How to Get Back into Horse Riding After a Long Break
Updated: 3 days ago
Rediscovering the Joy of Horse Riding After Time Away
Returning to horse riding after a long break can be exciting, but it can also feel surprisingly daunting. You may remember the rider you used to be and wonder whether your confidence, balance and ability will come back once you're in the saddle.
The good news is that you don't need to pick up exactly where you left off. The best way to get back into horse riding after a long break is usually to start gradually, choose the right horse and instructor, rebuild your riding fitness and give your confidence time to return.
I'm Sharon Shinwell, a UK clinical hypnotherapist and experienced horsewoman who has owned and competed horses for more than 30 years. I understand that returning to riding isn't simply about remembering how to ride. For many people, the bigger challenge is dealing with the nerves, self-doubt and increased awareness of risk that can appear after years away.
Whether your break has lasted a few years or several decades, you can return without putting pressure on yourself to be the rider you once were. The aim is to become comfortable and confident with the rider you are now.
Why Returning to Horse Riding After a Long Break Can Feel Difficult
Fear of Falling or Getting Hurt Again
Many riders returning after a long break find that fear is their biggest obstacle. Even if nothing bad ever happened before, the idea of falling or losing control can feel more real than it used to. Start small. Spend time around horses again, get comfortable grooming or leading, and when you do start riding, choose short, steady sessions with an instructor who understands where you’re coming from. Taking it slowly allows your confidence to grow naturally rather than forcing it.
Feeling Out of Shape or Out of Practice
Horse riding uses muscles and coordination that often fade during time away from the saddle. The good news is your body remembers more than you think.A few weeks of gentle Pilates, stretching, or yoga can help strengthen your core and improve balance. Even walking and light exercise will help you feel more stable and in tune with your horse once you’re back riding.
How to Get Back into Horse Riding Safely and Confidently
If you've been away from riding for a long time, resist the temptation to judge yourself by what you used to be able to do. Your knowledge and experience haven't disappeared, but your balance, riding muscles, reactions and confidence may need time to return.
A sensible way to start is to:
Book a few lessons before making bigger plans. This allows you to rediscover how riding feels without the responsibility of owning or loaning a horse.
Tell your instructor that you're returning after a break. A good instructor can choose an appropriate horse and adjust the lesson to your current confidence and fitness.
Start with shorter sessions. Riding uses muscles you may not have used in quite the same way for years.
Choose a calm, experienced horse. This isn't the time to prove that you can still ride something challenging.
Build up gradually. Establish confidence in walk and trot before worrying about cantering, jumping or hacking if those things currently make you nervous.
Allow yourself to be a returning rider. You don't have to immediately ride at the level you reached years ago.
The first few rides are about becoming familiar with being in the saddle again. Skills often begin to return surprisingly quickly, but confidence is more likely to grow when you give it good experiences to build on rather than putting it under pressure.
Common Reasons Riders Take a Break
There’s no one reason riders step away. Often it’s a combination of life circumstances such as:
Injury or recovery—physical setbacks can take time to heal, and confidence can take even longer.
Family responsibilities—Many of us pause riding to focus on raising children or caring for others.
Work and time pressures—life can easily get in the way of regular riding lessons or horse care.
Financial reasons—Riding can be expensive, and sometimes taking a break is the practical choice.
Loss of motivation—Even passionate riders occasionally lose interest or feel burnt out.
Whatever the reason, the most important thing is that you’re ready to return—and you can absolutely do so safely and confidently.
Practical Steps to Regain Horse Riding Confidence
1. Take Supportive Refresher Lessons
Look for a riding instructor experienced in helping adults who are returning after a break. The right teacher will create a relaxed, encouraging environment where you can rebuild skills at your own pace.
Don’t be afraid to start with the basics again—walking, balance exercises, or even lunging on a steady horse. Each session is a step towards regaining trust in yourself.
2. Start Slow and Celebrate Small Wins
You don’t have to jump straight back into trotting, cantering, or competing. Begin with groundwork or gentle hacks and allow yourself to enjoy each stage. Confidence isn’t built overnight—it grows quietly through consistency and small successes.
3. Build Strength and Body Awareness
A few minutes a day of stretching or balance work can make a huge difference to how you feel in the saddle. Try gentle core exercises or yoga poses focused on stability and posture. Your body and mind work together—strengthening one supports the other.
