Re-Rider Improvement Advice

[ridernc]

Hello! I am new to these forums and hoping I can get some advice in furthering my riding. A little background:

I have been obsessed with horses and riding my entire life. As a kid, my parents allowed me to go to a few horse camps over the years, and they sent me to lessons (Western) for a few months every few years. We didn’t have a lot of money, so regular lessons were not an option, and I often bounced around barns based on pricing and proximity to where I was currently living, so I never really developed relationships with my trainers or fellow barn mates. I worked at a few different places in my later teens in exchange for lessons and other experience, but even this was competitive in my area, and the limited hours I was able to give (due to school and a paid job) were cut.

I worked multiple jobs in college to make ends meet, so volunteering or paying to ride were out of the question. The same was true for the first years out of college as I adjusted to a new career, securing a place to live, and paying off student loans. A few years later, I was finally more financially stable, and I was excited to start taking lessons again. Living in a major metropolitan area, the closest place to me was about 1-1.5 hours away, one-way and taught English disciplines, but I took private lessons for a few months. The lessons were ok. I was switched to a different trainer than who I had originally signed up with, and the new trainer was much younger and less experienced. I didn’t feel like I was really getting a good education from her, and since this barn heavily relied on grooms, I never even got to groom or tack up my own lesson horse.

Last year, I went to several H/J shows as a photographer, and I became very interested in jumping. Now, I am 29 years old, and I just moved out of that metropolitan area to North Carolina. I am lucky to have a well-paying job that is very flexible, so I have a lot of extra time on my hands. I started taking lessons at a small local barn which I am really enjoying. I am currently working on my flatwork, and I know I have a long way to go on re-learning (and re-training) the basics, but my current plan is to work up to jumping training.

What are some ways I can improve my riding? I am currently taking one private lesson a week, and I am considering bumping it up to two lessons a week. While I can afford to purchase a horse, I certainly don’t know what to look for for me, and I don’t want to rush into something I’m not ready for. I was planning to ask my trainer if they have any leasing options available, but even with leasing, I’m not very familiar with the process. Given that it is such a small barn, they aren’t currently looking for more “volunteers.” I have also read a lot of forum threads here, and I have been working through books on a reading list I put together from recommendations.

As I mentioned, I have quite a lot of time on my hands (most weekday mornings until 10am and after 4pm and all day weekends), and I would love to be putting that time to good use and spend it around horses, if possible. I also feel like once a week isn’t quite enough for me to really solidly learn. I would love to have a session alone to work on what I went over in my weekly lesson before the next one. Any advice?

[Scribbler]

You are probably what I’d call an advanced beginner. Sounds like you have alot to learn and relearn but you are capable of handling and riding an appropriate horse independently.

Absolutely the more saddle hours you have, the faster your riding will improve. Multiple lessons a week are good, or lessons plus paying for practice rides, or doing a “half lease” on a horse in addition to lessons.

Don’t even consider buying your own horse yet!

When I returned to riding in my 40s I did two h/ j lessons a week for a couple of years, at a barn close to work until I felt really solid. Then I started getting 3 day a week half leases closer to home in addition to the lessons. I chose lease horses at barns with trail access as well as arenas because I always loved trails.

I ended up with a half lease at a very affordable barn, and eventually I took over the horse as my own. The horse was green but came with a wonderful dressage and eventing coach, all around horsewoman, and mentor who is now a friend. I continued the h/j lessons at the first barn for a total of 5 years. Then I took a break due to injury and then never went back.

OK, rather rambling. But my experience as a kid and adult is that conscious hours in the saddle really help muscle memory and strength and ideally you want to ride everyday. Multiple horses a day is even better! In other words you cannot ride too much as long as your health and cash permit it and you are riding correctly not just slouchjng around .

You also won’t know where riding will take you. When I started riding I was a bit daunted by the current prices of $700 a month board and $5000 minimum for a decent horse. I ended up in a self board barn where my monthly costs are under $400, my horse is technically a free lease, and I can ride my coach’s horses. I never did go anywhere with jumping, but I am a competent lower level dressage rider, I can school and train a horse, I’m quite good at groundwork, I know how to train tricks and clicker train, I have an F250 and a two horse trailer and go for back country rides and horse camping. We go out and do little tricks performances for kids a couple times a year.

I couldn’t have predicted any of this 12 years ago!

