Being Over 40

is fun... especially when horses are involved. I got my first horse when I was 44 and he was 22.... now I have a younger horse to grow and learn from, hopefully well into my later years... he's 4... there is a man in my neighborhood who just had his 99th birthday party on horseback... I hope I can camp and trailride when I retire... :)

woohoo to 40.... going into my 49th year in September.

Attachments:

Toby rolled in the mud.jpg, 534 KB

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Eileen on June 11, 2009 at 9:25pm

There is no reason why you will not be able to camp and ride when you retire. I retired 16 years ago, and my first day of retirement, I headed out to ride. Been doing it ever since. Of course now that I have gotten older I don't move as fast or as often. lol But I have covered quite a bit of territory in a saddle. I am hoping that I can be like that neighbor of yours 99 and partying on horseback....I got a goal now. lol

Permalink Reply by Dorothy McDonall on June 11, 2009 at 9:39pm

I got my first horse when I was 43 ... He is a dream come true!!! I definitely think life begins at 40 and just keeps getting better as long as you don't get hung up on cellulite and middle-age spread. Some things are just not worth kvetching over. I'd rather focus on my beautiful relationship with my beautiful horse.

I saw a 70 year old man have a lesson this afternoon, on his lovely Lusitano, with Christilot Boylen and I stood there hoping that I should be so lucky when I'm that age. He looked great up there!

Permalink Reply by Heather Sansom at Equifitt.com on June 11, 2009 at 10:49pm

Hi I'm curious...was that man Frank Grelo?

I used to say that if I don't have bowedlegs like Mickey Rooney by the time I'm 70, I'd be disappointed. Now I've changed my mind, but I have to say you all are encouraging me like no tomorrow. Next week I creep perilously close to being 40. While 50 seems fine to me- all my friends and clients in their 50's and 60's seem to be enjoying themselves immensely-- 40's seems to me like a reminder for what you haven't done by the time you thought you'd do it. So, I am so glad to read the comments about life beginning at 40.

Permalink Reply by Dorothy McDonall on June 11, 2009 at 11:20pm

No, it wasn't Frank Grelo.

The 40s are definitely transitional years ... and you can either seize the day or crawl under a rock. I have chosen the former. Doesn't come without its bumps and bruises, but at least this is a reminder that you're still alive. :-)

Permalink Reply by Jan Jollymour on June 12, 2009 at 9:48am

Heather - life definitely begins at 40! By the time you hit 40, you're usually secure enough in yourself to be yourself, and revel in the experience. You've still got time to have fun, and now you know how you want to do that. Turning 40 was wonderful for me, and turning 50 was even better. The amazing thing is that riding continues to improve with experience and patience, so it's one thing which tends to get better as we age...

I teach a number of women in their 60's, all of whom are riding very productively, and competing as well. My Mum's still competing at 71, and I have every intention of doing the same!

Remember that 40 is freedom!

Permalink Reply by Elizabeth Hanley on August 11, 2009 at 10:25pm

I just got my first horse only a month ago...and turned 42 yesterday!! All my life I have wanted a horse, but I grew up in the city, it just never happened. I was never even AROUND horses. Anyway, now I have my beautiful 5 year old mare and I have never been happier!! I feel "complete" now. Does that sound stupid? Probably, LOL...last week I trotted on her for the first time, I was SOOO scared. when I lunge her and she trots it doesnt look like much, but when I am ON her it feels kinda fast..but oh, what a natural "high". Do you guys think when I get used to trotting it will stop feeling scary?

Permalink Reply by Shirley on August 11, 2009 at 11:51pm

What a nice way to begin your 40's!
You don't sound stupid at all. You will find yourself with like company
here on Barnmice with many of us...including me, that feel 'complete; with our horses.
They certainly do warm our souls. I got my horse 5.5 years ago when I was 53 and he was barely 3. and I just can not imagine ever not having him in my life. can so tired and rotten when I leave for the barn but always feel much better after having time with him.

.

Permalink Reply by Elizabeth Hanley on August 12, 2009 at 11:20pm

thanks Shirley! I agree, having a horse is totally therapeutic!!! I love my time spent with my horse, even if the weather is so bad all I can do is groom her...just being with her is calming.

