I took up the hammered dulcimer in my mid-fifties and am still enthralled with it. I had a rudimentary ability with reading and theory, but my enjoyment of the instrument has taught me much more about both. I doubt that I would ever try to simultaneously read and play my HD, mostly for mechanical reasons, but I've seen some folks who can. They key, as so many above have noted, is having fun. Don't make it a chore, but do have fun with it. You'll probably find that the "having fun" part will be the best teacher and motivator.