Returning to horse riding as an older rider can be an eye opening experience. It quickly becomes very clear that the memories you had of galloping along, wind in your hair are no longer a reality. Walking around on horseback for five minutes makes you hurt in places you forgot you had. This leads you to ask yourself, why am I doing this again?
You’re doing this again because you have never stopped being the horse crazy little girl. And now as an older rider, you want to recapture that magical time when you wanted nothing more than to be at the barn, smelling the leather and the sweet horsey smell.
Being an older rider, you really are a beginner and need to start over. When I returned to riding, I admittedly was disappointed that it wasn’t the same. I was nervous, I didn’t know what I was doing and felt completely out of place. The following tips will help you overcome the emotional and mental baggage that will keep you from enjoying returning to riding.
1. Don’t compare yourself to the teenagers wizzing around. Let’s face it, they don’t have the same responsibilities or wisdom that you have. You have a better handle on what can go wrong. When I first returned to riding, I was intimidated by the 15 year olds that seem to know everything and certainly rode better than I did. The mentality of the older rider is such that when you are older you should be better at it then these youngsters. Don’t let this deter you, just smile at them knowing that their day will come too.
2. Find someone to ride with in your age group that understands what the older rider is going through. This admittedly can be a bit difficult at a “show barn” but having someone to commiserate with is extremely helpful.
3. Make sure the riding instructor understands the needs of the older rider. I prefer an instructor in my age group. An instructor that is in their early 20’s doesn’t have a clue about about being a parent, owning a home and all that this entails. Having these responsibilities makes one assess risk at a different level. Who’s going to take care of all of this if you get hurt?
4. Juggling family, work and a horse can be daunting. Don’t fall into the trap that your horse will suddenly implode if you don’t go out to the barn every day. If you’re confident that he’s being cared for properly, your horse is perfectly content to hang out with his horsey friends all day. Like you, he appreciates a couple of days off.
5. Riding is supposed to be for your enjoyment. If you find you are riding to please your instructor, fellow riders, or anyone else, you will soon find that you will begin to resent the pressure and this will begin an avoidance of the barn.
Having realistic expectations of what your capabilities are and how much time you can devote to your riding will greatly decrease the pressure you put on yourself. Don’t worry what other people think about you, your horse or your riding.
If you are returning to riding after many years, approach it as a beginner horse rider. Many things have changed since you were active in the equestrian world and you will soon learn all that you have forgotten. For more information that you need to know as a beginner rider, visit my website at http://www.squidoo.com/beginnerhorseriding.
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