Only for the over 50's! Are you still ambitious?

Im 60 now, and competitively have done everything equine over the years. A bad back stopped me jumping and X country many years ago, but showing has always been my thing, with a spot of dressage and distance riding thrown in. It used to be Arabs, but concessions to age has meant I now have natives ( as Im only 5ft 1 didnt seem any point in getting food guzzling big uns)

Have a superb New Forest that I have high hopes for, 7 going on 4, but learning fast and just bought a 3 year old Exmoor. Never made it to HOYS, so thats my ambition now, (one can dream). Even togged me and ponios out in new outfits ready, as finances say I can at last. So even if we make a complete hash of it all at least we will look smart while we are doing it.
Got to have ambitions otherwise we may as well curl up and die.
 
I havent got the same competitive ambitions as I used to have, mainly due to the weather, standing about in the rain and wind and preparing for a show in the same conditions dosent appeal to me anymore, at one time I'd compete in all kinds of weather and competed all year round....but I still love riding and looking after my horses but I dont have lessons anymore or attend lecture demo's etc so my enthusiasm for my horses are still there but not my ambitions...!!
 
My Mum lost her old pony when he was 29 and she was 78 (they'd had a celebratory hack with me on their combined 100th)
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Congratulations to your Mum. Sadly, share mare and I were 18 months short of our combined 100 when she retired. I am 73 and hacking keeps me sane.
But I do hanker after riding a flying change before I die.
 
Hollywood said:
After ten years away from horses, 3 years ago I bought a 10 month old Knabstrupper - she will be 4 in march and has spent this last year being broken and ridden away by myself and two lovely friends - at the moment she is having time off and will be brought back into work in the spring and then the fun begins, with lots of hacking, a few local shows, dressage and a few fun rides. I'm 59 and she is my reason to get up each day. No major ambitions just to make her into a lovely well behaved, safe horse.
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this is almost me, but couldnt ride due to arthrtus in the hips, had hip resurfacing 06/07 my old mare went intermitantly lame whilst i wasnt able to ride, 09 bought a weanling sec D filly backed her this yr now has time off then the fun starts next spring.

I am 52.
 
When I was 50 I bought 2 weanlings. They are now 2. So, yes, I am ambitious, to ride them! Am staRTING A COURSE OF RIDING LESSONS NEXT WEEK TO GET "BACK IN THE SADDLE" AM GOING TO LEARN TO JUMP AMD COME NEXT AUTUMN START BACKING ONE OF THE HORSES AND THE OTHER WILL BE BACKED WHEN HE IS 4 AS HE ISNT As mature mentally as athe other one. sorry for caps didint realise caps lock was on.
 
Loving this thread - inspirational lot aren't we ;)

Also, great to see posts with no text speak nor spelling mistakes! (yes I am a grammar snob :o)
 
A few years ago I bought a new pony as an early retirement present to myself. I am
now enjoying, at 58, the pony-centred 'childhood' I never had as I concentrated on
education and then career. Now I have the money and time to enjoy my hobby, and
luckily my body is holding up well. The new boy learned to jump with me - that was the
'project' and now we can get double clears at 2' 3" (which seems big to me as I had jumped
hardly anything for about 10 years.) We had a good summer/autumn season doing
unaffiliated dressage, XC, SJ and WHP and I want to build on that for next year.
Will be working on those 2'6" - 2'9" courses over the winter! I actually feel like a more competent rider than 20 years ago, and certainly love not having to fit riding in around
a demanding job.
 
Backed the latest hoss myself when I was 50 - be nice to think we can get old and disgraceful together.

Competition-wise I don't do so much now - would rather have a blast out on a hack or mooch about on a nice sunny day. Though when we do decide to have a day out we can still strut our stuff - takes longer to recover from running up a Sec D these days though;).

There's good and bad - I don't bounce like I used to, old injuries are starting to make themselves felt. Also starting to get more of a sense of my own mortality so have to consider what happens to any young horses I have should anything happen to me.
On the other hand, experience does tell - my bulls**t radar is highly tuned and cos I'm getting hard of hearing the sledgers at the ringside are actually wasting their breath:D. And best of all, have more time to play ponies!
 
I'm only 55, but the last 2 years have been doing BS jumping on my Standardbred.
Next year will be bringing out her half brother as well.
Still enjoy it immensly, but, i am turning into a bit of a fairweather competitor, gone are the days when i would travel and compete in driving rain etc. I think i lost that mid 40's!!
 
Pale Rider said:
Age is no barrier to horses, keep on riding like you stole it.
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Love it.:) I will add that to the "ride like no one is watching" advice from my RS..

Bahhumbug..yes we are all using joined up sentences :p

When I started learning I though that I'd left it too late and felt very self conscious and maybe a bit foolish.:o This thread has really reassured me that it is possible if I work hard, practice and learn. :) thanks peeps.
 
Oh yes.. I'm 50, and did my first event for 33 years last year. I had a " now or never moment" 18 months ago and bought myself a horse after an adult life of no horses and career building. I've been very very lucky, and in the space of 18 months have gone from over the moon to get a dc at a riding club 80cm, through completing 90 cm be to winning two be 100 and qualifying for badminton grassroots. Made lots of friends on the way ( bah humbug take a bow) and had so much fun. I'm fitter, thinner and more relaxed. Any dither ers out there... Do it. My friend a very senior doctor with a v stressful life has turned into a smiling loony every weekend when she escapes to hack with me on my boys companion. Sadly my articulation is not good enough to describe the feeling. It is wasted on youth. Power to the oldies!:)
 
If horses are in your blood and you give them up you will most certainly age more quickly as there is not 'a reason' to get up in the morning any more. I have seen people change and become dull and bored when they no longer have to care for their horses. I have also seen much older people go on and on in good health for years until they are forced to pull out of horses and then they appear to go downhill quite rapidly. Horses are a drug that many of us can't live happily without!
 
