How old is too old to show in the H/J world?

Like many others have said, all the power to you, and keep riding as long as you feel comfortable!

I have a friend whose dad is in his 70s and still doing hunter classes and occasionally a low jumper class, and looks swell doing it! He has a massive 18hh horse and still gets him around, it’s honestly the greatest. I always make sure that I have time to go and watch him show if I’m around :smiley:

How old is too old? When you’re 6 feet under. Ride on and keep inspiring everyone.

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I want to be like Connie Reeves. She died at the age of 101 in a fall from her favorite horse, a 28-yr old paint named Dr. Pepper.

Meg Clark, owner of Camp Waldemar in the Texas Hill Country, where Mrs. Reeves taught riding for 67 years, said she had been riding more this year than in previous years and was delighted that Dr Pepper remained so spirited.

‘‘That was how she wanted to live her life, and that was how she wanted to end it,’’ Ms. Clark said on Wednesday. ‘‘She wanted to be on horseback.’’

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/25/us/connie-reeves-a-cowgirl-until-the-end-dies-at-101.html

http://www.cowgirl.net/portfolios/connie-douglas-reeves/

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I’m 50 and the “baby” in my one lesson with the “amateur ladies”! The other lessons I’m in I’m the oldest but I’m still the only one that drops my stirrups without being told, and we easily hold our own against all the “young ones” over the fences. At shows I’m usually in the middle of the pack agewise in the amateur hunters, and I’ve never felt “old”…they’ll have to peel me off before I quit showing LOL

Keep up the attitude and show those kiddies how it’s done… remember there’s nothing like being the person they all aspire to be!

My horse and I get our butts handed to us regularly in the jumpers by riders who have decades on us! I get to see so many women jumping heights and competing at levels I can only dream of at all ages- that’s what I want to be like when I grow up!

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If you need some inspiration about recovering from a serious injury, just look at Denny Emerson. He broke his neck in 2011 (at the age of 70) and recovered/rehabbed and continues to ride today at 76. He’s an inspiration to me and I’m only in my 30’s.

Denny Emerson and George are way older than you and still riding! The Queen of England is even older than those guys, and is still riding…
On a more local note, I know several riders in their late 60s who are still competing at least a little bit, and even more who don’t like to compete but are still out there riding and lessoning evey week. :slight_smile: I think it’s much more about the individual and what YOU want to/can do, not about what other people think you should be doing.

In all seriousness, I don’t think you’re too old until you can’t stay safe anymore. We can all name fabulous riders who keep going forever, and do so putting we younger riders to shame, but I also think one has to keep in perspective that it is not a sport without risk (in any capacity - riding, driving, or just being near horses), and be aware of what our own acceptable level of risk is. I suppose that goes for all of us though, not just the older set. :wink:

Ian Millar won his first Olympic medal at age 61. At his 10th Olympic games. And he’s still winning at the top level of the sport.

Mark Todd is 61 and still competing at four-star events. You go do you, and screw the rest. Life’s too short to not do what you love.

drifterlee you are an inspiration to me. I will be 46 when I start my next show season, on a 11 yr old OTTB who raced til he was 8! I have done all the training myself (for better or worse). He is currently showing at 2’6" and I hope to move up.
I will admit that the hunter ring is starting have some more appeal to me after completing in the jumper ring for years with my retired horse. It’s not that I am worried about the jumper ring, I am just starting to appreciate the slower pace of the hunters, though it remains to be seen if my OTTB feels the same way in the long run…
Keep riding and you do you.
Years ago when I was in my late 20-early 30s, I remember telling my mom with extreme excitement how I had finally jumped a 4ft over in a gymnastic. Her response was " well now you can quit jumping, or at least jump smaller things?’ My response was “hell no, now i want to jump bigger” I made never get to the grand prix ring, or even back up to the 3’6"-3’9" level, but I am having a blast with my OTTB and wouldn’t change it for the world.

On a side note, after a project mare turned out not to be as thrilled with jumping as I had hoped, i thought maybe I could just be happy with doing dressage, needless to say that didn’t last long… i enjoy the challenges of Dressage, but i just need my fences!

Oh, pooh. You are never too old to show! Ocala has four age groups for the Amateur Adults including 56 and over! There are plenty of us ladies out there!

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I’ll be 58 this year and doing jumpers…because that’s what my wonderful mare wanted to be and I had to cowgirl up! Never imagined we would be doing what we do, but after a few years at it we finished 2nd in the zone this year. I’ve had my mare for almost 16 years, so the mutual trust and history are huge. As a rule, I don’t ride other horses much. But I will try almost anything with my girl. It’s all about risk mitigation. But I also have a coming 3yo who will be my hunter and I hope for many years of fun with her!! Be smart…find coaches/trainers who understand the needs and concerns of the older amateur. Push the envelope, for sure…but keep the odds in your favor.

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My favorite part about Ocala!

You are only too old if you think you are too old. I am in my 50’s and still competing and in my circuit I often compete against the college riders! Generally it’s an injury or you lose your nerve due to a fall. I have some issues that are going to stop my riding eventually (foot surgery and/or a bad back) but I plan to ride and compete until I can’t do it and I have a new horse. Many people fox hunt well into their 70’s and beyond and that is far more dangerous than anything most of us do in the 3’ division.