Don't Forget Other Ways To Keep "Riding"

[Trakehner]

I’ve got lots of friends with bad knees, bad hips, bad backs or just plain inability to get back in the saddle if they get off their horses.

For some reason, I also run into a major case of the “Nope, not going to adjust how/what/where I ride”.

For some, it’s as simple as getting a smaller horse they can actually mount from the ground if need be…“Nope, not riding a pony!” they argue, “I don’t SEE myself on anything under 16 hands”.

I’ll ask, “How about a nice gaited horse who’ll even park out for you to make em’ lower to mount and the smooth gaits easier on your bones?”…“Nope, hate gaited horses!”

“Well, how about driving?” I’ll even take them out in one of my carriages, cantering here and there, doing obstacles and having them drive. “Nope, don’t like driving, I NEED to ride!”

Well, alrighty then, as the Greeks used to say, “Eat Scata and Die Then!” And yes, I dealt with this with my father, diabetes, nueropathy and balance problems. He decided he’d rather not ride (or ride dangerously) than change. Oh well.

There comes a time when we all have to change how we ride, what we ride and if we ride. It’s not riding a particular style or height of horse…it’s about riding. Don’t be like my father and way too many of my friends, be willing to change, it’s fun being a beginner again with driving or gaited stuff.

[Bluey]

…or reiners.

Dead broke, very short, smooth and even cute.

[BeaSting]

Excellent points. I’m an over 50 rider with health and fitness issues and I love short horses. My greatest achievement since starting to ride again earlier this year is finally being able to mount my 14.3 Appaloosa from the ground. It’s not pretty, and I prefer my mounting step, but it’s wonderful knowing I can do it. My next horse will be an even shorter Paso Fino or Icelandic.

[ladyfarrier]

Why do we do this?

Sometimes “we” have to ask ourselves…“Why do we have horses?”

For some, “we have horses so we can ride.” For others, “we ride because we have horses.”

I’m in the latter group. I ride MY horses…the ones I bred and raised, and obviously, love.

I’m currently in the (hopefully) “temporarily disabled” category, recovering my some nasty hip revision/fractured pelvis surgery. On of my docs, who rides, said in the recovery room…“you may ride again, but you’ll have to change how you do it. Think about getting a gaited horse.”

Since she had gaited horses <G>, it probably made sense. But since I ride because I have MY horses (warmbloods), this probably won’t happen.

When it wasn’t prudent for one of my horses to continue jumping, we “converted” to dressage quite happily. Now that the shoe is on the other foot (hah), I realize I’ll have to convert to another discipline.

Fortunately I’d started down this path by driving my horses, which is turning out to be a real blast. You have to keep an open mind, and ask yourself why we do this at all.

For me, it’s about the horses…not the discipline. But everyone’s different.

[Marci]

I know that my next horse will not be over 14 hands, and will be smooth to ride. The Icelandics do look like a LOT of fun.

[Trakehner]

[QUOTE=Marci;4453510]
The Icelandics do look like a LOT of fun.[/QUOTE]

So I’ve been tolt…jeeze, an Icelandic pun, that’s scary.

[equineartworks]

you now what? The longer I spend on the ground the more I find I prefer the view from down here.

I love to ride, but I am finding I enjoy the peace, the love, the bond that comes with “being” with them. We talk, groom, love…I hand walk them. We trot in hand a little. I walk them through courses to keep them fresh. We play and have fun.

I never rode Paco, and I do hope that he and I are well enough this spring that we can take a little walk on the trails. I love him so and I do want to ride him, but after that I will be fine

[Bluey]

Me too.
Just going to feed and clean and watch them eat is enough, when I can’t ride.
This morning we have a beautiful, spectacular, cool sunset and the horses are so peaceful.
Broken rib healing, I am riding next Tuesday with others, if the weather holds, but if it doesn’t, the world won’t end, there may be other days.

[equineartworks]

watching them eat…bliss. I love morning especially, they steam coming from their noses…the soft munching sounds. Heaven.

