Horse talk for mature people over 40

I am so encouraged to know there are so many of us "older" riders here.

I started taking lessons in 2009 in preparation for a 40th birthday trip to the White Stallion Ranch in Tucson, AZ. ( great place by the way....i highly recommend it)

I immediately got bit by the horsey bug and am addicted despite some serious injuries over the last three years. The injuries came mainly from over estimating my riding skills and also looking at the "wrong" horses to buy.

Last year, hubby and I started leasing two horses and our addiction grew.

My leased horse has some lameness issues related to saddle fit and seeing that she is 27 years old, I decided to look for a horse to purchase.

After two bad accidents on horses that needed some retraining, I finally bit the bullet and forked over some cash for a well trained, well broke horse.

I have started two threads about her so I won't rewrite all the details but I am so happy with my decision to buy her.

I often wish I had started riding earlier, but if I had, I wouldn't have been in a place in my life where I could afford a horse of my own. So, I guess there is something to be said for waiting.

I hope that horseback riding will keep me fit and healthy well into my 50's, 60's and 70's and beyond!!!

I can't wait till I'm 40 so I can join in on this thread.

Wait....oops :P

I'll soon be 55. I'm part owner of a grazing association and we/the business has horses, but I haven't had one with solely my name on it for years.

Started as a kid trail riding, went to hunters, on to racing (STBs and TBs), got into ranching. Have also ridden Saddlebreds (which were a hoot), and take in outside horses.

Still do that, but am in my third year of grooming and exercising for a polo player during our season and started playing last year at 54. Me and the 9-15 year olds (there are a couple other adults - 30 somethings). My coach's goal is for me to advance to intermediate in my 80s! I kind of stink at rules.

I, obviously, think riding is great across the lifespan.

I heard it aint the years, it's the miles ;)

All horse lovers over 35 are welcome too

I'm 44. I've been around horses most of my life one way or another, but I didn't take up learning to ride in any serious way until the last couple of years. I learned to ride (sort of) on my cousin's pissy little pony when I was 7. I spent my teen years as a barn rat at a big hunter-jumper stable. And then I had a huge long break that was speckled with hired trail rides, meet-and-greet in the paddock with unrideable horses (lame or ancient, not bad temper), and that kind of thing. It took about 25 years to get free time and free $$ at the same time, and the first thing I did when that happened was to go get me some lessons to learn dressage.

Now I'm the proud mom of Huey, one 18 yo retired Grand Prix show jumper who is also learning dressage. He is better at it than I am, so far.

I guess some people think it's weird that I took up riding in my 40s, but they just don't know - I've been a horse person since I learned to talk (no kidding, "horsie" was one of my first words). I figure, better late than never!

When should I start collecting stuff for my horse
I already have a bridle but it has a Tom Thumb bit
And I would like a snaffle btw I am going to ride mainly western

There is a open horse show coming in April close to where I live
This might be a good place to ask some questions
But I don't want to show though

Yeah, gotta be at least 40 to post here. I like that.
I am 53 almost 54. I don't own, but just lease. H m m m. Just the usual; growed up horse crazy, no money for horses, raising kids, and now, have time to ride.

Well, I can give your 20 years if you want!

Hahahaha!! I just had a flash-back to going down to the tack shop to buy breeches when I started getting serious with riding lessons. I listened in on a conversation about bits, asked a question, got an answer, and then we had another conversation that started off with one of them saying to me "When you get your horse..." and I said "Oh, I'm just taking riding lessons, I don't know that I'm going to get a horse..." and they both just looked at me like "RIGHT." :roll:

And here I am.

Once you start leasing a horse (or get your own) you will have an absolute Gear Buying Bonanza. No need to start too soon.

What I'd suggest, if you really want to gear up (and you have all your own personal stuff like clothes and boots and such) is to invest in a grooming kit. You'll need that no matter what horse you get. Mine has a curry (two curries, one for his summer coat and a different one for his winter coat), a flick brush, a dandy brush, a hoof pick, a wide-toothed comb, and a big really stiff brush with a handle that I use to scrub off the outside of his hooves before I pick them up (and I also hang his blankets over the fence when they get very grubby, and I use that same brush to scour the ook off of them). And a bucket for holding the lot of it.

Go to the tack shop and try out the different brushes - I find that some of them are very easy for me to hold, and others aren't.