About to start lessons again, feel I’ve lost progress

[Countrygirl18]

I took lessons back in 2013 (English) and then western lessons in 2017-2018

I went on a trail ride yesterday (loved every minute) and will be signing for western lessons next month at the same place. My question I guess is am I starting from basics all over again?
Back then I could W,T,C comfortably and rode bareback and stirrup less multiple times
Yesterday I noticed though I was comfortable enough to not hold the saddle horn I was getting a little off balance going downhill or one time when the horse spooked and sped up.
I have had a lot of changes since 2018, two screws in my left ankle (from a horse fall lol), Covid (plus cystic fibrosis) causing me to lose weight and strength I haven’t gained back and diagnosed with diabetes all leading to less stamina.
I guess am I still in some way better then before lessons or should I expect to be back at square one?

[NoSuchPerson]

At this point, physically, expect to start back at square one. Just because your brain thinks it knows what to do does not mean that your body will cooperate by doing it.

[GraceLikeRain]

Even with continuously riding most of us hit a period of time every few years where we “go back to square one” because we’ve identified a gap in our physical position, understanding of an aid, experienced significant health or fitness changes, etc.

Embracing a start over mentality can help with feeling like you’re “behind”. It also helps an instructor start with the building blocks for a solid foundation. If you come in and say “I’m walk/trot/canter and comfortable without stirrups, just a little rusty” you could end up overfaced or hurt. Hopefully, it’ll be a short on ramp to getting back up to speed but give yourself time and grace.

[fivestrideline]

Agree that you should expect to start from square one; the advantage is you have some background for what’s being taught and you’re comfortable around the horses! If you go in with honest expectations and don’t oversell yourself to the trainer (even undersell it a bit), I think you’ll find yourself having a ton of fun.

There’s also a HUGE difference between starting over with 10 years of daily riding and training/showing in the past vs a just a handful of lesson years and some major discipline changes. If you put me in a western saddle on a western schooled horse of any discipline I’m going to look and feel like an absolute beginner! Take it a step at a time and enjoy the process. I think it’ll all come back to you faster than you might expect, as long as you don’t put too much pressure on yourself!

[sascha]

I’ll disagree You won’t exactly be back at square one because you know some things and will remember some more and will have retained a certain amount of muscle memory that will come back better and better the more you ride.

However, strength and stamina for riding will all be at zero. Be patient with yourself. Ask your instructor for breaks as needed - there’s no point going to exhaustion.

[dmveventer]

Agree with this. A year or so of previous lessons isn’t enough to have muscle memory to fall back on IMO, but there should still be a basic understanding of some of the concepts.

Definitely second the advice to just embrace the process and enjoy it. In college I went from riding and showing regularly to once a week lessons, and it was frustrating because I was comparing myself to where I was before. The fitness and muscle memory are huge parts of it and are hard to develop/maintain if you aren’t riding multiple times per week, but there’s still plenty of room to learn and improve (and have fun!) even on that schedule.

[Annie10]

I’m in a similar boat as the OP. Can anyone suggest/describe any exercises or other things to do to improve strength and stability for riding?

[chocolate_chip_in]

This isn’t riding specific, but I do pilates and it makes a big difference in my strength, stability, and flexibility. I go to a studio once a week and try and do a Youtube workout or two in addition to that–Move with Nicole is my favorite on Youtube, she has plenty of 20-30 minute workouts that you can do at home with no equipment.

I started riding again in 2020 after a decade-ish long break. There were some things I remembered and could still do easily; some things I could remember knowing how to do but that my body couldn’t execute; and some things I had to get a totally new feel for. Even though it was really, really frustrating to feel like I was SO far in the hole compared to where I used to be (hell, I still feel like that sometimes three years later!), I’m so glad I took the plunge to start back up again.

[ZuzusPetals]

@chocolate_chip_in

Even though it was really, really frustrating to feel like I was SO far in the hole compared to where I used to be (hell, I still feel like that sometimes three years later!), I’m so glad I took the plunge to start back up again.

I’m in my early 50s. I feel that I’ll get back to where I was, but with a REAL command and understanding rather than, “Gee, I winged that and it worked.” I’ve been back for less than a year, after more than two decades off, and I feel more patient, more inquisitive. Calmer. Much, much more content.

My cardio needs improvement. But the muscle tone is returning nicely. I like pilates and have the luxury of working from home and planking for 2 minutes at a time whenever the mood hits. I’m a HUGE fan of the leg workouts by K’s Perfect Fitness TV on YouTube. She has programs of as little as 5 minutes, so you can fit them in even in a busy day.

Be kind to yourself. You’ve been given the opportunity to start again, to make different choices. Your riding education doesn’t have to be the same — although it can be if you like. It’s taken me many months to stop looking back and starting sentences with, “When I rode with X many years ago…” and “When I did (low-level) jumpers…” All that was THEN. I’m savoring NOW and what’s to come.

[PaddockWood]

Remember to breathe and keep your body relaxed. Pretend you are 10 again and you’ll ride and feel so much better. Most important. Breathe. Relaxed breathing is huge.

[Edre]

I guess am I still in some way better then before lessons or should I expect to be back at square one?

Short answer: A lot of this depends on you.

Long answer: You have an advantage over beginner riders in that you know and understand the theory behind certain components of riding. This is honestly, more significant than you realize. Even just knowing what your body should be doing is really beneficial. You also likely have a better grasp of why an instructor is having you do certain exercises (so you can ride them more effectively).

Now that said - knowing what your body should be doing and your body actually doing it are two entirely different matters. I’m in a position where I am beginning to ride again after several years off. My mind knows what I need to do and I can try to get my body to do it, but I do not have the fitness yet for some of it, and I do not have the strength to react as quickly as I used to. The bit you mention about your balance sounds a little like this. You understand the theory but you’re not strong enough to apply it in practice yet.

Be kind to yourself, and try not to get frustrated if you feel like you’re not as good as you “should” be. That will come with time.