Horse riding - Begginer

C

clellands

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Bursledon, southamptno
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I would love to learn to ride a horse, but am a bit conscious of my age (40's)and really do not want to go to a large commercial riding school and be put with the youngsters. Does anyone know if/where I can get one to one lessons. I live in the Bursledon, Hampshire area.
 
My husband learnt to ride in his late 30's in a large riding school. You should be able to book private lessons at most places. He used to have a weekly one-to-one lesson, they are just more expensive than group lessons.
 
Tanglewood in Colden Common I believe do adult private lessons, and they used to even have a few ladies group together after a while. Avoid weekend mornings/early afternoons and you should be fine.

There are loads though round you - the place that does all the RDA (I forget the official name!) even does coffee and riding lesson mornings tailored speciically for your demographic. You're in a good location I'd say! Get out the yellow pages and give a few a call for a chat ;)
 
My OH started private lessons in a big riding school this year, he is 52 and a natural. You get a lot more out of a half hour private lesson than an hour of a class, but you may eventually like a small adult class, with others like you (yes....they are out there!:D)

Go for it, you don't need to compete with the kids, just enjoy the experience.:)
 
I started riding 11 months ago aged 53. I'd put it off for years because I thought that it'd just be kids. When I went I found that there were in fact older than me there! It's been a wonderful journey so far.
I would not recommend group lessons for a complete beginner. Yes it's more expensive but it's worth it. I started with weekly lessons and upped it to two a week as I started to get fitter. Go for it. Forget about your age and what anyone else might think.
I don't live in your area so sorry can't help with advice on RI. I look forward to reading about your first lesson.
:)
 
I was in my late 40's when I learnt to ride. Phone riding schools in your area and ask for private lessons. Not all instructors are the same you might need to try out a couple of different instructors to find the one that suits you best.
Honestly its one of the best things I have ever done. I now have my own mare and love every poo laden mud filled moment I spend with her.
 
Although my mum rode when she was much, much younger, she never had proper lessons and was worried about looking daft if she tried to take it up again. She finally started again earlier this year at the age of 60, she went to a local riding school and started with private lessons and is absolutely loving it!!

I also bullied my OH into starting as well and he was in his early 30s at the time. Again he started off with private lessons and we've also had a couple of semi-privates with just the two of us in them.

Most riding schools will offer private lessons and I echo what c2b said about trying different places, it's worth it to find somewhere you really like and an instructor you really get on with.
 
Sounds like there's more older learners out there than I thought there was :) I had private half hour lessons aged 46 at a local riding school. Within a year I'd bought my own horse and am having the time of my life, I've had her 2 1/2 years now and we've been to pony camp, the beach, done sponsored rides, endurance rides and had a go at hunting :)

I say go for it, you only live once.
 
AprilBlossom said:
Tanglewood in Colden Common I believe do adult private lessons, and they used to even have a few ladies group together after a while. Avoid weekend mornings/early afternoons and you should be fine.

There are loads though round you - the place that does all the RDA (I forget the official name!) even does coffee and riding lesson mornings tailored speciically for your demographic. You're in a good location I'd say! Get out the yellow pages and give a few a call for a chat ;)
Click to expand...

Ask for Lee Clatworthy at Tanglewood. She is a brilliant instructor :D

http://www.tanglewoodequestriancentre.co.uk/prices.htm
 
Try out a few centres near you to be able to pick out the best. Talk to the instructors about their qualifications and get to know their personality a bit to get a feel for the place. I don't know if it's common in the UK but my yard has an adult 'saddle club' basically they arrange special adult lessons and off yard meetings (genarally to the pub :p) to get to know each other!
 
Kathyt1, are you a Tanglewood rider then? I grew up riding there a good few moons ago, Sally is an absolute sweetheart - don't know Lee, didshoe have something to do with Southampton Uni equestrian? I doubt there's many of the 'old guard' there now horse-wise, probably Pip, Dingo and Hercules are about all the schoolies left now Othello lives in the Cotswolds and the ponies I knew must well be in a pasture in heaven, or else headed for the record books lol!
 
I would second lessons at Tanglewood with Lee or Sally! I used to have private lessons there as an adult.
 
Quob stables the other ride of hedge end is good. They have a large range of group lessons at different stages and have ladies lessons.

The first time you ride they do a 30 min private assessment lesson to see you ride and find out what you want to achieve from lessons and will then talk you through which group they think would suit you or you could carry on with private lessons.
 
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