Im nearly 44 and just had an 8 year break from horses, I am riding a 16hh cob which I loan and I have a 3 year old Anneigh who I own. I am so unfit whilst on horseback I struggle to look behind me :eek:

You lot put me to shame :o:o:o
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44! get out of here. You should be in Pony club!!!!
 
Lots and lots of us and a few wannabes too ;) :D
my friend's mum is 84 and still goes hunting. She fell and broke her leg last year but even that hasn't stopped her. She is about to purchase her dream horse, a TB, and will be carrying on hunting. What a girl :cool:

Wish I'd had the length of experience that most of you have. So much to learn still but as a relative youngster I know I have time to do it in.
And to think I'd put off learning for years because I though I was too old:o

Let's hear it for the girls ( and boys) hooray:D
 
oldjumper said:
44! get out of here. You should be in Pony club!!!!
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Exactly! Who let the kids on this thread?:D

But seriously, those sweet young things in their 40s, here's the BEST EVER TIP: never give up riding. I did, and I wasted nearly a quarter of a century of my life, for the sake of a professional career. When I got on a horse again for the first time I wept at what I had lost, and found again!

I do admit the career gave me the funding to now be retired early, spend all day long with my horses and enjoy life.
Yet if I could do it all again, I'd take back every weekend of my career and ride on those wasted weekends.

One day I want to be the mad old lady in her 80s, with purple hair, who passes on the wrong side in the warm-up arena, ignores the dress code, knocks down half the jumps, and carries on regardless!:D
 
JillA said:
I doubt it - this was in Albrighton Woodland country, her name was Mrs Cadbury, I don't know if she had chocolate connections lol. She might have gone further afield for additonal days I suppose. :D Your dad was wise :)
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Almost certainly :D "Old Mrs Cadbury" mother of the various "Sirs" lived in Northfield, Birmingham just down the hill from the Orthopaedic hospital (between there and Hole Lane for those who know it). In the early 80's a friend of mine whose father worked for the Cadbury Bournville Trust was able to keep her ponies in what was left of the grounds of the big house. Subsequently the house was demolished and the remaining grounds also built on.

I am rapidly advancing on 50 and feeling every minute of it having ridden a 32km EGB ride yesterday with the kids... I swear I used to be able to do that without weeks of specialist preparation first :confused: Still, the arnica, ibupofen, chocolate and wine are doing just fine now :D

ETA when I first started endurance, a riding buddy was a lady who had switched to endurance in her mid-60's as an alternative to falling off out hunting. She got hooked, found a good hunting home for her hunter who hadn't taken to it in quite the same way and bought an arab with whom she continued for many years...:D
 
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I am 47 and have been riding since the age of 6 when the nagging to learn to ride got the better of my mother and she gave in and let me have lessons. My parents couldn't afford a horse for me so I had to wait until I started work and could afford one for myself. I could get on and off then while the horse was on the move, gymkhanas are a great training ground for that. Wish it was that easy now. I get on my Welsh 15.2hh cob from the wall of the yard, on the wrong side at that.:eek: I find it easier these days to walk the miniatures than to ride but don't plan on giving up just yet especially as my MIL was riding well into her 60's and only gave up then because her 35 year old mare died and she couldn't face starting again at her age with a new horse. I can't imagine a life without horses but I am sure I would be financially better of and wouldn't have such a bad back and hips caused by a very nasty fall about 12 years ago which I don't seem to have bounced back from like I did as a kid. :D
 
I'm 46 and ridden since I was 3 ...if I ever need to keep going, I think about my Mum.

She would have been 86 this year and for the last 10 years of her life (from 70 to 80) she moved to the village where I live and we rode together most days. Her pony, Benji, was a terrible laminitis case when we took him on aged 13 and it took 2 years of tlc to sort him out. A complete Heinz 57, 14.3hh brown gelding, he had the conformation of a reasonable looking warthog and the merry temperament of a saint. If I could breed another like him, I would in a heartbeat.

I remember hacking out with her on their combined 100th Birthday when he was 25 and she, 75. Sadly, he had a first and fatal bout of colic aged 29 although she was talking about getting another in her 80th year when she too died.

She was 5 foot nothing of energy and can-do attitude with arthritis and scoliosis to boot. And I do miss her.

Here they are aged about 28 and 78.

So any day I feel a bit creaky, I remind myself that (hopefully) I've another 3 or 4 decades to go.


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Wow, Mrs B, your mum looked fantastic at 78, I can imagine her being an inspiration to many folks and how lovely to have had such a fit and active mum. :)
 
this is a good post, as I was only thinking an hour ago! I'm 30 my mare is 28, I've had her 13 years and 12 days and she still very rideable! I thought, I have a 3yr old too and by the time he reaches 28 I am going to almost 60! that's crazy! so hopefully he will be calmer at 28 than she is, so then I can still enjoy a ride on him!
 