The other day I was in the barn with the ponehs and the tiny one was happily eating a nice pile of the gorgeous second cutting hay. He is all fuzzy and so little and the pile was almost as high as he is because DH poofs it all up for him :lol: But I just stood there and leaned on the stall door and watched him. He kept an eye on me too.Then he came over and nuzzled me and went back to eating. Of course I started crying, he is in Dumplin’s stall after all and eating hay was something Dumplin’ couldn’t do. It’s funny how things like this hit you…but these are the things I have come love the most now. They are my lifeline some days.

It’s so odd how everything has changed. But I am certainly not complaining!

[jnel]

I have trouble getting onto the saddle on the saddle horse at the tack shop, no way can I get on any horse from the ground! My knees were so bad I thought I needed a gaited horse, I just couldn’t stand to post for longer than a few minutes. I ended up buying a draft X and found that the more I rode the better my knees felt. The improvement has been noticeable and my pain less. After my surgery I would get off onto the mounting block. I did that to prevent the pain of jarring while dismounting. I got off my horse that way for about six months. He always knew when we were done we’d go to the mounting block for me to get off. I’ve healed and now get off normally, but it was a big deal for me to do it that way. I had to get confident and to keep do it while telling myself that it wasn’t going to hurt. My motto has changed from “I can’t” to “I can” and I guess that someday I’ll work my way to getting onto my horse from the ground.

[RMJacobs]

I have rheumatoid arthritis, and I have been making changes over the years to keep horses in my life. First I went to a short horse, which helped for a while, but then that wasn’t working so well when my balance started to deteriorate. So I learned to drive.

Six and a half years after my first driving lesson (with a trainer in her 70’s–she was just amazing!), I have one retired driving pony (28 years old, retired in January) and one current driving pony whom I trained to drive myself. We also have a Paint mare whom we all have ridden from time to time, but she is mostly retired due to age. When I really, really want to ride, I’ll get on her (with help from my DH) for a slow amble around the property. She takes good care of me.

But the rest of the time my current driving pony and I will be found running around the neighborhood having a great time. My neighbors think I’m nuts because I canter him whenever road conditions allow, and if the road is too hard packed for a good run, I take him on to my property and two adjoining ones that I have permission to use, and we get our fast runs in there.

So I am in complete agreement with the OP’s opinion that there are lots of ways to enjoy our horses, and sometimes it takes some thinking and creativity to keep them in our lives.

Rebecca, who can usually be found lurking and occasionally posting on the Driving forum

[Wellspotted]

[QUOTE=Trakehner;4454115]
So I’ve been tolt…jeeze, an Icelandic pun, that’s scary.[/QUOTE]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Jnel–
How did you dismount at the mounting block? What kind of mounting block was it? (I ask because I’d really like to try this–at the barn we have this
3-step kind of mounting block):

http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.asp?pn=X1-4768&ids=690765641

[Thokki]

I started riding when I was 52 and after a few years realized my knees couldn’t take the posting. So I started part boarding an Icelandic, problem solved! Now I finally have my own Icelandic and am 60. It is frustrating, because just as all my dreams have come true, my body is starting to give out. I have to learn to deal with what is, and how I am on a day to day basis, rather than what I used to be able to do and feel I should still be doing! Plus my horse is young and somewhat green. I have to keep reminding myself that any ride is a good ride if I get back to the barn still in the saddle, LOL. But it is hard sometimes to ignore the little voice that says you should be doing more.

[onthehill]

Nice thread! I showed pony hunters, then hunters as a child into very young adulthood. Had to quit - then came back, just a couple of months ago, after a 30 year absence. Was given a wonderful opportunity to help train a beautiful pony. I loved it!! BUT - couldn’t believe how out-of-shape I really was :D. Uh, no, dear, you’re not 19 anymore, LOL!! :lol: Happy that I didn’t forget much of the technicalities - but, lost stamina quite quickly - and was suprised at how little leg strength I had. Forced to stay off for about a month due to an accidental injury … but looking forward to getting back on!! Have been working on a rider-fitness program and looking forward to seeing how well it works.

