Fabulous 50+ Club - need some support/advice

[blodwyn1]

The consultant was sure that if I had not been wearing my air jacket my injuries would have been more severe and my neck would have gone. As it is he commented that my back was like a car without shock absorbers! I always wear my air jacket and for a while a race safe body protector as well. The younger mare I only ride on an arena surface with someone else present and I am very nervous of her! However we only get one go at life!! Only take the risks you want to and thanks for your good wishes!

 

[Meredith]

If you're going to give up jumping, do it because you're not enjoying it any more, because your horse isn't up to it, because you genuinely prefer dressage, because you hate wearing a body protector ... Or for any reason at all EXCEPT that you're too old fgs!!!! You've had a bump and a knock to your confidence. You'll soon be back on track.

Hot bath, glass of wine and crack on tomorrow. (PS ... I'm 62, not a spring chicken at all ...)

As above.

When I came off OH bought me an air jacket with the zip off washable outer. I wear it every time I ride.

P.S. I'm 66

 

[Achinghips]

There's lots of confidence building groups on Facebook for mature riders. Why don't you join one for support? X

 

[Cowpony]

That's interesting Achinghips, I've never come across them. I'll have a look. Thanks.

 

[Irish gal]

Don't beat yourself up over lacking confidence; I read somewhere that as we age more anxiety creeps in due to hormonal changes so there is probably a biological reason why people start feeling more cautious. Tons of older riders seem to stop jumping and suddenly take up dressage.

A couple of non jumping lessons sound like a good plan until you're feeling confident again.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/clas...rick/mungret/quality-irish-horses-484520.html

 

[cavalo branco]

As others have said, do what you enjoy but push yourself a little bit as well. I'm 60 and do have to move myself out of my comfort zone without being idiotic when it comes to jumping. My boy has taken to putting in the odd yeehaaa but I make myself carry on because I get an adrenaline rush afterwards!!
I do wear an airjacket for jumping though. This has the effect of making you stay on because, if you are like me, you will be too mean to waste £17.50 on a replacement canister 😄😄

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Ohhh can I join the 50+ groupie as well?? I ain't ready to give up horses yet, hopefully for a good while to come.

The advantage with us older riders is that occasionally, just occasionally, common-sense does kick in; i.e. you let the teenagers get up on "that pony" that everyone in the neighbourhood is *****e scared of rather than risking your own neck at sorting the bleddi thing ......

 

[Cowpony]

Ohhh can I join the 50+ groupie as well?? I ain't ready to give up horses yet, hopefully for a good while to come.

The advantage with us older riders is that occasionally, just occasionally, common-sense does kick in; i.e. you let the teenagers get up on "that pony" that everyone in the neighbourhood is *****e scared of rather than risking your own neck at sorting the bleddi thing ......

Never had that problem! There is no way I would ever have volunteered, even in my younger more confident days

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

If you want to jump then do it. Age is just a number, my wife is 60 & she's jumping, doing dressage competitions & only started competing recently having not competed for over 30 years.

A lesson or two with a good instructor will help you. You'll get to the right place in front of the fence, on the right stride & then your pony will do the rest. If the instructor is any good they'll be able to rebuild your confidence & you'll move on. Stick with it while you're enjoying it.

 

[Annagain]

I'm amazed at the ages of some of you. I really thought most of you posting here were mid 30s at most - you in particular YorksG!

A friend (who is a little older than me) gave up riding altogether after a nasty fall. She sold her lovely reliable boy as she thought he was wasted with her and bought a quiet plod who turned out to be anything but.

She took up golf instead. GOLF! Let that be a lesson to you.

