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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
   
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | Great post & great responses!
The biggest struggle for me is energy. I still love to train and love to throw a leg over one on a whim and ride across the pasture but sometimes the thought of hauling even somewhere close seems daunting.
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7264
| rodeoveteran - 2014-11-17 9:14 PM
The biggest thing the adding years have affected is my desire to ride in any weather.
It's too cold.
It's too hot
It's too windy.
It's too humid.
It's too buggy.
I'm too tired...lol.....I'll ride tomorrow.
To be fair, I got burnt out keeping not only 3-4 of my own legged up and schooled, but also hubby's 4 pickup horses. That'll wear a body's want too out eventually. And I spent 7 years trying to get "the horse of my dreams" sound and healthy enough to run (long story). Walking out to the barn wondering if your horse is sound enough to ride let alone will stay sound so you can run at the rodeo you entered on the weekend kinda robs the will right out of a body and soul.
So this past summer I was given another girl's backup mare....19 years old, hadn't been run at all the past two years, and not all that much in her career. I was skeptical and that old girl made a believer out of me!! I had a blast, and even placed at some rodeos despite my steep learning curve. Made some bad mistakes and still placed! Never had a horse I could screw up and still place on. Got most of MY issues worked out by the end of the summer and really looking forward to next year!
I tell her (as I used to tell my good, old mare), the age and experience gets to win out over youth and beauty ONCE in awhile!
Now I have to keep my battered body sound enough to keep running! LOL
I am 49 and THIS for sure - I just don't ENJOY going when it's RAINING or FREEZING OR 110 degrees! I no longer have a desire to go and sit for 4-7 hours to make one run. I just have other things to do! I still enjoy going and I am somewhat competitive, I just don't "live" it anymore. My dad is in a nursing home 120 miles from me and right now, I think it's more important to make time for him. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Griz - 2014-11-18 5:39 AM rodeoveteran - 2014-11-17 9:14 PM The biggest thing the adding years have affected is my desire to ride in any weather. It's too cold. It's too hot It's too windy. It's too humid. It's too buggy. I'm too tired...lol.....I'll ride tomorrow. To be fair, I got burnt out keeping not only 3-4 of my own legged up and schooled, but also hubby's 4 pickup horses. That'll wear a body's want too out eventually. And I spent 7 years trying to get "the horse of my dreams" sound and healthy enough to run (long story). Walking out to the barn wondering if your horse is sound enough to ride let alone will stay sound so you can run at the rodeo you entered on the weekend kinda robs the will right out of a body and soul. So this past summer I was given another girl's backup mare....19 years old, hadn't been run at all the past two years, and not all that much in her career. I was skeptical and that old girl made a believer out of me!! I had a blast, and even placed at some rodeos despite my steep learning curve. Made some bad mistakes and still placed! Never had a horse I could screw up and still place on. Got most of MY issues worked out by the end of the summer and really looking forward to next year! I tell her (as I used to tell my good, old mare), the age and experience gets to win out over youth and beauty ONCE in awhile! Now I have to keep my battered body sound enough to keep running! LOL I am 49 and THIS for sure - I just don't ENJOY going when it's RAINING or FREEZING OR 110 degrees! I no longer have a desire to go and sit for 4-7 hours to make one run. I just have other things to do! I still enjoy going and I am somewhat competitive, I just don't "live" it anymore. My dad is in a nursing home 120 miles from me and right now, I think it's more important to make time for him.
Ditto, I am 54, I did not start barrel racing till I was 49. I had a horse growing up, just a trail horse but it gave me a comfort level with horses. I started barrel racing on my girls horses that we had owned for years, it helped that I knew and trusted them. I had no fear when I was younger, today self preservation has kicked in big time. For 9 or 10 years we spent every weekend hauling the girls, loved every minute of it but now that I go by myself I only go if I like the pen, the weather is decent and I can make my run and go home. Our local association used to have the summer jackpots at night, they switched back to day jackpots. It will be a 100 + degrees with humidity, I have already decided I will not be going- too hard on the horses and miserable if you don't get there before the show starts to find shade to tie in, books open at 9 and open does not start til 2- too much sitting around for me. I am over the all day sitting around to make a couple of 15 second runs. I don't mind the waiting around when I travel to a big 3 day show, love watching the good runs. |
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Miracle in the Making
Posts: 4013
| lol here in ga we got carl terri abunch over 45 that whip ur rear. i was 50 still competive when i got my wheelchair.
there is no doubt in my my mind i would be out there and riding. can i have do over?
i think its attiude and desire |
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Location: OK | OK ladies, now lets name some older ladies who still kick butt. I will start.