Love those pictures Mrs B :)

I'm only 42 so don't feel qualified to join in :o Mind you, with 10 to do through this last winter I've certainly aged :eek:
 
Ancient Hacker said:
Exactly! Who let the kids on this thread?:D

But seriously, those sweet young things in their 40s, here's the BEST EVER TIP: never give up riding. I did, and I wasted nearly a quarter of a century of my life, for the sake of a professional career. When I got on a horse again for the first time I wept at what I had lost, and found again!

I do admit the career gave me the funding to now be retired early, spend all day long with my horses and enjoy life.
Yet if I could do it all again, I'd take back every weekend of my career and ride on those wasted weekends.

One day I want to be the mad old lady in her 80s, with purple hair, who passes on the wrong side in the warm-up arena, ignores the dress code, knocks down half the jumps, and carries on regardless!:D
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I love you Ancient Hacker. What a wonderful post. I know exactly want you mean about weeping at what you had lost and found.
 
I am a mad old lady (68) with purple hair, wellies, too baggy joddies and on a superlative pure bred Russian Arab who is nine today! If Norty Old Arab hadnt needed to be pts three years ago, (too much arthritis for dignity)our combined ages would have been well over 100! I come from a long line of old ladies who Just Got On With It, so generally do the same. Do allow myself not to push through the pain/ exhaustion barrier quite so much now. Counter productive. Keeping going, even at a lesser level, three foot not four foot jumps, half days hunting not full ones, stuff like that. And I am very blessed in being able to work to provide The Flash Arab with lots of really excellent staff, so I do the fun things, like grooming, riding, tack cleaning and admiring him!
Being old is a blessing, I've decided; nothing to prove. Other than to myself. Lots of good old fashioned experience, the choice of lots of really fascinating information/ research/ products/ advice to benefit from or pass on, as I think best, the time to appreciate what I have achieved with this horse - another of my scrawny rag bag rescues - and all the others.
Only worry is that he might outlive me or my ability, financially, to keep him as he should be kept. So, making sure he is a really useful sort, who can turn his hoof, elegantly, to everything and anything. He's a real sweetie, so I hope I can keep him for a good long time yet!
 
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I'm 61 and soome days are better than others. I'm overweight which is a work in progress but never sure whether I'm going up or down. Middle aged spread has lived up to it's name.

I've been riding almost 50 years but infrequently in the last decade - I have really bad knees which get very opinionated when its time to do stuff.

I have a really beautiful Clydesdale mare who I do ride and along with my best friend we plan to ride more through the winter and hit the shows come spring. I want to do the Ridden Clydesdale classes and dressage.

Enforced retirement has given me time but unfortunately not the money - I lost my job two years ago - officially I have to stay on the unemployment until I'm 65. Unfortunately no-one seems to want a highly dependable, child free, alcohol and wild party free person to work for them - they seem happier to risk their employee missing Mondays because of a hangover. Bit demoralising but no doubt I'll cope.

Hers a pic of my and my girl taken a couple of years back now.
 
Ancient Hacker said:
Exactly! Who let the kids on this thread?:D

But seriously, those sweet young things in their 40s,

I think I love you! I'm 44 and had started to feel old among all the twenty-somethings on HHO.xxx

One day I want to be the mad old lady in her 80s, with purple hair, who passes on the wrong side in the warm-up arena, ignores the dress code, knocks down half the jumps, and carries on regardless!:D
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My mum did something like that for her 70th birthday. Died her hair purple, wore purple clothes and literally went to the dogs - she had a night with all her friends at the greyhound racing stadium!
 
Tnavas said:
That's good - I used to do that in my younger days too - practice for landings when falling off the horse! No seriously parachuting (skydiving) is as much fun and exhilarating as horse riding. I loved it.

Us oldies will now mother you furiously :D
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Aw i'd love to be mothered :D
I've grown to like HHO, you're all like an online family anyway :p
I've now got an unlimited supply of equine knowledge so I can become horse nerds like you lot :D :D xxx
 
64 and proud of it, 4 to muck out every day and hopefully a 5th end of week(long story). My horses keep me fit and keep me going, if I didn't have them I'd be a couch potato.
 
Im 42 and man do I feel it today - sciatica is killing me lol. I muck out 2 horses each day, attend college full time and work 26 hours a week - I have a dog, two kids and a man. I don't know what to do with myself when I'm not doing something - on holiday I get so bored
 
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