Can we have an adult re-rider support group?

[CVPeg]

Got through with my ride today, and I thought, “if only there was someone to grab a cup of coffee with, and talk about another good ride…” Oh, yea - it’s here!

Sorry to everyone for the painful spills you’ve been having! Please recover soon! Ouch - I don’t know how I would cope - self-employed in occupations requiring a lot of driving, and live on my own (with the occasional visit from 23 yo son, and ex-boyfriend - who both live quite the distance.)

But as I read everyone’s trials & tribulations, I’m almost afraid of jinxing myself. So far we’re only doing walk/trot while we’re trying to improve B’s topline, so nothing untoward yet. And I’ve been so proud of him outside on the roads and trails. Everyone else has looked at him with one raised eyebrow. I, however, have had confidence in his behavior, and it has paid off, almost…

I learned additional trails this week, including cutting across several fields. He has been fine on the dirt roads and narrow trails, but I forgot his racing surface was TURF!:eek: Another OTTB morphed into Lipizzaner. Someone was asking about how to make them listen? Lots of circles!!:yes::lol: He was a bit slower today from some hard work over the weekend, but walking on to a field again, it was “do I hear the call to the post?” We only did 1/2 the field!

I am on the cusp of considering body protection. But I’m very short waisted, and a size 14-16. Do they make them in a petite cut? Otherwise jackets, etc. ride up to my nose. Today Lands End e-mailed me a coupon for $40 off any purchase over $100 so I bought a couple of things including a bright orange down vest - hunting season you know…

Another trick that has worked really well. He’s a sucker for carrots. I was taught as a youngster a very strict philosophy that you don’t allow any food to pass by a bit - but one friend a few years back had taught her horses quite a few manners & tricks (me - just H/J; she - advanced dressage rider, now owns a real Lipizzaner) and they were all taught with treats. 2 weeks ago B wouldn’t stand still next to the mounting block. Backed away every time. Voila - carrots! He’s a perfect gentleman now and doesn’t move an inch. I also keep a couple on me and give an occasional one when he’s being really good. A Labrador Retriever type horse. Food!! Food!!

Finally, would appreciate suggestions about one issue - knees. Mine are aching, and hadn’t been for awhile. He is 16.3, and I do just drop down, but try to find a little hill so it’s a little easier (but of course in the ring, it’s all the way down…). But every time I can feel the zing going through my knees. Anyone have any suggestions about how to ease the shock?!?

Thanks for chatting!

[LuvMyRide]

Do you have jointed stirrups? They help tremendously for bad knees/ankles. I don’t care what GM says about them, they are what allow me to stay in the saddle (when I can… really, I’m having fun making a joke of myself).

[CVPeg]

For ballisticgirl

[QUOTE=KateKat;5915036]
Do eeeet! If not for you, then for all of us reriders who wish we had had the chance. [/QUOTE]

:yes::yes:

[CVPeg]

[QUOTE=LuvMyRide;5916337]
Do you have jointed stirrups? They help tremendously for bad knees/ankles. I don’t care what GM says about them, they are what allow me to stay in the saddle (when I can… really, I’m having fun making a joke of myself).[/QUOTE]

Well, I’m sure GM wouldn’t care for the carrots as rewards from the saddle theory either, so no skin off my nose… I’ll check into them - also used to riding with my knees like a vise - the old “frozen leg” training, which hasn’t helped. Instructor suggested I loosen up this week.

[TarheelJD]

[QUOTE=LuvMyRide;5916337]
Do you have jointed stirrups? They help tremendously for bad knees/ankles. I don’t care what GM says about them, they are what allow me to stay in the saddle (when I can… really, I’m having fun making a joke of myself).[/QUOTE]

Ditto – love my jointed Royal Riders!! Great cheese graters on them too! There are soooo many things about me that GM would find offensive that I am not even sure he’d get to the stirrups before turning away in disgust.

Do you have a mounting block around? Try dismounting so that you come down on the higher mounting block rather than the ground (if you can trust your horse not to move too quickly away from said mounting block and/or your ability to judge whe he is going to walk off so you don’t trip on the mounting block in the process of dismounting).