 

[oldie48]

Hi, in you opening post you say you prefer dressage but OK with low level jumping, why not just do what you want to do? As a very late starter to riding I bought a real all rounder for my 50th birthday, he was an enthusiastic jumper and in the first month I managed to come off him XC schooling, breaking several ribs and a couple of vertebrae, despite wearing a BP. It took a lot of determination to get back on him when I was healed and I did jump him from time to time but I never really felt happy so I stopped and concentrated on the dressage. TBH I don't think it bothered him at all, he's now retired to the field. Mr B hates jumping more than me, a pole on the ground worries him so we are a match made in heaven. No-one has to do anything, it's not about age it's about doing what makes you happy, it's also not about fear or courage although some folk like to make it seem so. If you are happy jumping you don't need courage, if you need courage perhaps it doesn't make you happy, that's my theory anyway!

 

[soulfull]

Cow pony. You should only do what makes you happy. There is no rush to jump again. Do it if an when you want too

Thanks for this thread it has helped me somewhat. I am 51 but also have rhuematoid. I'm excitedly awaiting delivery at the weekend of a yyr old RID (shh not announced it yet)

She is obviously a young mare and a big stamp of a horse, quite green too.

Although excited I am also thinking 'what the heck am I doing.'

 

[debsflo]

oooh sounds exciting Soulfull. i am trying a little 15.2 mare this week for the second time as ive been looking for a fun but supersafe allrounder for forever it seems.
I havent jumped for 10 years as my mare was injured but would love to do pleasure rides and some low level stuff.
Enjoying this thread as it inspires me .

 

[YorksG]

I'm amazed at the ages of some of you. I really thought most of you posting here were mid 30s at most - you in particular YorksG!

I would be flattered if I ever posted pictures of myself

 

[Cowpony]

I'm amazed at the ages of some of you. I really thought most of you posting here were mid 30s at most - you in particular YorksG!

A friend (who is a little older than me) gave up riding altogether after a nasty fall. She sold her lovely reliable boy as she thought he was wasted with her and bought a quiet plod who turned out to be anything but.

She took up golf instead. GOLF! Let that be a lesson to you.

Urrrgghh!!!! Thanks AA. You've cured me! I'm definitely going to keep riding

 

[Cowpony]

Hi, in you opening post you say you prefer dressage but OK with low level jumping, why not just do what you want to do?

That's a really good question. Mainly I jump because my pony loves it, and I don't think it's fair to make her do flatwork all the time. But there are also the good times when we do a really good jump-off and it's such a buzz! And I keep thinking that the more I do it the more I will get comfortable with jumping slightly bigger than my current comfort zone. If you never do anything outside of your comfort zone you never improve, and I do like to keep improving my riding. Yeah I know, type A personality or what!

 

[windand rain]

I am 62 and havent ridden for a while since I need a knee replacement and something doing with my back but I will never give up the ponies I have had far more serious injuries on the floor than I ever had while riding. Enjoy what you enjoy and push yourself out of your comfort zone In fact weather permitting in the morning I may even sit on my pony for a few minutes which is all I can manage before I throw up in pain

 

[NZJenny]

I'm a recent member of the over 50 club and one of the nice things about it, is I no longer feel the need to "tough" it out. That's for the younger and not so experienced crowd.

If you love it, carry on doing it. If you don't love it, then don't do it. However you can always change your mind!

Edited to add that yes, it does take me a bit longer to regain confidence after a hard fall.

 

[hackneylass2]

Lots of great advice already, I'm 54 and spent a lot of my youth riding for others, mainly ODE. I had wound down my activities when I got a 'proper' job and as my mare got older wound down to hacking then leading as she aged further. Bought a youngster a few years ago and am having so much fun. Have arthritis in both knees but still, jumping and hopefully dragging will be on the cards soon as my youngster is up for it. I am well aware that I will not bounce any more so an air jacket is a must unless I'm just hacking. Do whatever makes you happy, don't feel pressurised to do anything out of your comfort zone, which IMO does change as you age. The sense of self preservation seem to grow with age. I'll never team chase again, what was I thinking??? but I do miss the rush. Horses should make us happy, and that means doing what you feel you are happy coping with. Don't let a fall knock your confidence too much, equally, don't push yourself too hard. Enjoy your horse!

