Successful riders =/= late starters?

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SaddleUpSin

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Watching Charlotte and Valegro really inspires me, only, I never did the pony years, a lot later to riding in life, only just getting my first horse as an adult. Are there any inspiring success stories of riders who've started late? Who maybe work other jobs and not just horses? It demotivates me when I remind myself that I may be a bit late to the party to be any good, even if I work for years with the goal in mind of having a v. good trainer/horse with potential.
 
Define "successful"? Surely it's subjective?
If you're going to define successful as getting right to the top as an Olympic gold medallist then everyone's chances are slim, whether you were were born onto a horse or started age 35. I think it depends on the goals you set yourself.

For some people, getting around a 50cm SJ course is success. For others, it might be completing a BE100. I started late and I've achieved my goals so far so I'd consider my riding career to be a success so far. I'm not an amazing rider, I'm just an average leisure rider, but then I haven't set out to try to get right to the top. I don't have a horsey career and I'm not a particularly natural rider but I do work hard and with my current horse, I've managed placings at BE as well as ending this year by winning some money a BD and achieving a load of points for my horse. For me that's a huge success. But if you compare me to CDJ and Valegro, then we're a resounding failure!

So I really think it depends on your goals and definitions! But if you think that the only way to be successful is to be right at the top then you'll always set yourself up for failure, unless you're particularly talented with some serious horsepower and money behind you.
 
chestnut cob said:
Define "successful"? Surely it's subjective?
If you're going to define successful as getting right to the top as an Olympic gold medallist then everyone's chances are slim, whether you were were born onto a horse or started age 35. I think it depends on the goals you set yourself.

For some people, getting around a 50cm SJ course is success. For others, it might be completing a BE100. I started late and I've achieved my goals so far so I'd consider my riding career to be a success so far. I'm not an amazing rider, I'm just an average leisure rider, but then I haven't set out to try to get right to the top. I don't have a horsey career and I'm not a particularly natural rider but I do work hard and with my current horse, I've managed placings at BE as well as ending this year by winning some money a BD and achieving a load of points for my horse. For me that's a huge success. But if you compare me to CDJ and Valegro, then we're a resounding failure!

So I really think it depends on your goals and definitions! But if you think that the only way to be successful is to be right at the top then you'll always set yourself up for failure, unless you're particularly talented with some serious horsepower and money behind you.
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See I'd definitely consider this successful, very much so. Currently I've never jumped a course, never rode cross cross country, never attempted a w/t test, the idea of holding two reins terrifies me. Seeing someone perform so wonderfully just seems unreal!
 
What chestnut cob said.

I have been riding since i was young, but have never been able to own my own horse until a year ago (aged 25), so have just had riding lessons (no pony club either so just an hour once a week). You need to have the money and time to work for top riders, afford lessons continuously, find the right horse to really get to the top. Which not many people have.

I am definitely a leisure rider, i'd love to be good and people like Charlotte inspire me, but i'm realistic and know i'll never be *that* good. And I know with lessons I can work on things and improve but I'm never going to be jumping ridiculous heights or scoring high in the dressage. I'm happy to work with what i've got, i'm working on entering some online showing/dressage and if we get placed in that i'll be over the moon as I know me and my horse are very much low end haha!

I think it really depends on what you class as successful. I'll be happy if next year we can get placed in a few things or even just box to the beach and have a good old blast.
 
Sue Hearn, who was in the Australian dressage team for Rio, was in her first Olympics at the age of 60. At least with dressage you don't have to be really young to compete, so you can make up for lost time.
 
I knew an incredibly talented rider who didn't get her first horse until her 30's.

Whilst she wasn't an international rider or anything like that, she competed at Advanced Medium and her horse was schooled higher. A very soft but effective rider.

