I think you ride English, and so do I, but a lot of the western games are a LOT of fun, and you don't have to gallop them like you would in competition. I'm talking about barrels, pole bending, on command, things like that. Doing barrels is actually really good for improving your cantering, and if you do it on your own, you can just canter as much of it as you feel able to, then break to a trot, then canter again. And pole bending - the day I can even canter *most* of that will be a good day to celebrate!

 

My instructor also suggested that I put ground poles and/or cavelletti down in the arena right in the path of where I would ride a dressage test, and it would help me de-stress about jumping. In fact, there are actual dressage tests like this, called Prix Caprilli. 

My goals certainly are different than they would have been say 45 yrs ago or so, which was the last time I was around horses until 2008...I expect alot less but still push myself.  I moved to Ocala FL (gobs of horses) in 2006 and after settling in I wanted to volunteer at something and I read about MTRA  (Therapeutic Riding) looking for volunteers....right up my alley!  I loved riding 45 yrs ago and from age 14 - 17 I worked summers with children that had special needs and loved that too.  So, I figure this is right up my alley...I am so sorry I waited this long.  I got to be around the horses again and gain some confidence, alot of things surprisingly came back easily thank goodness.  From that, I was given the opportunity to train a horse (actually she is probably a pony or just barely a horse, around 4, 3.  Since I was being trained to train Brownie we took our good old time and I enjoyed every minute of it, building the trust, seeing her and I grow and build our relationship and just watching her learn is awesome.  Granted there were times I thought I was not capable, just learning how to lounge was a feat itself until we both got the hang of it with help from Kate my mentor.  Brownie belongs to Kate but gives me free rein over and with her, I am so excited to hopefully form her into a wonderful therapy horse...time will tell, she is still young (5) and needs alot of experiences to make sure she is nice and calm for the special needs riders.

I guess I got going a little too much on my story instead of replying to yours, sorry I tend to get carried away when I speak of Brown Brown.  But yes, my goals are much less than I would try to do at a younger age and I give myself alot more time to reach my goals that I do set......I will never stop setting any though!

 That's great that you were inspired by horses! As you said, you have to take your time. That is what I decided to do. Not actually "throw in the towel" completely, but cast aside my expectations and timetable for jumping.

And guess waht folks - I CANTERED MY FIRST CROSSRAIL LAST WEEK AND IT WAS AN BREEZE!!!!! NO FEAR! 

And I will continue to just take riding as it comes. My progress is slow but my horse doesn't mind. He loves to work so as long as I keep his mind and body busy,he is happy. Even trotting ground poles is fun for us both. And we will have our occasional jumping moments now!

I am glad to see this thread, as I just started riding again this past February after 20+ years away from it.  I will be 50 in January.  I am still trying to figure out exactly what my goal is.  I'm taking lessons 2x a week, but what comes after that?  I have never owned a horse, just rode school horses, but now am looking at leasing options.  I do now have the income to support one horse, but probably not to compete or show much, nor do I have access to a trailer--never hauled anything that way, neither has my husband.  He asked me recently whether horses ate meat, so that's how involved with horses he is;>.  

 This month I put my goals down and decided to just ride for fun. I've taken plenty of lessons and am a decent intermediate rider now. With no goals for the month I just did what felt like fun at the moment, from only walking and watchign the sun set, to walking around the farm (I don't trail ride alone), to cantering crossrails, to cantering around the ring to enjoy the breeze blowing through my helmet, or lots of trotting.

 You will figure out goals as you go, and if you don't have any but to learn and enjoy being around horses then that's a great goal in itself! I just keep my expectations real and don't get involved in barn drama (the non-equine type).

Goals for fall are: show once or twice in a schooling hunter show, continue with beginning jumping lessons, and trailer to take dressage lessons. Spring do some schooling dressage shows at least training level. If I get half of that done over the next year, that'll be great!

