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!

@Pleasedontdothat that’s all good advice, thanks. Adult pony camp sounds amazing! There’s a wonderful trekking place near me that I will definitely be using once my canter is solid.

OMG my lesson…the pony was so grumpy. Had to be mounted with two handlers and a whip which didn’t exactly fill me with confidence. It was going ok but I could tell pony was pissed off. He kept randomly halting and prancing around. I asked the instructor if it was something I was doing ‘oh no, he’s just trying it on’ she replied.

Next, I asked for trot. He did not want to. Finally got him to trot then tried to do a 20 metre circle. At this point, he threw his head in the air, started prancing sideways then spun 360 degrees and headed for the gate. I couldn’t get him to turn and the instructor had to grab him. The whole thing was rather humiliating.

I don’t know whether to accept that this is just the way ponies are sometimes or feel a bit pissed off that I was clearly put on a pony that (as the instructor told me) didn’t suffer fools gladly and had form for this kind of thing.

What do you lot think?

Pleasedontdothat totally agree about the hacking and taking away the pressure.

Tifalockhart that is not acceptable. It's not you that's at fault, either the pony is sour or in pain. They should be putting you on a pony to build your confidence back up.

@Mollyplop999 that’s what I thought, the fact they couldn’t even enter his stable with out a whip didn’t make me feel great before my lesson had started, oh and he hated practically every other pony on the yard with a passion. Very strange.

@Tifalockhart sound like pony was in pain and I wouldn't return to a yard that treated a pony in that way! Their horsemanship skills sound shocking. Is it a BHS approved yard?

@twistyizzy No, it’s not. The yard I really want to ride at is but I have to wait 5 weeks for my next lesson. I decided to go to this place as I didn’t want to not ride for that long. It seems to mostly cater to young girls as there were hoards of them running around.

That's why I only recommend BHS yards because it guarantees a basic level of care and you have a complaints/reporting process if you see something you don't like. I personally wouldn't be stepping a foot in a yard like that again, if they do that when customers are there imagine what they do when you aren't there!

@twistyizzy that isn't normal and agree they really shouldn't be putting you on a pony like that. Either its in pain and a vet needs to be called or he is trying it on but someone experienced should be schooling him.
The mare I ride does try it on when you first get on her and has to be told quite firmly to behave but I worked my way up to riding her and it was explained clearly to me before I did that basically she knows full well when people aren't confident and if I just ignore her she then settles within a minute and all is fine.
Shame about the better riding school but I would be wouldn't want to give one that treats ponies or riders in such a way anymore of my money.

Thanks, I appreciate the advice as it’s helped me to realise that it wasn’t me in the wrong. I wondered if it’s just the fault of me giving mixed signals, forgetting my correct leg aids and so on, which it probably was but then I can’t see the rationale behind putting me on a pony like that.

The instructor even said he’s amazing if someone is good as schooling but takes the absolute mick if they don’t know what they are doing. Which, currently, I clearly don’t. Maybe he’s the only pony they had available, who knows.

I’ve decided to go back to the trekking place and ask to go on a novice hack, just walking and trotting. As @Pleasedontdothat said, it takes the pressure off and the trekking place is just in the most beautiful setting, it’s very well regarded too. Then at least it won’t be another 5 weeks before I ride again!

@Tifalockhart I stopped going to one riding school after I was put on a really nappy horse. The instructor told me to kick and be firm but frankly I didn’t want to be getting into an argument with the horse because I didn’t feel like I was learning anything. I wanted to be concentrating on my position and relaxing and while I was perfectly well aware that had I been a stronger rider I’d probably have been able to get him going nicely but that’s not where I am at the moment. I’ve had a couple of lessons now at the new riding school and it’s been a completely different experience - I feel like I’ve improved and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed what I’ve been working on. I’m glad you’re going to book yourself on a hack - enjoy!

The whips about to get in the stable etc is alarming (perhaps trying to get some bad manners out if he drags but certainly better ways to go about it!!) and 2 handlers to get on implies this horse has some gaps in his ground work. But to play devils advocate knowing how to navigate these situations is a good learning experience. The horse I loaned naps to the gate with an inexperience rider (in a do we have to kind of way). Hes generally much happier out. But he doesn't do it with me and goes great once you have him listening / behind the leg. Some horses just arent cut out for RS

@LostRider I think the whip was for their protection, I asked what the problem was and they muttered something about him having lots of kids handling him and picking up bad habits. Both instructors seemed relieved when I got on him safely and said something about him maybe not liking the other mounting block.

I totally agree about it being a learning experience, had I been more experienced a bit of napping wouldn’t have been a problem. However, they were well aware that this was only the third time I had ridden in around 10 years so I still question why I was put on him.

Anyway, I am currently feeling desperate to ride again, it’s just so addictive!

Wow okay yes 3 rides in definitely don't want the napping horse! I remember 15 lessons back riding they tried me on one that naps I couldnt get it to move so they swiftly grabbed by RS favourite out. Hes sadly retired now I owe him so much for getting me back into it - beautiful big grey steady saint, thats what you need! I drive past him in his retirement field sometimes and adore him from a distance.

Very good lesson this morning - I was on a little 15.1 connie so quite different from the wide cob I’ve had previously and everything was so much easier 😊. My position was much better as I wasn’t being pushed too far forward which helped me relax more from the start. We did loads of no stirrups trot and at the end we cantered in a group so a really big leap forward with getting my confidence back!

Well I think my confidence is well and truly restored 😀. I went on a lovely hack yesterday and then today I had a really good lesson working on canter transitions and I did walk to canter for the first time (which was weirdly easy!). I’d had a rubbish morning at work so it was so good for my soul to do something completely different over lunch. I hope all the other returning riders are having a similarly positive time.