JUNE HOLEMAN
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 I Sell Dreams
Posts: 1654
Location: Freestone TX | I am 56. My biggest problem is physical...caused by a horse related injury years ago, not so much age. The longer your tenure with horses, the greater your chances of making that flying trip to the ER with sirens a-blazin.
It has made me limit the type of horses I ride now. I don't ride broncs anymore. My biggest fear is not so much getting killed; but being paralyzed from getting bucked off. And I look for a horse with a very smooth run-around the barrel style. I lost my up and coming superstar to a knee injury a year ago and it has been almost impossible to find her replacement because of the specifc kind of horse I have to ride. |
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Regular
Posts: 96
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you guys are all babies. I am 67 yrs. young and still at it. I can't ride my 1D opens horses I get too far behind. So I let the Kids ride them. We go every chance we get every weekend Spring, Summer and Fall. The extreme cold is my biggest problem. It's a balmy 3 degrees in Northwest Indiana this morning. When I think I am to old I look at the one Gentleman we barrel race with. He is in his 80's and will still kick everyone's butt.  |
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Veteran
Posts: 242
Location: Lost in a sea of horses | Well, I am 62 and still competing 1D/2D. I think the fact that I never quite at some point in my life has kept me more competitive. I think the greatest gift the older rider has in this game of barrel racing is the wisdom they have gained throughout the years of competing. You look at situations with the horses differently then the gun ho, gotta win it, 20 something out there. I have seen them come and go throughout the years and still I am there competing right along with them. I have gone through the same issue as you have all listed here. But like I said wisdom enters in and it works for me. If it is too cold, too windy, too hot I don't ride. I know for the most part if it is a super windy day my horse isn't going to ride worth a darn anyway, so I let that day pass and hit it when the situation is better to get something done. I know my horses inside out and for me, at this time in my life it is about enjoying the ride, its what makes me happy. I never try to ride more horses or longer time on them then my body will allow. I have learned how to gage when enough is enough. I am happy to compete on 1 or 2, not 3 or 4. There will be an end game to this, but not seeing it any time soon! The horse has become such a part of me, I would be loosing a piece of me without them. Good luck to all of you that chose to "hang in there"! |
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 Expert
Posts: 2135
Location: Somewhere else | I've been on the injured list for a year with a knee injury. Fixing to turn 45 this friday and I'm starting back. I figure I only live once might as well do what I've always loved to do. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | im not 45 yet...gettin close and i still have the desire and want to go haul...i ride my horses in some crappy weather and i think i have learnt how to handle different ground and different set ups way better than i could 20 years ago .....
m |
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 Famous for Not Complaining
Posts: 8848
Location: Broxton, Ga | Still at it.........I hope to do it till the end...........lol |
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Nut Case Expert
Posts: 9305
Location: Tulsa, Ok | I am a few days away from 66. I am not as competetive and aggressive as I once was but I love what I am doing and will keep on keeping on as long as I can. I really don't care what anyone else thinks about my runs. It is my dime and my time and my horses. They will all age too and any nasty thoughts will probably come back to bite them in the @$$ if they can still crawl on!!! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 359
Location: BETWEEN HOT FLASHES AND GERITOL | For me I know I just lost my joy for it I'm 52, I didn't want to go when it was to hot or to cold. So I started roping (heeling) it seems I got my joy back for my horse. I sold my good horse I knew it was time I didn't want him to just sit. Even though I could still just sit him for weeks we could go win in Texas that's hard to do. But the young Lady who got him went on to win to 2 High school rodeo titles and he took her to the College finals her first year. She is still running him and they are doing great. But back to the roping I have a really good heel horse he's old Lady broke (LOL). He's fun to ride and he makes me look good as a heeler. I hadn't roped since the 70's in high school so it has been really fun. I can just go rope if I want to or not just trail ride him and I must say it's been fun. I don't miss the waiting for 3 or 4 hours to run and feeling like I have to win. In roping it's more laid back and the guys are really nice to me. I miss seeing all of my friends but I try to keep in touch with them and see how they did. |
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 Banned by Booger
Posts: 2168
Location: Huffman, Texas | 45? i won my first saddle at 50, 10 years and 11 saddles later, i will be 60 in 4 days and i cant wait to get to Perry, GA next year so i can complete in the 60 and over super senior race!!! My horses have always been faster than me and thats ok..im happy! |
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 Veteran
Posts: 232
Location: Winging It in KY | OldSchoolCowgirl - 2014-11-18 12:51 AM Am I sore - Yep! Am I tired - Yep! Am I more scared than I used to be - Yep! Do I recover like I used to - Nope! Do I want to go as much as I used to - Nope! Do I get disappointed sometimes that I don't ride like I used to - Yep! Do I want to still race some - Yep! And here's the biggest thing - I LOVE THIS HORSE! He makes me smile every day, and that's what it is all about.
