Adult Beginner

[redbigbananafeet]

I'm thinking about taking horse riding lessons. Would I look upon as silly as a 30 odd year old beginner?

How do people feel about body protectors these days? I always used to wear one when jumping but I am risk averse.

On my yard there are a couple of serious show jumpers and eventers, none of them wear body protectors for showjumping, they do for jumping solid fences

I wear one for jumping but mainly due to family pressure and only because I had a fall last year when the horse fell over .

Most people on my yard (including clients at the riding school) don't wear BPs for regular schooling/dressage/lessons but do for 'higher risk' activities like XC, hacking and in some cases SJ. Some, especially children wear them all the time. Personally I don't like wearing one much as I find them very restrictive so I don't often wear one but that is a personal risk assessment, I know my horses very well, I don't do any particularly high risk activities and am prepared to accept the small risk of serious injury that comes with any riding - everyone will have their own variant on this!

Hats on the other hand I am religious about and wear all the time I am around the horses, including on the ground - you must buy one that complies with the current PAS standard and is properly fitted by a knowledgeable person - once you know your hat size and what brand/shape suits you best you can shop around for bargains online but for your first one go to a proper tack shop - your riding school can advise of the best one locally. Never ever buy a riding hat second hand as you don't know how it's been treated, and if you fall off onto yours, or drop in onto a hard surface, always replace!

Thank you again, that info is very welcome. I remember the stuff about replacing hat if dropped etc.

I was an adult learner at 24 and now at 41 still ride weekly (well, I did pre Covid). I love it but have no intention or ability to take it further. I usually have a lesson in the school but often hack out on holidays. I had an amazing hack a couple of years ago in the Lake District. My school still isn’t doing lessons for novices and since I’ve not been riding my arms have got flabby I like to ride the same horse quite a bit to develop a relationship but you get given different school horses to ride, and that makes you a better rider. For years I rode with the same group of adults and it was good fun. Sadly the school couldn’t keep any instructors and shut down

How are you getting on @redbigbananafeet?