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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

Start riding lessons at 42? Am I mad?

27 replies

Marthapolo8719 · 27/06/2015 18:52

Would I be?

OP posts:
Ekkwhine · 27/06/2015 18:58

No, not at all-just prepared to be sore! I an if I haven't ridden for a couple of weeks.

You'll love it, such a sense of freedom. Enjoy!

Gabilan · 27/06/2015 19:21

No. Enjoy it. It's great.

Clobbered · 27/06/2015 19:22

Yes. You are mad.

Original poster
Marthapolo8719 · 27/06/2015 19:51

Can you elaborate clobbered Smile?

Sense of freedom dou DS awesome. Sore bits very much acceptable Grin.

Fear of falling off a bit worrying though.

OP posts:
Original poster
Marthapolo8719 · 27/06/2015 19:52
  • sounds awesome Blush.
OP posts:
Mamabird3 · 27/06/2015 19:53

No! Sounds fantastic! I used to ride as a child but had to give up for various reasons. I can't wait until my dc are old enough for me to have enough time and money for me to start riding again, and it will probably be from the beginning again like you are. It's lovely to do something for yourself, enjoy every second!

ememem84 · 27/06/2015 19:55

Nope. I started lessons again a week before my 30th last year.

Go for it!!

Wishful80sMontage · 27/06/2015 19:56

I've always wanted to do lessons again did a few as a child but didn't carry on.

Eastpoint · 27/06/2015 19:57

I started riding around that age, getting as far as small jumps before dcs started needing more ferrying at the weekend (school sports matches on Saturdays etc). I bought some cheap jodhpurs & boots and my own helmet to make sure it fitted really well. Have fun.

HootyMcTooty · 27/06/2015 19:59

Do it! I rode when I was younger, it was amazing, the sense of achievement you get when you learn something new and the peace you feel when you're just out on your own is something that I don't get with anything else. Sadly I don't have time these days (or the money) and I miss it so much.

BoffinMum · 27/06/2015 20:03

I learned to ski as a disabled 45 year old who was also afraid of heights and speed, so this is surely manageable.

Original poster
Marthapolo8719 · 27/06/2015 20:13

Wow boffin inspirational Thanks. Lovely 'go for it responses'. I'm a tad worried that at 42 I am 'past it' wrt horse riding, not sure why though.

OP posts:
Gabilan · 27/06/2015 20:53

Martha I think it depends a bit on how fit you are, how determined you are, and what you want to do. One of the owners at my yard must have been in his late 40s/ early 50s when he learned. He has his own horse and happily hacks out on him even though he's a bit of a handful. Horse and owner have a lovely relationship and enjoy spending time together.

If you want to compete at the Olympics it's very unlikely. If you want to enjoy hacking out that's absolutely achievable. If you eventually wanted to get your own horse and do riding club competitions that's definitely achievable, but would just take more work and more lessons.

BoffinMum · 27/06/2015 21:21

My consultant is a keen skier and he egged me on, it has to be said.

Ekkwhine · 27/06/2015 22:28

Martha-it's not the falling off that hurts, it's the landingWink

No, seriously, in all honesty, at a riding school, on a quiet schoolmaster in a soft surface ménage it's highly unlikely you'd fall off

Velociraptor · 28/06/2015 07:46

I think being a bit mad helps if you are going to get into horse riding. Grin Go for it, it is brilliant fun.

saintlyjimjams · 28/06/2015 07:50

I learned to surf at 40.

Returned to riding late 30's. There are lots of adult learners at my yard - 40's 50's seems a common age to start (hard to afford it earlier I guess). There are 80 year olds riding at the yard as well. You're a spring chicken!

ememem84 · 28/06/2015 07:54

Find yourself a good stable. There are about 10 near me. I visited them all before I got back in the saddle. Then had a lesson at a few. You need to find an instructor who makes you feel totally safe and comfortable. But who also understands you might be afraid a little.

Teladi · 28/06/2015 07:59

My MIL started riding lessons in her fifties. She loves it.

TropicalHorse · 28/06/2015 08:16

Chiming in to say, do it! Good instructor, lunge lesson on a steady schoolie, decent tack and good risk management all minimize falling-off potential! I taught adult beginners for years and only remember one fall!

Butkin · 28/06/2015 11:32

42 is no age to start learning to ride. You'll be fine and if you're really keen will pick it up quite quickly. If you're reasonably fit that will help but really it's all about confidence.. (oh and sympathetic tuition..)

MrsBane · 28/06/2015 11:49

I'm 42 and currently losing weight so that my 13 year old son can teach me to ride his horse Grin

Sigma33 · 28/06/2015 11:51

I have one friend who started in her 40s, and one in her 30s. Yep, you bounce less Wink but get the right instructor and horse and go for it.

Gabilan · 28/06/2015 17:42

If you get the right horse, they actually try quite hard to keep you up there. I'm riding my DHorse bareback at the moment. The other day he started to shy at something and then decided that since I didn't have a saddle and it all felt different, he would shy, but just do it really slowly so I didn't fall off. Bless him. You would think with that much self control he could just have not shied, but there was a horse-eating monster in the hedge, apparently.

AMcoffeeLover · 02/07/2015 13:17

Yes you'll be mad.....like the rest of us!!!! Its a lovely kind of mad Grin