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^^^^THIS!! I have a new horse that I bought a year ago off the track and started. He has been great! But he's only 4 and if not ridden enough can get, let's say, EDGY! I understand he just feels good but it is hard for me at age 50 to deal with that. I have a bad back that I deal with all the time and some days I just wonder why I am putting myself through it. Then he goes out and runs a really nice pattern, wins a check and then I know why. I too, LOVE THIS HORSE! He makes me smile! He has the greatest personality. But, I have told myself that he will be the last one that I start and season. I just have a hard time with my back, anymore. It makes it hard because my mind says that I can do it all.
I still try and ride 2 horses every night, no matter the weather (indoor arena). It helps keep me in shape. I have found that if I set goals every year for me and my horses that I have a tendency to keep pushing forward and don't let the tired part get to me. It's all about the personal goals these days. I don't care what other people think about me anymore. As long as I am happy with my runs, keep winning checks here and there, I am happy.
I definitely am aware more these days that I don't have the balance that I used to. Does it scare me, not really but it might keep me from pushing the horses in a run as hard as I can. Some days I find myself just hanging on! A few weeks ago, I had my older horse fall with me during a run. He set to turn the 3rd barrel and the ground just gave way under neath him. It was fast and hard. We survived! He was probably a bit sore. I was bruised and sore for a few days but was back on in 2 days. Will I think about it the next time we go blasting towards the 3rd barrel, probably not. When that happens, then I might have to find another hobby. But until then I will go as much as I can afford, if the weather allows and the horses stay sound! |
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Veteran
Posts: 273
Location: Texas | StillRiding - 2014-11-18 8:13 AM OK ladies, now lets name some older ladies who still kick butt. I will start.
JUNE HOLEMAN
MARTHA WRIGHT! |
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 Queen Boobie 2
Posts: 7521
| MerryLegs - 2014-11-18 11:34 AM StillRiding - 2014-11-18 8:13 AM OK ladies, now lets name some older ladies who still kick butt. I will start.
JUNE HOLEMAN
MARTHA WRIGHT!
Mary Burger
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 682
Location: Texas | I'll add Linda Vick to that list of Grandma's running... I'm friends with her daughter and she is a tuff lady!
What I have come to learn about the ladies that are over 50- they are not worried about buying material things and spend their money on horses. so they have nice horses. Most of the ones I know either run in the 5d on up to still rodeoing and even some making the NFR.
if you can still get on and love it go for it!! There is something for everyone..
But you just never which ol' lady will skunk your butt!!
I hope I'm like that when I get there.. I'm 40 now and don't see me stopping any time soon..
Edited by littleone 2014-11-18 2:31 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 100
Location: South Texas | I'm 58 - and still going somewhat. Like most everybody else I don't like the cold weather - even in South Texas I still think it's cold. I don't go as much as I used to. I'm making myself run a horse I bought 2 years ago because my "steady eddy" old lady horse is getting up there in years and I'm going to need another horse to ride soon. My balance sucks and I know I'm not as physically as strong as I was even 2 years ago. But, I tell myself that I'm mentally stronger than I have ever been. I will say that all my horses now have to be "stool" broke. That way I don't have to work as hard to get on them! |
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| Im 47..been riding "slow" forever....
I'm still trying to calm the self preservation button and let loose a little.....but I have decided I am enjoying the journey. I love being on the back of a horse and I love all my horsey friends. There's just no where else I would rather be...unless its freezing outside...then I will take the couch next to the fireplace :-)
I am also in the best shape I've every been in. I am an avid exercisor and I eat clean and take very good of myself. As a breast cancer survivor, mother and wife...it is my responsiblity. Because of this I don't suffer the aches and pains that I use to and I feel strong on my horse.....just afraid of speed.
I have finally found a sweet mare that I think will take care of me.......I shake like a little baby and I haven't even loped an entire pattern yet....but I am still proud of the progress I am making. I have made it my personal goal to overcome this perceived fear. In the meantime I could care less how old I am......or if I ever win anything.......I'm just happy to be here...to be living...and to be blessed with having horses in my life.
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