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!

Yay! The school I’ve been trying to get lessons at finally got back to me this afternoon and I’m booked in for an assessment lesson next week 😅

Great news 😊

Brilliant!
Let us know how good it is!

Can I join? I had a lesson yesterday (and another today so I'll be walking like John Wayne tomorrow) at our local riding school. It was fabulous. I last rode nearly 40 years ago, I came off and didn't ever get back on. My child rides and we have had part loans and now full loan. I spend a fortune on the horse and lessons for her and thought I might as well try to ride again - I loved it!! Riding school (where daughter had lessons for many years before loaning her own) were amazing. I was told it would be like riding a bike in that you don't forget and I trotted yesterday and cantered today. I am going to have a lesson a week - need to work on my fitness following a non horse related injury and weight loss (greed and menopause related)

Hi @reindeesandchristmastrees
It really does sound like it's come back to you really quickly, it's amazing how it does that!

But oh the aching next day!

Will you be able to share your loan pony when you have had a few lessons or if it too little ( or spicy?!)

ARGH! I CANTERED PROPERLY! So pleased with myself. I've been really struggling with my confidence. I have a really nice trot, but somehow it just goes to shit when I ask for canter, but not today! Yassssss!

@LadyFlumpalot yay 🙌🙌 well done you.

I’ve spoken to my instructor and I want to be able to canter by the end of summer.

@LadyFlumpalot Well done! You must be feeling great, so lovely when things finally fall into place

I had my assessment lesson at the riding school I’ve been hoping to go to for ages - I really enjoyed myself, ended up doing leg yield and the instructor said I was a lot better than I thought I was 😉. Next time I’m going to be on the lunge to work with no stirrups and canter - I feel so much happier about it all 😊

@LadyFlumpalot well done! That’s such a good feeling.

Argh. It’s going to be a 6 week gap between lessons. That seems like an age 😱

@Pleasedontdothat glad it went well and good luck with the no stirups! you will ache but its so good for balance. I haven't dared to no stirups since progressing from the nice calm gelding to my current moody mare she's a bit to temperamental.

Had another lesson yesterday focusing on my position in canter, really struggling to get my upper body good and my legs on at the same time, so many muscles to think about all at once. Going to work on some core exercises at home as my instructor suggested getting that stronger might help it all fall in to place and as I currently only ride 3x a month its probably not enough to build the muscles.

Hi just looking for a bit of advice. I’m having lessons on a Saturday and then last weekend went out on a novice hack at another school. I’m just a bit concerned as they just gave me a horse and just let me carry on . No paperwork signed or questions about my level of riding were asked. Also they weren’t overly friendly being honest . How can I find out if the school is insured etc etc as I’m not seeing any registration number on the website? I did all the checks before getting on the horse I.e girth etc etc but it all just felt a bit odd .

That doesn't sound good at all, had you never ridden at that stables before? Did an instructor accompany you on the hack? Maybe because it was classed as a novice hack then that meant it was for beginner riders though but I would still expect them to do a basic riding assessment of you before allowing you to hack out.
First of all check whether yard is BHS approved, you can find this from BHS website. This should ensure all insurance etc is in place PLUS basic levels of animal welfare and instruction. I always recommend that beginners start at BHS yards for this reason. It is actually really hard to get a licence to run a riding school but you can check through your local council. Also you can ask to see their insurance details, they should have them displayed somewhere though.
Never ever ride at an unlicensed yard.

It was just all a bit odd being honest so I will try and check that out. There were 2 instructors with us but the fact they didn’t ask any questions and weren’t overly freindly was a bit off putting and odd.

Not the norm at the yards my daughter has been riding at. They always do an assessment before letting anyone hack out, even when accompanied by an instructor.

@Lovelycupofcoffee Not the norm from places i've been either, i've done quite a few hacks all over and at minimum they have made me fill in a form listing my riding experience level and then some places have insisted on paying for 30 minute assessment lesson beforehand. Most places seem to ask on the phone about experience and then judge riding ability based on a quick 5 minute walk and trot round the school.

I suppose if the hack was intended for complete beginners there is no need to fill out a form as everyone will be treated/assumed as such. Although from what you've said they didn't help you mount which obviously is at odds to this

I’ve only bloody cantered!!!!!! My nerves were so extreme that I never thought this day would come. My instructors have just been so kind.

Well done!!
I'm so happy for you!
How do you feel?

If you have time, can you summarise your progress from starting to ride, to where you are now? I'm keen to understand the mind set and confidence fluctuation of other riders, as mine varies so much!

I'm still progressing towards canter but it sounds terrifying. I'm now really enjoying trot (when I'm put on a horse who isn't trying to be as slow as possible - pick those hooves up and stop tripping, you big troll!)

I'm riding various horses, some sweet geldings who go when asked and are nice and smooth, another gelding who would rather have his slippers on, and two mares - one is adorable but I hated her bouncy trot to start with, and another who has been barely ridden - on the lunge with her recently she kept spinning and I'm surprised I stayed on!

All lessons are good experience, even if they go to shit sometimes!

I'm sorry I didn't respond to you!

I did enquire with the local RDA. I can't make their muck out times due to work (and laziness) but I might enquire for helping out on a weekend.

I agree it will give me ground time with horses, plus they have a riding simulator I was eyeing up when I visited, so perhaps I can be repaid for my time with satisfaction but also some mechanical horse time?

@HMPPS no problem at all. My daughter has been riding for 6 years at a riding school. She loans a pony there so we were down there a lot. Last summer I was popped on a pony for fun a couple of times by the owner, I took to trot straight away. Started lessons the end of September, very confident and loved it.

Then I fell off. The pony I was riding was being very lazy, a big kick and then she jumped into a short canter. I completely panicked and like a numpty didn’t keep my heels down and fell off.

Confidence bruised but I got back on. Not quite as confident but ok-ish. The last Saturday before Christmas I was on a hack and pony took off we me (it was the common place to canter/gallop). I was terrified but stayed on.

Then I had 2 weeks off the Christmas and this is where the rot set in. On returning in January I could barely walk. I ended up with a leader - I couldn’t complete a lesson and a shake of the pony’s head had me scared.

This went on until mid-feb and I started having private lessons. My goal at this point was to trot confidently, that’s it. It’s taken a while and some very lovely instructors but my trot is now confident (I’m happy to use a whip and have sat a number of spooks without issue) and as of today, I tried a canter.

The nerves are still there but my riding is better and I feel I can channel the nerves better…and I just keep thinking ‘shoulders back, heels down!’.

Interesting to hear about other people’s confidence issues. My problem is I get so nervous before my lessons imagining all kinds of awful scenarios. This means that when I start I am in hyper-vigilant mode, watching the horse thinking that at any moment it’s going to tank off with me or buck me off.

After a while, I relax and enjoy it. It’s honestly making me wonder if it’s worth trying to re-start this hobby. I was always a cautious rider before (I never liked jumping, wouldn’t just get on any horse etc) but I was never nervous. I have my next lesson later today and already the nerves are setting in.

@Tifalockhart I think the best way to get over confidence issues is simply to spend more time in the saddle. The more you ride the more of an every day thing it becomes so it’s no big deal. The turning point for me was when I did adult pony camp at the riding school I was going to - it was a week of riding twice a day, doing different things. What helped me get my confidence back after my accident was going on long hacks at a pony trekking centre - you’re in beautiful surroundings on a safe horse, because it’s two hours there’s not the same pressure to achieve something as in a half hour/45 minute lesson and any cantering is usually up hill in a relatively straight line so no corners to worry about!

@CJCreggsGoldfish Well done! That’s brilliant 😊