So my advice is to seek out riding opportunities, and be open to other barns and affordable options. Even getting w t c miles on the trails on a safe horse will do wonders for your seat and your confidence. Just be smart about not taking on horses where you don’t feel safe.
”‹”‹

[Horsegirl_s_Mom]

It seems like your best bet is to talk to your trainer and explain exactly what you have said here. The normal
next step would be a half-lease, which generally gives you rights to ride the horse 3x per week–could be 2 lessons and 1 practice ride, or 1 lesson and 2 practice rides. For a lesson horse, you would probably pay about half of what the horse’s board and shoeing costs, plus lesson fees, though that can vary. If you are truly committed, you might be able to full lease a horse, which means you pay the full cost of its board plus your lessons (plus sometimes more, depending usually on the caliber of the horse and the owner’s situation). If you are taking lessons at a barn that doesn’t provide options for leasing or half leasing, quite honestly I might look for another barn that could provide these options.

Anyway, I think your instinct is correct. It is very hard to get good at something doing it once a week. You will want to bump up your riding to 2-3 times a week, or more.

[atl_hunter]

I’ve taken a few breaks throughout my riding career and the one thing that has helped more than anything is improving and/or maintaining peak fitness. A mix of core work, strength building, and aerobic exercise is ideal. If you have extra time and can’t make it to a barn, go to the gym! Being fit, having a strong core and sense of balance will help you in your riding endeavors.

And of course, more saddle time! You might even consider a half-lease if that is an option. It’s a great way to try without the financial impact of a full lease. Some trainers will half-lease school horses but can’t do a full lease, so you may find you have more options going this route.

Enjoy the journey!

[AmmyHunter]

@Horsegirl's Mom

It seems like your best bet is to talk to your trainer and explain exactly what you have said here. The normal
next step would be a half-lease, which generally gives you rights to ride the horse 3x per week–could be 2 lessons and 1 practice ride, or 1 lesson and 2 practice rides. For a lesson horse, you would probably pay about half of what the horse’s board and shoeing costs, plus lesson fees, though that can vary. If you are truly committed, you might be able to full lease a horse, which means you pay the full cost of its board plus your lessons (plus sometimes more, depending usually on the caliber of the horse and the owner’s situation). If you are taking lessons at a barn that doesn’t provide options for leasing or half leasing, quite honestly I might look for another barn that could provide these options.

Anyway, I think your instinct is correct. It is very hard to get good at something doing it once a week. You will want to bump up your riding to 2-3 times a week, or more.

Agree with all of this. Bumping up your saddle time is the way to improve, either through multiple lessons or a half lease. See what your trainer can offer. A half lease is a great place to start, but if only a full lease is offered, for the stage you are in now, make sure you weigh the cost of that vs putting money into more lessons instead if that’s an option.

[ridernc]

@Scribbler

You are probably what I’d call an advanced beginner. Sounds like you have alot to learn and relearn but you are capable of handling and riding an appropriate horse independently.

Absolutely the more saddle hours you have, the faster your riding will improve. Multiple lessons a week are good, or lessons plus paying for practice rides, or doing a “half lease” on a horse in addition to lessons.

Don’t even consider buying your own horse yet!

When I returned to riding in my 40s I did two h/ j lessons a week for a couple of years, at a barn close to work until I felt really solid. Then I started getting 3 day a week half leases closer to home in addition to the lessons. I chose lease horses at barns with trail access as well as arenas because I always loved trails.

I ended up with a half lease at a very affordable barn, and eventually I took over the horse as my own. The horse was green but came with a wonderful dressage and eventing coach, all around horsewoman, and mentor who is now a friend. I continued the h/j lessons at the first barn for a total of 5 years. Then I took a break due to injury and then never went back.

OK, rather rambling. But my experience as a kid and adult is that conscious hours in the saddle really help muscle memory and strength and ideally you want to ride everyday. Multiple horses a day is even better! In other words you cannot ride too much as long as your health and cash permit it and you are riding correctly not just slouchjng around .

You also won’t know where riding will take you. When I started riding I was a bit daunted by the current prices of $700 a month board and $5000 minimum for a decent horse. I ended up in a self board barn where my monthly costs are under $400, my horse is technically a free lease, and I can ride my coach’s horses. I never did go anywhere with jumping, but I am a competent lower level dressage rider, I can school and train a horse, I’m quite good at groundwork, I know how to train tricks and clicker train, I have an F250 and a two horse trailer and go for back country rides and horse camping. We go out and do little tricks performances for kids a couple times a year.

I couldn’t have predicted any of this 12 years ago!

