Behind the times

[situpsitback]

After more than twenty years out, I’m back with horses. Things have changed! Those of you who are, like me, more ‘mature’ - what are the things you’ve noticed change over the years?

A few I’ve picked up so far:

Travel boots. When I did my BHS exams, we prepared for travelling with gamgee and bandages, tail bandage, fly sheet. Very fancy people had proper travelling boots. Now, people just stick the horse in the box and away they go!

Feeding - it was always strictly two hours after feeding before exercise. This seems a bit more relaxed now? I’d never ride straight after a hard feed obviously but it all seems more laid back than it was.

Ulcers. Not a thing in my day, seem to be a big thing now. Also: fillings for horses?!

The big one for me:rugs. We had a NZ for the field, a string sweat rug and a stable rug. If it was cold or the horse was fine/clipped, you used blankets or a duvet under the stable rug. Really fancy people might have a Newmarket. You never rugged a wet horse. You’d thatch it, then rug when dry. I am so confused about rugs these days, horses seem to all have masses of different rugs!

Air jackets! We had horrible body protectors which we only wore for cross country jumping. People seem to wear protection more often now and it looks much less cumbersome.

I’m sure there are loads more - what have you seen change in your time? For the better or worse?

 

[Sir barnaby]

I remember all the things above, only had snaffle bits no fancy ones like today, rock hard flat leather saddles, bran, chaff and oats was the only feed we used. Hats with elastic under the chin, if we actually wore one!!! No flu injections, never heard of having a horse dentist.
never heard of electric fencing all horses were turned out together regardless, coloured brow bands, I was allowed to choose one every Xmas I loved the light blue/dark blue ones. Simple cavasson nosebands Horses are very lucky now with all the new items and food on the market.

 

[Sir barnaby]

P.s I was 17yrs old in this picture working for nothing at a riding school. We got a free ride on a Sunday if we were lucky.
I’m 69 now can you imagine the changes I’ve seen, some for the better some not so good.

 

[situpsitback]

Coloured brow bands! You’ve made me remember saving up for a new one a d taking my old one along to the tack shop to get the right size.

I took a similar route in, endless mucking out and hanging around yards until I would get a free ride. Fun times!

 

[situpsitback]

I’ve thought of another one. What on earth is chop? Is it chaff by another name?

 

[Sir barnaby]

Yes it is we used to chop it ourselves on a Saturday morning ready for the following week, I bet a chaff cutter is obsolete now.

 

[Rowreach]

Supplements
Barefoot trimmers
Gel pads
Hi-Tec stirrups
Neoprene everything
Horse insurance

 

[situpsitback]

The barefoot thing is new to me. The little clip on bootees you can buy!

 

[ycbm]

Saddles with soft padding on the knee rolls. Old saddles were agony on bony knees!
.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

We had horse insurance back in the 70’s, mine was through Norwich Union and my dad paid the first year.

 

[Winters100]

I remember that there was no choice of colour - rugs / wraps etc just came in whatever colour they were. Also we used to use leather kneepads for riding on the road and transporting - I don't see them around now. My show hat had no strap, but for jumping I had one with a single strap under the chin, which I often moved and wore under my hair at the back. Plus yard rules were different. There was one dog on the yard who would bite us kids if we ran too close to him. There was no question that the dog would be removed, we just had to learn not to annoy him, and if we got bitten we got a telling off for not paying attention! Same as the farm dog who used to mip at my ankles as I walked to the yard, when I whinged to Father about it all he said was "so run faster next time". Not sure how this would work out now.

 

[situpsitback]

I cannot believe that everything, EVERYTHING, comes in a choice of colours now. I saw a child with coloured training reins recently and couldn’t believe it. ?

 

[Cortez]

Yes it is we used to chop it ourselves on a Saturday morning ready for the following week, I bet a chaff cutter is obsolete now.

I've got a chaff cutter, and still use it.

 

[scats]

When I was a kid, my NZ rugs were so heavy after the rain that I couldn’t get them over my rug pole. I’d have to flag down a passing adult to help me.

We’d stick a string vest on sweaty ponies with a pile of straw underneath. I loved my Rab C Nesbit vest, until one day I found a poor mouse that had hanged in it!

I’d also badger my mum for any old duvets to put under stable rugs.

 

[Summit]

I remember all the things above, only had snaffle bits no fancy ones like today, rock hard flat leather saddles, bran, chaff and oats was the only feed we used. Hats with elastic under the chin, if we actually wore one!!! No flu injections, never heard of having a horse dentist.
never heard of electric fencing all horses were turned out together regardless, coloured brow bands, I was allowed to choose one every Xmas I loved the light blue/dark blue ones. Simple cavasson nosebands Horses are very lucky now with all the new items and food on the market.

These are my memories too

 

[Summit]

There were only NZ rugs with surcingles and Jute stable rugs. Engine oil to dress hooves, car batteries to run a dim stable light bulb. Bran mashes were a weekly treat

 

[stormox]

Horses had better manners then.......

