Oldest rider you know

[denise42]

Here is my question :
How old is the oldest person you know that is still actively riding...
I want to know as inspiration for myself ..to know that age really isn't a factor..and as I age it doesn't mean I will have to give up riding...:eek:
I know a man in his late 60's , that rides nearly every day in the summer.
But I bet you guys can do better than that...
as a rumor :
I also heard of a women out east that gave lesson and rode into her late 90's or early 100's..I heard there was an artical about her in a horse mag..one month about her still giving lessons and then not too long later a follow up artical about her dying by falling off her horse..hey it beats going to the nursing home..I can't find this artical..if anyone has info on it I would like to read it...

[The Flying Irishman]

Me. He He

[ANN H]

I've read about people in their 70s still riding, and I know a few people well into their 50s who ride regularly. I say do it as long as you enjoy it!!

[Trewsers]

How olds the queen???! I think she still rides - not that I know her personally or anything........:p :D

[KarinUS]

Connie Reeves (http://www.texnews.com/1998/2003/texas/texas_Legendary820.html) died in 2003 at the age of 101. She was Texas' oldest ACTIVE cowgirl. :)

[denise42]

Thanks Karin..I have been looking for that for awhile now..I sent it to my instructor ..she is in her 50's and rides all the time..:p

[nicolaj]

We have a very sweet elderly gent, think he is about 72 who still rides!

Has a very sweet cob mare, who has been 13 for about the last 10 years!

He mainly goes round the block and manages a pony trekking holiday as well. He is a bit stiff now, but still manages to ride. Puts me to shame, when after an hours lesson after not riding for a week I can't get off!

[RustyMary]

On the same general theme, what's the oldest person you know of just starting riding lessons? I thought I was pretty old for a first timer at 44 but my RI said her grandma started at age 65!

[coblover26]

I know a women who is 43 (i think :rolleyes: ) and she ha her wn yard, still rides perfectly well. Owns about 15horse etc and does a pony club at her yard. She used to be my old riding instructor but unfortunately moved to wales grrr :(

[joang863]

I started 6 months ago at 68 and am up to trotting. I figure by 100, I may be cantering! Ill get back to you then! (LOL) Dont let anyone tell you you're too old for something!! I had more aches and pains from sitting still than I have riding. Mobility is everything. And you know how they say there is nothing better for the inside of a person than the outside of a horse!

[Crazyhorse]

Lady who used to hack out at my old RS was 85. The only bit she struggled with was getting on and off.

[Pink's lady]

Hugh has just stopped riding little Moo...............at the age of 93:D

Moo is the companion of Carys (mad jumping pony), who Hugh rode twice a week to help keep her fit. He sadly stopped riding her just two months ago, after he had a cold and a bit of a break, then started to find it vry difficult to get on. He still goes down once a week to give her a carrot though:D

[nutkin]

we have loads of older riders at our yard. Many of them are in their late 50's early 60's but we have a guy who is in his late 70's that rides out several times a week and another guy who is 86 and looking to buy his first horse so I guess that goes to show that age isn't a factor in following your dreams.

[Chile Pepper]

This is so encouraging! I am one of the few adult riders at my school--it's mostly kids who are into jumping. It's kind of hard to relate sometimes.

[KentuckyLady]

I'm 53 and just started lessons this year. I know there are many people my age and older just now starting to learn to ride because it is only now that we have enough money to afford the lessons! The place I am taking lessons at has been really great about going at "my" pace. The instructor is willing to go slow with me (my husband is taking lessons also) and she understands this is all about having a good time for us and learning something new. That being said, we have already been doing a fair amount of posting and sitting the trot and she has even gotten us to try the canter a few times. Okay, well, I didn't canter more than six or seven strides, but at least I got an initial taste of what it feels like. Now it is all about practice, practice, practice! (and having a good time! did I mention that already?:)

[RustyMary]

This is all just SO inspiring!

[happy herman]

i'm sixty five and ride three to four days a week. started a new filly may before last. i ride with a group occasionally that run from fifty to seventy.
my hero is julie shur who rode ninety eight miles of the tevis last year when she was eighty!! i wanna be her when i grow up!!

[Skyhuntress]

We have a woman who still actively trains horses and gives lessons who is 78 years old

[kedwards]

There is a woman local to me who is 80 and still eventing.