I'm pursuing small goals now.  Wanted to improve my gaited riding and transitions, so found a great barn that trains gaited horses and riders.  Their horse was champion gaited Rocky of the year, so they are doing a lot of right things.  Took weekly lessons for a month and am now taking one lesson per month just to keep me in shape and aware of few changes I needed to make to get the most out of my horse.  I am too old (I decided) to pull a trailer and horse on the road, so I am becoming co-owner of a trailer with a friend who wishes to do more trail riding.  She can store the trailer at her place and we hope to do weekly trails in good weather.  I have been doing mostly "pasture" riding, so will add fun dimension to my riding to be able to ride in the great state and national parks we have within a day's journey. Retwalla.   

I started riding wuarter horses when I retired.  I am now 73 and riding nearly every day.  I purchased a gaited horse about two years ago, and about two month's ago began to take weekly lessons to learn to properly keep my horse in collection. Now taking one lesson per month and practicing the work with my horse.  I enjoy going to a lot of gaited horse shows.  Rocky mountain and KY mountain pleasure horses are very popular here, so I bought a KY Mountain two years ago.  Board her at a local stable where most folks are Western barrel racers or reining folks, but I really REALLY enjoy my gaited horse.  No more trotting and my horse has a wonderful smooth gait and canter, so we can just stroll forever across the pastures and relax without wearing me out.  

 

 

I started riding wuarter horses when I retired.  I am now 73 and riding nearly every day.  I purchased a gaited horse about two years ago, and about two month's ago began to take weekly lessons to learn to properly keep my horse in collection. Now taking one lesson per month and practicing the work with my horse.  I enjoy going to a lot of gaited horse shows.  Rocky mountain and KY mountain pleasure horses are very popular here, so I bought a KY Mountain two years ago.  Board her at a local stable where most folks are Western barrel racers or reining folks, but I really REALLY enjoy my gaited horse.  No more trotting and my horse has a wonderful smooth gait and canter, so we can just stroll forever across the pastures and relax without wearing me out.  

 

 

I started riding quarter horses when I retired.  I am now 73 and riding nearly every day.  I purchased a gaited horse about two years ago, and about two month's ago began to take weekly lessons to learn to properly keep my horse in collection. Now taking one lesson per month and practicing the work with my horse.  I enjoy going to a lot of gaited horse shows.  Rocky mountain and KY mountain pleasure horses are very popular here, so I bought a KY Mountain two years ago.  Board her at a local stable where most folks are Western barrel racers or reining folks, but I really REALLY enjoy my gaited horse.  No more trotting and my horse has a wonderful smooth gait and canter, so we can just stroll forever across the pastures and relax without wearing me out.  

 

  

I started riding wuarter horses when I retired.  I am now 73 and riding nearly every day.  I purchased a gaited horse about two years ago, and about two month's ago began to take weekly lessons to learn to properly keep my horse in collection. Now taking one lesson per month and practicing the work with my horse.  I enjoy going to a lot of gaited horse shows.  Rocky mountain and KY mountain pleasure horses are very popular here, so I bought a KY Mountain two years ago.  Board her at a local stable where most folks are Western barrel racers or reining folks, but I really REALLY enjoy my gaited horse.  No more trotting and my horse has a wonderful smooth gait and canter, so we can just stroll forever across the pastures and relax without wearing me out.  

 

    

I took up riding when I retired, so I quickly found a Parelli "Natural Horsemanship" trainer and signed up to go through the "Partnership" level with my horse.  Learned all the Parelli "training games," (i.e. ground work) which you then transfer to "riding games."  Many, many fun riding games to play with your horse in teaching them to be a "partner."  I also watch all the training series on RFD t.v. and try many of the things I see, and I am now taking monthly lessons on a gaited horse, since I purchased a KY mountain pleasure saddle horse. I have also purchased all the Clinton Anderson training DVD's just to see more natural training and have received his club information for about a year, just to get another perspective and more things to teach my horse to do.  I don't ever plan to do anything on my horse except pasture and trail ride, but enjoy having the safest, best trained horse possible to do so.  I am a fan of Sally's "Centered Riding," and my riding instructor teaches her methods, so I am very lucky to have a trainer whose methods I agree with and who believes in "natural" training and riding techniques.

