Do You Think I Am Too Oldor Just Daft

[suezyq]

Hi:rolleyes: i started riding again 18 months ago at the age of 50 after a break of 30 years i bought a 14 hh french percheron only had her 6 months then got a new forest pony with a bit more umpth but she was a bit too much for me so i am now on the lookout for a nice quite hack so i can get back in the saddle, i have not ridden since last septmber and the weight is creeping on even though i look after my 11 year old daughters 2 ponies.I dont think i am too old but i must admit it does hurt more when you fall off you dont bounce the same as a youngster.Can someone out there suggest a nice quite type horse about 15hh but i dont want a dope on a rope.:)

[Roheryn]

I don't think you're daft at all but really to be admired! I started riding again 3 years ago after about 25 years away, and I was older then than you are now.

New Forest-to-14hh pony sounds like a good height--if you can find one without the pony personality some have! I don't have any suggestions as to where to find a nice steady eddy type, but I do wish you success. My old guy is almost bombproof in the school, almost the same out hacking with friends, but not at all bombproof when I try to hack him alone (so I don't these days).

It hurts when I get off (not fall, just dismounting), sometimes when I trot, sometimes even a bit when I walk, but I just keep at it because it benefits my soul (as well as my body!). I hope you find a nice quiet horse/pony to ride!

[DebO]

Nope, why shouldn't you start again at 50 - that's not old! I know of someone who rides in her 60's, someone in their 70's and I used to know a lady who regularly walked and rode in her 80's! I reckon the old people's secret is walking, seems to keep them fit for anything - must start one day

So plenty of years yet lol

DebO

[ali cat]

not daft at all hon:)

i srarted riding again at 45 bought ted when 46 and absolutely love being a horse owner

am injured at the moment but can't wait to get back to him properly

good luck

[coverblown]

I didnt ride as a child and started at 43. Been riding eight years now. Had enforced break last year due toa v nasty fall, at 50 yrs, and got back in again after 6 months off.

Now jumping again and thinking of trying to pop one or two of the xc jumps in the summer....

Never too old

[sancho]

Too old? Too old???? Never!:D

[puzzles]

Are you joking?!

A friend's 90-year-old mother began having riding lessons having loved horses all her life but never being able to start riding - you're never too old!

:-) Have fun!

[Skib]

You arent too old. My OH started a year ago aged 67, and yes we have always gone on walks for pleasure.
But I dont think this question is about age.
I am often puzzled when people say they find a horse too much for them?
What is meant by this exactly? That it does not respond to cues?
That its neck is too strong for one to be able to prevent it taking the reins?

I think the slow going, plod question is also a question of perspective. I am too old to use leg. I would not buy a horse that was "slow" or physically or mentally dull. (sorry, this didnt make sense before when I left out the "not") Yet I currently ride two RS horses both of whom can be notoriousy slow. Riders really need to puzzle out how to get them moving, but once they move nicely for you and know that you want movement, the mare at least may give more movement than I might like, i.e. uninvited canters.

So the borderline between a horse that is too slow and one that is too fast may be shiftable, depending on how you ride, the day of the week, the weather etc. What we older riders have is brain power.
The thing at our age is not to go out and look for a "safe" horse because no horse is safe. We have to work out how to make a possible horse give us the amount of energy we want, neither more nor less. We teach the horse what we require of it.

From your posts it sounds as if you returned to riding, but are dealing with just your own animals? Making the committment to purchase.
But to be able to judge this, you really need to ride lots and try lots and lots of different horses. I am afraid this may mean going to some riding schools in order to experiment. Ride some horses this summer that may indeed be too much for you as well as some that are too easy. Spend a lot of hours in the saddle. Six months with no riding is not a good thing (age does count here).You may surprise yourself.
Only then will you know the right sort of horse for you to buy.

[old_woman]

No, you are not too old - I am approaching 70 and have no intention of giving up riding.

However, Skib makes some very interesting points and presents some even more interesting questions.

I have ridden all my life, and the longest break I have ever had from riding was about three years when I was living overseas and the situation made riding difficult or impossible (mind you even then I went on a couple of riding holidays every year).