[Mossy]

There is a lady known to me, of uncertain years, who has hunted at the local opening meet for the past 25 years, always on the same horse. Not bad eh.

[Caroline Wilde]

[QUOTE=
KentuckyLady]
I know there are many people my age and older just now starting to learn to ride because it is only now that we have enough money to afford the lessons!

the bit about having the money is so true. I can only do it now cos my youngest finished University last year. Also I now can work part time instead of a 50 hour week so I can go in the week when there aren't so many of the children round to make me feel embarrassed. In fact they're really nice to me - it's just me being self conscious
C

[Cochise]

A lady well into her 80's rides nearly every day on her completely bombproof pony up to the forest in my area. :)

[Stella2]

I know a women who is 43 (i think :rolleyes: ) and she ha her wn yard, still rides perfectly well. Owns about 15horse etc and does a pony club at her yard. She used to be my old riding instructor but unfortunately moved to wales grrr :(

Lulu - I'm not suprised that she rides perfectly well because 43 isn't remotely old!!

[ANN H]

I know a women who is 43 (i think :rolleyes: ) and she ha her wn yard, still rides perfectly well. Owns about 15horse etc and does a pony club at her yard. She used to be my old riding instructor but unfortunately moved to wales grrr :(

Hi Lulu,

I know you're only about 14 and probably think that 43 is old, but you won't think 43 is old when you reach 42!! I got my first horse at the age of 43 and its taken 15 years off my life.

[sidesaddlelady1]

Connie Reeves (http://www.texnews.com/1998/2003/texas/texas_Legendary820.html) died in 2003 at the age of 101. She was Texas' oldest ACTIVE cowgirl. :)
Can't beat that but the sister of the then president of the Side Saddle Association was still hunting regularly and in side saddle at the age of 87 about 5 years ago.

[sidesaddlelady1]

I know a women who is 43 (i think :rolleyes: ) and she ha her wn yard, still rides perfectly well. Owns about 15horse etc and does a pony club at her yard. She used to be my old riding instructor but unfortunately moved to wales grrr :(

:D Slap me, someone, before the hysterics carry me off - it's a bit dangerous for me to laugh what with me being an incredibly ancient 56 year old !

Bless your, heart, Lulu, you can carry on riding when you are too ancient to do anything else.

[chev]

My riding instructor is in her sixties. She teaches a lady who has just started riding (now just learning to canter) who is in her early sixties.

I know a man close by who breeds, breaks and schools horses himself still.... and he's in his eighties.

The number of farmers round here who are over sixty (well over in many cases) who are still riding, driving and breeding horses probably outnumbers the number of younger riders in places....

[mayS]

There's a woman who's got to be in her late 60s at least who rides at my lesson barn. She's got to get around using crutches ordinarily. But she comes to the barn and with special help, mounts a horse... and rides! It's been really good for her, too.

[Skib]

You may think I am old - 66 - but at the yard where I had my first lessons was a lady of unspecified age, certainly a bit older than me who still rode and encouraged me so much. She rode only in the school and often rode sidesaddle which she recommended for when I could no longer sit astride.

Thanks everyone. This thread has really cheered me up.

[Jacquie]

I know a women who is 43 (i think :rolleyes: ) and she ha her wn yard, still rides perfectly well. Owns about 15horse etc and does a pony club at her yard. She used to be my old riding instructor but unfortunately moved to wales grrr :(
OMG:eek: is 43 classed as old - now where did I leave my zima-frame??? :D

[jamsinthecat]

I can't better 101 yrs old but at a yard I used to work at a lady came every week to hack out on the New Forest.She was 75 and Buffy the pony she always rode was 30!! I learnt to ride on the same pony as a little girl.

[pedantic]

This is all so inspiring as I was worried that I was getting on at 51, didn't get my first own pony till I was 49, 3 hour rides okay except for collar bone injury killed for hours afterwards last sunday, think it's the extra weight of cloths pulling edge of body protecter down on to it :( fortunately it didn't bother me much while riding.

[sidesaddlelady1]

This is all so inspiring as I was worried that I was getting on at 51, didn't get my first own pony till I was 49, 3 hour rides okay except for collar bone injury killed for hours afterwards last sunday, think it's the extra weight of cloths pulling edge of body protecter down on to it :( fortunately it didn't bother me much while riding.
I was told that I was too old to buy a youngish horse (Me 5o and horse 9 at the time) when I got the WH. Did I care - did I hell!

