Helen’s love of horses began in her teens, when her mum looked after the accounts at a local stable so that Helen and her sister could learn to ride. It wasn’t long before she, her sister and their mum were all riding together, and soon after they took on a horse with a difficult past. Known for rearing and spooking, she demanded patience and trust, but with care and consistency the family built a bond that lasted many years. Dressage became their shared focus and the foundation of Helen’s passion for riding.
Rediscovering a Lifelong Passion for Riding
In her 20s, Helen’s career began to take over. She became a teacher and for the next 30 years her life was consumed by school leadership, including Headship, with little time for horses. Riding faded away, but the passion was never forgotten. When she retired, her colleagues gave her a riding lesson voucher. Stepping back into the saddle after so long was both exciting and uncertain, but there was only one way to find out where it might lead.
Helen has always been active be it cycling, swimming, Pilates, long walks and running so she naturally assumed she’d be fit enough to hop back into the saddle. She soon discovered just how physically demanding riding is in ways no other activity compares. That first hour worked muscles she’d long forgotten she had, and the following day she could hardly move. Even now, her Garmin watch shows that the most intensive hours of her week are on a horse.
Building Confidence, Fitness and Focus in the Saddle
Plenty did come back to her, but she was humble enough to know she would need retraining. While the basics remain the same, there are nuances in riding today that weren’t emphasised when she was younger. She has taken the “relearning” in her stride, knowing that riding is something you never truly master. Skills need constant practice, and progress comes from both repetition and adaptability. Different horses require different approaches, and every coach brings their own techniques and cues that add something new to her development.
Learning from Different Horses and Coaches
Helen began her return on a steady schoolmaster to rebuild her confidence, then gradually worked her way towards more demanding horses. She now feels privileged to be trusted with Q, her clear favourite. A true gentleman, Q is generous, steady and confidence-building. He offers guidance while still asking for precision, and she feels honoured to ride a horse with such a strong competition background. Along the way she has also enjoyed riding Quinton (pictured with Helen), Kevin, Earl, Otis and Harry, each teaching and demanding something different from her and leaving their mark in their own way.
Her weekly lessons are a mix of flatwork and the occasional jump, up to 80cm. Jumping still makes her heart race, but it has sharpened her dressage, adding balance and control to her riding. Instructors change from time to time, which Helen enjoys, as each brings fresh insight. Rachel started her journey back in the saddle, Candice built her confidence and Heidi, for example, jokingly tells her to ride like “Haughty Helen” to help her fight the instinct to round her shoulders when she feels unconfident, instead encouraging her to sit tall and ride with presence. Those small changes in approach keep her learning and moving forward.
The Joy of Riding Later in Life
There are ambitions too. Helen would love to one day achieve a flying change in dressage, though she isn’t sure she’ll ever manage it. She also hopes to still be riding well into her 80s, which gives her plenty of time to keep practicing and progressing.
Horse riding demands complete focus in the moment. Anything else on your mind needs to be left behind before you even approach the horse. For Helen, that makes it not just a physical practice but a mindful one, a time in her week to be fully present, body and mind working together with the horse.
Two years on from her first tentative lesson back, Helen is thriving. Riding challenges her, grounds her, and most of all, brings her joy. She lights up when she talks about the horses and the progress she continues to make. This isn’t simply picking up an old sport; for Helen, riding has become an essential part of life.
One moment in particular captures that connection. In conversation with another rider, the two spoke about the horses so naturally, discussing personalities, quirks and even looks, so that to anyone listening in, it might have sounded like they were talking about people. That unconscious familiarity says everything about how much the horses mean to her and her fellow horse riders.
Helen’s story is a reminder that whatever may have taken you away from horse-riding, it’s never too late to return. There may be aches and pains at the beginning, and it takes humility to relearn, but the rewards soon shine through.
If Helen’s story has inspired you to reconnect with horses, we’d love to help you take that first step.
Book an introductory session or get in touch to find out how we can support your own journey back into the saddle.