Successful riders =/= late starters?

[SaddleUpSin]

Everything seems such a long way off right now, training in a fairly lucrative field - accountancy - but still in the very baby steps and its hard to find motivation knowing that there's other things out there I'd rather be doing (horses) but if I set it straight in my head that if I work hard now, in the future I can afford good horses and good trainers and CREATE my own opportunities, because they won't find me!

 

[Cortez]

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

I agree; Carl Hester is the power behind CDJ's throne, and a terrific trainer of both horses and people (if they are prepared to work hard). Carl didn't have money, but he had money behind him (the Bechtolsheimers), and CDJ is far from the average rider, from the beginning she had family prepared to fund her ambitions.

There is no doubt that starting any sport young is an advantage (in most sports it is essential), but riding is one where age is far less of a factor than in others. I think the oldest ever Olympic competitor was a Japanese dressage rider in his 70's.....

*Ooops! See Milliepops has already mentioned him.

 

[SaddleUpSin]

This threads given me hope, instead of feeling like my chances have passed me by because I wasn't raised in the saddle, I feel like I have the rest of my life to train and improve!

 

[LinzyD]

Everything seems such a long way off right now, training in a fairly lucrative field - accountancy - but still in the very baby steps and its hard to find motivation knowing that there's other things out there I'd rather be doing (horses) but if I set it straight in my head that if I work hard now, in the future I can afford good horses and good trainers and CREATE my own opportunities, because they won't find me!

This is absolutely it. I had very ordinary ponies as a child and enjoyed the whole business of looking after them as much as the riding. The one thing I really wanted but could never have was a 'stripy' rug - in those days they were woollen Witney blankets. I didn't have a horse of my own through my 20s and most of my 30s as I was working in London and establishing a career, but I kept up with riding when I could and when I did get one of my own again I was able to afford to do things better than we'd been able to afford when I was a child, and the first thing I went out and bought the day after my new horse was delivered to the livery yard in London was that beautiful striped rug. I was 38. A year later I moved out of London and bought my own small yard. Over the following 10 years I achieved more than I would ever have thought possible: multiple HOYS & RIHS qualifications, riding at Olympia, BD points and placings at the Regionals, 3 full seasons Hunting, and this year I won a ODE for the first time. And tomorrow I will be harnessing up a small pony and putting him to a cart for the first time in my life (having done all the preliminary work, of course), in my next endeavour which is driving, and I've just started to do Ele dressage with one of the ponies, and I'm thinking about showing one of my husband's hunters next year. There is always something new to learn and it is a journey that can last a lifetime if you want it to and it is never, ever too late to achieve new goals. And the best bit is that because I got really well qualified and have good earning capacity I now work part time and can have both the time and the money to keep on doing what I love. You go for it, SUS, it's all ahead of you.... I'm in my 50s now and thinking about what I can achieve over the next 10 years, and then the next... If I can keep on learning that's what drives me.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

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!

I've been riding for 50yrs but I haven't got an Olympic Gold medal!

Success for any rider is doing the best you can and improving as much as possible. IMO, every rider should aim to improve the horse every time they ride, which does not mean endless schooling in an arena! You set your own goals, the main one should be to enjoy riding, you don't have to compete to be a successful rider.

 

[Firefly9410]

I wanted to be an eventer and ride round Badminton. I had no money though so I knew it would never happen. I wanted a big chunky Irish Draught x TB type. Instead when I left school I bought a little cob to fit in with my budget and lifestyle. I used common sense to break him in and we hacked. He was slow but I showed him what fun cantering was by going out with friends. We learned to jump and he was good at it but not confident. We splashed through puddles jumped ditches and cantered through the river in time jumping down and up the banks. I schooled on the flat and had some jumping lessons which I never did before. Our highlights was a pairs hunter trial with a friend where we jumped clear. This turned out to be the only hunter trial we ever had the chance to do. We won the dressage series one year before a field injury led to soundness problems and retirement from competition. We had lots of fab hacks and I will treasure those memories forever. We placed every time out in cob showing classes. I loved all the preparation for that. I was so proud when he first won some dressage at prelim and novice level. Once we came second place in one of our rare attempts at showjumping too. It was nothing exciting just two steady rounds but we left all the poles up and that got us second place. It has been a wonderful experience being a horse owner and although I never got to be an eventer I feel like I made a success of horses to the best of my ability and finances. There is no reason why you cannot be successful too.

