ClaireDec
New User
I came across this post and it brought back very fond memories of when I learnt to ride at Foxhill Riding stables in Whiteknights. It was about 1962/63 when a friend suggested i go with her. I remember they put me on Sherry and I was told she could only trot. Thinking about it now maybe she was bought as an ex hackney horse. I recall the wonderful smell of the tack room, where all the saddles where kept. It cost 7 shillings and 6 pence (about 38p) for an hour's ride. David Goodey would be in the tack room with a rather glamourous lady called Sue. She would take your money and book you in for the following week. My favourite horse in the end was Silver. Sue would be seen riding him sidesaddle sometimes with full outfit and top hat. The other wonderful horse was Billy, a black cob. I think David would ride him when he went to shows with Sue. Robert Goodey's pony when he was young was Molly. When he was older he would take Molly and another pony, Robin (I think they were section A welsh ponies) in harness and carriage drive them. Oh my goodness - I remember the horses, but not people, apart from Lorna who I thought was also a Goodey. She would ride Bonny. The horses were Dusty (shetland) Peter and Admiral, Duke (very lazy would just stand in the field with rider kicking furiously to try to move him!) Every Sunday if you were lucky you could ride the ponies at the end of the day (had to be bearback to a field somewhere I think in Sindlesham). Robert or David would then pick us up in a Landrover. The horses would work really hard at the weekends, especially if they were popular like Silver and Billy. As I type a few more memories are coming back, but you are probably bored by now!
Hi, I believe the Lorna you may be refering too is my grandmother as she worked there at that time I think she left in 1964/1965! Ive been trying to find anyone else who worked there at that time but havent had any luck yet. Im hoping to find the history (horses, colleagues, stories, pictures) of what it was like there and whoe she may of interacted with! I think there used to be some brothers who worked there with a last name williams but thats not much to go on! Let me know if you thuink of anything!