I would be willing to ride pretty much anything - although I’d prefer to stay off the monkeys for now! :yes:

[sadlmakr]

I have hurting hip joints and knees. My low back is hurting as well. I live on painpills.
I can not ride astride a horse any more. I have a Western sidesaddle I ride. It keeps my low back straight up and down like when I sit on a chair. My hip joints do not hurt after I ride because there is no strain on them to spread to straddle the horse. If I am going to keep riding, this is the only way I can do it.
I use hay bales to mount up. They are stacked up and have a tiered affect and it makes it easier to mount up.
I have had some snide remarks made about using a sidesaddle but it works for me. I also know of a couple of men who ride sidesaddles. Both are War Veterans. One rides English and rides well at Hunter/Jumper style stuff. The other is a big man and he has joint damage and rides a Western sidesaddle to go trail riding and hunting in the mountains. No one chides him about his riding a sidesaddle.
It is an old law of Nature. You adapt, migrate or become extinct. If you do not want to adapt to a diffrent style of riding, then go to a different way of associating with horses. Or leave it entirely.
Gaited horses of any breed are easier on old bones. TW’s or Pasoes or Icelandics are all options.
Back in the earlier times of the 20th century older women rode sidesadles because it was easier on the body. It can be very stylish or it can be totally
utilitarian.
But I can’t see myself not being around horses. I love them and just being with them satisfies a need in my heart.
So one can be difficult in attitude or one can adapt to a new way of being with horses. I will probably go into driving ponies later on when I can’t mount a horse any more.
It is all in the mind of the person. What do you want to do?
Fuss over it and be a cranky old person or adapt to a new way of doing things.
JMHO,
sadlmakr

[cadriver]

I love Driving, that said had to chime on on the Icelandics, I teach a gal that rides and drives her Icelandic, she rocks in the cones when she can tolt away. My challenge has been working with her to have the horse only trot when in harness. Since most classes at shows are geared to the traditional walk and 3 trots. It is a lot of fun…

Diane Kastama

[system]

I’m well over 50, a bit broken from 23 years in the Army but still ride. I used to be a 3 dayer but adjusted in that I found it to be more damanding than my broken body could handle. So I began riding with a Civil War Reenacting unit as a Trooper. I missed the excitement of a good cross country gallop and the precision it took for Dressage. Believe it or not, I manage to get both in my new hobby and for some very strange reason, my horse really loves to go! If I take another of my horses to an event my main Cav horse gets upset! He is a real ham and he loves the attention. It is not for everyone or for every horse, but I found that I get a kick out of it at my age and it gives me a chance to put my horse in a good light for those who usually don’t go to shows or places where they would encounter these incredible creatures! But my watchword is, I always have a stump nearby when mounting! Just one more thing for those out there looking for something different. If you find it interests you, my unit is the 2ndUS/9thCS Cavalry, Company A. Marci Drewry

[system]

OOPS! Forgot to add. We reenactors LOVE you SIDESADDLERS! Janet Brown is also in your unit and every reenactment brings the ladies out in their fancy stuff doing sidesaddle demonstrations. They are Awesome! You go girl!

[Q.H.D.Q]

[QUOTE=Thokki;4707064]
I started riding when I was 52 and after a few years realized my knees couldn’t take the posting. So I started part boarding an Icelandic, problem solved! Now I finally have my own Icelandic and am 60. It is frustrating, because just as all my dreams have come true, my body is starting to give out. I have to learn to deal with what is, and how I am on a day to day basis, rather than what I used to be able to do and feel I should still be doing! Plus my horse is young and somewhat green. I have to keep reminding myself that any ride is a good ride if I get back to the barn still in the saddle, LOL. But it is hard sometimes to ignore the little voice that says you should be doing more.[/QUOTE]

You sound a lot like me, Thokki (see the thread I just started today if you want to – it’s in the Off Course forum). I would love to try an Icelandic sometime and there are actually some near where I live, only I don’t feel like asking to try one when I know I can’t buy one. But as for the little voice that says to do more … I think I am going to start trying to record over it and tell myself I need to start doing more to be kind to myself and improving my enjoyment of my rides, rather than my leg position or 20m circles, etc.