So my advice is to seek out riding opportunities, and be open to other barns and affordable options. Even getting w t c miles on the trails on a safe horse will do wonders for your seat and your confidence. Just be smart about not taking on horses where you don’t feel safe.
”‹”‹

Thank you! I appreciate you sharing your experience and advice.

@Horsegirl's Mom

It seems like your best bet is to talk to your trainer and explain exactly what you have said here. The normal
next step would be a half-lease, which generally gives you rights to ride the horse 3x per week–could be 2 lessons and 1 practice ride, or 1 lesson and 2 practice rides. For a lesson horse, you would probably pay about half of what the horse’s board and shoeing costs, plus lesson fees, though that can vary. If you are truly committed, you might be able to full lease a horse, which means you pay the full cost of its board plus your lessons (plus sometimes more, depending usually on the caliber of the horse and the owner’s situation). If you are taking lessons at a barn that doesn’t provide options for leasing or half leasing, quite honestly I might look for another barn that could provide these options.

Anyway, I think your instinct is correct. It is very hard to get good at something doing it once a week. You will want to bump up your riding to 2-3 times a week, or more.

I really like my current trainer. He is kind of perfect for what I need right now to get back into it. However, he does not train jumpers, so our relationship is inherently time bound until such a time as I move up to a jumping class (we have discussed this). His wife trains jumpers, but she is currently on maternity leave until about March, so that will probably coincide with the switch. That said, we haven’t gone into longer term goal-setting together since our goals (getting my flatwork improved) are short term in nature. Additionally, the horse I ride regularly for lessons is great for flatwork but doesn’t jump anymore (older horse and old suspensory injury), so I’m not sure it would make sense for me to partial/half lease him, if that’s even an option. I have also felt like I don’t want to seem too pushy about upping my time or getting into a lease since I just started at this place a few months ago. I know I’m not trying to speed up any arbitrary timeline; I just hope it won’t be perceived like that.

Anyway, that has been my hesitation re: bringing up leasing, but I think you’re right in that I need to at least see what options I have available to me.

@atl_hunter

I’ve taken a few breaks throughout my riding career and the one thing that has helped more than anything is improving and/or maintaining peak fitness. A mix of core work, strength building, and aerobic exercise is ideal. If you have extra time and can’t make it to a barn, go to the gym! Being fit, having a strong core and sense of balance will help you in your riding endeavors.

And of course, more saddle time! You might even consider a half-lease if that is an option. It’s a great way to try without the financial impact of a full lease. Some trainers will half-lease school horses but can’t do a full lease, so you may find you have more options going this route.

Enjoy the journey!

Good call. I was regularly doing Pure Barre before I moved, but with the holidays and moving, things have tapered off, haha. I will look into it again!

@AmmyHunter

Agree with all of this. Bumping up your saddle time is the way to improve, either through multiple lessons or a half lease. See what your trainer can offer. A half lease is a great place to start, but if only a full lease is offered, for the stage you are in now, make sure you weigh the cost of that vs putting money into more lessons instead if that’s an option.

Thank you. I think that’s a great point about full leases and the tradeoff between that and more lessons. I will keep it in mind as I inquire about their options.

[AAHunterGal]

I agree with the 1/2 lease option! More saddle time is the best way to advance, and having access to a horse you can ride 3x a week would be great for that.

I also think that in your down time, watch as many of the greats as possible, and check out some classic books to read! Hunter Seat Equitation by GHM is of course a classic (try to separate the horseman from the man while reading it, though). Judging Hunters & Hunter Seat Equitation by Anna Jane-White Mullin is also one I poured over growing up. Denny Emerson has a TON of amazing books as well, a different discipline but a great horseman with a lot of practical, pragmatic points of view both on his own riding career and what folks can expect/need to do in order to improve.

YouTube has rounds of just about everyone you can name. Do a search for McLain Ward, Anne Kursinski, any jumper rider you admire. Same goes for the top hunter riders/horses. Watch as many great riders as you can as often as you can! It’s amazing how much you can absorb.

Noelle Floyd has their great Masterclass series that I’ve been enjoying. - it’s about $150 for access to the whole series, but even if you don’t have your own horse to practice with, just watching them ride and explain their points of view has been fascinating.

Hope that all helps, good luck!

[merrygoround]

Besides saddle time which would work well with your schedule, if you leased. You also need horse handling time. Everything from how to properly groom, how to properly hold a lead rope and to lead , how to properly use a chain with a halter, and how, so important, and where to stand when holding and handling.

