Question for returning riders

[raingodz]

As I am sure you all know by now, I returned to riding in september after a 15 year gap.

Riding seems to have got more technical since the 80's or maybe I am just going into more depth since I definatly want to learn more rather than just jump on and ride.

So my question is, how long after returning to riding was it that you felt that you were back to the same level when you were when you gave up?

[Morganna]

I was back in the saddle last March for the first time in a long time - I took sporadic lessons until July and then weekly from there and I would say I got back up to speed around November last year. I'm now doing more jumping than I was when I was younger and actually having proper jumping lessons as opposed to just hopping on the nearest horse, heading for a fence and keeping my fingers crossed. I wouldn't dare do that now, and you are right, I find the lessons much more technical than what I remember from my childhood although the basics are still the same, and its still as much fun:D

[amandal]

I've been back in the saddle for 4 years after a 13 year break. Very quickly I could remember most of what I'd known as a child and the first canter was exhilerating. Although I've gone further as an adult, sharing and now owning my own I am still not as confident as I was and really wish I could get that back.

[Dummer&Drummer]

you guys are so lucky, wish i learnt to ride as i kid, i started 16 months ago at 31 years - first horse id sat on lol :)

[Libbyo]

I think in skill I have passed where i was as a child. Confidence wise though. i will never catch up, I had a 30 year gap from my last lesson to my next one. My body is so much more unforgiving as well. I have ached somewhere almost constantly for months. Pinnochio is worth it though!

Libbyo :)

[nicolaj]

Ditto most people wish I could regain that youthful confidence!

My riding now far outstrips when I was a teenager, didn't learn until I was 11, once a week at a local riding school till I reached about forteen, then the annoying kid begging, browing and stealing rides whenever possible!

Began again when about 24 for a few months, proper lessons as the 'posh' riding school, but made our first house purchase and hence broke ever since!

Began again with private lessons when I was 30, which were fantastic! Had to relearn everything and discovered I had a mental block about cantering. Not sure where that came from but it was there and still is a bit! But those lessons really helped re-educate me and thus now technically am a much better rider, than the old kick and pull rider of when I was a kid!

Having your own horse also makes a massive difference. I am lucky enough to now own my own horse (or does he own me?;) ) I still have regular lessons but it really does wake you up!

[Trewsers]

I returned after nearly 20 years:eek: (am 36 now) - I realised pretty quickly I'd not learnt very much as a child - my "lessons" consisted mainly of happy hacks and some schooling in an outdoor sandschool. It was about after my 4 or 5th lesson I realised I'd a LOT to learn.......:D :D (it was a lot more fun that I remembered though - which is rare, things aren't usually as good as you remember them!)

[Bay Mare]

In some ways I'm still not there, in others I ride a lot better than I used to.

Thinking back I think that it took a good 6 months (and a holiday at Wrexham) to feel fairly confident in my riding again. One thing that particularly stands out is that as a kid I never had a problem with the canter. As an adult I was fine sitting the canter but the transitions were appalling and I was on the verge of giving up because I just didn't get it.

Schooling/dressage wise I'm much better than I ever was. Jumping wise I'm crap compared to what I used to do (although my actual position is better). I used to go over anything that was put in front of me, looking after 7 showjumpers helped with that one! I used to hack out bareback, in fact I rode bareback A LOT. I haven't done that as an adult yet though I fully intend to once the Saffy Beast has settled a bit more (I see somersaults coming on). As an adult the highest that I've jumped is about 2'9" and a 2'6" course. That's probably about my limit now as I can't afford to get hurt, if I don't work I don't get paid! I have, however, had a couple of xc lessons as an adult, something that I vowed that I'd never do! I really enjoyed them too, only fell off once and that was because I sat forwards too much jumping downhill and rolled over his neck AFTER the jump :rolleyes:

I was lucky in that although I was dancing so didn't really do riding seriously and never competitively I was taught 'properly' on good horses. I even got to ride an ex-GP dressage horse in my lessons which was wowsome :D I'll never forget the first time that I did extended trot on him, I wasn't ready for the 'turbo' kicking in and nearly fell off the back :eek:

Oh to be young again and know what I know now .....