[Pancakes]

I’m officially joining the re-rider thread! After not having seriously (i.e. at least weekly) ridden since at least 6-7 years ago, I got on today for my first lesson! It’s not a fancy barn but it has good people and good horses. I walked, trotted, and cantered, and even popped over 2 little crossrails. I am SO out of shape!!! I was huffing and puffing even after a half hour. It felt amazing though…I felt like I was 12 again and my heart was soaring!! I am going to continue with lessons to get back into shape and re-learn the basics, though they come back to me. If only I can make my body do what my mind knows already!

[ballisticgirl]

You all are the best people to be in my corner on this whim of a notion to work and ride for six months. : )

We’ll see if anyone will have me.

Here’s a question. Is there such a thing as feeding too many treats and then ruining one’s horse? I spoil too much, but my horse is a baby and a growing boy at that. (17 hands and hopefully not growing too much more!)

I know GM doesn’t like to give treats and if so, “only in the box”. Should I stop giving so many in an effort to have a more focused and quiet horse under saddle?

[OneGrayPony]

Ditto – love my jointed Royal Riders!! Great cheese graters on them too!

Oooh, have to try those. I have old fashioned heavy fillis irons on my saddle because I’m a staunch traditionalist. Or too cheap to upgrade my equipment. One of the two.

So far we’re only doing walk/trot while we’re trying to improve B’s topline, so nothing untoward yet. And I’ve been so proud of him outside on the roads and trails.

Us too! Some canter in the arena but it is a SCARY unbalanced sit up and pray kind of canter.

I goofily made a video of today’s hack through the field with some footage of schooling sessions from the last two weeks. I think he’s improving…I do not have a helmet cam, so I was holding my phone with one hand and the reins with the other - not exactly smart with a green OTTB, but hey, I’m a middle-aged re-rider with a green OTTB…who said I was smart???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H07jKMoi5aM

And yes, my Eq sucks and I think he’s slightly off. Time to inject again I think.

Welcome pancakes! I still get out of breath posting

ballisticgirl, I don’t believe too many treats will “spoil” a horse. It’s how they are given, and how the individual horse responds. My guy loves peppermints and receives them liberally.

[TarheelJD]

[QUOTE=OneGrayPony;5916649]
Oooh, have to try those. I have old fashioned heavy fillis irons on my saddle because I’m a staunch traditionalist. Or too cheap to upgrade my equipment. One of the two.

Us too! Some canter in the arena but it is a SCARY unbalanced sit up and pray kind of canter.

I goofily made a video of today’s hack through the field with some footage of schooling sessions from the last two weeks. I think he’s improving…I do not have a helmet cam, so I was holding my phone with one hand and the reins with the other - not exactly smart with a green OTTB, but hey, I’m a middle-aged re-rider with a green OTTB…who said I was smart???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H07jKMoi5aM

And yes, my Eq sucks and I think he’s slightly off. Time to inject again I think.

Welcome pancakes! I still get out of breath posting

ballisticgirl, I don’t believe too many treats will “spoil” a horse. It’s how they are given, and how the individual horse responds. My guy loves peppermints and receives them liberally.[/QUOTE]

Awww - is your boy’s name Greer? He is so cute.

I am putting you on my list of people to be jealous of, along with spacytracy, because you have access to an indoor! I’d kill for an indoor in Januray and February!

[TarheelJD]

[QUOTE=Pancakes;5916593]
I’m officially joining the re-rider thread! After not having seriously (i.e. at least weekly) ridden since at least 6-7 years ago, I got on today for my first lesson! It’s not a fancy barn but it has good people and good horses. I walked, trotted, and cantered, and even popped over 2 little crossrails. I am SO out of shape!!! I was huffing and puffing even after a half hour. It felt amazing though…I felt like I was 12 again and my heart was soaring!! I am going to continue with lessons to get back into shape and re-learn the basics, though they come back to me. If only I can make my body do what my mind knows already![/QUOTE]

Welcome back to the addiction. You think you are going to continue with lessons, but if you hang around with this crowd too much, you’ll be buying a horse within a year!

[TarheelJD]

How are our recovering friends?

spacytracy, ballisticgirl, LuvMyRide, and the rest of you out there who are nursing bruises – hope you are feeling better today!

[OneGrayPony]

Awww - is your boy’s name Greer? He is so cute.

Thank you! Yes, that’s his name. He’s a dear, he really is. He has a heart of gold, even though he can be a total jerk at times and doesn’t really know what he’s doing.

I am putting you on my list of people to be jealous of, along with spacytracy, because you have access to an indoor! I’d kill for an indoor in Januray and February!

