Starting riding again later in life (and a bit heavier)

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showjumper112M

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Hi all

I used to ride as a teenager (PC etc) but lost interest when I was about 17. I'm 45 now (not sure how that happened) and would like to start riding again but will need some initial lessons as it's been years since I've been on a horse. I'm quite stocky (but not fat or anything) and looking at some of the weight limits at local rising schools (I'm in Lancs) it's clear they're catering for youngsters rather than people like me. Does anyone know of any NW riding schools with a decent weight limit? Surely someone must have a few weight-carriers on the yard out there?

Just curious....
 
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showjumper112M said:
Hi all

I used to ride as a teenager (PC etc) but lost interest when I was about 17. I'm 45 now (not sure how that happened) and would like to start riding again but will need some initial lessons as it's been years since I've been on a horse. I'm quite stocky (but not fat or anything) and looking at some of the weight limits at local rising schools (I'm in Lancs) it's clear they're catering for youngsters rather than people like me. Does anyone know of any NW riding schools with a decent weight limit? Surely someone must have a few weight-carriers on the yard out there?

Just curious....
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Hello, welcome to the forum.:)

This thread is from someone in the North East but there's some good advice in it. ...

I need encouragement

The local equestrian centre does bhs stage 1 stable management. Would you reccomend doing this? I did this course. I also paid for 2 private lessons on how to groom. I needed it to know how to pick up the feet because when I was a little girl and delivery horses came to the gate, my mother...
forums.horseandhound.co.uk forums.horseandhound.co.uk
@JosephJmc might have an update on how things went with the various suggestions.

(I'm in Scotland. To be honest you would struggle in my area. The two places I have access to have a weight limit of 13 & 14 stone dressed for riding. It isn't so much that there's prejudice in who they want to cater for, rather the availability of beginner-safe horses of the right size. Put " safe weight carrier" into a horse search & you'll see what I mean - :eek:££££££ !!)
 
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JosephJmc

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Hi there, Sounds like you're in a similar position as me. I'm taking the long route of committing to lose the excess weight so I can take riding lessons near me. In the meantime I've booked a riding holiday in Wales where the weight limit is 15 stone. Also doing stable management lesson when I get the chance (work at sea). Its a struggle to stay motivated when it seems that some are just naturally able to keep weight off. Good luck to you! P.s- I think cukbrian heavy horses is nearer to you if I remember my geography, check them out
 
Birker2020

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The weight limit around by us is 16 stone and many of the riding centres in Wales and Devon where we have visited on holiday also have the same weight limit.
 
Birker2020

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showjumper112M said:
Ah, thanks. 16 st is fine for me. I'll have a look.
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I'm in the same situation as you, haven't ridden for a while (well four times since I stopped riding Lari) on a friends horse which I was able to ride for 20-30 mins in walk, trot and canter.

I go to the gym a lot so not that unfit although I know riding is a different type of fitness. I went 8 years in between horses once and managed okay but I was a lot younger. I'm going to start viewing horses now and have a viewing this weekend which I'm excited about although it may be the first of many. I expect I will be aching the next day! I can't wait to start all over again with another horse, although I won't be doing much at all to start with and it will mainly be hacking and having half hour lessons once a week from an instructor but I'm more than happy to pootle along with short sessions until I'm fitter, I expect the weight will drop off quick enough once I'm back riding and mucking out. :)

Hope you find somewhere to ride.
 
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showjumper112M

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JosephJmc said:
Hi there, Sounds like you're in a similar position as me. I'm taking the long route of committing to lose the excess weight so I can take riding lessons near me. In the meantime I've booked a riding holiday in Wales where the weight limit is 15 stone. Also doing stable management lesson when I get the chance (work at sea). Its a struggle to stay motivated when it seems that some are just naturally able to keep weight off. Good luck to you! P.s- I think cukbrian heavy horses is nearer to you if I remember my geography, check them out
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Thanks... This may just encourage me to lose a bit of weight anyway! I used to ride as a kid up until I was about 17 so I'm struggling with the idea I might be a bit too heavy now but then again that was almost 30 years ago! I'm looking for a few lessons to get me going again but all the local riding schools tend to cater to kids mainly. I'll have al look at Cumbrian Heavy Horses...
 