[Suzanne2]

I rode for the first time in almost 20 years about 18 months ago, and my God it was a shock. In my head, I knew exactly what to do but my body seemed to have forgotten everything. In the past, I was a horse owner and had become a reasonably able rider. But now, I looked like a sack of spuds cantering, and probably trotting, too. I was all over the place.
My riding muscles had apparently wasted away as my right leg went into spasm after that first lesson (it was only 30 minutes) Driving home, I nearly crashed my car because I couldn't move my leg off the accelerator!
Weekly lessons saw progress but I still was not a patch on the rider I had been. I then rushed headlong into a horse share that seemed perfect. But what I'd forgotten was that while my technique was slowly improving, my confidence was still shaky. I was fine in the confines of the school but hacking out made me become virtually agrophobic.
I had to stop doing that share (which my shattered nerves were eternally grateful for) and have returned to once-weekly lessons. Had some success with couple of challenging horses which has made me feel more confident. But I long to be able to go out for a hack, in company or alone, without feeling apprehensive (or sometimes downright scared). When I was younger, I loved zooming around the place on my horse. I'd give a lot to regain that feeling. I also deeply regret now stopping riding for so long. If I had kept it up, I wouldn't be having this battle with my confidence and life would be a lot more fun because I would be enjoying my riding a lot more. Still, I shall plod on...

[popdog]

I rode as a kid, no technical training at all, but I could do anything and had good balance and never got into trouble. I thought I could ride. Hahaha, that was until I was 28 and had a private riding lesson :o I didn't even know what the correct diagonal was! It made me feel like I couldn't ride at all.

Now, as 32 year old adult who's had lessons on my own horse I'm aware of my short comings. It took about 18 months for me to realise that although I'm not technically perfect I'm able to make my horse do what I want him to do. Watching someone else ride my horse and not be able to get him on the correct canter lead made me feel a lot better. I just have to think 'canter' and we're off on the right leg.

Technically I'm a better rider now, I can get a horse going in an outline, I have a better position. I know a lot more about horses and what makes them tick.

But I don't have that gung-ho spirit I had as a kid and sometimes I miss it :p

[raingodz]

I agree that the confidence to jump on any horse and just ride (gung-ho style) has gone - I almost find it hard to belive I used to jump on excitable horses to calm them down for people :eek: I'm not sure I'll be offering to do that again in a hurry.

I think that in a couple of years I will be a much better rider than I ever was as a child because I am better a studying and applying myself. I just occasionaly get a little frustrated when I don't get things as quickly as I think I should, like my problems with cantering with out stirups - but as someone did point out to me, expecting to be able to canter without stirups after two tries is not really such a big failing as some people find it quite a hard thing to do.

Anyway, it will be my 6 month anniversary of my return to riding on the 18th March and looking back over my posts on NR, I have come quite along way, and I am still enjoying it alot :D

[Alle]

I am a much better rider now then I ever was then! For one thing, I ride 5 times a week, and back when I was a kid, I could only ride once a week or once every two weeks, depending on circumstances.

I was fearless back then though! :p

I've just passed my 2 1/2 year anniversary of returning to riding. Glad you are still enjoying it and learning!

[MI Horsey]

I took lesson anywhere from two to four times a week and leased a horse for a year .I wasn't all that bad (not all that good either:rolleyes: ) then I stopped .Now ,16 years later , I'm pretty useless . I gained weight , can't find my center of gravity (maybe I have none? ) and yes , things are alot more technical now.I will never offer to switch with a rider who's horse is acting up , those days are gone:o .I have no courage to speak of and I am an extremly timid rider now .Although that started after I got hurt not upon returning ,but I think I would have bounced back better then than now .:(