Nervous to return after 8 years!

[solittle]

Hi all, thought I would tap into your collective wisdom instead of browsing for hours as usual!

So I have my first lesson tomorrow after 8 years out of the saddle. Rode between 8-14 but generally got put on small nappy ponies as I wasn't scared to fall off, but unfortunately probably didn't teach me how to ride all that well...

I'm so excited but so nervous - are there any major do's/dont's? Will it all come flooding back? Can I start buying fancy jodhpurs yet? Is it really this expensive?? Are all my weekends doomed from now on?!

Yes, buy the jodhs, yes it's expensive, yes it will use up all your time!

Have fun and enjoy.
During your lesson don't try too hard. I made that mistake when I restarted after a 10 yr break. I so wanted the instructor to think I was a good rider. I couldn't walk for a week!

Enjoy your lesson, the smell, the feel, etc. Nothing beats the smell of a pony muzzle.

Good luck with your lesson tomorrow, solittle

Do come back with an update. I'd love to hear how you get on because I'm in a not dissimilar situation; rode 7-21, but with a break (if it even counts as a break!) of almost two decades. It was a mix of basic lessons, hacking and general larking about so, like you, I suspect I'm lacking in technical excellence, to say the least! I've got new jodhs and a private lesson booked so we'll see what happens.

To echo what Fire said, I was advised the other day that I'll remember what to do, but my muscles won't be prepared for it. I clearly remember that pain when you first learn rising trot (and without stirrups - yikes!); it's doubtful being gym fit is going to count for much.

That said, any nervousness I probably ought to be feeling is being overwhelmed by excitement.

My seven-year-old DD has just started lessons so I've had to accept that I'll be kissing goodbye to a chunk of my savings and monthly earnings.

I've just re-started after about 12 years off. Thought it would be a one off. Within a week or two I was browsing ponies for loan and day dreaming about riding when I should be working.

First lesson back my goals were stay on and don't inconvenience the rest of the lesson. In fact I think I'm a much more assertive rider than I was as a youngster. It has pretty much come flooding back.

Enjoy!

Oh, and I'd forgotten how much I'd want to witter on about the lesson etc afterwards, but I don't have a gang of pony mad pals to witter on with these days.

Great advice Fire- I realised most of my worries about it are about how good i'll be, if I remember it all, etc etc. I need to keep reminding myself that I don't need to be good or know it all, that's what i'm there for! Also point taken about fitness levels.

I bought the jodhs

Seventeen, when is your lesson? It has taken me a year to get round to this. I was inspired by a local event - the same event that I went to last year and was inspired by... I have surprised myself by actually doing something about it!

Luckily its a private lesson so I don't need to worry about inconveniencing other people.

Does anyone have any tips on choosing a good school? The one I am going to I picked because it's the closest, but i'm lucky in that I have a lot of choice. My priority when younger was very much "pick the cheapest".

solittle, how was it?

I envy you having a choice of schools and I suppose that must mean you're somewhere a bit less urban than me. I'm in south London with a choice of one school locally. I'm feeling some regret about my choice not to learn to drive because I can't easily get out of town for hacking at weekends.

My lesson is a week Monday. It seemed a good idea to have a private lesson to see where I am, but it'll be a looong hour with nowhere to hide!

Like you, I've taken a while to get around to it. DD wanted to start lessons and it took me ages to decide whether or not I could live with the risks (we all have those scary moments to look back on, don't we?) but the day I went to visit and have a look at the horses I felt quite emotional and knew I couldn't deny her, or myself, all the wonderful experiences.

Looie, you're saying all the right things

Shall we start a new thread with a title designed to catch the attention of other returning riders, so we can at least have a virtual gang of pony mad pals?

We could start by introducing ourselves (again, for the benefit of people who may not read this thread), outlining our past experience and future plans. And then get on with the wittering

I like the sound of a virtual gang of pony mad pals .

Oooh following this thread.

I am 40 in October. Haven't ridden for nearly 20 years. Had kids ponies for the last 12 years. Bought myself a baby highland (like a giant shetland pony) 2 years ago and need to back her by Christmas ideally.

I am debating whether to book for some lessons at local riding school. I definetly need to get fitter and will definetly need the practice before I get on a baby pony. It's just the thought of not being able to walk for 3 days after .

I am older and creakier and have had 2 dcs. My knees creak as I walk upstairs, I am 2 stone heavier and far less bouncy.

But I have been practicing leaning over baby pony and getting very excited and a bit nervous about getting on for the first time in so long.