Because of this, I perhaps don't have the understanding of what it's like for an older beginner BUT I do have the advantage of being able to look at riding as a person who, to be honest, is considerably older than the great majority of "older beginners".

Looking at Skib's post and at your post, I have to wonder what is happening that makes the horses behave in a way that then makes you nervous or uncomfortable. By that I don't mean something that you are consciously "doing", but rather that something untoward is happening around you and the horses, if you don't have the desire or the confidence to ride them.

I concur totally with Skib in that you should try to get out and ride as many different horses as you can, preferably in different situations.

If you rode a lot many years ago, you may need simply to get your body and your senses attuned back to the quick reactions of a normal healthy horse.

I have always thought that one of the main advantages of being an older rider is that we can - as Skib says - use our brains rather than our bodies; we should be able to know what the horse is going to do before he knows it himself, so that he never, ever surprises us and so we can deal with what is going to happen before it does happen. And by that I don't mean riding out a buck or a bolt - far from it. What I mean is that you take avoidance action when and where necessary, and have no qualms about doing so. It is far better, when you are nervous of riding in a specific situation, to GET OFF before the situation arises, and avoid the unpleasant adrenalin surge involved in trying to cope. You also avoid transmitting negative vibes to the horse, and relieve the physical tension in your body - all of which work against you in building as calm, comfortable relationship with your horse while you are riding as when you are handling him on the ground.

[Tatooed Lady]

i bought a 14 hh french percheron

Really? do you have any pictures? Is that a different breed than just a percheron, or are they just grown smaller by you? Okay, that might sound silly, but I thought 17hh is "normal" or "average", at least it is around here!

[old_woman]

As is usual, Tattooed Lady, breeds taken out of their native homeland are changed, for the worse or the better depends on one's opinion. The American Shetland, for instance, bears no resemblance to the breed from which it takes its name, and is more like a small and very showy Hackney than a hardy, sturdy Shetland. Perhaps changes have been made to the Percheron in the US, too, which make it dissimilar to the original, real Percheron.

The Percheron is a French breed, and therefore "just a Percheron" is - or should be - the French breed standard. This states the animal is to be between 155 and 185 cm tall. I would imagine, then, that a 14 hh Percheron, although outside the breed standard at just over 142 cm in height, is not too uncommon, especially as they are largely bred for meat nowadays in France, and a shorter-legged animal will probably have a better carcase than a more rangey, longer-legged one.

I would think that a small Percheron would make a very attractive riding cob, possibly even of show quality, qiven the amount of Arab influence in their breeding.

[sheltiegroomer]

Hi! def not too old to start, return or carry on whatever your age!!! What about something cobby? You could probably get around the 15hh mark and if you look for something sensible with a bit of spirit there's lots on horsemart at mo!

[icegirl]

No 50 is no way too old!!
Thinking about the "dope on a rope" comment and Skibs reply, I think what would make me nervous would be a very slow to respond horse which appears to be "switched off", just as much as something very jumpy and sensitive. When I was getting back into riding a couple of years back, I tried out a number of horses, in riding schools, a couple of loans etc. I found a quiet Irish cob mare who built my confidence but when I ran across her again (shed been sold a couple of times) was told shed started running off with kids on board and all sorts. So it seems to be down to your own communication with that particular horse. Sometimes they might be one which goes poorly for someone else but is just right for you.
And I absolutely agree about using your wits to anticipate!! I remember being told by my OH that hed learned to anticipate and divert toddler tantrums in children by watching me do it, and I reckon its very similar.

[oldpunk]

Hi, Icegirl,
I know you said that darling cob was said to be running off with kids but there's no reason why she should do it to you. In my experience, if you feel confident on a horse, she will pick that up and feel confident carrying you and things like random running off are minimised. (And even if she starts, if you're confident, you'll pull her up in 1-2 strides so it will be a non-event.)