[CrazyDaisy]

My grandmother is 88 and still rides. :)

[jUmPingIsLifE]

my old instructer still rides and trains horses. She still takes on horses from the rescue that she used to work at (where my mom works now) and takes on the "physco" horses and turns them into bombproof child ponies. she rides a buck better then any 25yr old

she is now 80 and i believe 81 soon!

[Stella2]

My grandmother is 88 and still rides. :)

Fabulous :D Won't she come on here and tell us about her riding career? :) :)

[Stella2]

my old instructer still rides and trains horses. She still takes on horses from the rescue that she used to work at (where my mom works now) and takes on the "physco" horses and turns them into bombproof child ponies. she rides a buck better then any 25yr old

she is now 80 and i believe 81 soon!

Again, Fabulous :)

[esse]

I LOVE to hear about all these 80 year olds - that means that with any luck I'll have another 25 or so years!

[Silvia]

I know a 72 year old lady who rode until this summer. Then she had to retire her 28 year old horse and told me she would stop riding because she did not feel up to handling a youngster. Last week I got a phonecall - she has adopted an 18 year old ex dressage horse. .:D

[sidesaddlelady1]

My riding instructor is in her sixties. She teaches a lady who has just started riding (now just learning to canter) who is in her early sixties.

I know a man close by who breeds, breaks and schools horses himself still.... and he's in his eighties.

The number of farmers round here who are over sixty (well over in many cases) who are still riding, driving and breeding horses probably outnumbers the number of younger riders in places....
When I think about it my first instructor was in his 70s and that was in the 1950s when people were older than they are now. (Well, you know what I mean!) Oh, and he rode out regularly with 5-year old me on the lead rein on 4-5 hour hacks

[happy highlande]

A lady very close to me (lives near+close relation) in her 70s is buying herself ANOTHER pony to ride - it is a 4 year old - so she will be mucking it out in her 100s!!! (Unless grandchildren or great granchildren take it on!!!)

[Lainee]

scrolling down some of these threads.......... someone writes she knows someone who rides well at 43 wow and even some people in theres 50's again wow............... too me this is not very old, I am 49 and just started riding again after 25 years which is a big feat for me but know heaps of people alot older than me riding playing polo in there 60's, competitively, so really blew me away with some of the "young ages" quoted in the thread..........oldest rider you know................
:cool:

[CD2387]

My 62 year old trainer and riding instructor still gets on the green horses and is currently considering taking on a new NSH to train for shows. she jumps and all that as well

[Holly B]

I once read a small article in a magazine about a 79 year old grandmother who still competed regularly at eventing, often taking 2 or 3 horses to one competition and competing them all. But the best one I've come across is when I read a article in The Times about a woman in her nineties who had given up not only riding, but TWICE WEEKLY HUNTING :eek: at the age of 89. I think thats pretty astounding, I don't think I'll ever have the confidence to hunt! The oldest rider I know (I don't know many!) is only in their 50's so not very old. I can't believe some of you think 40 is old :rolleyes: I'm 16 but still see 40 as youngish, and 50 isn't really very old either! :D

[Afellpony]

Get this then, I'm 54 and still riding very regularly. Have my own pony who's 5 years old but he'll be my last. Started formal riding lessons at 10 years old but before that pottered around on my grandfather's pony and donkey. I've not stopped for any break as we decided not to have kids. I also walk 4 miles a day (fast walk) five days a week. Anyone else been riding any longer?

[Coiffure]

I grew up around racetracks as my Dad was the Maryland commission and so I fell in love early in life.
I have aquired 2 arab geldings , one is older 11yrs and my youngster is 4 yrs young. I am lucky to have them both get along as I took a sill on my sisters mustang quarter mix.
I am laid up in bed with 2 pelvic fractures and 3 rib fractures, and I feel like I am wasting precious time as I cannot wait to get back to riding and training. I only wish I didn't have to work and I would ride all day.
It has been 15 yrs since I owned a horse last, I just pray my happiness outweighs my health. I will ride till I can't and I pray that never happens!!

[Stella2]

I grew up around racetracks as my Dad was the Maryland commission and so I fell in love early in life.
I have aquired 2 arab geldings , one is older 11yrs and my youngster is 4 yrs young. I am lucky to have them both get along as I took a sill on my sisters mustang quarter mix.
I am laid up in bed with 2 pelvic fractures and 3 rib fractures, and I feel like I am wasting precious time as I cannot wait to get back to riding and training. I only wish I didn't have to work and I would ride all day.
It has been 15 yrs since I owned a horse last, I just pray my happiness outweighs my health. I will ride till I can't and I pray that never happens!!


