Relearning to ride as an adult anyone else? Or stories?

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xTrooperx

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After many years as a child riding ( mostly cantering around bareback) I have decided to go back to riding as an adult and thought I should actually learn to ride properly, sounds bad already. Anyway went for my lesson and have been informed the way I learned was incorrect, have things really changed that much? Before I was told to hold on with your knees, ride with min contact in reins, keep bottom half of leg of the horse.. I now feel like a total beginner and having to learn right from the start, yes that means stopping/starting and turning. Hopefully I can relearn fast, did any body else find this problem or just me? Would like to hear other peoples experience of going back to ride or re- learning the basics again. I was hoping to buy new horsey in winter time but guess will just have to wait and see how I progress.
 
Hi, be careful where you go, you sound like you where taught correctly before, there are places that dont really care about actually teaching they just do what is easiest ie kick and pull, have a look around, try somwere that teaches classical riding if you want to do it properly. x
 
:D helloooo .. I done that!!! lol .. after a break of many years (travelling, having my daughter etc) I went back to a riding school ..and discovered I couldn't ride anymore!!! ha ha after a childhood spent with horses and ponies.. a million hours riding with no stirrups and gripping with knees (and becoming quite good at it!!) and years of riding bareback (balance!!) I discovered the only thing that was good about my riding was my sitting trot! :( lol ..I got yelled at to open my knees.. turn them out (I thought my knees where going to snap!! lol) I feel your pain .. the only good thing is, my instructor told me all the horses I rode looked relaxed and 'soft' when I rode!

I have given up riding again now :( I got a bit disullisioned when I saw my instructor riding, (heaving herself up onto horses neck so she could KICK the horse hard to make him move!!:eek:) ..I think I would rather not learn to ride the way she does.. so I shall wait till I have my own and get an instructor of my choice instead of the one I got in the riding school ..:o
have fun though :D xx
 
I went back after 25 years, things had a changed a little but not much but then as a child I was taught by a very wellknown and respected instructor and got as far as doing my PC B test.

Mainly it was me not remembering correctly!
 
I have recently started again am going though much the same thing. As kids we had ponies and our time was basically spent whizzing round the fields in completely inappropriate clothing having an absolute whale of a time. Our ponies were adored and our riding was ok but not brilliant. Our parents couldn't afford lessons so we just got on with it and learned from books.

Anyway, my first returning lesson nearly killed me and I actually felt quite sorry for the horse for having me bouncing around on it's back but every lesson since has been a gradual improvement and I can feel myself improving. The thing I am finding hard is thinking about all the different bits of my body at the same time - Shouldars back! Elbows bent! LOOK WHERE YOU"RE GOING! My poor instructor :D it's all so natural when you are 14.

Still, she says i'm doing well so I can't be as hideous as I imagine. d:

I think half the battle is I am now a slightly overweight working mother who hasn't seen a gym for donkeys years. It would be a lot easier if I were fitter so that's on the agenda to.
 
I was thinking of trying another school as well just to double check if they are both on the same page iykwim, as I'm still confused on the knees on or off, graced I know what you mean about sitting trot, i felt it was so easy back then, not tried recently but pretty sure I will be one of those people who do better without saddle than with.
 
xTrooperx said:
graced I know what you mean about sitting trot, i felt it was so easy back then, not tried recently but pretty sure I will be one of those people who do better without saddle than with.
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ha ha i thought that .. I had a go bareback on my friends gorgeous horse, it was fab, but i don't remember it being THAT slippy!! lol .. ah if only i could go back in time and have a hooley around on my old horse :p bliss!! strikes me that the riding schools today (well the ones I have been to!) have taken the fun out of riding for the kids (health and safety !!) what a shame :(
 
I returned to riding after a 20 yr break and 4 kids (by c sections). Like you, many years having lots of fun bareback etc.

I was just awful, I couldn't hold myself properly as I had no core muscles and my instructor only let on later that she thought I would not be able to continue as I was that bad! Anyway she had me jumping small courses 3 months later and after a couple a lessons was informed that yes I could indeed ride and just lack strength and confidence.

Now have my own (very forgiving) pony and am planning some side saddle lessons for my birthday.

Persevere, I think once the initial couple of lessons are behind you, you will find that not too much has changed and years of riding bare back will pay off - I find I can sit things better than some of the younger riders......
 
I completely understand what you are saying.I started back riding last August after a 15 year break. I suffer with back,neck complaint due to a RTA 3 years ago so its taken me up to one month ago, despite lessons twice weekly, to ride correctly & it hasnt helped the fact I was learning at my ex-RS which was hugely commercial & the probs that brought me.Anyhow I have found the most perfect instructors & RS & there is no looking back for me now.Its taken me 8 months (due to no strength in legs,hips&back) to be able to walk, trot (sitting,rising), canter (no stirrups),circles 10 & 20s,serps,etc,polework,groundwork & na working on very small jumps. With the correct instructor & caring professional school I have learnt quicker than 'sticking it out' at the other RS.I have suffered every ache&pain imaginable & still have physio!Its being very hard learning again pyschologically as an adult compared to a child when I had my own 14hh pony that I did PC with & racing from 7 up to 18!I think that comes from me losing my confidence altogether as first time i rode my friends horse (9 mths ago)thinking i was the bees knees & didnt need to ride at RS, i came a cropper!! Ive learnt the long road & still a very long way to go to owning my own horse but will never give it up again.
 
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Private weekly & group weekly & hack weekly when weather permits and I ride different horses. At the ex-RS it was always the same one.
 
Do you find you get as much out of the group lessons as the private ones?

I can only afford one a week as having private. Not sure i really fancy group lessons but they are cheaper.
 
Hiya..I learnt to ride in the 60s and we were taught to grip with your knees. Gradually thoughts on this changed, dressage etc became more popular and the key became balance and application of aids so now the leg should hang from the hip, no gripping as this pushes you up out of the saddle. Knees forward, lower leg close to the flanks. What they are teaching you is correct. ;)
 
i feel im building up confidence in a group as riding with other riders&horses & being left to do my own thing I really enjoy as I feel independent but I keep my private lessons going as I do learn better on a one to one basis (with everything). I enjoy both to be honest. I dont hack out in group tho. I am also doing BHS Stage 1 too - Some days i think there is so much to learn Il never learn it all in my lifetime!
 
I've returned to regular riding after about 30 year gap, but I've had horses for the last 12 years (through my daughter) so I am familiar with spirited pony wrangling and the keeping of finicky and sometimes opinionated TBs, but not riding them. I am very much a beginner, I can hold myself together pretty well at the walk but at the trot I feel myself tipping forward and I find it hard to keep my patient and kind steed going! I am amazed at how much I've remembered and how much I have picked up just by years of observing riders but I am frustrated by my lack of stability and strength. All theory and no practice I guess :)

I have informal lessons with a very kind and patient lady at the yard, sometimes private lessons, sometimes we go on a hack with another adult re-rider, she's excellent because she gives you the opportunity to take your time and just get used to being on a horse again, and she has nice horses that put up with awful novices such as me.

My aim is to ride twice a week, in between lessons I've been doing power yoga to build up my muscles and improve my balance.

I hope one day to be able to ride well enough to ride our TB Basil, he is very safe, never rears, bucks or any of that but he can be a bit joggy and is probably still too forward going for an old novice like me but perhaps when he's older and had all his fast fun.

Realistically I'd like to be able to ride well enough to consider having my own horse for me, that is mine to ride and enjoy, just an old plod who does not mind the slow life and can happily carry a heavier rider (I've lost nearly 4 stone now and still going but I think I am still pretty heavy)
 
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