Has anyone on here

Native Lover

Native Lover

Native Pony Fan
Jul 13, 2009
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Lincolnshire,wheres the hills?
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Learnt to jump or do x country at 50 years plus??? I have in my life done one jump and Eva my Fell wouldn't really jump she doesn't enjoy it, Melody my Highland isn't allowed to jump. So I am waiting till my Glennie my other Highland grows up which as she is now two will make me at least 53 years old :( before I can do any even tiny jumps on her.... that's if she enjoys jumping.....

I would love to hear from other mature riders on this subject. :)
 
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not personally however I know someone the same age who has just done an 80cm SJ comp with her horse and only just started jumping last year :D Go for it!
 
When I started to ride aged 62, my plan was to hack and never to jump.
But you may be cheered to know that there was another lady o.a.p. beginner at the RS who took the opposite approach. She rode just one mare and all she aimed to do was to jump. Her adult children rode so the family thought jumping in ones 60s was a reasonable ambition.
I have no idea whether or not she continued to ride but I know she was jumping at the time because I saw her.
I myself was trying to ride as many horses as possible so thought it odd that she rode only her favourite. But as years passed, I too have stuck with a few very favourite horses - riding the third one now. And I mention her always having the same horse because perhaps if one is learning to do something slightly risky, it is best done on a horse you know well?
As for going cross country - If one hacks a lot over rough ground (I mean not always on sand tracks or bridle paths) I wouldnt have thought it out of the question to learn to jump fixed jumps. I mean you go at such a lick cantering forward sometimes that a horse will take a ditch or a fallen tree in its stride. My experience of falling off last summer when my pony jumped a dip in the tack, shows it is actually safer to have some lessons in jumping so you know to put your weight back when landing. I ended up on the horse's neck like Chev and unlike her, I eventually fell.
 
I started last year at 40. I did jump a little bit as a kid but had a 25 year gap from doing it! There's a lady in my riding club jumping lessons who is in her 80s. She gets a bit confused about what she's meant to be jumping sometimes but her technique is great!
 
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Me!
I had my own horse in my 20s for a couple of years, but I never jumped and didn't ride very well. I started riding lessons not long after my 50th birthday and it was just assumed that I would jump. I wasn't very keen but thought it would help my balance, but then I actually found I enjoyed it. I learnt in the Winter so I did SJ top start, up to about 2' mostly. In Spring we did some small XC jumps so I've done that too. I since done 2 riding tuition holidays to improve and I've jumped 3'3" SJ and 3'6" xc (but only a couple of times). I'm lucky to be reasonably confident and to have ridden horses that can do the job. If the instructor tells me the horse can jump the fence I'm happy (within reason!) to go and jump it.

I've ground to a halt really now though as I need my own horse to progress and I don't think that will happen now.

But anyway - go for it - its fun (disclaimer - I know a lot of people jump because they think they should - I think you should do whatever makes you happy, and if that's only riding in the school etc who cares what anyone else thinks)
 
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@GaryB I am so sorry you feel your hopes of having your own horse are over. I know you lost a lot of money on the horse you bought, but the actual purchase price of a horse is neither here nor there really, in the overall scheme of things! (Unless you are talking mega-££££££££££££ )

What have you already saved on livery fees/hay/farriery etc by not having one? Could you look at loans? There are plenty of long term loans out there. Or LWVTB?

Sorry back to OP: I know someone who started eventing at 60. She's competing in BE open events now. Mega big and scary!! Never too late.
 
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KP nut said:
@GaryB I am so sorry you feel your hopes of having your own horse are over. I know you lost a lot of money on the horse you bought, but the actual purchase price of a horse is neither here nor there really, in the overall scheme of things! (Unless you are talking mega-££££££££££££ )

What have you already saved on livery fees/hay/farriery etc by not having one? Could you look at loans? There are plenty of long term loans out there. Or LWVTB?
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I haven't quite given up, and I've been looking at shares, part loans, and loans. I'm lucky to have a nice share horse at them moment, but having no transport and no school is limiting. It may be though I'm as well of just carrying on with him. As it happens Ben has only just gone so (he's been on sales livery) so I've effectively been still paying his livery, shoeing and insurance, plus livery for his empty stable and field.
 
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GaryB said:
I haven't quite given up, and I've been looking at shares, part loans, and loans. I'm lucky to have a nice share horse at them moment, but having no transport and no school is limiting. It may be though I'm as well of just carrying on with him. As it happens Ben has only just gone so (he's been on sales livery) so I've effectively been still paying his livery, shoeing and insurance, plus livery for his empty stable and field.
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I don't know whats happened??? but pleased you are not considering giving up :) I managed with no transport and a grass school for year bought our own jumps we only have paddocks on a farm and Jess( our rider) manages to compete our Lunan straight from the field :) Now 8 years on we have transport.
 
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I started riding at age 48. I am 55 now and still consider myself a beginner in a way. I have jumped - but it is a bit scarey for me. THings come and go for my confidence level and what horse i am riding. I can walk - trot - canter on a horse now - and have done jumping - but he is not overly sound so I am nervous. My old horse i did jump and was comfortable. My gdaughter horse is a wild one and i need a lunge line to get a ride in. I do feel that I am never going to be as good as my gdaughter or daughter - but hey how many other grandmas are out there riding!!!
I want to be happy to just get on and feel comfortable with my kids...
 
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I've ridden on and off for years but not really consistently..I bought my first horse 2 years ago ( totally green 6year old 16.3!) and I'm 50 with a hip replacement - I've started jumping as my horse LOVES it ... so do I once I start! Go for it :)
 
Am resurrecting this thread as Nick Skelton just won Olympic gold jumping and the Times says he has had a hip replacement.
 
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