how big a break from riding have you had??

[hopppydi]

Hi, just wondered how many other people there are out there like me who rode alot as a youngster but stopped for career, babies etc and then took riding up later on in life. I had quite a while away from riding, nearly 20 years when i added it up...how time flies!! Its amazing what you remember when it comes to the care of an animal but im glad i am having lessons for my riding...i feel like i am being re schooled!!

 

[Berkeley]

17 years! The first time I rode was two years ago and I was scared to death, got totally addicted and loved it all over again.

 

[hopppydi]

Oh great, im so glad im not the only one!! I was never even slightly nervous when i was younger and rode some real nut cases when i think back, wonder what my parents were thinking...

 

[muffinino]

I stopped riding regulary for around 7 months due to moving away temporarily for work, moving house etc. I had a few lessons but it did not feed my craving.

I went proper bonkers - never am I going that long again!

 

[Berkeley]

I know what you mean. The fear factor sets in when we're older. I remember going out on crazy ex racers when I was younger and wasn't at all nervous. Now, I am very cautious - but really loving the independence that I didn't have when I was a kid.

I stopped riding because my parents insisted that I work harder at school! Time went by and so on. I moved back to the country a couple of years ago and thought it was time to start riding again. I had a few lessons then got a horse on loan so I could ride the same horse and get to know her and learn form her. She's the first one in my sig now. I bought her a few months after getting her on loan and have had her for two years.

 

[SnowPhony]

I sold my mare and didn't go near a horse for 3 and a half years after that. Started again last summer and realised how much I had missed being with horses. I don't know how I did it, or what I did with those years! When I got back to it I was thrown straight in at the deep end and onto a loopy bloody pony that would rear up with the person who had it in for schooling screaming at me to 'kick the bloody thing through it!' and making me jump.

I ached all over for a week. Did me the world of good though!

 

[Hippona]

A good 10-15 years....did the career/marriage/kids thing.....got back into it about 5 years ago when my son started having lessons.

My 1970's riding style had to be corrected

and I hade to re-learn horse care from scratch ( rugs? pink headcollars? no mollases?) ....now daughter and OH have horses too (son gave up) and we are a horsey family ( apart from son, whose involvements extend to wheelbarrow emptying and photographer)

 

[Chico Mio]

Erm, about 25 years I think! What gets me is my friend who dragged me to the riding school (she had a horse when younger) as moral support, lost her bottle after three weeks!! And I, who had no intention of taking up riding again, became totally addicted once more. Ended up buying my horse and dragging OH into it as well!!

 

[hopppydi]

I basically stopped through parents splitting up and then living in london, no cash, work, children, no cash again!! I moved to the country last july and the main aim was to get a horse and start living again!! It is the only thing i do that is just for me...though now my kids are taking over as my new horsey is so gorgeous and friendly. Looking for a first pony for them at the moment with little success

 

[Bens_Mum]

About 5 years and don't my nerves know it! I find now that lfears about things build up quick and falling off takes an age to get over. Don't know if that is common sense kicking in or having a break?!!

 

[hopppydi]

chicomio...your 25 years beats my 20!! How much did your muscles ache

 

[Berkeley]

That's very similar to how I got back into it. Although I don't have children. Finding a first pony must be very exciting!

 

[Enfys]

3 years when I went to college and larked about in the city/abroad. After that I did work with horses on and off and take my AI.

Actual ownership gap of about 12 years.

 

[hopppydi]

I like to think the extra fears/nerves are me being more sensible!! I certainly dont put up with any 'bad manners' from my horsey like i might have done when i was young and daft

 

[hopppydi]

[ QUOTE ]
That's very similar to how I got back into it. Although I don't have children. Finding a first pony must be very exciting!

[/ QUOTE ]
It was exciting to start with but now its just getting quite annoying!! Seems to be very few if any decent ponies about in my area

 

[1275gta]

I lost my confidence and didn't ride bar once or twice for 7 years. Then a mate got me to ride her cob and I started again.

 

[Lobelia_Overhill]

I had a break of several years after I sold my first pony, then I had another many years break due to a pelvic injury (nothing to do with horses!) I just started riding again about a year ago after a 3 year break due to a bad back (again not horse related!) and I just bought Don 3 weeks ago after a 25 year non horse owning break!

