Are you too old to start horse riding?
If you've had a lifelong dream of riding horses, but didn't have the opportunity when you were younger, it's not too late to start now. Remember that Queen Elizabeth II is still riding in her 90's!
Horse riding is a sport that does require a level of physical fitness - core strength, balance, some flexibility, strength, and stamina are all needed. Riding is not a passive exercise.
Is it too late to learn how to ride a horse when you're an adult?
You might be worried about starting horse riding later in life.
You might even feel intimidated entering a sport where many of the participants have been riding since they could walk.
You might worry that starting to ride in your 30's, 40's or even 50's will mean that you'll never the "good".
If you're in good health, have the strength and stamina and are able to take horse riding lessons regularly, you can learn the basic riding skills at almost any age.
If you're prepared to spend a few years working through some of the challenges of being a late-blooming equestrian and defining what "being good" means to you, then you'll enjoy the unique experiences riding will bring you.
Feeling the power of the horse is thrilling and empowering!
Taking up horse riding in your 30's, 40s or 50's shouldn't be an issue as long as you have good basic health and fitness.
Although you may not be able to be competitive at an elite level, you can still enjoy equestrian sport for pleasure or lower-level competition.
A horse riding instructor or trainer who is experienced with teaching adults to ride will be able to assess your current fitness for riding, help you set achievable goals, and offer suggestions on ways to improve your fitness when not riding.
I know of riders who are still riding - even competing in jumper classes - in their 80's. Yes, these horse riders are been riding for decades. So, they have developed and maintained the horse riding skills, balance and muscle memory to continue enjoying equestrian sports.
If you're really motivated to succeed and willing to put in the work then you can enjoy beginner horse riding lessons at any stage of life.
Riding As An Adult Can Be Fun And Social
Riding as an adult can be a lot of fun. It provides you with opportunities to:
- expand your social life
- improve your overall confidence
- increase your balance and core strength
- build muscles that you didn't know you had
- bond deeply with a beautiful animal
Don’t think that riding is going to be easy!
Horse riding requires you to move with the horse which is very different from riding a machine like a bicycle. You need to be able to stay balanced as the horse moves, using your legs without being tense to hold you in the saddle. This requires using muscles that don't get used in any other area of your life.
Taking classes in yoga or pilates before starting your horse riding lessons can help prepare your muscles and balance. And they'll give you stretches that will be beneficial to do before every ride.
If you don't already get some exercise then taking up some moderate exercise like walking can improve your cardiac fitness.
Going for a quiet trail ride with a reputable horse riding facility is a good way to get an idea of the muscles and fitness required for riding. Even riding a horse at a sedate walking pace requires muscles that you probably don't realise you have.
equipment you need for Adult beginner horse riding lessons
If you've decided you want to take start taking beginner horse riding lessons, you'll only need a few essentials to begin your horse riding journey.
If you have the financial resources, you can buy all the "right" clothes and equipment at the start that will give you the same look as a rider with many years of experience.
But, you really only need a few basics for your safety, effectiveness, and comfort when starting out as a beginner adult horse rider.
And, you can look good, too, because equestrian fashion and function can go hand in hand.
You may have been overwhelmed by all the clothing and equipment choices for riders and horses that are available in your local or online tack shop.
Be reassured that you can start with just a few essentials until you decide how far you want to go with riding.
What To Wear For Horse Riding Lessons
For your riding lessons, you'll be required to wear:
- long trousers, breeches or riding tights (shorts and inner leg seams can result in chaffing)
- a fitted long or short sleeve top that won't get caught on anything (layers are a good choice when riding in cooler weather)
- an ASTM-approved riding helmet
- boots with a low heel (no running shoes, high heeled boots, flip flops, or sandals) so your feet don't slide through the stirrups
Optional accessories include:
- riding gloves to protect your hands from blisters and dirt
- a safety vest as additional protection to your upper body
All supplies for the horse will be provided by the riding school. It should fit the horse correctly and be in good repair.
Read on for a deep dive into each category and guidance about what gear you should prioritize.
Riding Hat or Helmet
Helmets are a standard part of English riding attire. While they are becoming more common in Western riding disciplines, you likely won't see as many riders wearing a riding helmet.
Even if the riding stable does not require you to wear a helmet, remember that you only have one brain. And falling from a horse can result in a traumatic brain injury.
There are many lightweight, comfortable, and affordable helmets available. They even come in different colours. And some even have a little bling if that's your thing.
Buy your ASTM/SEI approved helmet from a reputable tack shop where staff have been trained to correctly fit riding helmets. A helmet that doesn't fit properly won't give proper protection and may even add to injury.
Riding Boots
For western or English beginner riding lessons, you can wear either short or tall boots as long as they have a 1 - 1.5 " heel and enough tread to prevent your foot from slipping through the stirrup.
Short boots designed specifically for horse riding are paddock boots (English) and ropers (western).