It can be done! :)
 
OK for a bog standard person (check my signature, this is what I am all about)

I started riding just over 10 years ago in my early twenties.
I have unaffiliated evented at 80cm and placed.
I have competed for my riding club at dressage.
I have qualified for Pet Plan Area dressage at Novice level.
I am competing at Elementary dressage and hoping to get out at Medium by the end of 2017
I have trained my horse myself (i.e. with instructors, he wasn't made and isn't an easy ride)

I like to think I am successful :)
 
I learnt to ride aged 7/8, and was always very tall as a child (as well as never being in the position when younger to have my own pony) and got lessons once a week which occasionally ended up once every two weeks. As I was quite tall for my age (I think I hit about 5"4 aged 11/12 - but stopped growing and am still only 5"4!) I was out of ponies before I was 13 and as I only rode at a RS, I never really had the chance to do a lot of the 'fun' pony stuff. I also feel like as I was at a RS for years, and never have had the opportunity to get out competing (I have no transport and can't afford it, and don't know if B will travel with another horse as any time we have transported him, it's been by himself and he play fights/annoys a lot of horses) I have missed out. the RS I was at, I can't fault. They were very safety conscious, they taught me very well when it came to horse care and management, as well as when it comes to how to ride and school a horse and how to ride different horses to try and get the best out of them, but when it came to jumping we weren't doing much and it's what I have always wanted to do. I absolutely think the RS was right for me at the right time, I had a big confidence loss due to a broken arm and my instructor there was brilliant with helping me build it up again - but at the same time I do feel like I missed out a lot when it came to competing and doing the more 'fun' things, because we just couldn't afford them even when I had my own horse.

That said, I have heard that a lot of riders who start later in life pick it up a lot quicker than children - and when I was volunteering at the RS, the riders who started in their late teens or as adults seemed to need fewer lessons before they were off the LR (some it took only 1 or 2 lessons), followed instruction better, were able to find and establish their balance much easier and were much more coordinated than the kids who were learning on ponies. I think it's also much easier when you are earning and more independent and not relying on parents for lifts/paying for things to be able to really 'enjoy' your horse and do more, if not as many, things as kids on ponies. If anything, as there is no school to worry about, things like weekday clinics or lessons are much easier to organise as long as you can get time off work :)
 
SaddleUpSin said:
See I'd definitely consider this successful, very much so. Currently I've never jumped a course, never rode cross cross country, never attempted a w/t test, the idea of holding two reins terrifies me. Seeing someone perform so wonderfully just seems unreal!
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You have to set yourself the right goals. It's perfectly possible to be successful when you come to something later in life - look at Batgirl's post further down. I'd say those achievements are incredible for someone who's only been riding 10 years. I wish I'd been able to do more with my horse and I do sometimes feel that I don't do him justice, but I have to be realistic because I have other commitments. I often work away and even when I am at home, riding one horse 5x a week is never going to be enough to improve as much as I'd like to. I can't change that, I just do the best I can.

Also for me the thing that makes me most proud is the relationship I've developed with me horse. He is my best friend (besides the OH of course!), he would jump the moon or walk through fire if I asked him to and he always makes me smile, every time I ride him. To me, that tells me I've been fairly successful because he's a happy, well adjusted horse who still loves to work.

OP, maybe you should set yourself some goals for 2017. Do you ride at a RS or have your own horse? What sort of riding are you doing?
There's no point comparing yourself to people like CDJ but you can certainly be inspired by them. I watched all of the Kur last night and even CH's test didn't inspire me the way CDJ and Valegro did afterwards. They are exceptional and when I watch them, I immediately get the urge to get down to the yard and start dressageing! :D
 
Malcolm Pyrah was a successful showjumper in the 80s and I think he didn't start riding until he was in his 20s or even 30s.
 
Interesting thread :), I never had ponies as a child though did get to go to a rs from about 8 years old. Got my first pony at 16, we still have her (I'm mid 20's now) and now have three in total.

I strive to be better.
I am by nature competitive and a somewhat of a frustrated perfectionist (I never get things perfect hence frustrated :lol:), I think I have achieved some of my goals but I'll never be satisfied which in turn continues my learning.