 

[Sukistokes2]

What is success?
I have had horses since my early teens, rode at riding schools before and for a weekend leisure rider I don't think I do to badly. I'd admire people like Carl and Charlotte and other great riders but have no wish to be like them. There is an element of hardness towards your mount that I would never achieve. Charlotte financed herself by selling her first horse, now I could not do that, I keep my horses for life. Now that is not a criticism, it's a reality . Just image the heart ache Charlotte went through after London.
I am happy that is my success, I am knowledgeable, I ride to a reasonable standard, I have my challenges to keep me interested (working on my Clydesdale canter ) and my horses are happy and healthy = success

 

[LinzyD]

Really great definitions of success above. Yes, I think this rings true for many of us. For me, first and foremost is the relationship with the horse and working with what you have. One of the reasons that I've done so many different disciplines and activities is that I try to find what each horse/pony is good at and then work to do the best we can at that particular thing. Sometimes they surprise you by showing an inclination or talent for something completely unexpected. Spooky showing pony with massive movement has turned out to love jumping; little chubby M&M is competing ele dressage; quiet lead-rein pony is now driving and much more forward; fieldmaster's horse will be doing some showing next year. This for me is success, keeping them happy and healthy, enjoying who they are as well as what they are, discovering their talents and aptitudes, doing the best we can at those things within our limitations, and always learning.

 

[rachk89]

I might be delusional (well no might about it) but I am pretty determined to get my horse to at least PSG level and hopefully grand prix. I see no reason he can't do it he has the talent and ability to get to that level. His only issue is me but I am improving a lot recently and getting back to my old self. I don't care if it takes over a decade to do it but i do want to be able to say I trained my horse from intro level to a very high level in dressage.

Success in jumping for me will be if I can manage to get round an 80cm course without fainting.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I've been riding for 50yrs but I haven't got an Olympic Gold medal!

Success for any rider is doing the best you can and improving as much as possible. IMO, every rider should aim to improve the horse every time they ride, which does not mean endless schooling in an arena! You set your own goals, the main one should be to enjoy riding, you don't have to compete to be a successful rider.

This is it for me. I came late to the party too. Ok, I bobbled about on varous begged & borrowed ponies through my childhood, I then fell away from horses all together & only 3 years ago came back to them.

At 44, I got my first ever owned pony. Being successful for me is teaching him something every day, even if it is just to stand tied up while I muck out, be caught every night by people who aren't me, to have faith & trust.

I just try to be a little bit better every day. To learn something new each day & to put it to use.

 

[Dave's Mam]

What is success?
I have had horses since my early teens, rode at riding schools before and for a weekend leisure rider I don't think I do to badly. I'd admire people like Carl and Charlotte and other great riders but have no wish to be like them. There is an element of hardness towards your mount that I would never achieve. Charlotte financed herself by selling her first horse, now I could not do that, I keep my horses for life. Now that is not a criticism, it's a reality . Just image the heart ache Charlotte went through after London.
I am happy that is my success, I am knowledgeable, I ride to a reasonable standard, I have my challenges to keep me interested (working on my Clydesdale canter ) and my horses are happy and healthy = success

And this.

 

[pepsimaxrock]

Victoria Pendleton

I bought my first horse at nearly 54. He was a little more long in the tooth than I am even so now he is in a lovely home where he does a lot less work. But the wee sweetheart taught me to jump and gave me the competition bug.
6 years later, on my second horse, my lovely equally long suffering and delightful mare, I am aiming at the Wobbleberry challenge. If I make it, that to me would be the epitome of success.
Good luck