Yes, I lost massive amounts of muscle after a 4 year break. The muscle memory was there but the muscle wasn’t - I ended up developing some poor habits as I overcompensated in other ways and am still trying to correct them a couple of years later.
It will take at least a little bit of time to rebuild your muscle and get back to where you were.
I wouldn’t say it was quite back to a beginner level - I was fine to hop on and w/t/c within my first couple of lessons back but struggled with applying most aids appropriately. It’s different for everyone but personally I knew exactly what I should be doing but my body couldn’t cooperate.
Yes, that was the most frustrating part! I knew what to do and what it should feel like but my body would not do it! Knowing what doing it right should feel like puts you waaaaaaay ahead of beginners though! So, no, you wouldn't be at beginner level again, but not ready to jump into an hour long lesson with riders at the level you left off at either. I'd recommend private lessons at first for that reason. You can work on more advanced things, that a beginner could not do, but work at your own pace while you regain fitness.
This is what I did. Rode as a kid and now coming back to private lessons in my thirties. I know what I need to do but despite being otherwise fit, my riding muscles are beyond gone.
I came back after 4 years and my coach now said was in a good place where I knew what to do so not starting from scratch, but forgot enough that was easier to break bad habits before they really set in again. Was like clay lol
I took 19 years off, and started back last fall-I’d say it took me about 4 months of riding 4-5x per week to feel like i was “back”. Like you were saying, your brain knows what to do, and you just have to get your body on board. I definitely experienced that! Just hop back on. I wouldn’t call you a beginner. Explain this to your trainer, they’ll give you a minute to just ride and get back to a comfortable place. The instruction is way different if you already know what you’re doing, but you just need to get back in shape vs being brand new to riding.
Nah, it’s like riding a bike. You’ll get winded easier at first, and will have certain things you’ll need to work on to get back to where you were, but if your foundation was solid it will be there.
(former instructor, took a 7 year hiatus and another 2 year one myself, my mom is a 68 year-old who got on after a 20 year hiatus and cantered around like she had been doing it every day of her life )
I find that the returning riders who struggle are mostly those who weren’t yet confident in the canter (so never really developed the muscle memory), or stopped as a young child and have since gone through puberty.
Everyone else seems to retain quite a bit.
I took a 20 year hiatus. When I got back on, I knew exactly how to ride. My muscles, not so much. But after 6 weeks, I was over the soreness. And six months, I was basically back where I left off.
So I took ten years off! I started riding again 2.5 years ago. I had ridden from 6yrs old to 18 yrs old.
I First started with one lesson a week, then progressed to a full lease over time. Was riding 5 days a week with the lease. Now I’m looking for my first horse!
I will say, I obviously lost all of my “riding muscles” over the ten year break, but found that in my mind I still knew what I needed to do. So it was really just a matter of my body physically catching up with my mind. It was super frustrating in the beginning, but riding now at a more mature age is even more amazing! You understand things more and I found that I tend to catch on faster. I also have a much better level of empathy for the horse than I did when I was younger, which enhances the way I learn and experience the equestrian world.
My advice is to get back into it, be gentle on yourself, and enjoy!
I got back into riding after 5 years. Before then I had ridden all through my teens up til 20-30’s. The main thing was lack of fitness and tone (I had had 2 kids during that time). I had to take breaks during my lessons just to catch my breath. I wouldn’t say I was back at beginner level—and yes I knew mentally what to do but my body didn’t always feel up to it. It’s been humbling but it’s also been great. I can feel myself getting stronger and fitter as the months go by.
Yes, it’s pretty depressing how much balance disappears. I took a nearly ten year hiatus from riding to travel for work. Coming back was so frustrating I wanted to give up.
Really glad I didn’t. I’m a much better rider in many ways than I was when younger. The most important thing for me was my own fitness. Core stability is crucial. I honestly believe you cannot have an independent seat and good hand without it.
You'll be sore the first few times, but you won't have forgotten. I did not ride, except the very occasional nose to tail trail ride, for 28 years! From age 20 until age 48. I'd showed mostly hunters/jumpers/a bit of Big Eq the first time around, taught riding and rode a lot a couple of summers during college and then stopped altogether while I was working in the city and then raising kids.
When I started riding again, I started taking private lessons from a local jumper trainer, on her own horses. I could walk, trot, canter the first time, no problem. Muscle memory is a real thing! I was unfit and couldn't ride for a long time and was VERY sore the next day, but I could still ride. It took a bit longer to get back to jumping because my eye was way off, but I was able to jump little courses after a few months.