With my first horse I went from only ever having ridden at a RS, to showing up and down the country most of the time on my own. We were never top class but we had a ball, including placing at the North West champs, Equifest, Cherif Championships (in-hand), Cheshire show (this was a highlight!). She taught me a lot (and still does) about listening to the horse and what they want/are capable of.

Topaz was a bit of a turning point as she has opened my eyes to dressage, in three years were are now at Medium level having just qualified for the Petplan finals. I would love to be a better rider, I will not accept I've reached my limit and will continue to push on, it's been difficult sometimes as we all get stuff wrong, especially the first time you do it! I was utterly hopeless at sitting trot, two years on it has clicked! I like dressage as it shows the whole journey and the milestones are easy to follow.

Topaz gave me the confidence in my ability to buy an un-backed youngster and back her myself, my instructor thinks I'm doing well which is fab as I'm always concerned I'm doing the wrong thing and will mess her up :o.

I think improvement is sometimes as much a mindset as it is putting the graft in, if you don't believe you can do better it wont matter how much you practice, you need the belief that you can get there.

Still dreaming of riding in a tailcoat :lol:!
 
There was a lady who was an airline pilot and didn't ride until she was at a country house weekend and was presented with a horse to go hunting. She liked it so much she went home and bought her own horse and ended up on the national team and at least one Olympics.

She was Swedish, I think, so could probably ski, so was fit and balanced and obviously very intelligent and brave. All the attributes you need for being a rider. But she didn't start until her mid 20s.
 
Orangehorse said:
There was a lady who was an airline pilot and didn't ride until she was at a country house weekend and was presented with a horse to go hunting. She liked it so much she went home and bought her own horse and ended up on the national team and at least one Olympics.

She was Swedish, I think, so could probably ski, so was fit and balanced and obviously very intelligent and brave. All the attributes you need for being a rider. But she didn't start until her mid 20s.
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Thats awesome! Its inspiring to hear of people making it that far not starting young, although I'm sure money is a large factor, gives me a motivation to keep at work haha!
 
SaddleUpSin said:
Thats awesome! Its inspiring to hear of people making it that far not starting young, although I'm sure money is a large factor, gives me a motivation to keep at work haha!
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I think time and money is a big factor at any age. It's unrealistic to say otherwise. I rode as a tot and have had my own ponies since i was 10, but they were on a shoestring - kept in a cowshed and we didn't have a trailer etc so couldn't go anywhere unless it was within hacking distance. I think I learnt a lot about resilience and probably developed a bit of natural balance etc but it's not comparable to the kids who get put on these world class type training pathways with super trainers and mega ponies :o

So the age you put your bum in the saddle doesn't count for THAT much IMO, it's the resources you have available that determine how far and how quickly you advance. Someone who starts as an adult but rode good horses, with good tuition would get much further than me plugging away on my own!

As with the others though, you have to make your own definition of success. Chances are, that will change as you start to achieve some goals. Other stuff comes into focus as a possibility.... I'm never going to get to nationals (due to time & money :p ) but we can hold our own at regionals... for me that is OK, still gives us something to strive for but it's an achievable goal and a reasonable expectation for my horsepower.
 
I shouldn't think it matters when most people start, they aren't going to be Charlotte :)

However I think you can make up for lost time with decent lessons and a determination to improve. I've ridden for over 30 years but it's only in the last 5 or so I've had the right lessons with the right people. Still miles to go of course but you have to enjoy the journey to get to the destination anyway!
 
Many, many years ago, when I was young and ambitious :-)....I did a sort of mega analysis of what it took to be a successful dressage competitor. I did a proper chart with all the top riders and the possible factors. The one overiding factor that they had in common was.......money. Obviously there has to be dedication, effort, etc., but without money the chances of being successful are vanishingly small.
 
