If you love the idea of taking up horseback riding but you’re wondering if you’re too old or too young to ride, the short answer is no. Horseback riding is something that can be enjoyed at all levels, in a wide variety of ways, long into one’s golden years. That said, if you start riding later in life—say in your mid-forties—without any real prior training, riding is a sport that requires the use of muscles that other sports may not require. But, don’t give up—a trainer will teach how you to ride the correct way, reducing the risk of injury to muscles and joints Horses Are Not Exercise Machines Horses are animals, not machines. You can’t pop in a quarter and expect that every time you ride them they’ll do exactly what you want them to. This is a hard concept for a lot of people to comprehend. Although a skilled trainer can influence a horse to do what they want better than anamateur who rides only occasionally, even trainers sometimes fall or are bucked off their horses. Horses Have Different Personalities Any horse, just like you and me, will have good days and bad days. Horses, just like people, can get stiff and sore. They can become tired and frustrated with people learning to ride on them. And, just like people, horses have different Personalities. Some horses have very little tolerance for inexperienced riders, while others are more forgiving of their riders‘ mistakes. Ask any trainer; a great school horse that is gentle and patient is hard to find. However, a truly good trainer will try to pair you with a horse that is suitable for your skill level.
