I need encouragement

[JosephJmc]

Hi guys. I have always been interested in horses but never got a chance to ride until last autumn. I spent a week learning as much as I could on a centre based holiday and loved every second of it. I'm a 27 year old man and really interested in continuing this sport but I feel like there are a lot of barriers to adults learning. I'm also trying to get my weight down to the minimum for most schools. It's difficult since I'm over 6 foot. Feeling a little discouraged.

 

[Gloi]

Good luck. I hope you find a way because it is worth it.

 

[Kunoichi73]

Do you have a riding school near you? I would contact them and find out which one is most likely to have horses to suit you. As you've said, you may need to lose some weight but you could use this time to build up your general fitness. I restarted riding as an adult a few years ago after a 30+ year break and am loving it again. I've found doing private lessons much more productive than the group lessons I had as a child. For cost purposes though, I do an adult class (usually only with 3-4 others) every other week or so and a private lesson every week. I also do the occasional hack during the summer.

 

[JosephJmc]

Do you have a riding school near you? I would contact them and find out which one is most likely to have horses to suit you. As you've said, you may need to lose some weight but you could use this time to build up your general fitness. I restarted riding as an adult a few years ago after a 30+ year break and am loving it again. I've found doing private lessons much more productive than the group lessons I had as a child. For cost purposes though, I do an adult class (usually only with 3-4 others) every other week or so and a private lesson every week. I also do the occasional hack during the

Thanks, that's really helpful. I've got some good options nearby to home. I've got some options near home I could ring when I'm there (working at sea). It's nice to hear of other adults being novices.

 

[neddy man]

Roughly what area, someone may be able to recommend somewhere, stick with it it's worth it, welcome to the forum.

 

[JosephJmc]

Roughly what area, someone may be able to recommend somewhere, stick with it it's worth it, welcome to the forum.

Tyne and wear/Northumberland

 

[teacups]

Sorry, I am not familiar with riding places in your area, but can tell you are plenty of adult novices, or people who aren’t but started out riding as adults.
I know at least two people personally who learnt to ride in their 40s, a couple who were in their 50s - and they are all still riding 20 or so years on. You’re definitely not too late in your 20s.

 

[ycbm]

Hi Joseph, I stable with a guy (among 200 other horse owners) who also works at sea, is tall, and was a novice when I met him. He decided that his only way to get the experience he wanted was to buy his own. He has to keep the horse full livery because he's 3 weeks on 3 weeks off. I don't know if that's even an option for you, but I hear it can be difficult to get lessons if you weigh over about 13 stone.
.

 

[Most Curious]

Well done for learning to ride a horse.
I'm a middle age male who has been riding now for 1 1/2 years and its great fun.
If you want to make better progress then private lessons are the way forward.
To keep my weight at a minimum I have two cream crackers for breakfast only and one normal meal during the day.
No more big macs or takeaways.
I don't tell people at work what my new passion is, they might think I'm a bit weird for wearing tight jodhpurs.

 

[JosephJmc]

Good for you David. Thanks for the advice. I'm started to shed the pounds now.

Well done for learning to ride a horse.
I'm a middle age male who has been riding now for 1 1/2 years and its great fun.
If you want to make better progress then private lessons are the way forward.
To keep my weight at a minimum I have two cream crackers for breakfast only and one normal meal during the day.
No more big macs or takeaways.
I don't tell people at work what my new passion is, they might think I'm a bit weird for wearing tight jodhpurs.

 

[JackFrost]

In the last few years I have known two adult beginners who were absolute natural riders. They were both men in their mid/late thirties and about 6'3".
Google Mark Todd and William Fox Pitt - my beginner friends reminded me of them. Or think Martin Clunes, actor and British Horse Soc president, he's a pretty tall guy., I've seen him irl.
There are big horses around, and some of the heavy horse breeds and crosses make great ridden horses, but not all riding schools have them because often the emphasis is on ponies for kids.
But a lot of schools will have one bigger one for the taller riders to use, which is often a versatile sort than novices can use.

Whatever height you are, everyone needs to keep an eye on their weight for riding, to be balanced and fit on the horse and not expect the horse to be carrying more than it actually needs to.
I'm vaguely aware of Clydesdale/heavy horse centres in the borders areas. Someone on here might know more.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Its a shame your not ayrshire as there is a riding school with percherons

 

[twiggy2]

Go for it, one of my favourite clients Iver all my years was the guy in his late 60's who I taught stable management and horse riding too, his name was Ron. He made a few of us storage boxes with seats on and at 51 yrs old I still have mine. He had weight to lose qhen he started but getting involved helped him lose it.
Good luck

 

[whirlwind]

Have you spoken to the riding schools re weight? I teach for a school that has an advertised weight limit but have a couple of horses who are fine to carry taller men who tend to be heavier as it’s a better weight distribution for the horse than a shorter person who is overweight

 

[Birker2020]

. I'm also trying to get my weight down to the minimum for most schools. It's difficult since I'm over 6 foot. Feeling a little discouraged.