Permalink Reply by Cyndi on August 12, 2009 at 9:54pm

Welcome here Elizabeth! Happy belated birthday!!

I bought my first horse last year...when I was 40!! My mare turned six shortly after I bought her. She was only green broke, so hearing that you bought a "young" horse, and what Shirley said about buying a three-year-old when she was 53 makes me feel better :o) I had heard warnings about a green rider like me (I did have some experience of casual riding as a kid, but had been away from it for 25 years) buying a green horse, but my mare is a sweetheart and does not have a mean streak in her at all. She is certainly teaching me things though! I did put her in training for two months this summer, which helped me to know exactly how much she knows. Of course, she knows everything perfectly, now it's up to me to learn how to ask her to do things the right way!

As far as being scared when you trot...I would highly recommend that you take some riding lessons. If you can have someone come to your barn, that's perfect. If you can trailer your horse to lessons, that's great too. If you're like me and don't have a trailer, perhaps you can look around for a riding instructor and take lessons at their barn (check out different riding instructors until you find one that is your 'style' and you feel comfortable with). I have been taking lessons since November or so, at my instructor's barn, on his steady-eddie horses. I was very "unconfident" and felt terribly off balance during the trot. In July I started riding bareback for my lessons, after reading Gincy Self-Bucklin's book "How Your Horse Wants You to Ride". She deals a lot with nervous riders and the book is very helpful in many ways (it's not just about riding). I think she suggests that a person should have at least 200 hours of riding lessons. I've only been riding bareback for a relatively short time, and in the last two weeks I have started to lope bareback! See if you can find an instructor who will let you do that. Or...if you have a friend who can come give you a hand, have them lunge your horse with you on her, while you work on your confidence. Gincy's book explains all that. My riding instructor's wife was also an influence in me taking the lessons bareback - they are the ones who trained my horse. At my last lesson my instructor said he just cannot believe how balanced and confident I am bareback. I've never had anyone lead the horses that I ride at lessons, but my instructor just let me go at my own pace and increase speed as I felt comfortable. Trotting bareback now is no problem at all.

Just my humble opinion. Sorry to ramble :o)

Permalink Reply by Elizabeth Hanley on August 12, 2009 at 11:28pm

Noooo, you arent rambling! I totally appreciate it. A friend of mine (who knows what she is doing) has been teaching/coaching me so that has definately helped. My mare is only 5, but she is very well trained and comes from very good lines (Got a Minute? is her Dad). I am very lucky, this mare babysits me, LOL. But this allows me to build trust in her. And of course, she is getting to know me too, as I have made a few mistakes on her like with my arm positioning, but we are starting to understand each other! It's a pretty neat adventure. I think thats a great idea about using the lunge line until I get more confident~

Permalink Reply by Cyndi on August 13, 2009 at 10:19am

How wonderful that you have a friend who can coach you! I am so jealous!!! LOL

How nice that your horse was so well trained when you got her. Sometimes I wish my mare had been more trained when I got her. She's a great horse and all, but in hindsight I can see the advantage of getting a "been there-done that" type of horse as your first horse. My mare is very sensitive, so if I make even a subtle mistake in body language or cues, it affects her. We'll get there eventually, but it'll just take time. I intend to have her for a long time, so I'm not in a rush. I've done a lot of Parelli with her, but my favorite so far (what she seems to like the most and respond to the best) is the training methods of Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling.

Permalink Reply by Elizabeth Hanley on August 13, 2009 at 12:35pm

Well, as long as she doesnt get updet and throw you! The original horse I was riding this summer was my friends gelding...I would ride him while my friend had him on a lunge line, but he was SO sensitive, he broke into a run one day and I couldn't get him to WHOA and when my friend told him to whoa he suddenly turned into her and I got flung off. I landed flat on my back and smacked my head good. I debated never getting on a horse again, I thought I broke my spine!! I MADE myself be brave and get on the horse I now own... (after I bought myself a helmet, haha)
I am really new to all this and dont even have a clue what Parelli or KFH IS!!