Thats sounds very sore :( I hope you feel better soon. How did you get those injuries?

[Coiffure]

I was riding my sisters horse who was being neglected. He would not stand for me to mount so instead of him listening to me he decided to buck me off right in the middle of me bringing my leg over him, then as I was half off I saw us both heading for a real bad situation so I decided to bail off and landed on some really hard ground. Needless to say my sister sold her horse of which I am so glad for the betterment of the horse, she was not responsible to give the horse the attention he needed. He was normally very good, but the mustang came out in him that day and my impatience got the better of me, and it taught me that patience is key! I just cant wait to take mine for a ride but am learning my lessons in the mean time.Ouch!

[Stella2]

coiffure - oh my ..! :( Hope you feel better soon.

[Greentchr]

There are several old ranchers in the area that move their cows up our canyon every spring and fall. One passed away last year at the age of 88- this is the first year he has not ridden;) . There was one horse being led (there are usually about 12 riders) this fall, and I wondered if they were doing the 'riderless horse' scenario. Somehow the ages that used to look ancient do not look so old anymore! My mother at 75 is still whitewater rafting, jeeping, traveling the country, and still wants to jump out of an airplane before she gets "too old". and she thinks horses are dangerous! Sheesh- at least we have 4 feet on the ground, though come to think of it, some of us get 'flying lessons' off the back of a horse, too.

[nutkin]

My mother at 75 is still whitewater rafting, jeeping, traveling the country, and still wants to jump out of an airplane before she gets "too old". and she thinks horses are dangerous! Sheesh- at least we have 4 feet on the ground.

:eek: :eek: :eek: Blimey! I thought my mum was active at 71. She outparties all of us and loves a good karaoke. She doesn't drink but she has more life than anyone else when it comes to the discos or karaokes in the pub but I could never imagine her white water rafting or jumping out of an aeroplane.

[cvb]

A lady very close to me (lives near+close relation) in her 70s is buying herself ANOTHER pony to ride - it is a 4 year old - so she will be mucking it out in her 100s!!! (Unless grandchildren or great granchildren take it on!!!)

SNORT.... "in her 70s"... can I quote you on that ;)

But years ago there used to be a grand old lady who was, if I recall right, in her eighties, who used to turn up at our local "Clear round" XC on a spanish horse, a lovely grey roan, and belt round, Me very impressed and would love to be that lady at an equivalant age, but am already not bouncing as well when I hit the ground...

[happy highlande]

SNORT.... "in her 70s"... can I quote you on that ;)

But years ago there used to be a grand old lady who was, if I recall right, in her eighties, who used to turn up at our local "Clear round" XC on a spanish horse, a lovely grey roan, and belt round, Me very impressed and would love to be that lady at an equivalant age, but am already not bouncing as well when I hit the ground...
SNORT.... "in her 70s"... can I quote you on that
Don't you dare cvb - I can't remember my own kids age - so it was a rough guess!!!
Bet she's still mucking out in her 100s though!!
am already not bouncing as well when I hit the ground...
yes you do - it was pretty bouncy this weekend

Anyhow - age is just what you feel inside - makes me around 18 - and I have no idea how I have 3 teenage kids
I bet all these riders don't think of themselves as '67' or '75' - they just thing of themselves as riders - no 'loser's limp' for them (read Jane Savoie's Winning Feeling for that last reference)

[cvb]

aw shucks - I only know she and I both have "0" birthdays in 2006 !!:eek:

I think we tend to age those around us depending on how old we feel - so everyone's in their 90's right now;) as no I didn't bounce so well - think I might have caught the fence slightly on the way down, and feel very creaky. Normally its worse the day after, not the day after that ! Must be getting old :(

[Skib]

Come on cvb - I had no idea I was "old" till I began to ride. Then riders told me I was.

[Cheeky]

last person I knew .. he was/is about 70-80 something .. and lives on coffee and ciggies. He teaches every day all day, and can jump up, ride around the jumps course with no helmet, dismount, and have another cupper easy.

He also trains, breaks, gives lessons, advice, competes etc .. but he is as thin as a pin .. lol!