 Retwalla,

 

I have to agree with you on the Natural Horsemanship. I too am not interested in showing or anything like that but I have found that the relationship I am building with my horse is wonderful due to the Parelli training.  We finished the Harmony level and are having a blast.  He is a good trail horse, great with my grandchildren and just fun to be round.  I'd be interested in hearing what you find different with the Clinton Anderson techniques.  I also want the safest, best trained horse to enjoy even if we never earn one ribbon.  How does this fit in with when to throw in the towel?  My goals for me and my horse are the relationship...I don't strive to jump jumps or earn ribbons but I love knowing that Duke wants to be with me and that he enjoys the time we spend together.  I board so I think we never get enough time but I try to make the most of the time we do have.  Like many of the horse people here...Duke is my heart.

There are a lot of similarities.  Don't like Clinton's extreme emphasis on "lateral bending."  Think it is important for being sure you can do an emergency stop, etc., but feel that he probably does too much bending.  However, he gets right to the point when teaching a skill with your horse.  Of course, he is the best, I think, at "desensitizing" your horse to everything.  Clinton also does more with actual riding skills and his DVD on trail riding is informative (his little book on trail riding is also good).   Ground work is similar, but Clinton tends to  teach several ways to do things (such as backing your horse from the ground). Pretty practical skills.  Of course, the 7 games are Parelli's invention.  I haven's seen any of Parelli's tapes for about a year, as I switched to Anderson because I felt I was getting the same information over and over from Parelli and I really have no plans to do reining, cow work or showing. 

I  

Every Day!    First off, getting out of competition mode MIGHT be the most comfotable thing you ever do!    The horse show craze is not for the faint at heart, and personally, I get a lot better rides out of my horses when we don't have an audience, or have to drive 10 hours to get there, only to be told the show's running late, there's no stalls available, the computer is down, the ring steward isn't kind to kids, and the secretary is as apt to rip your head off as take you hard earned dollars!

I've been thru countless horses over the years, but I expect them to behave and put enough miles on them OUSTIDE an arena to make it worthhile.   I'm extremely lucky that I have to ride 4 miles just to get to the pasture to check the cows, so my horses get lots of good trotting, learn to go away from home, forget the buddies, and RELAX into their work.    Even in summer, it can be cold and miserable... today is no exception, as I had to move the cows, and it was raining hard, with a 40 mph wind.    My horse doesn't get bothered, he just puts his head down, and moves where we want, pushing cows and calves.   (Of course I'm riding my hunt saddle)   In the pasture are some dandy ditches and logs and such, so while the cows continue their moseying, we do circles, canter lead changes, changes from working to collected, to working to extended, back to working and go over a few obstacles...  down to trot, working, extended, working, collected... up behind the cows we even get in a little passage for good measure.   (We're just beginning this, and my big young horse who took a year just to learn to go in circles without pulling my arms out )  all in the pouring down rain.  

Sometimes a person just has to get away from the constant "attempt to learn"  in lessons, and let the knowledge you already possess sink in!    Instructors are not always the only way to learn.   If you are comfortable with the horse you have, who's steady and able to pack you about without nonsense - get out of the ring... do something different, try some other places, heavens, even trying other areas of the country - to see what it's like where people actually get to use their horses.   

Personally, I'd much rather ride alone than with a bunch of people who have no trail etiquette, run up on other horses, trot off away from a group (or worse lope off) with no warning or consensus of the group.   Riding in company with friends and that usually includes lots of kids can be pleasurable if everyone has the same sense about safety and goals for the way of going.    

Everyday we get up and walk out the door, we may change our minds about what we want to do from this day forward.    You don't have to be stuck in a rut, and continue on this way just because you started out this direction.   Take deep breaths, in and out, relax and learn to ENJOY the journey - it's the way we go to get to the end of the ride that makes it either boring or interesting to keep us going for life!  

I changed gears many years ago and now that I am 55 I am less and less inclined to veer off my path. I'm lucky in that I have a horse that loves to show dressage as much as  I love to ride it so  my abilities and horse are all on the same page. What I believe is people already know the answer to their questions, they just have so many different voices it can drown out what you are saying to yourself.  When you close your eyes and listen just to your self, with what you and your horse can do right now, What do YOU really want?  I think maybe if you did not try to make a decision right now and while you are with your horse just run through in your mind what your options are you can figure out what will work best for you