Help for riding again after long break please

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ClareTaylor

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Hi there, May I ask advice please? Im 50, rode through childhood, own pony, worked with hunters and show horses and dressage yard when I left school, and taught. I stopped whilst bringing up my children etc and now they have flown the nest I was keen to take up riding again.

Booked a one hour lesson, was with 5 others, good instructor, Nice 16 h steady horse .. Mothballed Jods and boots still fit me, you can see where this is going I'm sure!

Mounted, all came back, adjusted everything fine, remembered heels etc ... All Good. Nope, disaster! Im fit but oh dear me, rising trot? Just about .. But canter, dear God, my previous natural deep seat, gentle legs and hands all out the window, bounced round like rubber ball, lost stirrups and ended up swinging from poor patient steeds neck like Tarzan!! This did not improve and only positive I can take is I didn't hit the deck!

Hindsight: Should have booked half hour gentle walking hack, too much too soon? And lets not mention the pain for the next week ?

The shocker for me was how my previous natural balance and ability was completely missing, from the age of 8 I was a natural, it was my 'thing' you could throw me on any horse or pony and I could sort it, yet I cant stay on at a gentle canter, bouncing around all off balance!

Is it me? My age? Muscle fitness? all of the above? I sat in the car and cried like a baby, Im sure Im not the only person this happened to and Im being too hard on myself, but some advice would be great, am doing more exercises for those muscles! Thank you x
 
Hey, don't be so hard on yourself, it will come!
Firstly while you are stuck at home, crack on with exercises to strengthen your core; plenty on line. Sit ups, cycling legs in air, lots more.
Then, when you re start after this pandemic, try and find a riding school with a mechanical horse, so that you can have a few 1 to 1 sessions to get you going. The best RS in our area insist that anyone has at least 3 Mech horse sessions before even getting on a horse, and if a complete beginner then at least 6 sessions. They do riding assessments on it 1st.
Good luck :)
 
ClareTaylor said:
Hi there, May I ask advice please? Im 50, rode through childhood, own pony, worked with hunters and show horses and dressage yard when I left school, and taught. I stopped whilst bringing up my children etc and now they have flown the nest I was keen to take up riding again.

Booked a one hour lesson, was with 5 others, good instructor, Nice 16 h steady horse .. Mothballed Jods and boots still fit me, you can see where this is going I'm sure!

Mounted, all came back, adjusted everything fine, remembered heels etc ... All Good. Nope, disaster! Im fit but oh dear me, rising trot? Just about .. But canter, dear God, my previous natural deep seat, gentle legs and hands all out the window, bounced round like rubber ball, lost stirrups and ended up swinging from poor patient steeds neck like Tarzan!! This did not improve and only positive I can take is I didn't hit the deck!

Hindsight: Should have booked half hour gentle walking hack, too much too soon? And lets not mention the pain for the next week ?

The shocker for me was how my previous natural balance and ability was completely missing, from the age of 8 I was a natural, it was my 'thing' you could throw me on any horse or pony and I could sort it, yet I cant stay on at a gentle canter, bouncing around all off balance!

Is it me? My age? Muscle fitness? all of the above? I sat in the car and cried like a baby, Im sure Im not the only person this happened to and Im being too hard on myself, but some advice would be great, am doing more exercises for those muscles! Thank you x
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TFF took the words right out of my mouth/keyboard. I have used mechanical horses to build up fitness, after accident recovery several times. A local physio uses one to address specific issues for riders.
 
Fitness and getting joints flexible again is the main thing I think. I used to have a deep and effective seat. Came back mid-50s, thought I would be a wee bit rusty then in 6 months or so I would be back where I was ... first lesson I fell off getting on. Using a mounting block. 18 months later my right foot was still wibbling about in the stirrup. Started yoga, pilates and strength training in February and these were really helping, wish I had thought of doing them earlier!
 
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A class is not the right place.
Unfortunately nor are some teachers.
Once this virus is over, find yourself a good lunge teacher and you will find your balance again.

Do not despair. My OH and I both learned to ride in our 60s. Until the virus came, I was still riding.
You dont need to be massively fit as the horse is doing the physical work. But you do need to breathe and relax so the horse can move easilly under you.
That includes particularly canter - relaxing and breathing is the difference between riding a rocking horse and bumping about like a sack of coals which is just what you describe.
All you knew and sensed as a child will return to you too- riding is a conversation with a horse and enjoying it -
 
Take a deep breath and start again as soon as you can. Background similar to yours except did not go to work with horses after education. When retirement came I planned to start again but there was a slight diversion for a couple of spinal ops and did not get there until 67. I have to say that I had a more successful first attempt than yours but that was probably, as others have said, because I had a private half hour lesson which was taken at a steady pace and did not get to canter on that first occasion. Muscle memory amazed me so it will still be there but it may just be that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak at this stage!!. It is an ideal time to get the muscles working though, as others have also said, and, if you don't do pilates already, I can highly recommend it. You may have to make do with the internet for now but it would be worth going to a good pilates instructor when we are all allowed out to make sure you are doing the work properly as it is not as obvious as it looks.
Forget about this first attempt - it will not have been a proper test of what you are capable of doing. Just don't rush to look at the horses for sale ads as quickly as I did!!!
 
Thank you to all of you for the valuable advice and reassurance, you have all made me feel so much better! Had not thought about mechanical horse, brilliant idea! I will investigate that, Ive ordered a book and looked at some Youtube videos for core strengthening etc, thank you all so much! Your advice is fantastic and I will take it all on board Xx
 
Thank you to all of you for the valuable advice and reassurance, you have all made me feel so much better! Had not thought about mechanical horse, brilliant idea! I will investigate that, Ive ordered a book and looked at some Youtube videos for core strengthening etc, thank you all so much! Your advice is fantastic and I will take it all on board Xx
 
I had 2 long breaks from riding had a bad accident broke my ankle with surgery and then both of my horses went lame so I couldn't really ride, I booked some riding simulator lessons omg it changed me I just felt so much more confident because they look at you as a person and a rider, it's almost like a clairvoyant type experience if you go to someone you knows what they are doing.
 
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