Hello from a new member!

[Bobbi77]

I've already introduced myself in the cafe area so thought I'd say hi on here too.

I havent ridden properly since I was 16 or so (36 now) apart from the odd hack or so when I ached for a week afterwards. Now my horse-mad 5-year old daughter (Fern) has her own pony (she has been riding for 18 months and is coming along well), I am itching to get back into it.

Hopefully in the New Year Iwill take the plunge at the riding school where my daughter is taught. I know that as soon as I have that first ride I will be fine, but at the moment I feel very self conscious because I am not so fit or anywhere near as slim as I used to be.

My other objective is to get my other half to have at least one lesson. He is still slightly scared of horses due to a beach-pony incident when he was a child. He admits that he wants to try it but is scared stiff! Anyway, I'll let you know when (or if) we/I take the plunge.

I am finding some of the posts on this forum very inspirational so hopefully I really will go for it in the new year!

Bobbi
X

[Stella2]

Hi Bobbi, welcome. I hope you have better luck encouraging your other half than I've had with mine!

[LynneAC]

Hi, I'm new too!

I started back riding about 9 months ago after a break of about 18 years (maybe plus!). It's strange to start with but you'll be suprised how quickly it all starts to fall back into place ..... I even had some jumping lessons after about 6 months!

I also felt self conscious (same problems, I'm 40 and need to lose weight) but I started off with private lessons which meant that there was less pressure on me than being in a group situation.

Good luck, take the plunge I'm sure that you'll find that it's worth it :)

Lx

[Bobbi77]

Thanks Lynne - your post has definitely given me inspiration! I think that I will have one or two private lessons to start with - I will probably feel less self conscious. At our riding school they do lessons for adults only though, so hopefully I will move on to those. I am definitely going to take the plunge in the next few weeks or so, hopefully hubby will too!
Watch this space!

Bobbi

[kedwards]

How fun! I'll bet you'll find that you get over that self-consciousness in no time once you get up on the horse.

Have a great time in the lessons!

[Bobbi77]

Well - bit of an up date on my earlier post! I have been given the chance to buya (at a very reasonable price I might add) a lovely mare by the name of Holly at the yard where my daughter's pony Lady is kept.

It was a bit out of the blue, as I wanted to get a bit of riding in before I considered buying, but then best-laid plans and all that..

She is an Irish Cob, a fairly elderly lady of 17, very dark brown/black and she is very very sweet. She is approx 15.3hh and as laid back as they come. The lady that currently owns her doesn't have the time to give her that she deserves, she has been out in the field all winter so far although I'm told she acvtually likes coming in, she comes to call no matter where in the huge field she is.

She has a few problems, she is a sweet-itch sufferer, and is slightly arthritic, (these were taken into consideration when negotiating the price) I had the opportunity to get good advice from 4 experienced people at the yard, one of which was her last but one owner.

Two friends took her fora short hack and I even got on her -which isa big achievement as it's been a looong time and I felt as at home in the saddle asI did 20 years ago - it was a great feeling - so many memories came back to me!

So now I am feeling well horsey and I feel like a teenager again. I will be taking possession tomorrow, but as she is staying at the yard its just a matter of settling her into her stable.I will post pics when I can or rather, if I can!

Bobbi

[ChristianRider]

Hi!! Welcome to the addiction of riding(well, at least since you last rode:D) If you don't mind the sweet-itch or the touch of arthritis, she sounds like a very good first horse!

[Stella2]

She must be a very good horse to change hands at least twice on the same yards - no disguising behavioural problems etc there.

Good for you and good luck posting the pics, I've tried several times and all I ever get are error messages about too many pixols! ho hum ...!

[Billybo]

Hello and welcome!

I'm a "more mature" member of this forum and I own 2 highland ponies, one of which is arthritic, but he's perfectly happy to be hacked out and lightly schooled with the help of a few feed supplements, so happy horsing! Sometimes the "oldies" are the best!

Good luck,
Mags

[tubby]

That is good news , the mare sounds the ideal first horse. How sensible she must be to be sold to different riders who know her well , unless the arthritis is very bad you should be able to help with feed supplements , cider vineger is very good for arthritis & there are a variety of supplements either herbal or containing thing like chondroitin & / or glucosamin . As to the sweetitch I believe that the boette blanket though expensive really does the trick

[Bobbi77]

I was told yesterday about the cider vinegar, so bought some of that earlier and added to her feed. As for the Boett blanket I was reading a site about it yesterday - I agree that it is rather pricey, but hopefully by the spring I may be able to cough up for one. Does anyone know of a cheaper, similar alternative at all?

We have settled her into her stable today, (after mucking out about 8 inch deep muck - no exaggeration), bought her a new rug which fits her a treat and a new headcollar and she is looking smarter already. She really is a sweetie, she is like a gigantic teddy bear. I have taken a pictire but can't post it until I figure out how to reduce the size of it - any advice there would me much appreciated to...:-)

Bobbi

[nutkin]

Hi there bobbi. Congratulations on your new horse and welcome to new rider. I too am an older rider(32) and have 2 horses one who is 21 and the other who is just 6. Like you i have a son who rides and helps with my horses. Regarding posting your pictures you need to reduce the size of them in the programme paint. once you have got the pics into paint you click on edit and then on image size. You then put the number500 in the first box and then right click on the picture and save as.. jpeg. Oh by the way dont forget to rename your picture at this time or it will get a little confusing when you come to put it back on here. If you have any probs with it please feel free to email me your pictures and i will try to post them on here for you.
Here is a pic of nutkin (21 yr old)and me

[Jules Barbour]

Hi to all "mature" riders from the newest member!