 

[Berkeley]

I assume you have checked out the usual sites such as Horsemart and Horse and Hound? Where are you located? There are often people on here that are either selling or knows someone who is selling. You never know

 

[Chico Mio]

[ QUOTE ]
chicomio...your 25 years beats my 20!! How much did your muscles ache

[/ QUOTE ]

You know, they didn't very much?? How weird is that? I can still remember everyone saying, 'You'll be stiff tomorrow!' but I wasn't. Yes, from 15 to 40 without any real riding at all. Ah, it all came flooding back as I sat on a mad 14.2hh pony with the shortest stride in the world!!

 

[hopppydi]

[ QUOTE ]
I had a break of several years after I sold my first pony, then I had another many years break due to a pelvic injury (nothing to do with horses!) I just started riding again about a year ago after a 3 year break due to a bad back (again not horse related!) and I just bought Don 3 weeks ago after a 25 year non horse owning break!

[/ QUOTE ]

I bought my horsey 2 and a half weeks ago with a 20 year break...how are you getting on. Im taking things very slowly as my new horsey is a ex racer and im letting him chill out and giving us both time to get to know each other. he will be with me forever so i am not in a rush!!

 

[hopppydi]

[ QUOTE ]
I assume you have checked out the usual sites such as Horsemart and Horse and Hound? Where are you located? There are often people on here that are either selling or knows someone who is selling. You never know

[/ QUOTE ]
I have looked all over and still am. The problem im having is my 2 are 9 and 10, nearly 10 and 11 and a first ridden/lead rein are normally too small. They are both pretty confident around horses and are having lessons so might hold on abit so i dont have to be quite so picky if you get what i mean

 

[Berkeley]

You could check out local riding schools and ask there - they cater for all needs. There might be the perfect one just round the corner waiting to be had!

 

[hopppydi]

The riding school idea had crossed my mind too!! None available at the school there going to at the moment but have put the word out!! The daft thing is alot of the 'bombproof' ponies we have been to view have had terrible manners and have been totally unsuitable. I wish i could find a mini version of my new horsey, he is so kind, placid and eager to please and has the best manners i have ever known, riding school horses included. It is very hard to imagine he ever raced, let alone win!!

 

[tasel]

About 10 years??? To fit in A-Levels, Uni and a few years of work...

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Not sure really

- have had a few breaks over the years for various reasons - uni, work,money,travelling, swimming competitvely (coaches wouldn't let me ride in case I broke something!!

) and living in cities (London and Birmingham). I always tried to ride when the opportunity presented itself and worked weekends in a RS when I lived in Birmingham - I then used to ride and look after a lovley old hunter weekends and holidays in my mum and dads village - really got the bug again and 10 years ago moved back to the countryside so I could have my own horse.....now have 2 of my own

, live in the cottage at the yard and look after 4 others!!

I am lucky that my job means I not only work from home but travel so I can live in the middle of nowhere and still earn enough to pay the feed bill!!!!

 

[MrsMozart]

Was horse mad from as young as I can remember. Had a break from fifteen to thirty, had a few lessons, then started again at forty-two-ish when daughter got her pony. Got my own ned just over a year and a half ago, then second ned as had to have first PTS, end of last year. Sooooo, about twenty years.

It was a bit rocky at first, I used to be good (especially at staying on silly boboes). I hated not knowing as much as I used to know and not being as good as I used to be (I rode everything, from Polo ponies to showjumpers to racehorses, etc.). It's taken a while to regain my confidence both in my self and in my abilities

.

 

[hopppydi]

Its nice to see that actually quite alot of you have had quite long breaks and are now back into it again. I can understand what everyone has said about confidence/nerves etc but just being around horses is great!!

 

[luckyhorseshoe]

Had a gap of about 4ish years when i took my gcses/ alevels and picked it up again at uni. Now have 1 on loan and riding 2 others!

 

[Perfect_Pirouette]

I had a break for 6 years after i sold my first pony, did GCSE's, A-levels and degree and started back last year.

Have ALWAYS been horse obsessed though, always. Even the whole time throughout m 6 year break, i was slightly miserable. Would NEVER have another break now, could not imagine my life without it. I Was EXTREMELY nervous when i first started again, mainly because my old pony was a little shite and bucked like there was no tomorrow. However my share horse has brought my confidence flooding back and i owe him everythnig for that. Really want to get another one of my own now too.

I think horses are in people's blood and that's why it's so hard to give them up/have breaks etc.

 

[popsicle]

26 Years. I rode from age 11 to 19, then not again until I was 45 years old (5 years ago). Now I have 2 horses and my 29 year old daughter rides with me. I didn't realise how much I had forgotten since 1978. Things had really changed and I had forgotten how unpredictable horses can be.