For English riding, paddock boots are usually combined with half-chaps to protect your lower leg from getting rubbed.
Half-chaps are leather or leather-like material that fit over the boot to below your knee. They have either a zipper or velcro straps usually on the outside of the leg.
Taller boots are called "dress" or "field" boots for English and come up to just below the knee. This style of boot does not go well with jeans as they fit quite snugly and are designed to fit over breeches or riding tights. A quality boot sock is recommended to be worn with tall boots.
Of course, cowboy boots, are traditionally worn for western riding. Be sure to get the real deal and not a fancy boot designed more for fashion than function.
Remember where you'll be wearing those boots! They will get covered with mud, muck, and dirt. And they will get scuffed and worn. (Note: Do not tuck your pants into your cowboy boots when riding or you'll be taken for a City Slicker.)
Breeches, Riding Tights or Jeans
Breeches, jodhpurs, tights, and riding jeans are designed without inner leg seams and to fit snugly. These design features are for safety and function. Seams and wrinkles will cause painful chaffing and rubs.
They are made with stretchy, breathable, and moisture-absorbing materials to keep you comfortable in all types of horse riding.
Another important feature in riding pants are leather, leather-like, or silicone sticky "full seat" or knee patches.
Full-seat breeches are designed for dressage riders who need to "stick" to the saddle. But they're helpful for beginner horse riders, too, as they increase your leg and seat grip on the saddle.
Safety Vests
Wearing a safety vest is optional, but highly recommended - especially for beginner adult horse riders.
Safety vests for horse riders are designed to protect the ribcage and internal organs. They are meant to fit snugly to avoid getting caught on equipment or tree branches.
Air vests provide even more protection to include the neck and tailbone as well as the ribcage.
They are similar to life vests that inflate when a cord is pulled. Your vest attaches to the saddle with a little cord. If the rider falls, the cord is automatically pulled and the vest inflates before the rider hits the ground.
Underwear for Horse Riding
While not a safety concern, the underpants and bra you wear for your horse riding lessons can definitely affect your comfort. Non-chafing underpants have no seams.
An appropriate sports bra reduces breast bounce which can be painful and even cause damage to breast ligaments and tissue.
Riding Gloves
Riding gloves are optional but recommended for beginner horse riders to protect your hands from dirt, rubs, and blisters.
As a beginner horse rider, you'll be learning how to hold the reins correctly. And the leather reins can be hard on your hands. Also, some lesson horses will pull the reins.
What NOT to Wear For Horse Riding
- Shorts (You’ll rub your legs raw on the saddle and/or get your skin pinched!)
- Yoga pants (they're missing the grippy function of riding pants)
- Running/tennis/athletic shoes
- Sandals, flip flops, or other open-toe shoes
- Hiking boots (they have too much tread that can cause problems with stirrups)
- Baseball cap or sun hat (Wear a helmet!)
- Cargo pants (too many seams and zips that can cause chaffing or scratch leather saddles)
Where to Find An Instructor For Adult Beginner Horse Riding Lessons
Having a horse riding coach or instructor who understands adult learning styles, as well as lesson times and programs that respect your busy schedule are key to your success and enjoyment as a beginner horse rider.
Spending some time to find the right beginner horse riding instructor is important for your safety and enjoyment.
You may find it challenging to distinguish good lessons, horses, and instructors from bad, especially if you're not familiar with horses or horse riding.
However, this is a critical first step that needs serious consideration and should not be rushed.
If you're fortunate enough to know someone who rides, ask them for recommendations. Ask friends, co-workers, colleagues, and your professional networks.
If you don't have any contacts in the horse riding world, there are other resources:
- search the internet and social media for local riding schools and instructors
- visit local feed stores and tack shops - read their notice boards and ask staff for recommendations
- visit a local horse show for the riding discipline you're interested in learning and ask competitors or spectators who their coaches are and where they take riding lessons (note: this is best done around the show grounds, in the stabling area, at the trailers - NOT at the entrance to the show ring)
- join Facebook groups for adult beginner riders
Once you have a list of potential horse riding instructors, contact them and ask if they accept beginner adults for riding lessons and if they have experience teaching beginners of your age range.
Mention your riding goals to the instructor, as different interests require different horses, riding styles, and instructors.
When you find an instructor that might be a match, arrange a time to watch a lesson or two. Seeing the horses, facilities, students, and teaching method will give you a lot of information.
Are the horses clean, shiny, and at a good weight, or are they muddy, dull-coated, and thin, with ribs easily visible?
Do the horses seem exceptionally nervous, jumpy, tired, disengaged or lame?
Are the saddles, bridles, and other equipment clean and in good condition?
Are the barns and stalls clean, dry, and well lighted?
Are the riding rings or arenas fenced so horses can’t wander off in the middle of a lesson?
Are the fences and gates safe and in good repair, even if they are not fancy?
