At 50+ I have just started to ride. Pretty fit so still flexing but trouble with "the long leg". In canter I bounce -- so confuse the poor horse, but still on 6th of first 10 lessons.
Great fun. Cannot wait to get out to grass.

I'm 13 and I just started riding. I have taken two riding lessons so far. I had loved horses for years but couldn't quit my other sport so I couldn't ride. Finally I have been allowed to ride and I can't get enough. I can't wait to jump!

I really enjoy riding and if you stick to it and enjoy it instead of wondering what other people will think of you, its great!!!!!

*~Happy Riding~*

Luv
*Anna*
x-x-x-x

I used to ride when I was 6 for a year but got a bad scare ive always wanted to go back to riding and finally got around to it. Now 15 been going 6 months and done walk, trot, canter and jumping courses with up to 3ft jumps + i love it!

Have just completed my first 8 lessons (at the tender age of 35) and am completely hooked! Was directed to this site by another new rider and all I can say is THANK YOU! An excellent site!

How do i let a horse know that i am boss? I am a timid person and every horse i am around seems to take advantage of me if it be rubbing their head on me or just paying no attention to me I aquired a 4 yr old mare and i want to start on the right foot she has had no training.
Any help you can give me would be great.
Thanks

You have to make sure the horse constantly listens to you and if they misbehave set them straight immediately. You have to be very determined and think right you are going to listen to me and if you dont tough luck because you are going to. When you want to go faster they will go faster, if you want slower they will go slower and will do it immediately. If you want your horse to standstill they will instantly. If they dont you must keep making your point clear and persevering! I went to PC camp with my pony for the first time last August and thats the attitude I had and it all paid off. GOOD LUCK!!
-Laura

If you want your horse to know who's boss, be kind, but also be firm.
Like theres no reason to yell and abuse the horse for no good reason, but dont let it get away with dancing around and being silly.
Just use logic and you'll be fine!

hi,
I am new. Iam all so 50 plus. This is my first horse. She is full of surprises . I would like to tell you all about it as time goes on. But first things first.
She has navicular disease. 9years old Paso fino palomino. She is the love of my life.She is on bute joint suppments isoxprine. Farrier has wedge pads and egg bar shoes. She seems comfortable and not lame. Is there angthing else I can do for her. Sorry this is so long.

I recently started riding again after 9 years,dont know why I ever stopped, probably financial reasons anyway, I had never fallen off an horse before but have fallen 4 times since riding again for the last 8 months. I cant seem to relax fully especielly when going round corners for fear off falling agian, any tips to overcome my fear thanks.

What a wonderful site! I have spent ages looking round for books on the basics with no luck at all. They all seem aimed at the experienced rider. Starting out is exactly what I have been looking for and what else do I find - new riders 50 plus! I am a fit 54 and have always wanted to ride - so - midlife crisis here I come. Seriously, this site is a Godsend. Many thanks.
Chris.(M).

What a super site this is and how generous and giving the people that use it are. I have only accessed this site since about a week ago but all the comments and suggestions made to 'posters' have really helped me in understanding the fascinating but complex world of the horse and rider. This will be a fantastic resource for the novice rider that I am.

Well done everyone (hope I am not being too patronising!). Vala :)

I have just started to learn to ride,but at 54 it might be more difficult for me to find the right school. I would just like to be confident on a horse,and learn out on a hack rather than in a menage.I live close to Exmoor and have found a Riding Centre close by, Should I ask for an "older" instructor? as I do feel a bit foolish!
This seems to be a good site to get information from.

i'M 44 YEARS OLD AND HAD MY FIRST LESSON TWO DAYS AGO.i LOVED IT !MY INSTRUCTOR SEEMED A LITTLE IMPATIENT AND SARCASTIC BUT I'M DOING THIS !!!! WHAT AN AMAZING FEELING TO BE ON SUCH A REMARKABLE ANIMAL.I LOVE THIS WEB SITE AND AM SO GLAD I FOUND IT TODAY !!