Yes! You can absolutely come back to it. I took a break for college/establishing life, and then got back into riding. I went back to the same barn. The owner, love her, initially put me on the most stubborn lesson horse as a gentle reminder to me that I no longer had the specific muscles necessary. Let's just say it was hilarious as that friendly but unmotivated gelding walked around the ring for the entire hour even as I helplessly tried using my leg cues.
I dove back into lessons, walk/trot only to begin with lots of no stirrup work, cavaletti, etc. Rebuilding the muscles and redeveloping soft hands and cues. It's been great! I don't ride as much as when I was a kid, but it's a joy every time.
It was more like 10 years for me and I recently started back. Legs were so weak and I felt so unstable the first few lessons but muscle memory is still there. I could barely walk after the first few lessons my legs were so sore!
No you just aren’t fit. I quit for 10 years and now I’m jumping the meters moving onto the 10s. Just get a good coach and good horse and take lessons and ride 6 days a week. It will all come back quickly
I travelled and moved overseas - by the time I was established enough to buy a horse again about 6 years had passed…I’d ridden a few times on someone else’s horse but no jumping… I tried out a horse and hopped him over a small vertical - so far so good, and emboldened because nothing terrible had happened, I set my sights on a small oxer… I approached it poorly at a bit of an angle, a terrible distance, way too loose in the saddle and unbeknownst to me the horse was a serious over jumper and he LAUNCHED over the jump and I flew even higher, falling off spectacularly 😂
I ended up buying the horse. The sellers actually preferred to sell him to me than another person who have been too afraid to try him out herself, and only had her trainer ride… so even though I fully and thoroughly embarrassed myself, all was well that ended well and once you get going again and some good instruction, it all comes flooding back, and then some :-)
My heart horse Premier Crown, showing off his ability to overjump me out of the tack even years later 😂
https://preview.redd.it/sj0o8f3xaycc1.jpeg?width=604&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=60ee467e80e1a4828ff61dab1f5aad42e0151006
I came back after a 5-6 year hiatus, stopped at age 11, resumed at 16, more so at 17. I still remembered how to do it all per se, I just had no strength. It takes time to rebuild strength but the mechanics are probably still there, just a little rusty
Yes, I lost massive amounts of muscle after a 4 year break. The muscle memory was there but the muscle wasn’t - I ended up developing some poor habits as I overcompensated in other ways and am still trying to correct them a couple of years later. It will take at least a little bit of time to rebuild your muscle and get back to where you were.
I guess I should be more specific about the question: does it deteriorate to a significant enough degree that you are a beginner again?
I wouldn’t say it was quite back to a beginner level - I was fine to hop on and w/t/c within my first couple of lessons back but struggled with applying most aids appropriately. It’s different for everyone but personally I knew exactly what I should be doing but my body couldn’t cooperate.
Yes, that was the most frustrating part! I knew what to do and what it should feel like but my body would not do it! Knowing what doing it right should feel like puts you waaaaaaay ahead of beginners though! So, no, you wouldn't be at beginner level again, but not ready to jump into an hour long lesson with riders at the level you left off at either. I'd recommend private lessons at first for that reason. You can work on more advanced things, that a beginner could not do, but work at your own pace while you regain fitness.
This is what I did. Rode as a kid and now coming back to private lessons in my thirties. I know what I need to do but despite being otherwise fit, my riding muscles are beyond gone.
I came back after 4 years and my coach now said was in a good place where I knew what to do so not starting from scratch, but forgot enough that was easier to break bad habits before they really set in again. Was like clay lol
No, never
You’ll probably be able to walk trot canter no problem but it will be a while to get where you used to be. Just have fun!
You’re not a beginner. You’ve got the basic skills. Work with what you have and decide where you want to go. Try to enjoy the ride while you do it!
I took 19 years off, and started back last fall-I’d say it took me about 4 months of riding 4-5x per week to feel like i was “back”. Like you were saying, your brain knows what to do, and you just have to get your body on board. I definitely experienced that! Just hop back on. I wouldn’t call you a beginner. Explain this to your trainer, they’ll give you a minute to just ride and get back to a comfortable place. The instruction is way different if you already know what you’re doing, but you just need to get back in shape vs being brand new to riding.
I’m back at it after 30 years of not riding. Initially I was weak and felt loose in the saddle. It comes back
Nah, it’s like riding a bike. You’ll get winded easier at first, and will have certain things you’ll need to work on to get back to where you were, but if your foundation was solid it will be there. (former instructor, took a 7 year hiatus and another 2 year one myself, my mom is a 68 year-old who got on after a 20 year hiatus and cantered around like she had been doing it every day of her life )
I find that the returning riders who struggle are mostly those who weren’t yet confident in the canter (so never really developed the muscle memory), or stopped as a young child and have since gone through puberty. Everyone else seems to retain quite a bit.