Some of this you may have already learned, but after a lifetime with horses, I am sometimes dumbfounded how casual people are in these respects. As it is when dealing with 1000# plus rapid response creatures, trouble happens, but if your reflexes and habits are established you have a better chance of dodging .

[Scribbler]

OP, it’s not uppity to ask about more saddle time as you will be paying for it! It’s not like you are asking to ride a friend’s horse for free.

Trainers love students who give evidence of wanting to do more and spend more! If they have room in their program they will be thrilled to give you more lessons or lease.

A half lease is usually a month to month deal. So it’s perfectly reasonable to lease Mr Old Safeguy to ride 3 days a week. In preparation for startung jumping lessons I would work on the following;

No stirrups w t c
No stirrups posting

Clean w t c transitions
Two point with stirrups at the trot until you can stay in forward seat indefinitely. Go for the burn!

Riding simple patterns with intent and accuracy so the horse goes exactly where you want (cones can be useful)

Turning the horse off outside aids and not using inside rein to turn s corner.

All these activities can be done on an older horse, especially if you mostly trot. You might want a grab strap on his neck for the no stirrups work at first.

The goal is that your hands and seat are entirely independent. You can keep your balance at all times without touching the horse’s mouth. You can do anything with your hands without affecting your balance. And if you lose your stirrup over a fence it is no big deal!

[snaffle635]

You can learn a ton by watching other people’s riding lessons, too.

When I first got back into riding after a 20+ year break, I would just hang out at the barn on the weekends and watch the lessons. I could see what other riders looked like when the trainer gave the same feedback I was getting. I could watch experienced riders and see what they were working on. And it was a good way to start learning about distances.

I also went to spectate at local horse shows that my barn attended. Horse shows are a great place to learn.

As others have said, take your time before purchasing a horse. Shareboarding and leasing are great options as you continue to develop your skills.

[NC001]

I agree with pp- do not think about buying right now, get more saddle time in or out of lessons, watch other lessons, volunteer to help where you can.

I got a pony a few months ago and I am a beginner rider. However, my kid rides and I’ve literally sat through hundreds of lessons over the past 4 years and go to the barn with her 3-4 times a week. I didn’t have a horse background but I’ve learned a lot helping out while at the barn. I took a few lessons in the past year and then decided it was now or never (Im pushing 50) and found a pony that is perfect for me. So while a beginner shouldnt buy a horse usually since I have a great support group around me already in place and my daughter can school the horse for me it has worked out well.

Based on my experience and watching my daughter- going from 1 to 2 lessons a week you will see a much faster improvement. From there go for a lease to improve more. I started riding 4 times a week (lesson once a week) and have improved faster than I thought I would. Im not a good rider but I have moved along somewhat quickly thanks to the amount of ride time, good instructors, a reliable and beginner safe horse, and good barn support (including my kid).

Kids have a big advantage over adults because there are so many options for them to learn horse handling and to ride a variety of horses because they can attend summer camps where it’s all horses all day. I remember my kid at age 9 going to her first week long horse camp and saw a big change in her confidence in handling and tacking the horses. Now she attends advanced camps - I think she probably rode 15 different horses over the course of last summer.

Stick around a watch lessons if you can. Good luck!

[EVneo]

it sounds like you have a trainer you can trust - that is step one! It’s important to have a pro you can trust to help guide you. Definitely let him know you’d like more saddle time - and ask if it would make sense/ are you able to do a partial lease or pay per ride or add a second lesson a week? As someone else mentioned - spectate and audit clinics where you can! Maybe someone local or your trainer can point you in a direction for a local club that has a calendar or a barn that holds regular clinics. Regarding fitness stuff you can do out of the saddle - cardio, strength, and flexibility are the name of the game. Pure barre provides great core work and stretching and was a nice complement to my regular running. Now I do running, hot yoga, and have the fit equestrian equitation guide - it’s just body weight exercises targeted towards equestrians.

[autumnmoment]

my advice to you: watch the other lessons!! 1 or 2 lessons is great, but if you’re able to come early or stay late and watch the other lessons, maybe set a few poles, this can help you a lot. Soak up the information- my experience adults pick this stuff up fast.

[ParadoxFarm]

I agree with Scribbler in that you you might not want to discount the half lease option (if there is one) on your older school horse. You have a few months of learning, and even in that time you will see tremendous benefits of having more rides per week. And that old school horse even on the flat has a lot to teach you, both in the saddle and out. Even when you transition to the wife/trainer, you can still likely use the school horse for a while with basic two-point, and ground pole work, etc. Likely your new trainer will not having you jumping right off the bat. There is a process.