Patchworkpony said:
If horses are in your blood and you give them up you will most certainly age more quickly as there is not 'a reason' to get up in the morning any more. I have seen people change and become dull and bored when they no longer have to care for their horses. I have also seen much older people go on and on in good health for years until they are forced to pull out of horses and then they appear to go downhill quite rapidly. Horses are a drug that many of us can't live happily without!
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Oh I agree with this ^^^ 100%. Tried to give them up twice; failed, and now have the nicest horses I've ever had. Fully expect to be riding (and mucking out - I will probably die with a muckfork in my hand.....) when I am 70. No more young horses for me 'though, have to plan for all their retirements and anything to replace will be at least eight years old; had enough "first time" experiences (first ride, first hack, first time at show, first time to travel, etc.) now.
 
Great thread! I'm 53 and have psoriatic arthritis which slows me down sometimes, but do still do the odd fun ride and half day huntiing on my little cob. Really should go out and do some dressage as well. My biggest buzz was doing a pairs hunter trials with my 11 year old daughter last year! Wheee! I'm looking forward to taking on her project pony when she moves onto the next height level in 2 or 3 years time.
 
I am 53, started as a tiny child, first pony at 10, competed, had a go at everything, did my AI, worked with showjumpers.................. then gave up for many years.
I have been back into horses for 8 years, have 3, work full time nights. Have had a go at most disciplines with my lovely cob girl, started and am now working on my TB 6 yr old and in July I took on a PBA Advanced endurance mare. We plan to do up to 65km rides.
I'm loving every minute! :)
 
Hey, fantastic replies and I am loving that I am not the only 'overgrown' pony mad teenager about.

Thanks for all your replies, lots of really inspirational thoughts and I agree about how easy it is to give it all up and then 'grow old' quickly. One of the great things is that you can share the horse passion with anyone of any age - in fact I spent this afternoon with a whole load of 16yo's and all we did was talk 'horse', just heaven.

But it is nice to know there are so many other kindred souls about - thanks everyone!
 
So happy to be reading this thread. I'm 58, and for my 50th I galloped an ex-racehorse along a beach, and had my first try at western. Absolutely brilliant. I've always enjoyed naughty ponies, and ride one now, but............ I have osteoporosis ,fybromyalgia, and osteo-arthritis, all of which make me quite weak, and are painful. I usually just eat a handful of painkillers and get on - then the big stupid grin comes across my face. I come off on a regular basis now, mainly because I get unbalanced too easily, and then it's a short step to the floor! To make matters worse I had a bad fall a few weeks ago, got concussion, fractured my coccyx, and I've tilted my pelvis. I'm still in a lot of pain, and have been thinking maybe it's time I gave up, but life without riding is unthinkable. You are all inspiring. x
 
whoatherejig said:
So happy to be reading this thread. I'm 58, and for my 50th I galloped an ex-racehorse along a beach, and had my first try at western. Absolutely brilliant. I've always enjoyed naughty ponies, and ride one now, but............ I have osteoporosis ,fybromyalgia, and osteo-arthritis, all of which make me quite weak, and are painful. I usually just eat a handful of painkillers and get on - then the big stupid grin comes across my face. I come off on a regular basis now, mainly because I get unbalanced too easily, and then it's a short step to the floor! To make matters worse I had a bad fall a few weeks ago, got concussion, fractured my coccyx, and I've tilted my pelvis. I'm still in a lot of pain, and have been thinking maybe it's time I gave up, but life without riding is unthinkable. You are all inspiring. x
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sorry to hear you are hurt and wish you a speedie recovery!

i too have found this post inspirational!! I am nearly 48 and suffer rhuematoid arthritis, and a bad fall eventually resulted in a replacement ankle so am slowing down quite a bit. I too am finding the weather the biggest barrier

I bought 7yr old green WB 4 months ago he is a bit 'more horse' than I have been used to before but I am having a ball. started slowly with W&T tests, just did our first prelim. plan to start SJ in the new year too :D

I no longer hunt or do fun rides are it is just too much for me and I have to have a lot of help mucking out etc but I won't give up til I really have too!!
 
Can I please join in, even tho I'm 'only' 41? It's so inspiring to hear that there are those a lot older than I am who aren't slowing down.

I lost the late, great Catembi, in avatar, to protein losing enteropathy in 2007. We used to BD or BS nearly every week, and I competed up to 1 m 15. I spent £8.5k on Adrian, who started v promisingly, faltered and turned out to have EPSM. Then I bought an ex racer who's had various physical and psychological issues, then I had to sell my transport to pay for urgent structural work on the house.

My ambition is to compete at fox BS and adv BD and I've been wondering if I've missed the boat. Maybe not, judging by others on here! We ought to have our own club so we can cheer each other on!

My other ambition is to sell this place in 4 years' time ( we have a 5 year plan) and buy somewhere with more land and a big barn so I can ride inside and never miss a day regardless of weather!

Keep it up, everyone!

T x
 
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