Can you 'forget' how to ride?

[TheProdigal]

Posted a few weeks ago re. search for 'good enough' ned. I've been fairly selective about what I go to view and very clear about my ability i.e. fairly ancient and not going to be going round Hickstead or Badminton any time soon. BUT the last few horses I've tried have made me feel like throwing in the towel completely! I'm not a complete novice, have had an assortment of horses over my long life, including TBs, and have been known to get a little bit of a tune out of a few of them. I'm not riding fit right now, but the last few I've tried have made me question myself quite a bit. Most recently an ex show jumper that only responded if your legs were like iron girders, a recently imported Irish that seemed to have no brakes and another v expensive 'saint' that was presented in a Waterford and just seemed kind of robotic. Sellers made it quite clear that it was me not the horse. If only I could wake up one morning with Mr or Mrs 'Right' standing in my garden!

 

[Julia0803]

I have had a few breaks for having children (I have three &#128563 and have taken breaks of 2-5years each time. The first one was the longest and it was HARD getting back into it.

I booked a lesson on a local riding school the first time and I was so bad I got back in the car and sobbed! I had no core, a serious Mum Tum pouch and no strength.

This time with child number three I pottered a bit, literally just a sit and a meandering hack every so often from when number three was a few months old. I started riding properly- lessons once a week and competing again when he was 18m. The finesse (what little there ever was!) and fitness was gone but it wasn’t too awful! After a few weeks riding 2/3times a week I was about 85% back to where I was before baby number 3 and riding 6 times a week and regularly competing. (And then I bust my knee four months in and haven’t been able to ride since April/May, argh!)

How long have you been out of the saddle? Have you been able to have lessons before going and looking for your own or ride a friends for a few weeks just to get back in the swing of things? Has anything happened physically in the intervening period that is making it harder now?

Good luck, I’m sure it will come back with time.

 

[MrsMozartletoe]

You don't forget, your body just loses ridng tone and muscle.

I used to know someone who could get on my then horse and get a far better tune than me simply because she was a better rider than me, but she'd say she couldn't ride to her own expectations.

Plus, you've been in this hoss world long enough to know that very few horses are what they're punted to be, so don't be hard on yourself.

 

[TheProdigal]

Haha! Yes, I'm my own worst critic, but I agree w Julia, it's about 'the core'. I last rode properly in January. Having said that I have just this afternoon fairly marched up a practically vertical 3/4 mile slope to the top of the Downs with dog without having a heart attack!

 

[Goldenstar]

Interesting question .
I had six months out of the saddle in that time I had to relearn how to walk on my own legs when I got on a horse I could not do rising trot I had to reteach myself to ride.
Yesterday I rode for the first time after my holiday I ride only two weeks but I still had that will I remember what to do feeling as I got on .
The more you ride the better you get but getting a tune out of strange horses is in the do I want to buy situation is one of the hardest things.
Things I try to remember is you’re not there to look good you are there to decide if you want to work with this horse on a long term basis .
Be focused watch the horse carefully don’t be afraid to ask the rider to do things stop stand and then trot forward on loose reins is often very telling .
I don’t mind a horse with training issues I focus on if I want to train this horse so having watched the rider show me the horse I will pick it’s weak point and see how it responds to some correction and to ideas about doing things differently .
The question I always ask myself is will I want to hack this horse out in the rain they have to pass that test for me to buy .
The last horse I bought wowed so much with its jumping I only got on to check two things firstly did he feel as safe as he looked and did his lack straightness feel like a training issue or a soundness issue .
I think I was on him for about three minutes .
It’s something you just have to get through to own a horse and it’s very hard for most people if you are horseless if you can rider a few friends horses it does help a lot .

 

[TheProdigal]

I agree, Goldenstar, re. the 'do I want to hack this horse out in the rain' question. Bang on! And I take my hat off to you for your grit! But also, the equestrian landscape does seem to have changed in just a few years IMO. Nearly every advert focuses on the horse jumping and not the 3 basic paces. SSOO much warmblood in the mix now too. Ah, well, I'd rather have an empty stable than the wrong horse! Two more viewings tomorrow.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Very interesting question! I can see both sides to this. I think it is common for owners to try to convince buyers that the problems a horse has are their fault. And I think it is also common for horses to be ridden by viewers in such a way as to look more difficult or problematic than they are. Either because the viewer is genuinely not really riding well and upsetting/confusing/annoying the horse or just bcause the viewer does not know that horse's buttons yet.

But I think you should walk away from any horse you feel uncomfortable on even if you feel the horse might be ok with another rider. You are buying for YOU and so the horse needs to suit you right now.

 

[oldie48]

I hate trying horses and as a tyical one horse owner, I struggle to get a tune out of a strange horse even though I ride regularly. My solution is to take someone who knows my riding with me for a second viewing, once i have decided the horse is a real possibility. I obviously always explain to the owner of the horse before I go to see it initially that if I like it I will want to go back with a trainer so they are happy for that. I always ask for the trainer to put pressure on the horse to see how it reacts and to assess how forgiving it is etc. Works for me but you may be a more confident/exerienced rider than I am although you have not ridden recently.