Back in the olden days....

Please, Please can I come as well, I still have jute rug complete with patches, but may have to borrow a pony as mine is broken at the moment.

What a fab thread, and brings back some very happy memories:)
 
I remember some bright spark deciding we should all put hoof oil on our rubber boots to make them shine. In my defence, I was only about 9 when I agreed it would indeed improve our turnout.
 
Oh how I longed for a yellow poloneck sweater! My mother stitched up a pair of beige cotton trousers to look like jodhpurs; I had a pair of about thirty-hand jodhpur boots that were too large, brown with leather straps and lethally shiny leather soles; a riding hat that gave me a headache from Gamages and a brown nylon crop from Millets.

Dad took me up to London to a shop called Jacatex to get me a hacking jacket when I was 14. He was totally exasperated because I had to try on nearly every jacket in my size before finding one with sleeves long enough for my arms. The jacket looked like a loden coloured sack on me, but the sleeves were to my wrist. Thereafter he nicknamed me skinny ape.

Saddles with no visible pommel or cantle and absolutely no knee rolls, thigh rolls or soft seat; and probably with a woollen lining. All horses and ponies wore a snaffle and a martingale. Winter riding on the roads, hour long trots round the back streets and summer riding in the fields - bliss.

So simple then.
 
Anyone remember Greenham New Zealand rugs? I managed to get a couple second hand and thought my mare looked the bees knees in them. They were deep cut olive green canvas rugs with a wool lining. (No tail flap in those days!) But where other rugs were bright green and held on with a sucingle, and stiff as boards, the Greenham moulded to the horse and had three slots on each side of the front for a leather strap, so it fitted your horse's shoulder properly. They never slipped, even without a surcingle, but my, they were heavy!
 
I remember them. Chrome leather straps on the front, weighed an absolute ton when they were wet. But never knew one slip-probably too heavy to move!
 
I love this thread!

After a 15 year break from horses I tried to buy a sweat rug on ebay. It took me ages to realise that a 'horse cooler' was the same thing, never mind 'turn-out' rugs and all that malarkey.

I still am the proud owner of:

a green canvas New Zealand rug that rubs all the hair off the pony's shoulders within a day of a wearing it, and weighs more than our Falabella does

a very very mottley and manky jute rug

a white 'crash hat', complete with hard plastic chin guard that you could chew on if you got nervous. I always got called 'egg' at pony club if the silk came off by accident

a navy and white stripey Lavenham puffa waistcoat (my friend has a blue and red paisely one that she still wears too)

a green wax Barbour which I bought at the House of Fraser in 1986, which is still going strong!

The equestrian world has changed so much since I've been away from it, but I never thought I'd live to see pink horse boxes or Agas.....
 
hest said:
a white 'crash hat', complete with hard plastic chin guard
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Does it take 3 people to lift it onto your head? I found an old 'lightweight' crash hat in the loft - lightweight? it was unbelieveably heavy and hideous but it was the 'in' thing to wear in its day.
 
Lol

Greenham NZ rugs rock - they were the ones I was thinking of, but for the life of me couldn't remember their name.

I am desperate to get another for my new horse - they were great and warm (and you could under-rug if needed) and the horse never got wet underneath and they were ALWAYS dry in the morning regardless of how wet they got.

Jods only came in three colours, beige, navy and brown. and those jumpers with the pictures on the front that were available 1991? you got them in pink too with piccies of s/jumping, XC and Dressage I think, I loved mine (navy of course)

We were only talking about things like this the other night, I remember the local tack shop had those (carr day and martin I think) handy packs of 15 wipes, fly repelant/tack cleaner ones but that would have been about 1994/1995. everything HAD to be thelwell tooo.

and showjumping on the telly. It was much more "fun" in those days the puisannce (spelling I know) used to go much higher, there was much more comedy too/crowd participation.

Trivia Question: Can anyone remember the name of the 2 sjers that went round olympia dressed in stockings and suspenders, I remember it being in H&P magazine and remember seeing it on the telly but can't remember who it was. my friends can remember it to but again can;t recall who. it's really annoying me.

answers on a postcard........
 
RebelRebel said:
Does it take 3 people to lift it onto your head? I found an old 'lightweight' crash hat in the loft - lightweight? it was unbelieveably heavy and hideous but it was the 'in' thing to wear in its day.
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Haha, yes it's almost as heavy as a New Zealand!
I took it with me when I went to a riding school for a lesson a couple of years ago and they wouldn't let me ride in it! It didn't reach current health and safety standards. So I had to use one of the stinky riding school ones instead, eeugghh...
 
xxMozlarxx said:
NOOOOO!! Jods were ONLY cream . We are talking of the olden days here..
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I started riding in 1989 (tho tried to get my mum to take me earlier, had made numerous lesson bookings with stables only for the witch to cancel them :mad: )

by the time I got my first pair of Jods in feb 1990(for my birthday) I got a beige/cream and an Navy pair and I remember my ri had brown ones - but they may have been the harry hall corded breeches now that I think of it, and a pair of green corded breeches too..........

but up until about 2007 I would only EVER were beige/cream jods smart top polished boots, I never ever wore a different colour :rolleyes: However, I now have navy, a blue/brown pair, brown and black as well as my customery beige/cream for showing (which I don't do any more). but now I don't really care and usually look as if i've been dragged thru a hedge backwards :eek:

HOYS used to be at wembley tooo I do remember ;)
 
xxMozlarxx said:
NOOOOO!! Jods were ONLY cream . We are talking of the olden days here..
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Ah but there's olden and there's really olden! Jods in my day were brown cavalry twill with puffed out thighs and suede kneepatches. Cream jods - especially in stretch material were a way off at that point! :D
 
Who could afford the proper jodhpurs? I eventually managed to swing a pair by swapping my brand new stretch ones that had that horrible 'below the knee' seam in such a place that it was exactly across my kneecap. That was the '60's.