Is someone supervising beginner riders at all times?
Are children or dogs allowed to wander around the barns and horses without adult supervision?
Are the students required to wear protective helmets when mounted?
What to look for in An Instructor for The Adult Beginner Horse Rider
As you watch the riding instructor teach a class, pay attention to how they relate to the students. Consider if they would be a good fit for you.
Are they helpful and encouraging, or sarcastic and angry?
Are they offering suggestions and explaining what they're asking for, or d they just stand in the center of the ring without actually teaching very much?
Do they encourage the students to ask questions and take time to answer them clearly?
Are they paying attention to the students, or talking on a cell phone, chatting with people not in the lesson, or distracted in any way?
Try Out A Lesson
Once you find an instructor who you feel will be a good fit, it’s time to sign up for a lesson or two.
If you can, it's worth the investment for some private lessons to get started.
There is a lot for a beginner horse rider to take absorb in the first few lessons. And having the instructor's full attention for the entire lesson is very helpful.
Learning the correct posture, developing balance, building muscle strength, and being able to control the horse take time. And these are the skills that are required before you move on to faster gaits and more advanced skills.
Once you develop some confidence and ability in these basics then you might enjoy and benefit from small group lessons.
And, once you've become competent in some important basics, you could benefit from the opportunity to get practice rides.
Riding outside of regular lessons allows you to get past your adult over-thinking brain and establish a more intuitive feel for the skills you’re developing in your lessons.
If you enjoy the riding lessons and want to continue after a few months, you might become interested in other opportunities to expand your horse riding skills and knowledge.
Does your instructor take students to horse shows or competitions?
Are there any enrichment opportunities like clinics or lectures?
Is summer horse camp or Pony Club for adults available?
Is there a way to be able to interact with more advanced riders?
Are there opportunities to ride different horses in your lessons?
Your instructor should be willing to discuss your current progress and future goals.
Adult Beginner Horse Riders Should Ask Questions
Many people who start riding later in life are accomplished professionals and often fear that asking for help makes them look “unqualified.” Asking for help might even be something you've struggled with all your life.
But as an adult beginner horse rider, you have no choice. You must ask questions and be able to say (even if it's uncomfortable), "I don't know".
Your horse riding instructor needs to know (and expects you to tell them) if you don't understand something they've said.
Resilience is Key For Adult Beginner Horse Riders
When you're at the riding stable, you will most likely see kids riding their ponies. And you'll notice that after a bad ride or a fall, they just get back on and try it again.
As an adult beginner horse rider, you may find that you are much less resilient - at least when you first start riding.
You might feel nervous or anxious about falling, making a mistake or looking foolish in front of more experienced riders.
You might feel left out when other riders talk about professional riders, industry gossip, or their horse show experiences. Their vocabulary and the horse world culture may seem foreign to you.
It may feel like they're talking about a secret world that you haven't been admitted to. But feeling left out is not what will hold you back from achieving your riding dreams.
A lack of resilience, confidence and adaptability will prevent you from being successful.
Falls are part of riding. Just as they are in cycling, skiing, and skating. And that is a risk that all riders accept when they take up the sport.
With the right horse, instructor and safety equipment, the risk of falling and injury can be reduced.
And developing a strong, resilient mindset helps with horse riding confidence.
Time with the horse and perseverance contribute to making good riders.
And time spent with other riders helps with learning the bigger picture of the sport, the culture, and the horse world.
Should You Buy A Horse As An Adult Beginner Horse Rider?
Owning a horse is much more complicated and expensive than taking riding lessons on someone else’s horse. There may be opportunities are your riding stable to part-board or lease a horse to get more regular riding time outside of lessons.
Buying a horse costs thousands of dollars on top of the cost of board, farrier, and veterinarian expenses. Plus, there are many other incidental expenses that come up when you own a horse.
Part-boarding and leasing give you the experience of what horse ownership can entail without the initial outlay of cash.
If you do decide that owning a horse is right for you, talk with your instructor and get their help in finding a suitable horse for you.
If your instructor isn't available, take a trusted, experienced rider along when you go to look at and try out horses.
Pay particular heed to these time-honored bits of horse-trading advice:
- “Don’t buy the first horse you try”
- “Don’t buy someone else’s problems.”
- Green on green equals black and blue."
Important Things To Remember As A Beginner Adult Horse Rider
Adults learn very differently from children, and often those differences can make learning to ride as an adult a difficult or frustrating undertaking.
As adults, our bodies are often less flexible, and (lets face it) not as athletic, our balance can be less intuitive. Adults tend to overthink what is sport that requires a physical "feel".
Many adult beginner horse riders also will be dealing with some (very normal) nerves about riding a large, powerful flight animal.
Yes, there will be some challenges when you are a start horse riding as an adult. But the rewards are well worth any struggles.
Invest in the proper riding equipment, the right instructor, and in a supportive environment. Then go ride!