I am very lazy at the moment and can thoroughly recommend getting a 'Pony Club' pony. Tuppence would not have been capable of taking my daughter on to 'seniors' as she is in her 20's, and we are so well-matched. We are both not quite the girls we were in our youth, but we still like to have fun. We both have days when we are a bit slow and stiff and she picks up on my sore days as much as I pick up on hers. However, the wonderful thing is that, coming from a keen Pony Club home, she was well-schooled some 10-15 years ago. In the meantime, she had a bit of a grotty life for a bit and taught lots of kids to ride, including my daughter. Now I ride her regularly, she seems to really enjoy being set up with the correct aids and then being told she is a clever pony for doing things right. Needless to say, having found such a darling partner, I'm watching my weight and pampering her so we can be together as long as possible!

If anything, we seem to be moving on from 'conventional' aids as our bond matures and much of the time, I just use my voice and weight to stop, go and steer. The only time I really use any leg is when we do dressage or jump and we really need to be communicating all the time. It seems that the more softly I 'speak' to her, the more she listens out for my every signal.

In short, if you can find a horse that is well enough schooled that strength doesn't come into it (and it's really not hard to school your horse to be more responsive) and who you like, you should be on a winner.

Sorry if I sound smug. I do appreciate that I am really lucky. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[mistysmum]

never too old - just depends on how you are fitness wise
MM;)

[ANN H]

Definitely not too old. I turned 50 a couple of weeks ago and have no intention of giving up for quite some time. I started riding again at 42 after a break of 30 years, got my first horse at 43, and I now have Misty. I've never felt my age, although being diabetic and asthmatic I'm classed as a bit of a wreck. It just means I tailor my medication round my horse (but I do that with everything, work, OH etc - good job he's understanding). Go for it - and enjoy it!

[icegirl]

Oldpunk, Tuppence sounds like a little gem and the sort of pony we would all like to carry us into our "maturity".:)

[Gill]

There are some very interesting and thoughtful replies to your question here.
Of course definitely not too old is the first answer!

I'm another fifties rider. My latest mount is my lovely Welsh cob mare. I've had her about six months now and we get on really well and work in our comfort zone, gradually doing more and more. I've had a few years of not riding much because of back trouble so feel I have ground to make up.

My point is that the same horse will be different for different owners/riders.
When I got Lady she was 'quiet' but very unresponsive to the leg and had not heard of bending, stiff as a board going round corners. She is totally changed now, answering light aids, rounding onto the bit when I ask and really a lovely girl. I also have her going barefoot now and feel she is much more comfortable in herself. Her nature of course was there when I got her and has remained as sweet and willing.

Choose a horse you like as much as it might seem 'suitable' and that is a good start.

[ringtor]

I am 74 and have just started a Fell mare. She has been very difficult as she was reared on a bucket. But, by lots of ground work, lots of repetition, and behaving rather like a gorilla, she is beginning to be a really nice co-operative ride. I have difficulty scrambling on but a bribe of a piece of carrot means she stands like a rock even in a gale. 13.2hh is big enough for me at 5ft 5ins and 10st. My great aunt hunted until she was 83 and only stopped because her horse died. I hope I can keep going another 10 years.

[Skib]

Ringtor, thank you so very much. You do encourage me. I hope to keep going too. And may well reach 70 before I buy my horse.

[old_woman]

I am 74 and have just started a Fell mare. ... My great aunt hunted until she was 83 and only stopped because her horse died. I hope I can keep going another 10 years.

Ringtor, I will quote your post to my children!

I have been asked what I want for my 70th birthday next year and told them that a young Exmoor or a smallish Icey would do me very nicely. I got my Arab mare as a 3yo for my 60th, but something around 13hh would probably be wise for me as I get older as I am barely 5ft tall. I am afraid that they think a rocking horse would be more suitable ...:eek:

[Odie]

There is hope for me then.

Hi I am Steve, 42 and just started to take riding lessons. (total novice)
I was looking at this site mainly for information, then found the forum :D.

I have loads of questions, but wont hog this thread. I am hooked now.

[Donela]

I hope to be riding all my life, but I do find that I prefer horses that are not quite a lively as I used to prefer!!

I think that's fantastic that you've started riding again. I'm not sure if you should look specifically for a breed as a quiet horse. Maybe something that is quite old itself, been there and done that.

DH horse is IDxTB and when she was younger was an absolute ****. Now she is the sensible older horse of our herd and he learnt to ride on her.