The Mental Side of Returning to Horse Riding
Even experienced riders can feel surprisingly nervous when getting back into horse riding after a long break. Your riding knowledge may still be there, but the confidence that came from being in the saddle regularly can fade. You may also be more aware of falls and injury than you were when you were younger, particularly if a previous accident contributed to your decision to stop riding.
Feeling nervous doesn't mean you've lost your ability. Rather than forcing yourself through the fear, give your confidence the same opportunity to rebuild as your riding skills. Gradual, positive experiences can help your mind begin to associate riding with enjoyment again rather than worry about what might go wrong.
Extra Support for Rebuilding Your Riding Confidence
If nerves or self-doubt are making your return more difficult, you may find it helpful to work on the mental side of riding as well as rebuilding your practical skills.
I created the Returning to Riding After a Break guided meditation specifically for riders in this position. This 20-minute audio is designed to help you relax, mentally rehearse feeling comfortable in the saddle again and begin approaching your return with greater confidence.
If your confidence difficulties are broader — perhaps you're also struggling with hacking, persistent anxiety or several different riding fears — the Nervous Rider Action Plan provides a more comprehensive programme. It combines hypnotherapy recordings with practical exercises, relaxation techniques and worksheets to help you work through riding anxiety step by step.
If you prefer a short pre-ride Free Meditation
Click the link
Choosing the Right Horse for Your Return to Riding
The horse you return to riding on can make an enormous difference to your confidence. If you don't currently have your own horse, look for a riding school with calm, experienced horses that are accustomed to helping adult or returning riders.
Don't feel that you need a more challenging horse simply because you were an experienced rider in the past. A steady, forgiving horse gives you the opportunity to concentrate on rebuilding your balance, reactions and confidence without unnecessary pressure.
If you're eventually considering buying, loaning or sharing a horse, take your time. Be realistic about the type of riding you want to do now, rather than choosing a horse based on the rider you used to be. The right partnership can make returning to riding enjoyable again rather than something you have to persuade yourself to do.
Reconnecting With the Joy of Horse Riding
Returning to horse riding after a long break is about much more than getting your technique back. It's also about rediscovering the things that made you love horses and riding in the first place.
It might be the quiet time spent grooming a horse, the familiar atmosphere of the yard, enjoying a gentle hack or simply feeling that rhythm beneath you again. You don't need to immediately return to jumping, competing or anything else you once did unless that's genuinely what you want.
Give yourself permission to enjoy being around horses again without constantly measuring yourself against your previous riding ability. Your return doesn't have to recreate the past. It can be the beginning of a different and equally rewarding chapter of your riding life.
About The Confident Rider and Sharon Shinwell
The Confident Rider was created by Sharon Shinwell, a qualified UK clinical hypnotherapist and counsellor who has owned and competed horses for more than 30 years.
Sharon combines her professional understanding of anxiety, confidence and mindset with first-hand experience of the challenges riders can face. Her work has been featured in equestrian publications including Your Horse, Horse & Rider and Horse & Hound, and she is co-author of Ride With Confidence.
Through The Confident Rider, Sharon creates hypnosis and guided meditation recordings specifically for riders who want help with confidence, nerves and the mental side of riding.
Frequently Asked Questions About Returning to Horse Riding
How do I get back into horse riding after a long break?
Start gradually with a supportive instructor and a calm, experienced horse. Don't expect yourself to immediately ride at your previous level. Refresher lessons, shorter sessions and gradually rebuilding your riding fitness and confidence can make returning much more enjoyable.
Will I have forgotten how to ride?
You may feel rusty at first, particularly with balance, coordination and riding fitness, but previous experience doesn't simply disappear. Give yourself time for familiar skills and reactions to return rather than judging yourself during your first few rides.
Is it normal to feel nervous about riding again?
Yes. Many experienced riders are surprised by how nervous they feel after time away. You may be more aware of risk than you were previously, while no longer having the confidence that comes from riding regularly. Building up through manageable, positive experiences can help.
Am I too old to start horse riding again?
There isn't a particular age at which you have to give up the idea of returning to riding. Your fitness, health, confidence and individual circumstances matter more. Choose appropriate instruction and a suitable horse, and seek medical advice if you have health concerns about returning to exercise.
Can guided meditation help when returning to horse riding?
Guided meditation can complement your practical riding by helping you relax and mentally rehearse feeling calmer and more comfortable in the saddle. It isn't a substitute for appropriate instruction or safety measures, but it may be useful if nerves or self-doubt are making your return more difficult.
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