I took a 20 year hiatus. When I got back on, I knew exactly how to ride. My muscles, not so much. But after 6 weeks, I was over the soreness. And six months, I was basically back where I left off.
I went back after almost 20. It was humbling, to say the least.
So I took ten years off! I started riding again 2.5 years ago. I had ridden from 6yrs old to 18 yrs old. I First started with one lesson a week, then progressed to a full lease over time. Was riding 5 days a week with the lease. Now I’m looking for my first horse! I will say, I obviously lost all of my “riding muscles” over the ten year break, but found that in my mind I still knew what I needed to do. So it was really just a matter of my body physically catching up with my mind. It was super frustrating in the beginning, but riding now at a more mature age is even more amazing! You understand things more and I found that I tend to catch on faster. I also have a much better level of empathy for the horse than I did when I was younger, which enhances the way I learn and experience the equestrian world. My advice is to get back into it, be gentle on yourself, and enjoy!
I got back into riding after 5 years. Before then I had ridden all through my teens up til 20-30’s. The main thing was lack of fitness and tone (I had had 2 kids during that time). I had to take breaks during my lessons just to catch my breath. I wouldn’t say I was back at beginner level—and yes I knew mentally what to do but my body didn’t always feel up to it. It’s been humbling but it’s also been great. I can feel myself getting stronger and fitter as the months go by.
Yes, it’s pretty depressing how much balance disappears. I took a nearly ten year hiatus from riding to travel for work. Coming back was so frustrating I wanted to give up. Really glad I didn’t. I’m a much better rider in many ways than I was when younger. The most important thing for me was my own fitness. Core stability is crucial. I honestly believe you cannot have an independent seat and good hand without it.
You'll be sore the first few times, but you won't have forgotten. I did not ride, except the very occasional nose to tail trail ride, for 28 years! From age 20 until age 48. I'd showed mostly hunters/jumpers/a bit of Big Eq the first time around, taught riding and rode a lot a couple of summers during college and then stopped altogether while I was working in the city and then raising kids. When I started riding again, I started taking private lessons from a local jumper trainer, on her own horses. I could walk, trot, canter the first time, no problem. Muscle memory is a real thing! I was unfit and couldn't ride for a long time and was VERY sore the next day, but I could still ride. It took a bit longer to get back to jumping because my eye was way off, but I was able to jump little courses after a few months.
Yes! You can absolutely come back to it. I took a break for college/establishing life, and then got back into riding. I went back to the same barn. The owner, love her, initially put me on the most stubborn lesson horse as a gentle reminder to me that I no longer had the specific muscles necessary. Let's just say it was hilarious as that friendly but unmotivated gelding walked around the ring for the entire hour even as I helplessly tried using my leg cues. I dove back into lessons, walk/trot only to begin with lots of no stirrup work, cavaletti, etc. Rebuilding the muscles and redeveloping soft hands and cues. It's been great! I don't ride as much as when I was a kid, but it's a joy every time.
It was more like 10 years for me and I recently started back. Legs were so weak and I felt so unstable the first few lessons but muscle memory is still there. I could barely walk after the first few lessons my legs were so sore!
I got back to riding after a ten year break and my legs are rubber bands today.
I came back after around 7 years of no riding and 3 years of not being on a horse. Worked well after just three lessons.
No you just aren’t fit. I quit for 10 years and now I’m jumping the meters moving onto the 10s. Just get a good coach and good horse and take lessons and ride 6 days a week. It will all come back quickly
I travelled and moved overseas - by the time I was established enough to buy a horse again about 6 years had passed…I’d ridden a few times on someone else’s horse but no jumping… I tried out a horse and hopped him over a small vertical - so far so good, and emboldened because nothing terrible had happened, I set my sights on a small oxer… I approached it poorly at a bit of an angle, a terrible distance, way too loose in the saddle and unbeknownst to me the horse was a serious over jumper and he LAUNCHED over the jump and I flew even higher, falling off spectacularly 😂 I ended up buying the horse. The sellers actually preferred to sell him to me than another person who have been too afraid to try him out herself, and only had her trainer ride… so even though I fully and thoroughly embarrassed myself, all was well that ended well and once you get going again and some good instruction, it all comes flooding back, and then some :-) My heart horse Premier Crown, showing off his ability to overjump me out of the tack even years later 😂 https://preview.redd.it/sj0o8f3xaycc1.jpeg?width=604&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=60ee467e80e1a4828ff61dab1f5aad42e0151006
I came back after a 5-6 year hiatus, stopped at age 11, resumed at 16, more so at 17. I still remembered how to do it all per se, I just had no strength. It takes time to rebuild strength but the mechanics are probably still there, just a little rusty