Adult new or returning riders up for a chat?

[Hereforthedramaz]

I have recently returned to riding after a very long gap.

I was a very casual rider as an early teen, happy hacking on plodding ponies rather than technical riding. I am thoroughly enjoying having proper lessons now.

I thought it might be nice to chat with other newbies or returners, all non-horsey people in my life and there is only so much they want to talk about it!!!

Also the stables I'm going to is so lovely and welcoming but, in their own words, aimed almost entirely at 8-12 year olds so it would be nice to talk to some adults!

Personally, I hate the trot to canter transition. Unless you and the horse are super balanced it’s going to be bouncy and then the horse will struggle to strike off correctly. Walk to canter is so much easier and smoother. If you are struggling ask if you can do walk to canter, hopefully the horses will have a decent enough level of schooling to respond correctly.

So yesterday I had my canter lesson - I survived! Had a really good chat with my instructor. Between us we've worked out there are a few things which have given me the fear. My first canter was in a group lesson and was a canter to the back of the ride approach with a different inexperienced instructor on the horse which doesn't stop and is as she put it too forward and lively for me to be doing that on! She says and I agree my experience of canter transition should have been much more controlled so that I could maintain a level of control over the situation and not have the fear now that the horse will always run away with me. Balance we agreed is a factor and like others who kindly posted she has said core strengthening exercises will help. She gave me two options. Option 1 as I'm doing this for enjoyment don't do stuff I don't enjoy and focus on trot and pole work and just enjoying riding. Or option 2. Go back to basics and restart the learn to canter and take it super slowly. So I'm not a quitter and a bit too determined for my own good and have chosen option 2! So it was back to basics yesterday and a lunge lesson so I can purely focus on position through transitions. Most of this was walk to trot and trot to walk and without stirrups then repeated with stirrups and we did some trot to canters and canter to trot with me holding tar front of the saddle so I stayed upright. It was ok. It wasn't great but I was able to sit to the transition way better. It still got a bit too bouncy for my liking but holding the saddle and not just reins meant I could try to breathe through it. So first goal is to be able to breathe through the transition. I'm going to keep with the group beginner lesson but I'm not going to try to canter in them yet. I'll stick with trot and for the next few weeks finances allowing book lunge privates and see where I am after 6 before reassessing. So we have a plan. 😀

Thanks. It's not the transition I struggle with it's the ongoing canter as the speed and rhythm settle my balance falls apart. If it's just a couple of strides I'm ok but full arena length and I've stopped breathing. Worth bearing in mind the walk canter transition though as I hopefully progress. Thank you.

@cakeforme definitely sounds like a plan! It must have been a proper knock to your confidence to have your first canter in the manner that you described.

Went for a lovely hack this morning.

Looks lovely @TheDarrellRivers look at that blue sky!

And thanks @TheDarrellRivers it sounded obvious that it wasn’t the best introduction to canter when we talked it through so hoping we can reset and undo it. I didn’t come off so it wasn’t the worst case but after watching my son learn by getting a few strides then a few more strides I guess I thought it would be more manageable.

@cakeforme that sounds like an excellent plan! So many schools do the canter to the back thing and consequently the horses learn exactly what's going to happen. Fine for people who can control their response but that must've been a terrifying first canter.
@TheDarrellRivers that looks beautiful

I had a really positive lesson today rode the same horse I've been struggling with and we seemed to finally click an he listened much better instead of battling the whole time. Still need to work on holding him together instead of getting long and flat but at least it wasn't 30 minutes of refusing to canter or turn or put his head down.
Finished off with some stretchy trotting on a very long lane and a quick hack. Thankfully no sheep!

@cakeforme Yes, definitely asking for trouble!

@Allthegoodnamestakken It was a lovely hack thanks, perfect autumn weather. Pony was a bit skittish today, so glad to have my husband along with me!!

@cakeforme so pleased to hear you had a pre successful lesson and you have a good plan (I love a good plan!)

It sounds like you've got a good instructor who listens and helps come up with solutions for individuals, that's great.

@TheDarrellRivers ahhh beautiful morning hack, this time of the year is so perfect and what a lovely head to be looking over!

@Hereforthedramaz Thanks!!

@Allthegoodnamestakken Always good without those killer sheep ;)
Glad you had a good lesson, sounds like a big confidence boost. Isn't it brilliant when things come together.

I’m going to be moving yards soon!! Super nervous about it. Am I making the right decision??!!??
pony is quite a nervous wee thing., so very worried about her.

What a lovely picture @TheDarrellRivers

@TheDarrellRivers we’ve moved horses a few times for various reasons. The first time I was so worried about whether or not we were doing the right thing - DHorse had been at the yard we were moving from for 5 years and I stressed about how he’d cope but I needn’t have worried. He took it all in his stride and acted like he’d been there all his life. He’s moved twice since then and had no problems either time. It helps that he’s a generally chilled character and has extremely good social skills with other horses so he integrates into the herd very quickly. I’m sure your horse will be fine

@Gremlinsateit Thank you 😊

@Pleasedontdothat Thank you. I'm so nervous, which is terrible as of course pony will pick up on that!! Also just realise that it's Bonfire Night!!! Oh dear.

