Playing Football or riding horses?

If you had a son who turned the offer of watching or playing football for a chance of have riding lessons how would you feel?

Riding lessons don't come cheaply, nor does the specialist riding / safety gear ... but there again nor does watching or playing footie, unless he's under 8!!

One of my daughters has had riding lessons over a period of years and I have noticed that the classes were virtually always all female, the one boy who turned up, didn't look particulary happy to be trussed up in jodphurs and silly hat!! He didn't last many lessons, so all the gear was for nothing.

Our family used to go horse riding once a week when I was about 10. It was quite good fun. Can't remember much about the costs, but we were hardly loaded and the 4 of us went every week. We just used tracksuit trousers and wellys as none of us were that serious about it and gave up after a year or two. A helmet was the only real investment required. I doubt they're that much second hand.

On the other hand I'd say very few people carry it on into adult hand, whereas most people on here have a kick about every now and then.

Perhaps not wise to get a second-hand helmet TBH. They're a bit like motor bike helmets, any damage to the inner core could cause problems.

A decent riding stables will have a stock riding hats for casual public use, so no need to buy his own until he's decided it' a more long term activity. Most will probably also let beginners ride in trainers, if they are a fairly firm construction, so boots also only need to be considered once he's more committed. As for the cost, a weekly lesson won't be much different to watching a Saints home game. Riding starts becoming seriously expensive once they want their own pony, and want to start taking it to shows - as my bank balance has clearly demonstrated over the years.

Mind you, if the lessons are in the morning, he can still go to the match in the afternoon.

I learned to ride a horse back in the day to pull a bird. It worked, that said i didn't buy any of the expensive sh*t, i went down the stables she worked at and she made me jump on and ride the f*cker, after a couple of weeks i got pretty good at it.

I was riding bareback after a while

Prefer kicking a ball around though.

So there you go, more talents to S_S' CV.

I did both. As reported above, Girls like it if you can. Most girls who can ride are goers and flexible. Which means if you're heading down to the stables, it's feasible to get two completely different experiences of feeding the horse.

I learned to ride a horse back in the day to pull a bird. It worked, that said i didn't buy any of the expensive sh*t, i went down the stables she worked at and she made me jump on and ride the f*cker, after a couple of weeks i got pretty good at it.

 

I was riding bareback after a while

I did both. As reported above, Girls like it if you can. Most girls who can ride are goers and flexible. Which means if you're heading down to the stables, it's feasible to get two completely different experiences of feeding the horse.

Damn.... eeerrrrr, I take it 54 is a little late to be taking up this riding malarky then....???

Plenty of fit wimmin ride horses round our way.