Past 63, and having a blast!!
Oh to be 60 again!!!
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Just turned 64 and am still enjoying riding and jumping. No longer actively competing mostly due to my wonderful horse retiring a few years ago.
I will be 61 in a few weeks time. I rode seriously in my twenties and thirties, managed to continue to pleasure ride through marriage, family and non-horse career in my 40s. Have been gradually riding less due to the loss of able riding buddies and less willingness to ride out alone.
But last year I took a weekend trip to ride out on someone else’s nice horses (http://www.huntersrest.net/); and in a very short time, was foxhunting again after a hiatus of ~25 years. I’ve been out cubbing 6 times this fall, and am going to go again this weekend, and also to a hunter pace. Starting jumping again on some rock solid made horses and am having a blast.
I still have two lovely horses at home, and a small pony. The farm is set up for easy maintenance: horses live out and have free choice forage or hay, no grain. DH is retired and does the pasture maintenance and puts out hay for me.
At this point my goals are to become fitter, jump more and eventually hunt first flight. And when I retire (in a few years, I hope) I want to ride as much as possible.
Like most 60+ equestrians, I have a long list of physical issues (which interestingly most bother me on the ground, they seem less noticeable from the saddle) but I am a great believer that it’s more common to rust out than wear out. So I am working at keeping the rust at bay.
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Can I just say how much I love this thread? :yes:
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65 here. I lesson once or twice a week either privately or with young whippersnappers in their 30s, 40s, or 50s. They are inspiring me to try jumping cross-rails once I get up the gumption to do it. Use it or lose it, folks!
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Just turned 60. One horse, boarded at a lovely facility. At this time I’m only riding about twice a week. Work and the fact that my elderly father lives with me limits my time but I really want to find at least another day to ride.
My horse is 17 and a saint.
My knees are kind of shot but so far if I ride with my stirrups a little on the long side I’m ok. I plan on riding as long as physically possible. Getting outdoors and moving is the best preventative medicine there is. I still have a number of years before I can retire but I plan to fill up the extra time riding when I reach that point.
65 and still riding and showing. I have a wonderful trainer who makes me jump higher than I like in the warm up. My old English friend was still hunting, riding and caring for his horses at 88. I have lost touch but if he’s still above ground, he’s riding. I do CrossFit to be stronger though compared to the under 40s there, I can barely lift. hahaha.
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You are just children…so stop questioning anything. If you are fit and capable age is just a number.
I have recently retired my mare and do miss the riding and taking care of her - I still hear her shoes in the aisle of the barn even though she’s been gone a while.
I rode for 75 years - doing everything from showing - Pony Club, to x-country - hunting - trails - cattle and bred and broke my last few horses.
I actually think starting my young horses is my forte and developing that feel.
The jumps did get smaller over time, tho!
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I saw something one time that said, “If your knees hurt, your stirrups are too short. If your hips hurt, your stirrups are too long. If your knees and your hips hurt, your stirrups are just right.” :lol:
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Thanks
for all
the feed back! I enjoyed reading everyone’s comments , I had a lesson at a HJ barn about a hour away and really enjoyed it and thats
what I felt comfortable riding , no more piddling around in a dressage saddle and trying to enjoy something that I don’t enjoy…and that is going around in circles , Maybe I Foxhunted too many years to change from forward seat to “dressage seat” the trainer was telling me the same things but I was in a ring with inviting jumps😂 …I know I’m 64 and just came to the realization I want to do hunters and learn to ride courses… 😂 Lord help me
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I am 57 and event. My goal is to event thru ago 70. I’m running Novice now with my current guy and want to dabble at training with a new horse. And I own a jumper I am doing 3’3" with. Age is just a number!
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I think I need to turn that into a meme, or poster. :lol:
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I am 70, have ridden and owned horses since I was 9, and have bred, raised, and trained most of my horses. Due to foaling out only colts, this year I had to buy one - a 3 year old Appendix QH filly to bring along. I did opt for easy disposition over spectacular, keeping the good mover part, and she will be very broke before I switch the safer western saddle to a hunt seat saddle. I plan to take the time she needs with a 2’6" hunter hack goal, and maybe a pro rider to take her around the Baby Green. I will say the daily work of an acreage horse property, 4 stall barn and arena footing maintenance is getting a bit old. Still working from home a bit also.
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Low 60s. I got my first horse in my early 40s and have been trying to make up for lost time ever since. I just got a new horse (former jumper – we’ll do the AA hunters and amateur eq and medals), a schoolmaster who is a blast and appears to be enjoying his new job of looking after his ammy but still ambitious mom. I’ll jump as long as I have the nerve and then I will happily switch to dressage.
62 here, from a horsey family. My mother rode until 86. I will ride until I can’t, and then I hope I die quickly
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My goal is to be like Connie Reeves, a member of the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame. She died at the age of 101 following a fall from her favorite horse.
https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/25/us/connie-reeves-a-cowgirl-until-the-end-dies-at-101.html
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I showed a lot in my 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. Did the A/Os and AAs…Now almost 64…I have seven horses at here at my farm. I still ride a lot, no indoor here though, so weather permitting in the winter. I also judge about 25 one day shows a year. And have a full time job; luckily I work from home so it’s all good!
I feel I am not done yet!
I didn’t start riding until my early 30’s, now in my early 60’s. It’s been very difficult not having money for lessons and nice horses.
I finally own an amateur’s dream horse, and have been making steady progress on him the last 9 years. At least once a week, I get a compliment on my riding. (If you had seen me ride over the years, you’d know what a miracle had to have occurred for anyone to watch and not cringe.). I attribute that to having started exercising in earnest five years ago, realizing I was no longer riding to keep fit, but needed to get fit to keep riding. I started Pilates mat classes a few months ago and that really sealed the deal.
I’m not sure how many more years I have in the saddle, but I’m enjoying myself so much, I hope it never ends.
Re: Denny Emerson: He is about 5 years older than I am (which is 70). I know that he has gotten into Endurance riding, but still teaches H/J and does clinics. At about 57+ he still has a farm and is totally involved with horses
About 5 years ag0 I had several horses with professionals riding . I was still groomer and trailering, and chief clapper and feeder of carrots. But now I have a young horse who looks very ammie friendly. When he has learned what he needs to know, I will be back in the saddle, showing at the 3’ level.
69, and thought I was dying out there for awhile but apparently not, as I started riding more again as soon as it cooled off this fall.
I had managed to keep up with the trail riding but had completely lost interest in arena work, although I’m now back to going around and around and am enjoying it just as much as I always have.
Don’t know why I slowed down so much there for awhile, but am hoping that’s the last time I’ll feel the need to take a break!
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