 

[Cowpony]

Thank you everybody! Such a lovely lot of responses. I knew I could rely on you guys to provide the right balance of support/gentle prods to make the right decision. I will definitely keep jumping, but without feeling I need to keep up with the teenagers doing 4`6"! I'll update you after my lesson on Sunday. And to all of you coming back from injury, buying new horses, backing, bringing on youngsters, and just generally challenging yourselves, much respect and good luck!

 

[oldie48]

Haha, Mr B likes to eat grass in the field but I take the, not unreasonable, view that he can spend an hour or so a day doing what I like to do as he costs a lot of money and time. I think you actually like the jumping (I didn't really) but have lost confidence a bit, get some good lessons and work on getting your confidence back. Honestly, it's not about age, do pilates to keep fit and strong and wear an air jacket and just have a lovely time. Let us know how you get on. Good luck!

That's a really good question. Mainly I jump because my pony loves it, and I don't think it's fair to make her do flatwork all the time. But there are also the good times when we do a really good jump-off and it's such a buzz! And I keep thinking that the more I do it the more I will get comfortable with jumping slightly bigger than my current comfort zone. If you never do anything outside of your comfort zone you never improve, and I do like to keep improving my riding. Yeah I know, type A personality or what!

 

[hobo]

Thank you for this thread I have not ridden for a few weeks as I fell and fractured L2 off my homebred very difficult young mare. I have never worn anything but a hat but reading your posts an airjacket seems like the way to go. I tried on some body protectors and found them very restricitive and though the air jacket made my purse wince it was very comfortable. I am waiting for some results on a bone density scan and than i will hopefully get an air jacket and get riding again. I am 55 and would like to carry on a few more years yet.

 

[Cowpony]

Hi everybody. A quick update - rode my horse last Saturday and she didn't feel quite right - very reluctant to go forward, did one rein back and then point blank refused to do any more. It was a hot day and you can never tell when she is in season, so although I was a bit concerned there could have been reasons for it. Started warming up for my jumping lesson on Sunday and my instructor asked if my mare felt right. She had spotted that her back wasn't moving much and she just looked very slightly odd behind. So we didn't jump, just had a wander around the field. The vet came yesterday and found that her sacro-iliac was sore, so she has been injected and will have two weeks`box rest (mainly to keep her off the grass due to the higher risk of lami after cortisone injections) before we turn her out and then start gently bringing her back into work. So although it is not great that she is injured I am hugely relieved that there was a reason for the jumping problems we had. Feeling a very bad mummy for not spotting it sooner, but my mare is very stoic and well behaved. She doesn't buck or do anything bad when she's hurting, so it's hard to tell until she is more assertive about it.

Thank you all for your lovely advice. I'll update again when we are back jumping.

 

[PeterNatt]

Good luck to all of you - you are all quite an inspiration.

 

[Annagain]

Wishing her a speedy recovery.
I have a very stoic one too - to the point that he got rushed to the vet when he stopped at a fence for only the 3rd time in his 20 years (the other 2, years apart, were caused by him spooking at the fence judge and being in completely the wrong place to be able to jump and by my awful riding!). Vet couldn't find anything wrong but suggested that maybe as he's getting on he's more likely to protect himself if he's not feeling 100% and not 100% in the right spot. It's not happened since so we're just taking things a little bit more slowly now.

 

[Cowpony]

Thanks Annagain. It's such a worry when their behaviour changes. Hope your boy is back to his normal self soon.

 

[cowgirl1969]

Hi, just wanted to say my Landlady and my ex boss are both hunting in their late fifties, and 'do' their own horses. I'm 47 and an ex groom and after a gentle hack I'm aching and as for jumping far too scarey.. ! I would be inclined just to take a step back for a while and stay in your comfort zone and when you feel like jumping again go ahead. I had a body protector whilst riding my previous horse, I found it helped whilst I got more confident, all the best.