Starting up any sport as an adult can be difficult. Let's face it, your body just isn't what it once was; be it weight gain, being out of shape, returning after injury, arthritis/ arthritic changes or pregnancy. Top it off with less speed, coordination, agility, body control/ core stability, and endurance, and it feels like an impossible task. I felt that the worst part of returning to riding was that my body did not perform up to my expectations and memories of past performances, so I got very frustrated which made me tense and worried. All of these things severely effect your riding experience in a negative way. There is no reason that it should though.
I have found that one of the best things that I did for myself is to make a long term goal, and lots of reachable doable short term goals based on reality rather than past ability. This way instead of focusing on the past, I focused on the future and what I was accomplishing day by day and week by week. Instead of being frustrated by where I was not, I turned my focus on my current progress.
Another thing that I did that was really important was to just go out and ride. Dumb as it may sound, often times with the way life, family, work, health, and kids are it is a juggle to get out and ride. Sometimes just getting motivated to ride is difficult, particularly if you are living in the past glories of your riding skills (something I am guilty of off and on).
Just going out and being with the horse, leaving the world behind is therapeutic. Focus on the horse and yourself. Let yourself relax and enjoy the freedom from the real world. Turn the cell phone on silent or leave it in the car. Be in the moment with your horse and celebrate the small victories, because although they may seem small, they are worth celebrating; for the accomplishment of starting or restarting something that is more difficult as an adult.
See you in the ring!
Crystal
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