I also have this problem, I am waiting till such time as I can buy my next horse but would really like lessons as I haven't schooled for around 6 years (apart from viewings) but I am also overweight and I'm 5ft 10 so tall too which doesn't help.

I'm working out at the gym every day to try and shift it but that doesn't have the same effect as making you riding fit.

 

[Birker2020]

Hi Joseph, I stable with a guy (among 200 other horse owners) who also works at sea, is tall, and was a novice when I met him. He decided that his only way to get the experience he wanted was to buy his own. He has to keep the horse full livery because he's 3 weeks on 3 weeks off. I don't know if that's even an option for you, but I hear it can be difficult to get lessons if you weigh over about 13 stone.
.

Its a 16 stone weight limit every where I have enquired. That is the same locally as it is on holiday.

 

[sbloom]

I would work on your riding fitness while you're at sea so you get as much as possible from your time on shore, something like the Equestrian Fitness Academy and their trainers, I rate many of them highly but there are lots of specialists operating in this area now.

 

[outinthefens88]

I started riding approx the same age, coming from a totally none equestrian background. You will generally find (as I did and still do) you will likely be the only male on a yard or there may be one or two others - depending on the size of the yard.

Interested to know what the barriers to adults learning are that you have come across?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Most riding schools/trekking centres that I am familiar with have a weight limit of around 14 stone 7lb with the rider dressed for riding.

 

[Goldie's mum]

Hello, welcome.
Have you looked if there is a school in your area with a mechanical horse? The weight limit for those is usually 16 stone. (Not the same, I know but to be going on with & as a help to getting fit.)

 

[JosephJmc]

I think it's just the psychological barrier, it's mainly marketed towards children, plus it is rare to find other men who are novices learning.

Interested to know what the barriers to adults learning

 

[JosephJmc]

Hello, welcome.
Have you looked if there is a school in your area with a mechanical horse? The weight limit for those is usually 16 stone. (Not the same, I know but to be going on with & as a help to getting fit.)

That does sound like fun! I will check but I've not came across any yet. Thank you.

 

[Birker2020]

Most riding schools/trekking centres that I am familiar with have a weight limit of around 14 stone 7lb with the rider dressed for riding.

I've enquired at 2 locally and 3 or 4 on their web pages on holiday in IOW and Wales

 

[outinthefens88]

I think it's just the psychological barrier, it's mainly marketed towards children, plus it is rare to find other men who are novices learning.

Thing is... you never stop learning.... I was 'taught' about ten years ago - the basics and to what i would term 'riding school competent'. Then you buy your own horse and realize you aren't really that good at all so get an instructor and go to clinics etc. Then you try one discipline and your horse doesn't enjoy it so you side shift to another one (I currently compete low ish level endurance -32km rides - I enjoy it, horse much prefers it to endless circles in an arena - totally the 'wrong' breed of horse but hey we have fun!).

Certainly st lower levels it seems males are always a minority (try finding things that fit in a tack shop or whips that aren't sparkly or pink!)

 

[Skib]

I would encourage you to find a RS that caters for men. Look at livery yards too, some of which are more likely to have adult male clients. Ours does.

And dont be deterred by starting to ride later in life. I started aged 61. Just keep riding for 3 years. Think of the first 2 years as basics, like GCSE. And then a year where you might specialise a bit like doing A levels. My start was miserable but OH rightly told me that all that mattered was saddle time.
I never bought a horse. I could afford to but ibstead I fell deeply in love with the three horses I have shared and which belonged to other people.

 

[Kunoichi73]

I think it's just the psychological barrier, it's mainly marketed towards children, plus it is rare to find other men who are novices learning.

I think that is why you'd do better going for private lessons rather than group lessons initially. You'd get one on one tuition and not have to bother about being the only male with a bunch of women. That said, I expect it wouldn't bother the women.

 

[Goldie's mum]

There's another very useful thing you could be doing while you lose weight. A lot of new horse owners find themselves a bit lost because their lessons have begun with them standing by a mounting block & being brought a tacked up horse and ended with them dismounting and handing the horse back. If you find somewhere that can teach grooming, tacking up, leading, lunging, rug fitting etc you could be doing that straight away. It will be very useful to you later, will help you to be relaxed around horses & might even make you a friend who has a big horse who needs more exercise.

 

[JosephJmc]

If you find somewhere that can teach grooming, tacking up, leading, lunging, rug fitting etc you could be doing that straight away. It will be very useful to you later, will help you to be relaxed around horses & might even make you a friend who has a big horse who needs more exercise.

The local equestrian centre does bhs stage 1 stable management. Would you reccomend doing this?

 

[Goldie's mum]

The local equestrian centre does bhs stage 1 stable management. Would you reccomend doing this?

That sounds like a great idea, if you can fit it round work I'd definitely go for it. From what I remember you have to join BHS to do it. That's a good idea anyway because it gives you insurance for when you start riding.

 

[Goldie's mum]

This gives an idea of what is involved..

Stage 1 - Care | The British Horse Society

www.bhs.org.uk