Ooh, Frouby, we're both 40-ish-year-old, 20-year-break riders!

Ok, shall we start a new thread then?

How about 'Back in the saddle - returning riders'? (Any better ideas welcome )

Ah, it was so good!

I got totally lost on the way and ended up in another stables with a similar name first! So I was feeling a bit stressed. It was a much smaller yard than I expected but the instructor was lovely and really put me at ease. She was very flattering which totally worked to boost my confidence . Worked right the way up to canter which I had a little difficulty with, but looking forward to trying again. Oh, the horse was lovely too!

I wasn't expecting to feel so good afterwards. Only half an hour and I haven't ached too much today so might attempt an hour next time.

I love the sound of a horsey returners thread, my partner is solidly disinterested and my colleagues are doing a good job of ignoring my wittering...

I do need to try some other schools though as this one is having difficulty slotting me in . I have also today sent off an application for volunteering with riding for the disabled so hopefully that will help fill the horse gap in my life!

Seventeen, that sounds like the tagline to a Jilly Cooper novel

Lol love returning riders.

What about Returning Riders and Feeling Our Arses. Because we definitely will.

solittle you are braver than me.

In my head canter is a long way away.

The problem I will have is the riding school I will use is where I learnt to ride. And worked for rides until I was 18. From being about 9. I was the go to jockey for breaking and schooling the knobhead ponies and then the knobhead jockeys.

I was also best friends with yard owners dd who was a year younger than me and a nervous nellie. Which meant when we rode after school we left the yard on a riding school pony (me) and whatever yard owners dd had been bought in for the ring. When we got to the top of the drive we swapped over . Which meant I got nice, shiny sharp pony to hack out and she got nice steady eddie.

She will be teaching me. She will have high expectations. She hasn't had a 20 year break or 2 dcs. I even bought her old horse as it was too sharp for her. She is going to be very disappointed .

No. I didn't break and then school knobhead jockeys. It was knobhead horses ffs.

Hello. This is my first post.
I love the idea of a returning to riding thread. I started riding again in June after about 15 years. Not only I have decided to get back in the saddle but also to have one hour private lessons in French - double ouch! (I moved to France and never thought I would get back on a horse again let alone take lessons in a foreign language), I am having fun though I am physically and mentally exhausted lol! I did have a fall on my 4th lesson which hurt a lot as I don't bounce anymore (I'm early 40s) but I am back in the saddle and ready to go again. Wish me bon courage!

I had an 11 year break from riding after a bad accident and then buying a house. (Couldn't have a horse and a mortgage!) DD2 went riding and I realised how much I had missed it, so booked myself a private half hour lesson. I could barely walk the next day, but that was me hooked again. I did have a fall, but it was fine I just broke my coccyx but had to give up for good after damaging an ankle very badly in an unrelated accident. I still miss it.

I hope you have brilliant fun, OP. I'm jealous.

Wow, solittle, right up to cantering with minimal consequences the next day! So pleased for you that it went brilliantly. Definitely go for the full hour next time.

My partner will put up with the wittering and be encouraging, but he's no more interested in horses than I am in bicycles.

No pressure there then, Frouby When will you be having your first lesson with your old friend?

You're very brave, yikes. Are you a fluent French speaker?

I hope you didn't suffer too much bruising. How did you come off?

LittleCandle, I'm sorry to hear you're no longer able to ride, what bad luck. Do you still spend time around horses with your DD?

I've started a returners thread now, in case anybody hasn't spotted it

Hi, Seventeen - yes I do speak French but horse and riding vocabulary is very different to English so it's a steep learning curve. I tell myself that it is good for my French! I fell off whilst attempting to canter a 20m circle and lost my balance. A friend pointed out that it was probably a bit ambitious after just 3 lessons and 20 years since my last lessons in a rs :o. I am now more cautious and say no to anything I think I'm not ready for yet. I fell off and was confused for a few minutes. I ended up going to have xrays on my back and hip but thankfully just badly bruised, Did take about a month before I felt better.
Solittle - glad your lesson went well.

Seventeen, DD can no longer ride either, having been diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia and arthritis and has been told riding was one of the worst things she could have done. So we both love horses from afar.

I re started at 25 after 13 years off and then again at 35. Now have my own - ooops. Echo whoever said don't try too hard. I tied myself up in knots and the harder I tried the worse I was. Relax, go with it and if you're not getting something, distract yourself and the horse for a few mins to re focus and try again. It's meant to be fun so don't take too seriously