Enjoy the ride, and welcome!

P.S. Whatever your job is, I’m envious of your schedule!

[ridernc]

@"A"HunterGal

I agree with the 1/2 lease option! More saddle time is the best way to advance, and having access to a horse you can ride 3x a week would be great for that.

I also think that in your down time, watch as many of the greats as possible, and check out some classic books to read! Hunter Seat Equitation by GHM is of course a classic (try to separate the horseman from the man while reading it, though). Judging Hunters & Hunter Seat Equitation by Anna Jane-White Mullin is also one I poured over growing up. Denny Emerson has a TON of amazing books as well, a different discipline but a great horseman with a lot of practical, pragmatic points of view both on his own riding career and what folks can expect/need to do in order to improve.

YouTube has rounds of just about everyone you can name. Do a search for McLain Ward, Anne Kursinski, any jumper rider you admire. Same goes for the top hunter riders/horses. Watch as many great riders as you can as often as you can! It’s amazing how much you can absorb.

Noelle Floyd has their great Masterclass series that I’ve been enjoying. - it’s about $150 for access to the whole series, but even if you don’t have your own horse to practice with, just watching them ride and explain their points of view has been fascinating.

Hope that all helps, good luck!

Thank you for the recommendations! I will add those to my list. I have been reading some Denny Emerson’s books, and while they are good, I wish I would have read them 10 years ago! Not much I can do to change past choices unfortunately, but moving forward as best I can.

@merrygoround

Besides saddle time which would work well with your schedule, if you leased. You also need horse handling time. Everything from how to properly groom, how to properly hold a lead rope and to lead , how to properly use a chain with a halter, and how, so important, and where to stand when holding and handling.

Some of this you may have already learned, but after a lifetime with horses, I am sometimes dumbfounded how casual people are in these respects. As it is when dealing with 1000# plus rapid response creatures, trouble happens, but if your reflexes and habits are established you have a better chance of dodging .

Totally agree. I learned a lot of this growing up, but I am sure there are things I didn’t learn, have forgotten, etc. I have actually learned a lot by being around the kids at the barn (literally 10-12 yos); they’re pros with this stuff!

@Scribbler

OP, it’s not uppity to ask about more saddle time as you will be paying for it! It’s not like you are asking to ride a friend’s horse for free.

Trainers love students who give evidence of wanting to do more and spend more! If they have room in their program they will be thrilled to give you more lessons or lease.

A half lease is usually a month to month deal. So it’s perfectly reasonable to lease Mr Old Safeguy to ride 3 days a week. In preparation for startung jumping lessons I would work on the following;

No stirrups w t c
No stirrups posting

Clean w t c transitions
Two point with stirrups at the trot until you can stay in forward seat indefinitely. Go for the burn!

Riding simple patterns with intent and accuracy so the horse goes exactly where you want (cones can be useful)

Turning the horse off outside aids and not using inside rein to turn s corner.

All these activities can be done on an older horse, especially if you mostly trot. You might want a grab strap on his neck for the no stirrups work at first.

The goal is that your hands and seat are entirely independent. You can keep your balance at all times without touching the horse’s mouth. You can do anything with your hands without affecting your balance. And if you lose your stirrup over a fence it is no big deal!

Thank you so much! I took the initiative and asked my trainer about leasing opportunities, and he’s going to send me over the info to review. I hope I didn’t come across picky! I didn’t know that leases were often month-to-month, and I love my current lesson horse. However, I have a little hesitance with him as he is a big ol’ warmblood, and he has shivers, which only really affects farriers at this stage. It’s just another new thing to consider with all this newness. I don’t know if he’s even available for leasing yet, so we’ll see.

I really appreciate the exercise tips! I will definitely make a note.

@snaffle635

You can learn a ton by watching other people’s riding lessons, too.

When I first got back into riding after a 20+ year break, I would just hang out at the barn on the weekends and watch the lessons. I could see what other riders looked like when the trainer gave the same feedback I was getting. I could watch experienced riders and see what they were working on. And it was a good way to start learning about distances.

I also went to spectate at local horse shows that my barn attended. Horse shows are a great place to learn.

As others have said, take your time before purchasing a horse. Shareboarding and leasing are great options as you continue to develop your skills.

That’s a good idea, thank you for sharing. I know, I definitely am not buying a horse right now. It’s hard not to think about it when means and opportunity are finally available though!

@NC001

I agree with pp- do not think about buying right now, get more saddle time in or out of lessons, watch other lessons, volunteer to help where you can.