 

[Steerpike]

Horses were actually worked and fed an appropriate diet for the work they did.

 

[stormox]

Numnahs - we didnt put anything under our saddles, just scraped the grease of the serge, linen or leather.

 

[splashgirl45]

most of us had to hack to shows as we didnt have transport, having stables with a hay loft where we had to throw the hay up from the back of the lorry. we all helped as the 2 lads who delivered the hay were rather nice. i was very happy i managed to go out with one of them, those were the days!!!!! all a very dim memory as i am now in my 70's... worked all weekend at the yard and overjoyed to be given a free ride, but the downside was i had to take 2 lead reins.....given bus fare money by the YO as payment, i really appreciated that as it meant we could call into the cafe on the way home and have tea and toast.....simple pleasures then....

 

[AdorableAlice]

Horses had better manners then.......

along with the people that owned them.

 

[Baywonder]

Oh gosh yes - jute stable rugs, green NZ rugs, string vest cooler sheets, thatching off wet ponies, simple snaffle bridles, hats with elastic.....those were the days!

As for changes? I really can't stand 'Bling' on anything! Why do manufacturers feel the need to put diamantes on everything?!

 

[1523679]

Numnahs - we didnt put anything under our saddles, just scraped the grease of the serge, linen or leather.

Oh, how I *longed* for a fleecy numnah, like showjumpers had! I ended up making one from the sheepskin seat cover out of my Dad’s Scimitar.

Matchy-matchy is something I’d never have dreamed of in a million years.

 

[AdorableAlice]

.

As for changes? I really can't stand 'Bling' on anything! Why do manufacturers feel the need to put diamantes on everything?!

So glad I am not on my own in this view. Dressage boots that should only be worn by pole dancing prostitutes, WTF are these ! https://www.eliteequestrian.org/?product=cavallo-bling-linus-slim-riding-boot

Tat and plastic on bridles, why ? all a horse needs is quality English leather and don't get me started on the le muck crap, no horse needs puk coloured matching gear on it.

Rant over, there is no doubt I am an old fashioned miserable aged bint.

 

[HazuraJane]

I cannot believe that everything, EVERYTHING, comes in a choice of colours now. I saw a child with coloured training reins recently and couldn’t believe it. ?

Rainbow reins are used at the school near my house so that the instructor can tell the child to 'hold at the green/pink/blue bit'

 

[paddy555]

Also we used to use leather kneepads for riding on the road and transporting - I don't see them around now. .

still around. My horse has them on daily for his ride. (He doesn't trip or anything they are just insurance until he gets a bit older)

 

[stormox]

The gymkhana ponies had 'matchy matchy' - red (or yellow or green) plaited reins, string girth, numnah and plastic browband....

 

[1523679]

The gymkhana ponies had 'matchy matchy' - red (or yellow or green) plaited reins, string girth, numnah and plastic browband....

“Matchy matchy” and “string girth”

Now THOSE are words you don’t often see in the same sentence ?

 

[Cob Life]

After more than twenty years out, I’m back with horses. Things have changed! Those of you who are, like me, more ‘mature’ - what are the things you’ve noticed change over the years?

A few I’ve picked up so far:

Travel boots. When I did my BHS exams, we prepared for travelling with gamgee and bandages, tail bandage, fly sheet. Very fancy people had proper travelling boots. Now, people just stick the horse in the box and away they go!

Feeding - it was always strictly two hours after feeding before exercise. This seems a bit more relaxed now? I’d never ride straight after a hard feed obviously but it all seems more laid back than it was.

Ulcers. Not a thing in my day, seem to be a big thing now. Also: fillings for horses?!

The big one for me:rugs. We had a NZ for the field, a string sweat rug and a stable rug. If it was cold or the horse was fine/clipped, you used blankets or a duvet under the stable rug. Really fancy people might have a Newmarket. You never rugged a wet horse. You’d thatch it, then rug when dry. I am so confused about rugs these days, horses seem to all have masses of different rugs!

Air jackets! We had horrible body protectors which we only wore for cross country jumping. People seem to wear protection more often now and it looks much less cumbersome.

I’m sure there are loads more - what have you seen change in your time? For the better or worse?

I still use travel boots for long journeys! And only have a rain sheet and light weight turnout rug, the owner of my loan looked at me like I was crazy when I said we used to put duvets under rugs When I was little and my Nan still had horses (this was only 15-18. Years ago)

 

[Bonnie Allie]

Whilst I have been horses continuously for 40yrs, some of the changes I have embraced but I still love simplicity and quality. I had my formative equestrian years in NZ and then UK before moving to Australia.

So I still dont think you can go past a first grade English leather bridle with a cavesson noseband, and snaffle bit. Smart, classic and a sign that you can school a horse well.

However the innovations I love are;
* stridefree saddles, my horses just go so much better in these
* freejump stirrups for my arthritic joints
* technical fabric for breeches and shirts so that we are cool and comfortable

You can keep your matchy match stuff. Nothing screams 3 refusals at the first fence like matchy matchy and fluffy sheepskin attached to everything.