I was given a pair of cavalry twill breeches, they too never fitted me - proper ones with buttons at the knee (or just on the knee - it's not easy having long arms and legs you know) and immense 'wings'.

I stopped wearing jods when I stopped going to riding stables and got my own horse. I always rode in jeans, and of course no hat.
 
Please may I join you all, I promise to wear my Christy Beaufort hat, green long smelly waxed jacket and my long rubber riding boots, oh and string backed gloves.
I still have the clacky over reach boots (I bought a black set and a white set and alternated the colours so they are stripey!) I will make sure I have my newmarket folding hoofpic in my joddy pocket and 10p for the phone.
I actually strapped my horse only 2 days ago. I still thatch but I find todays stalks too short to make a proper wisp.
When we get back from the ride I will boil up some linseed to add to the warm bran mash (forgot some once and it went off - what a stink!). And plain chaff (turning the chaff cutter, what a job!)
I also remember supa barley being the latest word in feed stuffs and using bran to poultice feet. Always having cough paste in your first aid box along with stockholm tar and salt.
Getting very nostalgic here and wishing I sill had half the confidence now that I had then.
 
Please can I join ? My Christmas list was compiled from the Jacatex catalogue.
I could canter along grass verges again and pretend to jump those little gulleys that were every few yards (not metres).
I won't be late because instead of "poo picking" I shall wait for a sunny day and use the chain harrows instead !
I could wash my grey's tail with a Reckitts Blue Bag in order to be smart.
 
kirstyl said:
. And no rug cleaning services - do it yourself!!
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Grab a hosepipe, stick finger half over end to replicate a power hose blast, get the yard broom and scrub thoroughly with a little Fairy liquid. Hang to dry over a gate. Job done!.
(And dont forget to oil those buckles!).
 
LJK said:
I will make sure I have my newmarket folding hoofpic in my joddy pocket and 10p for the phone.
QUOTE]

Ah yes, that handy little fob pocket, and they still have them on jods today!

You forgot the piece of baling twine, in case pony needs tying up and the polo mint!
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MissMistletoe said:
LJK said:
I will make sure I have my newmarket folding hoofpic in my joddy pocket and 10p for the phone.
QUOTE]

Ah yes, that handy little fob pocket, and they still have them on jods today!

You forgot the piece of baling twine, in case pony needs tying up and the polo mint!
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Oops sorry, will have to find some proper bailing twine though, all our hay is netted these days. I was always a mint imperials kinda gal.
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Ollie's Mum said:
Ah but there's olden and there's really olden! Jods in my day were brown cavalry twill with puffed out thighs and suede kneepatches. Cream jods - especially in stretch material were a way off at that point! :D
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Elephant ear jodhpurs by Harry Hall [as worn by Pat Smyth], with elastic grip waistband to make sure your shirt stayed in place. A red tie with horses heads on, and a school shirt.
 
xxMozlarxx said:
That's the olden days I'm talking about, no stretchy material big sticky out thighs, cream/ beige same difference, I'm talking 60s here.
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I had some of those - awful things. And riding crops always seemed to be leather bound.
I started riding in the late 60's. I was never lucky enough to own my own pony, but was lucky enough to live near a riding stables (Its still going, but is now just a livery yard).
All my waking hours were spent there if I wasnt in school.
I remember the horrid jute rugs and the green newzealand out door rugs.
And the blacksmith coming and making up shoes from a piece of metal, none of the shoes were pre made.
The riding instructors *always* wore jods, shirt and tie and riding hat.
 
Ah, the days of being forced to keep the horse in at night because New Zealand's weren't actually waterproof and took weeks to dry when they did get wet.... and always rubbed patches on the shoulders....

Thank goodness for progress.
 
LJK said:
When we get back from the ride I will boil up some linseed to add to the warm bran mash (forgot some once and it went off - what a stink!).
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Lol - I still boil my linseed too - none of this micronised stuff from Charnwoods, oh no!

And of course I measure out my linseed to boil using my trusty Thelwell mug, which is still going strong too :)
 
I havent laughed so much in ages, I had tears rolling down my face! Brilliant thread.

I may only be 27 (nearly) but I do remember ALOT of what has been mentioned, I also want to show off that i found an original Whitney blanket/rug in my friends house just sitting on a shelf....last year!!! It now belongs to my horse :D
 
Ponies kept in stalls, loose boxes only for hunters & tbs. With a triangular hay rack & manger below, all secured with ball pulley & neck collar.
 
littlelegs said:
Ponies kept in stalls, loose boxes only for hunters & tbs. With a triangular hay rack & manger below, all secured with ball pulley & neck collar.
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Triangular hay racks - I'd forgotten those!

Doesn't it make you wonder if, in 50 years from now, HHOers will sit about fondly reminiscing over Anky matchy matchy, diamante headcollars by Katie Price and Tricklenet haynets?

Seems hard to imagine!
 
littlelegs said:
Ponies kept in stalls, loose boxes only for hunters & tbs. With a triangular hay rack & manger below, all secured with ball pulley & neck collar.
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Wonderful thread - so many memories! I still have a wooden stall bobbin that I use on the end of a lead rope when my pony's tied up for grooming :) I remember falling off with my folding hoof pick in my pocket too - ended up with a black bruised hip but was more bothered that the hoofpick ended up in bits :(
 
I learnt to ride in the mid eighties & a lot of stuff hadn't changed much for years, I'd say a lot of stuff seemed to change at once in the early to mid 90's, for me anyway.
 
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