Hello!

[alliersv]

Hi, just wanted to say hello and give a bit of an introduction.
I've just started riding again at the age of 35, after a 20 year layoff, so have been skulking around this forum for a while, reading other people's experiences with interest.

I started riding at 4, and got my own pony, a 13:2hh New Forset pony called Rebel when I was about 9. Had a good few years with him learning how to stick like glue when he went off on one, then upgraded to a 15:2hh Anglo Arab mare who was about 13 when I got her and had been used for breeding for quite a few years due to an accident when she was younger which damaged one of her eyes. She turned out to be a cracking jumper despite her eye and gave me many years of thrills and fun.
I was lucky enough to live in the country and had friends who rode, so had quite a good horsey social life with show jumping, cross country and lots of good hacking trails to explore.

After moving out of home, I never managed to be in a situation where I could ride until now, living back in the country and with a few more quid in my pocket, I have started lessons again. I'm only on my third one, and my fitness (or lack of it) is my worst problem. I can still ride ok, although my posture and balance need some work.
My instructor is really nice and has been making me work hard, but seems happy with my progress so far. It is only a small school and she has just lost her mucker-outer, so I have offered to do some mucking out and chores when I have days off to get back into the swing and get my fitness back up. I am really looking forward to getting back into all the other things that riding entail, and just being around horses again. As I said to her, I would rather do something I enjoy for nothing that spend £30 a month on gym membership that I won't use!

Anyway, sorry for the long winded intro, hope you're still awake. Look forward to reading everyone's experiences as they get back into riding and sharing a few of my own.

Cheers
Allie

[orbvalley]

Hi and welcome, It wasn't a long winded intro but a very interesting one. Glad you've got back into riding again, I was the same last summer with a 17year break behind me and there's lots of people on NR like us:D

[Wally]

Whato! welcome to the forum.

[Shanny]

Hi Allie,

Welcome... I'm also a newbie on here! This forum is really a great resource of information!

Shan

[alliersv]

Thanks for the welcomes.
This looks like a very useful site. I've found it really interesting reading how other people are getting on after years out of the saddle.
Only trouble is I already want another horse, but with 2 other expensive hobbies, I fear I may be single if I try to get too deep back into this one!!
I've persuaded the other half to go on a riding lesson over Easter so am hoping he will get the bug. Then my request to move somewhere with "room for a pony" hopefully won't result in WW3!

[Ginger Thing]

Welcome :D

At least you have some leeway if you do decide to get a horse - you mention 2 other expensive hobbies, so just swap one expensive hobby for another ;):D

[alliersv]

Welcome :D

At least you have some leeway if you do decide to get a horse - you mention 2 other expensive hobbies, so just swap one expensive hobby for another ;):D

Hehe. Don't think I haven't thought of it.
One involves about 140 horsepower and the other is swimming with the feeshes.
Trouble is I love those hobbies too and they are things we both do together, now if I can just get him bitten by the horsey bug, hopefully I can have my cake and eat it!!

[Shanny]

I know I'm being nosey...ooops, but what are your other 2 hobbies?:)

[alliersv]

I know I'm being nosey...ooops, but what are your other 2 hobbies?:)

Motorbikes and Scuba Diving.
I'm a relatively new convert to the diving, but been riding bikes for 13 years and would find that hard to give up.
BTW, yes I do pull the clutch in and slow down ;)

[Lucyad]

Hi, welcome to the board! I had a similar break, stopping between the ages of 15 and 32, when I moved back to the countryside and got a share for a couple of years before getting my own horse 2 years ago. It was the best thing I ever did - I dont know why I stayed away for so long!

[Wally]

I have motorbikes and horses....no diving though, it's too darned cold here!

[alliersv]

Hi, welcome to the board! I had a similar break, stopping between the ages of 15 and 32, when I moved back to the countryside and got a share for a couple of years before getting my own horse 2 years ago. It was the best thing I ever did - I dont know why I stayed away for so long!

I never fell out of love with it. It was just circumstances, but seeing all the horses round here really made me want to give it another go. That and the fact that I need to lose weight and get fit and I'd rather do it doing something I enjoy that using a flippin' treadmill or something. :o:D

I have motorbikes and horses....no diving though, it's too darned cold here!

Lol, tell me about it. That's why it's expensive..I have to go to sunnier places!
:D

[lcs]

Ah yes, scuba diving...*peers through the mists of time*...I used to do that! A long, long time ago.

I managed to put a stop to my diving after a bad dive resulted in a horrific ear infection and has left me partially deaf and unable to dive ever again. (Stupidly, I went against the doctor's recommendation 'just to see'...I got to about 5m below and my ear became horrendously painful!!)
One very certain, if not recommended, way to get rid of a hobby to allow me to 'justify' my horse riding!!

Hello and welcome, I think you'll be in good company here!!

[Ginger Thing]

OH used to be really into bikes, he built them, showed them, rode them...;) At one point he had 7 :eek:

Then he discovered horses and finds it more exhilarating to gallop and jump now! He sold his prize bike to buy his horse. Its something we both do together....so....yes,you just need to convert your OH to horses too, then you both swap bikes for horses ;):D)

[Cobgirl]

Welcome to NR - I came back last year after a break of 40 years..am almost 60 years old and now part loan a horse, that I have never done before! A real live learning curve for me as I help look after her. I rode as a youngster - teenager but gave up around 18 years of age. It is difficult coming back and relearning as things were a bit different when I was younger and riding. Some of the rules seem to have changed, lol!

Why don't you part loan for a while?

Regards
Cobgirl

[alliersv]

Well being the stubborn so and so that I am, I don't really want to sacrifice one thing for the other. The motorcycling really is a passion too. It filled the gap left by horses for many years and I love it. The diving is mainly a holiday thing so that can stay as a treat.
If I can persuade him that horses are fun too, then we can just about manage to afford both the horses and the bikes.
I would like to part loan or something but I work long shifts which makes it difficult to do a lot of the work myself. Ironically I get a lot of days off (2 weeks in 4) but on the days I do work I'm there 7-7 days and nights and am good for nowt after I get home.This would cause me a problem as I'd like to be hands on and don't think I'd enjoy it as much if I wasn't involved all the time.
I think I'll see how it goes helping around at the riding school and see how I feel. I may be harbouring romantic ideas of how much I enjoyed shovelling sh** when I was 14 and find I don't want to do it any more at 35!
Once I've been hanging round the stables for a while I'll get a feel for how I want to play it. I had my own way of doing things and it will be weird doing what someone else tells me lol. Lots of things do seem to have changed (Haylage...when did that happen??) , and that will take some getting used to, but I'm open minded and enthusiastic...at the moment
:)

[Shanny]

Oooh I used to love snorkelling... was never brave enough to go the whole hog and go diving.

[Bay Mare]

Hi and welcome :D

[Alle]

Welcome! I hope your OH loves his lessons! :) Your schedule is odd, but you may be able to find a way to make it work with a share. Maybe the RS could help you find something? The fact that you're going to be helping them is great. I find mucking out to be very theraputic (although since I am on full board, I only get the muck my mare leaves in between housekeeping session :) ). Best of luck and have fun!

[sancho]

welcome!