Hello, please may I join you?

im a returning rider having ridden as a teen and young adult (I was a groom for a few years)
I’m now 54 yrs old and have only sat on a horse once in the past 25 years when I fell off and totally knocked my confidence.
My adult daughter has a loan of a pony and so I’m getting my horsey cuddles etc but it’s also relit my yearning to ride again.
So, I’ve booked a private lesson for next week, I’m so excited and have been eyeing up jodhpurs and hats etc, as well as dragging my daughter around tack shops as I adore the smell of hoof oil- it takes me back to the days when I had no fear- I now have plenty of fear!

it’s been fun reading through this thread.

@hennipenni that sounds brilliant. I wish I could have ridden without fear but as an older from scratch learner it’s always been part of my riding!! Let us know how you get on.

Yay - I’ve found a lovely local riding school - we moved last month to the other end of the country. I explained about my accident and the lady running it was very understanding - they’re a RDA centre so most of their horses are safe, sturdy cobs which is what I need right now! They do hacking and lessons and I’m going to volunteer at some of their RDA sessions. I’ve got a couple more weeks before I’m allowed to get back on but I’m really looking forward to it 😊

and welcome @hennipenni - there’s room for everyone here !

@Pleasedontdothat I’m so glad it seems you are recovering well.

I’m very pleased with myself today - DHorse was mucking about and unsettling me, but I managed to keep him going forward until he calmed down and started paying attention. I really feel like I have improved :)

Welcome @hennipenni :)

@Notanotherwindow
''Does anyone else have trouble getting down off bigger horses. I keep falling unless the instructor helps me down.''

I usually try to slide down gently and bend knees before impact rather than jump off with a big horse...might not be the most graceful or the right thing to do but I have never fallen so far :). I had to do that recently because I had bruised the muscles in one leg and had to lend as softly as I could not to damage anything further.

If that can make you feel better I was having a lesson where one rider was a former jockey and another one had had her own horses and a ranch in the USA for years. Both fell off while mounting/dismounting on big horses....It made me realise that it is not always an easy process even for people who were doing it for years.

@cakeforme ·
''Hello. I've just found this thread and read through most of it. I'm also a late learner having started June 2021 at 47. It's been slow progress and I've had a mix of privates and now do a regular group lesson. I struggle with everything - balance, fitness and fear! I've been off twice! Recently I've being trying to learn to canter and whilst I want to oh my goodness the fear! I can't get sat back in the saddle to even try and relax the hips! And seem to be constantly on the neck strap hanging on wanting it to stop. Last group lesson I ended up stopping in tears feeling a fool and only trotting after that! So I'm booked in for a private to have another go at canter on Friday. But I'm worried if I can't master it is this the end of my riding journey? I'm 48 nearly 49. Never rode as a child and love it (apart from the canter fear). But I can't have such an expensive 30mins every week if I can't get past the fear! Any words of wisdom? My riding dreams are quite modest. I'd like to be able to go on a hack and enjoy the three paces. I don't want to jump or dressage or compete just a lovely relaxing ride. And id like to be able to canter not just trot. Will I get there - has anyone got over this themselves?''

I started at 49! and was (and still am) quite a nervous rider and I have had some really, really disastrous lessons.

I think it happen to me twice as well to have to stop for a bit in a group lesson because I had enough of trying to control a grumpy mare.

I think the only reason why I am not scared of canter is that the first time I did it was not planned...my horse just too off in the middle of a group lesson. Maybe because he was bored of trotting and decided it was time for me to learn how to canter. We never used a neck strap though in lessons.

I have managed to go on several hacks in spite of my modest riding skills and no horse has managed to throw me yet.

Give yourself time and you will get there.

I am happy if I just learn something new every time I ride and make small progress.

I stopped comparing myself to others because let's face it I will never be as good as someone who started riding at a kid and who has the stamina and body of a young person.

I am grateful every lesson when I don't fall off (I have seen a few experienced rider fly off their horse lately in lessons and injure themselves) and get to spend time with a horse learning something new.

That's enough for me!

Woo, really enjoyed my lesson today. So much so I’ve booked another one!
Started with an assessment of my rusty skills, did lots of work in walk and trot (I even remembered how horrid it feels to ride the wrong diagonal)
lots of transition work and changing reins etc. lovely placid horse as my confidence isn’t great. I was asked if I wanted to do some canter work which I refused. Thoroughly enjoyed myself and can’t stop smiling!

@hennipenni That's brilliant! What a great first lesson for booting your confidence.