hello (& questions)

[A1fie]

I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself. I am learning to ride at age 35. I started three and a half months ago and have fallen in love. I am really lucky and get to spend every sat and sun morning from 9am till 1pm at the riding school having lessons and learning how to look after a horse, grooming, mucking out etc. My ultimate goal is to be able to hack out (not hugely ambitious I know, but it's a start) and eventually learn enough to be able to properly look after a horse.

One thing I am finding really frustrating is learning to canter. I have learned to do a rising trot (although my sitting one makes me look like zebeedee!!) but get nervous when my horse starts to go forward and then cross with myself. It doesn't help when I see amazing 10 year olds whizzing around!!!

Can anyone reassure me that I will get there if I persevere and that the fear will go and that I am not too old to learn!!

Thanks x

 

[chestnut cob]

Yes you will get there! I've been riding years, on my third horse, and I still get nervous. Had a previous horse who had a really dirty stop so even though I now have a horse who the owner (she's on loan) says was a SJer and really knows her job, I still get nervous jumping her.

Welcome to the forum

The thing with kids is that they know no fear - when you get a bit older you realise you don't bounce so you get nervous!! Nothing wrong with just wanting to hack out, plenty of happy hackers on here and even though I want to compete, there's still nothing better than being in the middle of nowhere on a sunny day, just you and your horse.

 

[Starbucks]

Hello!! Good for you that you are having so much fun in your new hobby!

I always thought canter was the easy bit! If you can manage rising trot, canter is easy!

Just relax and have fun!! I haven't had that much experience of riding schools but can imagine they are quite into you getting "the right position", don't worry about that, it will come, just try to be confident and most of all - ENJOY!!

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Hi Alfiesmum and welcome. You WILL get there, I promise you! I started riding at the ripe old age of 42 and got a lot of stick about shouldn't I be taking up knitting??? It's been a long {burbles lips to disguise how many} years in some ways as there's so much to learn. But ALL of it enjoyable (at least when you look back!) I'm now on my 3rd wonderful horse - found a fab 2nd hubbie who bought me a HORSE as a wedding pressie! Now is that a find or what! And I've just taken on a 2nd horse - a little rescued mare who desperately needed a home and a mum to bring her back from the brink of ragwort poisoning. You CAN do it! I'd recommend hanging out with happy, helpful, horsey people and absorb as much as you possibly can. Some will be drivel but most will be years of experience and fun and love and laughter. YOU GO GIRL!!!!!

 

[Merlotmonster]

Welcome! Good for you on tacking up a new hobby...you will get more confident the more you do. Its a bit like when i went skiing for the first time...I was terrified and clinging to the mountain for dear life... The 2nd holiday I went I almost went down a black run! You will be fine...just keep practicing.

 

[A1fie]

Thank you so much for your comments. It's lovely to hear that it will get bettter and I will improve. I have always been an animal lover and I'm mad on dogs but the feeling I got when the horse I ride ( an adorable, cheeky cob who knows that I'm a complete numpty) came over and licked my hand and gave me a little nuzzle in my hair, was incredible.

BTW Is there anything I can do to make the horse at least think that I might have a clue what I'm doing and have a tinny bit of respect for me?? At the moment we both know that he's in charge and if he doesn't want to do something, he just won't!

 

[Starbucks]

Don't be afraid of letting him know you're in charge. A lot of novice riders tend to ask too quietly because they are afraid they might do something wrong. don't be! If he won't walk on (for example), don't just sit there asking nicely, tell him!!

I hope you know what I mean!

 

[A1fie]

yes I do know what you mean and that's exactly what I do! I think that I'm so worried about his feelings (!) and my own inability that I quite understand when he doesn't want to walk around the school for the hundredth time!!!

 

[filly190]

Its nice to hear how well you are getting on and enjoying the horse world. My only advise is, dont rush, go at your own pace and learn each stage of riding so that you dont loose your confidence etc.

Perhaps in the summer months you may get to spend some evenings down at the stables, the more you are around horses the quicker you learn.

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Well done for what you've done so far, it's a terrific acheivement!

How about a short break at a good instructional centre, where you can ride some different horses? It's easy to get into a rut if you're at the same place/same horses all the time, expect some peeps on here would be able to advise where is good to go!

 

[kerilli]

well done you for taking it up and being so keen! yes, you'll get there... ask for a horse that won't rush off if you can, and for a neckstrap, and when you start cantering, put one hand on that and use it to get your balance until you've gotten used to the rhythm. you kind of need to let go with your hips, like doing the locomotion in miniature! cantering's usually easier than trotting, tbh. best of luck and keep us posted!
oh, and the best, nicest way of making him realise that you're more-or-less in charge is, while dismounted, to push him around a little. if he steps into your personal space, push his chest back... if a flat hand doesn't work, use the tips of your fingers all bunched together, harder. i always think of it as being like that scene in Dirty Dancing, my space, your space kind of thing. also, push his shoulders around away from you (watch your feet don't get trodden on!), he'll respect you more for being able to gently but firmly move him around. stick to the front end until you know he's a saint, tbh.

 

[Llwyncwn]

Hello and welcome to the place of addictions

Congrats to you for biting the bullet. As the others have said, take your time, there is no rush. Watch how others interact with their horses and study body language (of the horse). If you study horses in the field, much can be learned about who's in charge - be confident around them even if you are not sure what you are doing

Confidence is something which doesnt come easy to most 'mature' people starting up, so dont let anyone rush you or overface you if you are not ready. Canter will come when you are ready for it. Go and have fun and above all, start saving your pennies - you will need them

 

[A1fie]

Just want to say thanks again for all your support and tips. I will definately keep you posted.

Cannot believe how amazing being around horses actually feels!

I think eau de horse is my new favourite smell!!

 

[Hullabaloo]

Hi and welcome.
Don't worry you'll get there - just make sure you have fun along the way.
I know what you mean about the kids - I've got a 16 year old rides my horse occasionally and she's so confident it makes me feel quite inadequate. My consolation is she'll probably grow out of it like most of us do!

 

[Chumsmum]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Congratulations on your new chosen pastime - there will be no hope for you, you will be addicted to this forum and horses

I started riding 4 years ago at the age of 29 and thought I would never get the hang of canter but one day it just clicked and now never want to stop

It helps if the horse you are riding goes into canter nice and slow and easy because it takes a while to ask correctly and it's hard while thinking of all the other things too! It probably took me more than 6 months of one lesson per week to be to do more than just a few strides of canter and a lot longer to do it with 'some' control. However, I learnt a lot more from my pony I brought two years ago - one of the reasons I brought him was that he was so easy to canter

Help out all you can with the horses - my neighbour is a horse dealer and I think it was helping her that really sealed my fate with horses and made me realise that I could own my own one day.

I am still in awe of the relationship that you can have with a horse - I love my three ponies so much I think my heart could burst some days - but it's usually just my wallet that suffers

Trust me, the canter will come and you will be able to hack out soon - does the riding school do organised hacks where you can just walk and trot?
And don't worry about the children - all the children I know are much better riders than me and have been riding longer!
The worry of learning to canter will go - just to be replaced by the next new thing you learn but believe me it will all be worth it.
It only feels like yesterday that I first sat on a horse - feel free to PM if you want to chat