Cortez said:
Obviously there has to be dedication, effort, etc., but without money the chances of being successful are vanishingly small.
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yep. And as bog standard amateurs on a normal budget, the trick is to dust yourself down from that realisation, and keep going anyway :)
 
Batgirl said:
OK for a bog standard person (check my signature, this is what I am all about)

I started riding just over 10 years ago in my early twenties.
I have unaffiliated evented at 80cm and placed.
I have competed for my riding club at dressage.
I have qualified for Pet Plan Area dressage at Novice level.
I am competing at Elementary dressage and hoping to get out at Medium by the end of 2017
I have trained my horse myself (i.e. with instructors, he wasn't made and isn't an easy ride)

I like to think I am successful :)
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I call that successful, well done.
 
I think the responses are focusing too much on an outcome. For me, the joy of horses is that your journey never stops. You are always learning and improving (unless in the small minority of people who think they have nothing left to learn). I have ridden since I was 6. Didn't have ponies but begged borrowed and worked for anything to ride with 4 legs. Sometimes I can't train as can't afford it or horse is off. I won't make the Olympic event team but I don't want to either!
 
The one thing that sticks in my mind is that Charlotte didn't ever realise she would be the world famous Charlotte she is now! I mean, she wasn't short on opportunities but I think the credit to her achievements goes to how hard she worked to get there :)

We can't be her, but if you shoot for the moon you'll fall amongst the stars!

Its encouraging to hear of riders who are years behind the start mark but still doing great in their spheres and their own achievements! Any more stories, personal or elsewise, more than welcome!
 
But did Carl Hester start with money? I thought he went as a working pupil, same as Charlotte and they didn't have parents in the background to buy them good horses.
 
Orangehorse said:
But did Carl Hester start with money? I thought he went as a working pupil, same as Charlotte and they didn't have parents in the background to buy them good horses.
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I think thats why Charlotte is such an inspiration, she had ponies from 2/3 onwards but her mother worked to afford them, buying and selling horses and she bought herself one from inheritance money rather than just because she wanted one!
 
Orangehorse said:
But did Carl Hester start with money? I thought he went as a working pupil, same as Charlotte and they didn't have parents in the background to buy them good horses.
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uhhhh CDJ had won at HOYS 4 times by the time she left school... had a trainer at that young age who guided her down the dressage route... i'm not for one moment taking anything away from her, it's a huge amount of effort and TALENT but it's a world apart from the average kid bobbing around on a heinz 57 pony at that age.
 
milliepops said:
uhhhh CdJ had won at HOYS 4 times by the time she left school... had a trainer at that young age who guided her down the dressage route... i'm not for one moment taking anything away from her, it's a huge amount of effort and TALENT but it's a world apart from the average kid bobbing around on a heinz 57 pony at that age.
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Yeah, I agree, disheartening compared to me learning to ride at walk by the time she'd won HOYS 4 times (still love her, she's still so humble)
But thats why I'm seeking riders who started late and still made up the time and did well also! Even some of the comments on this thread make me feel less hopeless!! :)
 
SaddleUpSin said:
I think thats why Charlotte is such an inspiration, she had ponies from 2/3 onwards but her mother worked to afford them, buying and selling horses and she bought herself one from inheritance money rather than just because she wanted one!
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For me, Carl is more of an inspiration - charlotte is amazing, granted, absolutely amazing but I think Carl dragged himself up by his bootstraps if his autobiog is anything to go by. (and gave CDJ one hell of a leg up).
Still wild with jealousy though, I'd have given my eye teeth to go and be a working pupil at an amazing stable when I was younger but my positively anti-horse parents would have seriously vetoed it :o
 
SaddleUpSin said:
Yeah, I agree, disheartening compared to me learning to ride at walk by the time she'd won HOYS 4 times (still love her, she's still so humble)
But thats why I'm seeking riders who started late and still made up the time and did well also! Even some of the comments on this thread make me feel less hopeless!! :)
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well the great thing about equestrian sport, compared to, say, athletics, is that you can continue into old age so it's never too late to start! :lol: There was the japanese dressage rider at London 2012 at the age of 70... I think he was aiming for Rio but the horse wasn't sound. Never give up :p
 
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