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showjumper112M

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Birker2020 said:
I'm in the same situation as you, haven't ridden for a while (well four times since I stopped riding Lari) on a friends horse which I was able to ride for 20-30 mins in walk, trot and canter.

I go to the gym a lot so not that unfit although I know riding is a different type of fitness. I went 8 years in between horses once and managed okay but I was a lot younger. I'm going to start viewing horses now and have a viewing this weekend which I'm excited about although it may be the first of many. I expect I will be aching the next day! I can't wait to start all over again with another horse, although I won't be doing much at all to start with and it will mainly be hacking and having half hour lessons once a week from an instructor but I'm more than happy to pootle along with short sessions until I'm fitter, I expect the weight will drop off quick enough once I'm back riding and mucking out. :)

Hope you find somewhere to ride.
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Thanks... that's my strategy too. I'm just going to start off gently. I did quite a lot of jumping about 30 years ago but that feels like a millions miles away now!
 
Tiddlypom

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The weight limit at Cumbrian Heavy Horses is strictly enforced, but is variable according to rider height and experience. The absolute top limit for the shorter rides is 16 stone, rather less for the day rides.

That top limit is reduced for shorter riders, because the owner has found that short riders of the same weight are less well balanced so fall off more often. CHH can and do weigh riders if a customer turns up who appears to have told porkies about their weight when booking.
 
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Dont be put off. I started aged 61. I still ride and I still love it.
The weight thing is partly economic. Our RS told me they keep one weight bearer for beginner men riders, but a biggish strong horse costs more to keep than a beginner pony. And some of the young girl staff who escorted me had problems riding that large horse as they couldnt get him moving easily forward.
Take your time learning and be kind to yourself.
 
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IrishMilo said:
Tbh the weight limit is there for a reason and I'm glad it's enforced. It's a grey area for sure but it would be hard to know where to draw the line otherwise.
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That's fair enough. I completely 'get' the reasons it's there (particularly for unbalanced beginners; which I'm not). But then equally given the relatively low cut-off weight also means that many adult males can't find anywhere to start to ride and are therefore excluded from the sport. The mean adult male weight in England in 2021 was 85.1 kg (13.4 st) (NHSE 2022) but virtually all the riding schools where I live have a weight limit of 12 st. Frankly I'm not sure about the economics of owning a riding school but my point is excluding the majority of adults from learning to rise on a school horse is not great for the sport generally? When you look at some of the portly men out hunting it seems a bit silly that some riding schools can't have a couple of ploddy weight-carriers?
 
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Not sure if you are still looking, but Daisy nook in Ashton Under-Lyne take on heavier adult ridrs.
I ride their as I originally started with a friend who did not meet the weight limit of a lot of schools (Those that seem to focus mainly on children's lessons).
They have several larger (and in one case a massive 18.2hh) horses and I know a few of the adult riders. so if its not too far from you would be worth a call.
 
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Birker2020 said:
The weight limit around by us is 16 stone and many of the riding centres in Wales and Devon where we have visited on holiday also have the same weight limit.
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Does that include the weight of the tack the horse carries & the weight of the boots, hat etc the rider must wear.
 
Tiddlypom

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Mari said:
Does that include the weight of the tack the horse carries & the weight of the boots, hat etc the rider must wear.
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For riding schools and trekking centres the weight limits usually are with the rider dressed for riding, including boots and helmet, but excluding the horse’s tack.

Riding clothing adds approx a stone to nekked weight, so a 16 stone limit becomes a 15 stone nekked weight rider.
 
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I am so glad you got back on a horse. I missed my ride this week due to catching a cough and streamng cold. But I am better today and really believe it is riding that keeps me fit.
 
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