@Pleasedontdothat
That's so good to hear! I don't think there is anything as good for my soul as a really nice hack!

I have an hour hacking lesson tomorrow with an instructor I really like to I'm quite excited about that! I'm not entirely sure what it will entail but it sounds great!

Hi, can I join?

Couple of questions for you all. How long did it take you to start learning to Canter?

Also for you ladies who have gone on to buy your own horse, how long did you wait before you took the plunge?

100% curiosity to be honest - I only started riding a couple of months ago and so still very far from both but dreaming all the dreams 😉

For buying your own horse I would say wait until you can hack out confidently at all paces and handle a less than perfect horse outside the arena. Probably at the stage of being an Advanced rider at a riding school as this will equate to being a beginner horse owner. Riding a horse at a riding stables is very different to riding a privately owned horse so honestly I would forget about owning your own for at least a couple of years. Horses aren't machines, they are unpredictable and you need to feel confident in sitting to a buck/spook etc.
In addition get stable management lessons at a BHS yard as an absolute minumum, even better do your Stage 1 test.
The joy of horses is that you never stop learning, the more you learn the more you realise how little you know.
Just focus on enjoying learning to ride for now.

Hi @CSPS2019 welcome to the thread!

I’ve learned to canter three times now 😳once as a child (it was easy, just felt completely natural), once when I started learning again a couple of years ago (trickier but got the hang of it fairly soon) and once again after my accident, but that was more getting my head round it than learning how to IYSWIM.

As to how long, when I started lessons again as an adult, I’d been riding for about 4 months when I started cantering and it was probably another 4 months or so before I was cantering happily out on hacks. I had some lunge lessons to get the hang of it which were incredibly helpful as I didn’t have to worry about getting the horse into canter or keeping the canter while I was learning how to sit to it.

I still find some horses’ canter much easier to sit to than others - one of the horses I’m riding at the moment has the comfiest canter ever (although his trot is horribly bouncy ) but another makes me bounce all over the place unless I really concentrate on what I’m doing.

Hi @CSPS2019

As PP have said a lunge lesson for the first canter is a really nice way to do it, you literally only have to think about your seat. Then a canter in a school where the horse knows about circles. Cantering on a hack feels quite different (but amazing!).

In terms of ownership, which I know you are aren't saying by you are rushing to, aiming for a share is a nice middle ground. It's not all on you, ime the owners are happy to show you the ropes and it's not a 24/7 responsibility! And often is an older been there down that horse that needs a bit of regular exercise now they have been outgrown etc.

I am loving sharing atm.

But how are you enjoying riding so far?

@twistyizzy thats great advice thanks so much! I’ve heard before that it’s quite a jump from riding school horses to ‘real’ ones and so definitely thinking this is a good few years away. I will have a look into the BHS in test, I’ve been reading one of their books and found it really useful, even in terms of just understanding some of the terminology a bit better!

@Pleasedontdothat I bet! It’s funny how much more scary these things seem as an adult. I was way more anxious of what could go wrong this time vs the handful of lessons I had as a child/teen where I don’t think it even crossed my mind! Funnily enough the anxiety comes before the lesson and as soon as I’m actually on the horse it all disappears. Great shout on the lunge line. We’ve not done a lot of this outside of the first few lessons but can see how valuable they would be for building up foundations and strength (something in definitely lacking!!)

@Hereforthedramaz yes definitely seeing ownership as something in the longer terms and a fair few years away. Most of the ‘horsey’ people I know have been horsey/had horses since childhood. I don’t really no anybody IRL who’s got into it as an adult and then went on to purchase so just interested to hear everyones journeys. Would definitely be interested in sharing in the future before fully committing to my own, glad to hear you are loving the experience! Were you actively looking for a share or did it just come up as an opportunity you said yes too?

Absolutely loving it so far! As said up post a little bit of anxiety at the start before the lesson but as soon as I am on it feels so good. Still building my own strength and stamina up, managed to get around 2 laps of the schools in rising trot last week but it nearly killed me. Also struggle a bit with steering when in trot, and trying to ‘keep the leg on’ during rising trot just blows my mind a bit. Definitely linger too long at the end of lesson giving the horse cuddles but that’s what we are party there for right haha

Today I cantered on the correct lead and on purpose 🎉 I know my new and returning friends will appreciate this milestone!

Lovely reading the posts from the last few weeks. I’m taking a break from returning at the moment ha ha but will be back one day. Hoping to book in a hack before the end of the summer. Anyone been to Braeden Pony Trekking in Lancashire?

@CSPS2019 sounds like it’s going well. I had the best part of 18 months lessons before cantering. But I only say on a horse for the first time at 47 and have turned out to be a bit of a slow learner due to poor balance and fear!! But I love it so worked on both. Unfortunately Cantering turned out to be my nemesis and I just haven’t been able to learn to sit to it well yet. I will though. Just need to save for a block of lessons and nail it!! In the meantime I can happily walk and trot. I promised myself that if o lose a stone and get fitter I’ll go back to riding again. Not sure the wine and cheese in France is helping that on hols right now but I’ll be on a mission come September!!

I feel like I might be getting close to giving up horses and my part loan. I've got to the point where I want to be able to do more than go round the arena. I would love to do day rides and beach rides and hack out but to be brutally honest I don't have the confidence to do it and cope with any spooks my pony might throw at me. When I watch the children doing PC gymkhana and even jumping clear 70cm rounds, I just think "I'm not even close to where those children are in terms of confidence and skill" and probably won't ever be. I'm not from a horsey family and don't have a horsey network so I don't have anyone to nanny me out on hacks or anything else. I'm ashamed to admit defeat but I think that's where I might be heading.