I used to ride as a child but after an unfortunate accident when I was 8 and which sounds like the script from a Carry On film (I was thrown into a muck heap, dislocated my shoulder and was then bitten on the bum by an irate border collie!) I gave up. However, 30 years later my horse-mad 9-year-old daughter started taking lessons in the summer and I was bitten again - not by a crazed hound this time though! I decided to start riding again but one thing I have noticed, and which I believe is fairly common to all older riders, is that I am TERRIFIED of falling. I have been cantering on the track quite happily and then think "OHMIGOD, I'm coming to a corner" and instant panic sets in, legs go everywhere, concentration goes nowhere and I lose it. Is this something which will come back with practice or should I just accept the fact that I am a 38-year-old loser?

HELP!!!!!!:o

[Bobbi77]

Hello Jules! Firstly, just want to say how nice it is for your daughter that you are to be sharing an interest with her - and more or less from scratch for you!

Iwas a youngster when I learnt to ride and I think that back then I didn't have the same fears as adults do, so I was fairly confident in those days - as is my daughter.

Now though, after 20 years, I think it will be a different matter totally. I sat on Holly yesterday (who btw, is more 16hh than the 15ish I said yesterday - will confirm tomorrow) and I only rode her round the yard and although I was pretty confident and pleased with myself that I got on without much cajoling, the foremost thought in my mind was - oops long way down if I fall off! I think it's a mechanism that kicks in as we become adults - I liken it to the fact that as a kid I loved flying - these days I am a total bag of nerves.

I do think, though, that the more experience you get, the more your confidence will grow (I'm hoping so anyway - for myself). I had a few falls as a youngster - thankfully none too serious - the worst was a bruised sternum plus several cases of severe winding. But I just used to climb back on - not sure how a fall may affect me as an adult. Obne thing I am thankful for is that the protective riding gear these days is so much better than the flimsy riding hat I had as a kid :-))

Happy riding!!

Bobbi

[Jules Barbour]

Thank you Bobbi!

I did wonder if my fear was more embarrassment factor than anything else (I work for a law firm, you can imagine the slagging off I am presently taking - you know, "Can you sue yourself for personal injury if you fall off!" etc etc) but I still wonder ... as you say, long way down! I am DESPERATE to become a "proper" rider although I can't see myself doing half passes the way I somehow managed when I was a kid, possibly because I can't remember how (or why these things are necessary!)

I look forward to pix of your horse appearing - she sounds lovely - I think you are remarkably brave.

I do have to say that although I think it's great my daughter and I share an interest, I will always be an embarrassment to her. I think it's the (occasionally) pink hair and tattoos (we ride at a VERY conservative establishment). The tattoos aren't a problem in the winter but I feel her cringing when summer comes on ................

Hands up all you oldies who REFUSE to grow old gracefully and would rather end up on your heads in a muck heap than take up embroidery!!!!!!!
:D

[Bobbi77]

ROFL @ Jules! I think our children love us as their mums no matter what (I hope!) Appearances mean nothing as far as I am concerned and I absolutely refuse to grow old gracefully - I am still waiting until that milestone when I will start to feel like a grown-up!

When I was a kid my mum was a "real mum" and although I am not at all like her I hope my kids still think of me as a real mum. I have tattoos, piercings and when I feel like it pillar box red hair but I think that anyone worth geting to know will want to know the real me anyhow.

Thing is, we all come in different packages and all our true friends and family will love us unconditionally as, hopefully, our horses do!

Keep up the good work!

I can't get back in the saddle properly till I manage to track down a good second hand 18" medium/wide saddle - previous owner has hers for sale but I have also seen the scar tissue on Holly's back which may or may not be due to the previous saddle being a poor fit - I won't take the risk so I want to get a second hand on approval first just to be sure. I have a bridle so I am halfway there! Will keep you posted!

Bobbi xxx

P.S. To Nutkin: I have tried Paint to resize my pics but have had no luck as my menu options are different to those you mentioned. I have also downloaded a free Adobe paintshop Pro to see if that will help and am still fiddling. I will hopefully be taking some more pics tomorrow and will have another try but may possibly take you up on your kind offer to post them for me Nutkin!

[Bobbi77]

Ok I still havent managed to resize the picture so heres a link to it - plus a few other horsie pictures of friends' ponies at the yard and of course, my daughter Fern's pony Lady. I will take some more photos today hopefully :-))

http://groups.msn.com/NRphotos/bobbishorsiepics.msnw?albumlist=2

Bobbi

[nutkin]

i am still perfectly happy to post your pics for you if you wish. I said use paint before but what i used is photostudio 2000 so if you have that then use that to reduce the size of your pics if not please feel free and i will do them for you. I had a look at the pics on your link and your horse is lovely. Which pony is your daughters. Minty looks very like a pony at our yard called pip except that pip has a roan bottom.

[Bobbi77]

Nutkin - my daughter's pony is Lady, the little strawberry roan - she is a sweetie

Bobbi