It’s an absolute necessity here, otherwise you’re just not riding at all in the winter. Although this year I suspect we’re going to be riding out a lot more. I was attempting to work him with a dressage trainer, but it just wasn’t working well for either one of us (not my trainer’s fault, most likely deficiencies on both his and my parts - too much for my little brain to comprehend to try to start riding again and absorb something new and he does NOT LIKE CONTACT right now), so I’m taking him back to Forward Riding and Littauer as if he were a completely green horse, and it’s working so far for him very well. So we’re doing most of our work on a completely loose rein. And I’m doing a lot of two point to get strong in the tack.

This is about 2 weeks worth of consistent riding on both of our parts.

What I’d love to know if anyone has a solution for is the lower back pain I get. I know I need to strengthen my core, and that’s probably the genesis of it, as well as my hamstrings being tight due to starting to ride again. But MAN, my back is sore after just walking him for an hour due to the swing of his back (unless I keep him dawdling and tight, something I do not like to do).

Short of advil - anyone have any solutions for this one?

[ballisticgirl]

Back pain is normal. I’d suggest doing some lower back strengthening exercises, but you’ll work it out in the next 90 days if you ride consistently. For me, it was ankle and lower leg strength that caused me fits during my first few weeks riding, I loved that I was working my muscles differently and countered the pain with many a hot lavender baths. : )

Now, I just find it’s about working through fatigue when jumping courses and building stamina and managing through both my horse’s and my ADD issues. lol!

I had a second set of x-rays today. Oh MY Word! Broken ribs are THE Most painful thing I have ever felt in my life. No kidding! Be careful out there, all!
Stay clear of jumps unless intentionally headed for them during a jumping session.

[Pancakes]

[QUOTE=TarheelJD;5916679]
Welcome back to the addiction. You think you are going to continue with lessons, but if you hang around with this crowd too much, you’ll be buying a horse within a year![/QUOTE]

I’m already plotting to lease with my coworker We need a saintly horse that can pack around a beginner and be able to babysit me while I re-learn how to jump (up to 3’). You are so right though, haha! Thanks. It feels good to be back!!

[OneGrayPony]

I had a second set of x-rays today. Oh MY Word! Broken ribs are THE Most painful thing I have ever felt in my life. No kidding! Be careful out there, all!
Stay clear of jumps unless intentionally headed for them during a jumping session.

Yeouch! I’m so sorry…are you having trouble/pain breathing too? Or do they have you pretty well pain-free (I hope it’s the latter)

[ballisticgirl]

Hey OGP!

I woke up today and was able to get out of bed without bringing that stabbing side pain and eyes welling up syndrom! One day at a time. : )

I go back to the doc tomorrow for a follow up.

Did I mention I am going stir crazy at home, staying on my back in bed and not being able to ride? : ) I can already promise you I’ll be in the saddle again well before these ribs are healed!

[TarheelJD]

[QUOTE=ballisticgirl;5917340]
Hey OGP!

I woke up today and was able to get out of bed without bringing that stabbing side pain and eyes welling up syndrom! One day at a time. : )

I go back to the doc tomorrow for a follow up.

Did I mention I am going stir crazy at home, staying on my back in bed and not being able to ride? : ) I can already promise you I’ll be in the saddle again well before these ribs are healed![/QUOTE]

Glad you are feeling at least a little bit better.

When I was recovering from my broken collar bone, I was going crazy too. Day time TV is simply awful! At least I caught up on all the horse magazines I subscribe to that I never have time to read. Now of course I am way behind again.

[spacytracy]

Ballistic, I can’t even complain, compared to your pain!!

I’m fine - some painful bruises and a bruised ego.

I have a lesson tonight, I’m kind of nervous! Hubby is videoing - at least I can have some evidence if it goes bad.

My indoor luxuries will only last a few more weeks, then my boy comes home for winter break. And a week after that Im having surgery, so no riding for a few months!

[Hinderella]

I do wish for an indoor, but there’s none in my future. So this will be my last week of riding after work…sniff… however, I do have some comp time coming to me, so I’m going to try and come to work late a couple of days and ride in the morning.

Now I have to find a gym to join, or a yoga class, or both, so I can stay somewhat in shape with only a couple of days a week to ride.

[ballisticgirl]

Spacy…what is this mention of surgery? I hope it is elective? Are you having that surgery that keeps your body glued into the saddle? Let me know how that goes? lol!