Most riding instructors recognize beginners the moment they arrive. They aren’t sure if the horse will like them, don’t know which side to mount, and their wide-eyed expression indicates nervousness. Their attire is unsuitable unless you’ve already discussed dress, and then it’s usually new and never been used. The first time they visit your barn, if it is in warm weather, they may show up in sandals.
Adult re-entry riders are different.
At first glance, they often don't look like beginners at all.
They know what to wear around horses (and it may be well worn) and they’re already petting your horse, asking questions whether it’s a mare or gelding, what breed and what you do with him or her. They automatically know things like hands, hocks, and first year green but their knowledge is coupled with frustration because they know how they used to be and it isn’t how they are now.
While your blank-slate beginner needs to learn everything, your re-entry rider has a storehouse of knowledge and experiences that unfold as he or she opens back up to riding.
Many grew up around horses. They spent summers at riding camp, belonged to Pony Club, foxhunted, showed on weekends, or simply lived at the barn from sunrise until dark. Maybe they did 4-H or gymkhana as a kid or rode on an intercollegiate team. They can still groom a horse, pick out feet, and maybe tack up. They are surprised when the horse’s back legs or saddle seem heavier. They might know things like how to put on a stable sheet or how to wrap legs, but it used to be easier.
They were the horse kids, the barn rats, the horse people, until:
College.
A career.
Marriage.
Children.
Military service.
A move across the country.
Financial responsibilities.
An illness or injury.
Caring for aging parents.
You fill in the blank
Years passed. Sometimes decades.
Now they're back.
Some return because they've reached retirement. Others because the children have grown. Some have finally reached a place where they can afford lessons. Others return after losing a horse—or after realizing that something important has been missing from their lives.
They arrive carrying excitement...
...and uncertainty.
Instructor & Adult re-entry rider
Over the years I've taught many adult re-entry riders, and they usually have a different attitude than after school riders. More recently, I've realized I have become one myself, more than one time. The first time occurred after having children. Now I’m hoping cancer will give me a third chance to ride again.
Instructors, If you've never been an adult re-entry rider, let me tell you what it feels like from our side of the mounting block.
Adult re-entry riders recognize what they haven’t forgotten; the sweet smell of the horse’s coat, the silkiness under their fingers, the sounds of the barn, and what it feels like to sit in the saddle. Their legs drape around the horse’s side in memory, they sit up, and instinctively reach for the reins. Their bodies say, “Yes! This is what I have missed. This is where I belong.” And they feel at home.
There’s a Little Baggage
Except the mind has brought some baggage along on the re-entry journey. Life has taught us we are not as indestructible as we once thought we were. Carefree youth has given way to people who depend on us; perhaps a child or a spouse, a boss and co-workers. Or an aging parent. And the job of taking care of us has fallen on ourselves. It’s a lot to think about.
Our minds may have forgotten the hours it took to build muscles and improve balance, and the aching muscles that went along with it. Our recovery time may not be as fast as it was. While the mind holds the memory, muscle condition is definitely use it or lose it. Within reason, the younger the muscles, the stretchier and more resilient they are.
Re-entry riders may still know how to post the trot, but are disappointed to discover a double bounce from lack of riding muscle tone. And the coordinated aids we once had are now stiff with poor timing.
We recall being fearless at sixteen, hearing someone say “She can ride anything,” Or “She could go all the way” but now we understand what broken bones can mean.
We know enough to recognize how much our bodies have forgotten, even when our minds remember.
And there is embarrassment. This person on the horse doesn’t look like the one we were. We want you to know this isn’t really how we ride. We once had tight legs, a good seat that moved with the horse, not against him. And we might just kick ourselves a little for letting riding go. We paid the price one time already but that’s like horse showing, the blue ribbon only lasts until the next show.
Words that might not have been in our early riding conversation take a prominent position now, all a gift from life experience.
Fear is the result of the awareness of consequences.
Wondering if you can even do this again creates a lack of confidence. Impatience, so much less with the horses and so much more with ourselves because we used to be able to do this. And frustration. We have the head knowledge that tells us we should be able. Now. Not in a year. Perhaps more than anything, we wonder in what part of the horse world do we belong.
A Separate Class of Student Rider
The re-entry rider is not simply an older beginner who has decided to take up something they’ve always wanted to try. They are returning to something that they gave up and now they want it back.
We compare ourselves, not to other riders like we once did, but to the person we once were on the horse. We know how we want to be and it hurts to come up short. In the backs of our minds we’re all playing different versions of Toby Keith’s, I Ain’t as Good as I Once Was.
Simply put, we are our own worst critics.
What Instructors Should See in Adult Re-entry Riders
As instructors, we often focus on what adult re-entry riders need to learn. But as re-entry riders, we know the first challenge isn't learning to ride again. It's wondering whether we still fit in or if there is a place for a horse lover like us.
For instructors, understanding the difference in an adult re-entry rider changes everything. When you have a committed adult re-entry rider you have a gift.
Teaching an adult re-entry rider can be fulfilling for an instructor. These students bring a different perspective with them. They’re easy to engage in deeper conversations about theory and biomechanics than other students.
They do not normally just show up and leave. You may find them doing extra grooming, cheering on peers, auditing lessons, helping kids. And if you put on schooling shows, clinics, or horsemanship weekends many adult re-entry students will be there to help. Many are not in a rush to make it to the show ring, they understand goal setting, and they understand enjoying the journey.
Adult re-entry students can help create a safe barn culture.
Sure, we come with some unique challenges.
Admittedly our bodies are not where our brains are, and our confidence may be shot. Our balance has changed, along with our weight and flexibility.
An adult re-entry rider comes to their lessons because that’s where they want to be and they’ve waited a long time to get there. They listen because they have learned the value of listening. They will do what you tell them to do—if they trust you. And yeah, sometimes they are hard on themselves. Who wants to waste time being less than their best?
They come to lessons with intent, focus, and a maturity that helps them succeed. Their passion is for horses and they want to understand the “why” behind the things they learn. They have empathy for the horse and understand partnership.
Teaching the re-entry rider isn't just about rebuilding riding skills. They don’t come to your barn because they need another hobby. They come because horses have been calling them home for years. Every lesson is an opportunity to help them reconnect with a part of themselves they thought was gone.
To me, that’s a noble purpose.
What have you noticed about adult re-entry riders? If you're an instructor, what surprised you most? If you're a rider, what made you decide to come back to horses? Maybe you’re both, like me.
Here's to the best rides,
Barbara Ellin Fox
TheRidingInstructor.net
Some adults return because they've reached retirement... Others realize something important has been missing from their lives. If you're wondering whether this is the right season to come back, you may enjoy my article, Why Now Is Your Time to Ride.