I got a pony a few months ago and I am a beginner rider. However, my kid rides and I’ve literally sat through hundreds of lessons over the past 4 years and go to the barn with her 3-4 times a week. I didn’t have a horse background but I’ve learned a lot helping out while at the barn. I took a few lessons in the past year and then decided it was now or never (Im pushing 50) and found a pony that is perfect for me. So while a beginner shouldnt buy a horse usually since I have a great support group around me already in place and my daughter can school the horse for me it has worked out well.

Based on my experience and watching my daughter- going from 1 to 2 lessons a week you will see a much faster improvement. From there go for a lease to improve more. I started riding 4 times a week (lesson once a week) and have improved faster than I thought I would. Im not a good rider but I have moved along somewhat quickly thanks to the amount of ride time, good instructors, a reliable and beginner safe horse, and good barn support (including my kid).

Kids have a big advantage over adults because there are so many options for them to learn horse handling and to ride a variety of horses because they can attend summer camps where it’s all horses all day. I remember my kid at age 9 going to her first week long horse camp and saw a big change in her confidence in handling and tacking the horses. Now she attends advanced camps - I think she probably rode 15 different horses over the course of last summer.

Stick around a watch lessons if you can. Good luck!

Thank you for sharing and the advice! I am going to look into a half lease. That is so true - I’ve found that proper horse handling is expected as an adult, even if you disclose being a beginner. The 11 yo who has lessons at the same time as me has been a huge source of help for me.

@EVneo

it sounds like you have a trainer you can trust - that is step one! It’s important to have a pro you can trust to help guide you. Definitely let him know you’d like more saddle time - and ask if it would make sense/ are you able to do a partial lease or pay per ride or add a second lesson a week? As someone else mentioned - spectate and audit clinics where you can! Maybe someone local or your trainer can point you in a direction for a local club that has a calendar or a barn that holds regular clinics. Regarding fitness stuff you can do out of the saddle - cardio, strength, and flexibility are the name of the game. Pure barre provides great core work and stretching and was a nice complement to my regular running. Now I do running, hot yoga, and have the fit equestrian equitation guide - it’s just body weight exercises targeted towards equestrians.

I’ll look into that, thank you. I’m looking forward to receiving more information on the half lease!

@autumnmoment

my advice to you: watch the other lessons!! 1 or 2 lessons is great, but if you’re able to come early or stay late and watch the other lessons, maybe set a few poles, this can help you a lot. Soak up the information- my experience adults pick this stuff up fast.

Good advice. I’ll check out the other lessons this weekend.

@ParadoxFarm

I agree with Scribbler in that you you might not want to discount the half lease option (if there is one) on your older school horse. You have a few months of learning, and even in that time you will see tremendous benefits of having more rides per week. And that old school horse even on the flat has a lot to teach you, both in the saddle and out. Even when you transition to the wife/trainer, you can still likely use the school horse for a while with basic two-point, and ground pole work, etc. Likely your new trainer will not having you jumping right off the bat. There is a process.

Enjoy the ride, and welcome!

P.S. Whatever your job is, I’m envious of your schedule!

Completely agree. Admittedly, I was/am not very familiar with leases, and I did a bit more research, so I understand why a half lease would make sense. I love the old school horse! Just a few considerations with him that I mentioned above. I work in tech, so my schedule is flexible…until I have an 80+ week during the busy times. It took many years (away from horses unfortunately) to get to that point!

[gertie06]

Where in NC are you located? I live here, too! I’m always in the market for adult ammy buddies!

[ridernc]

@gertie06

Where in NC are you located? I live here, too! I’m always in the market for adult ammy buddies!

Awesome! I’m in Durham.

[danhelm441]

You should lease. Definitely talk to your trainer. You have the time for it, and you’ll get so much more out of it than lessons alone. It may be intimidating, but with the right horse, you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Look for something 15+ and trust your gut. Go with a horse that makes you feel comfortable. I made all kinds of bone-headed mistakes with my first horse (tripping flat on my face the very first morning I went to lead him from the pasture, taking 10 minutes to bridle on…more than one occasion, cantering bareback toward the barn at the end of a trail ride and getting COMPLETELY run away with when he decided to gallop all the way back to the cross ties), but with a goldie oldie, even the harrowing rites of passage are not that bad. You get your sea legs and realize you’re more capable than you thought, and before you know it, you’re a proper horsewoman!

ETA: I didn’t realize how old this thread was Sorry OP!