Well, I believe as far as age is concerned I will beat you all! I am 58 well fit, and just started riding. I am scared to death of them, but I love horses so much that it became a challenge that I can't stop until I learn how to ride. I can't make my horse to walk on a straight line. He always go to the right or left. How can I keep it strait? How do I maintain my balance, so that I don't fall? I really,really appreciate your help! Thanks!

Hey Jules. I read your msg its brill that you love your riding and that your not letting your sarcastic instructor get you down. I always used to think everyone was against me and that they all made fun of me but we are all in the same boat (as they say) and now i dont know if its me or if it is real when i see people grimace at me and laugh at me. But forgetting about it is the best option.

i am 31 years old and have always wanted to ride but had never had the opportunity growing up. I started working at a horse farm when 24 and did work in exchange for riding. I don't think that I took advantage enough of the time that I could have ridden as I was enjoying all the aspects of horse care and my instructor was pretty impatient and after she felt that I didn't have enough leg strength she took away my saddle. i had to ride bare-back for a while and then had a hard time getting my confidence back and feeling comfortable in that saddle again. I then moved to another farm where I learned to ride English. I was told that I had an extremely good seat for someone who didn't start riding until I was an adult and even learned to do some first level dressage moves such as side passes, which I loved. I haven't ridden now since I was 26 and I hope to start again soon. I have one problem however which is making me nervous to ride again. I can walk and trot comfortably and even change leads and the like but once I get into a canter I panic and fall off and I am not sure whether I am just a bad rider or whether this problem can be fixed with the correct instruction. I would love to become a very proficient rider, is it too late for me?

Nice page. Just what I need advice & encouragement. We have four horses out back which I have just learned to overcome my fear & hand feed them a carrot each. But I am scared at the same time. How do I overcome my fear? I turned 60 this year and it sure would be nice to accomplish a few fun things after all the years of work.

Be BRAVE! If all those "blokes" (is that offensive?) on TV can do it, you can too! I've been riding for 2 months and have already started jumping, whereas, when I was 12 and riding, I was still just posting the trot after 6 months! The only thing that's changed (other than my weight:) is my attitude. Through knowing as much as I can about what I'm doing (knowing where my hand, arm, trunk and leg is supposed to be at all times), I've built confidence enough to know that I have nothing to fear if I stay calm and in control (and lean forward or "close" my "hip angle" whenever the horse wants me off). Confidence is the #1 skill for the new rider.

I went back to riding after nearly 20 years away from it and absolutely love it. The main problem I have is that I keep losing my stirrups in the transition from trot to canter. I have tried everything to stop this happening and would appreciate any tips that anyone has....

Aleashia - I am no expert (far from it), but after having just returned to riding also, I have found it helpful to do some work without stirrups - re-works all the muscles I'd forgotten I had. For some reason, I always seem to remember the heels down policy when I go back to using stirrups and feel much more confident and comfortable with the transition from trot to canter. Happy riding!

Finally found something about the very basics in English in internet! Thanks a lot for this site! Knowing lots of riding-related sites in
Finnish I've been looking for this kind of stuff for a long time. There are numerous books in many languages about riding in our local bookshops and
libraries, but I feel internet is still more easily available. I will definitely recommend this site to my English-speaking students here in the North. (Anybody ever tried riding in -20???=))

I found this site a few wks ago, and I just want to say how great it is!. I have booked my first riding lesson in 7 yrs for the end of the month and I am very excited! The price for them doesnt make me as excited, but I know it will all be worth it. I decided that purchasing my own hat would be best in the long run as the riding school charges for hat hire. I agree that if you are going to get any riding gear before you start out...make it a hat! I will let you know how it goes! Thankx again for such a great site! It has really helped my confidence and made me remember a few things I had forgotton from when I was younger! Happy riding!, H (18)

Thanks so much for this website! I have been so impressed with the speed in which people reply to the posts! Everybody seems so friendly and it's nice to have that support in the horse world since I'm the only rider in my family (and I'm a teen). Also, this site has some great stuff! Thanks again!

Rebekah