Horse-mad childhood memories :)

[lhotse]

I should think that was Colin's place! You would drive past the War Memorial and St.Michael's Church and then Colin's yard is on the left. I have so many happy memories of riding out from there, both before and after we moved to Minehead.

Can't remember the church but I can clearly remember turning left into the yard! Just looked on google maps and it would appear that it is the same place. Strange how such an early memory is still so clear in my mind. I must have had such a great time and they offered my mum a job!! Obviously, with three kids she had to turn it down!!

 

[Janesomerset]

Can't remember the church but I can clearly remember turning left into the yard! Just looked on google maps and it would appear that it is the same place. Strange how such an early memory is still so clear in my mind. I must have had such a great time and they offered my mum a job!! Obviously, with three kids she had to turn it down!!

They would have been glad of a good rider like your mum to escort rides.

 

[PolarSkye]

This is a really lovely thread and is bringing back the real ache I felt as a child to be near horses and ponies. I was another one who turned her bike into a pony - tied rope to the handlebars and made courses out of speedbumps and curbs - neighbours must have thought we were mad (grew up on various RAF stations). I also fashioned sticks into crops and cantered over jumps in the garden, used to cycle to (what was then) the Home of Rest for Horses in Princes Risborough, and hung around at the local riding stables doing odd jobs and just breathing in the smell of horse.

When I was about 10, we went on a family holiday to Wales and my (very non-horsey) parents let me go pony trekking - I was in heaven - but was very unpopular when with the grooms when I untacked "my" pony by undoing every single buckle on the bridle! On that same holiday, my Dad took me to a horse/pony auction for the day just so I could be around ponies - little did he know that he got my hopes sky high and that I was utterly bereft when we left without buying a pony.

I was lucky enough to go to a school (boarding - that's not the lucky bit) in rural Yorkshire populated largely by wealthy farmers' daughters - most of whom had their own ponies. As my family lived five hours away, I spent many weekends as guests of my friends "riding" their ponies . Also, the school was located in a huge Georgian/neo-classical country pile belonging to a racing family and their racers and hunters/pointers were still kept in the stable block in the school grounds and turned out in paddocks next to the hockey pitch . . . I used to save up my evening apple (we got an apple for dessert in the summer) and go and feed it to the pointers and, when I was feeling really brave, actually go and hang out in the stable yard just to be near the horses. On more than one occasion, we lured the pointers/hunters alongside the fence, clambered aboard (bareback, no hat) and just sat on them while they ambled around the field grazing. How we didn't die, I don't know! Those horses (and they were all at least 16.2) were proper christians and really took care of us.

Buying my very first horse (not a loaner or a shared horse) at the age of 44 was a lifelong dream fulfilled . . . and I count my lucky stars every time I look at him .

P

 

[Janah]

I used to spend hours following horse tracks in fields and woods local to me, hoping one day to find a loose horse, having thrown it's rider and I would reunite the two and she would be so pleased she would offer rides on said horse.

I also, to my shame, rode random horses in their field which usually bucked me off. no idea of the harm I was doing. Bareback, not even a head collar.

I started helping at a local riding school aged 10 yrs. Worked hard mucking out, cleaning tack etc for the joy of riding bareback with head collar to turnout field at the beginning and end of the day. used to lead two or three as well. I lived for school holidays.

I also rode bullocks at local farm!! And survived,

 

[Umbongo]

Ahh I remember that pony longing when I was a kid.

I grew up in an estate in Essex, and got to go to a "own a pony for a day" once a year on my birthday!

My bike was a palomino arab called Rainbow, and I used to ride it for hours round the estates pretending I was galloping along the beach or jumping logs in the forest! When I got my first hat & gloves I used to wear them & have my crop whilst riding my bike!

I had about 100 "my beautiful horse" models that you got free with the magazine!

I got a grooming kit and used to go and groom the gypsy horses tied up by the park!!!!!! :O

When I moved to the countryside I cycled for hours and just went & stared at the ponies in fields. I had a lesson once a week at my local little riding school, but used to cycle through wind/rain/hail etc after school most days and all weekend just to muck out, learn to tack up, how to care for a horse etc.

When I got a dog I used to make a show jump course in the garden for him.

Every xmas & birthday hoping to open your curtains & finding a pony with a big red bow round it's neck!

I am 25 and still don't have a pony....one day!

 

[cheeryplatypus]

I also had a pony less childhood. Spent my time saving up for lessons where possible and bought my own grooming kit for when I got my own pony...30 years later! Used to jump on my aunt's rescued donkey and let her wander about with me on, bless her.

 

[SarahF]

I'm particularly enjoying the "I didn't get my first horse until I was in my 40s" posts! I'm in my early 30s and hoping to buy mine this year - after years away from horses I'm feeling like that teenager again (and I've already bought brushes haha!)

 

[undergroundoli]

I'm particularly enjoying the "I didn't get my first horse until I was in my 40s" posts! I'm in my early 30s and hoping to buy mine this year - after years away from horses I'm feeling like that teenager again (and I've already bought brushes haha!)

Good luck

 

[SarahF]

Good luck

Thank you!

 

[jojo5]

I am sooo loving this thread - partly because I have seen so many other people who like me did not own their first horse until they were 'grown ups', but really because I have finally found out that I wasn't weird when I 'rode' the bookcase in my room day after day!!! Each day that bookcase was either Symphony or Sonata (yep, you're right - would never call a horse that now!!) , one a bay and the other brown with white socks. And was looking through old pics the other day with my mum and realised just how many of our holiday pics when I was a child showed me doing something equine - trekking, or just plain pony rides!!!

 

[Hippona]

Anybody old enough to remember the WH Smith "Win a pony" competition? They used to run it every year - the winner got a pony and funds to keep it for a year. I used to do it religiously and was always bitterly disappointed that I didn't win. It was only when I was well into adulthood that I wondered whether my non-horsey mother had actually ever posted my entries......

Oh yes..me too!

I used to make show jumping courses and make the dog do clear round.

I learnt to ride from a book...went on holiday and persuaded parents to let me go on a pony trek, and with the confidence of an eight year old just got on and did it ...

I purposefully sought out people I knew had ponies and wormed my way in and managed to look after and ride a succession of out grown ponies and mental ones that no one else wanted to ride....

The yard I now rent used to have a couple of young un broken chestnut fillies in the field...when I was about 12 I thought it would be a good idea to climb on one of them from the fence...I'd go mental if I caught someone doing that to mine.

TBH it's probably a certifiable illness, this horse thing

 

[SarahF]

The yard I now rent used to have a couple of young un broken chestnut fillies in the field...when I was about 12 I thought it would be a good idea to climb on one of them from the fence...I'd go mental if I caught someone doing that to mine.

TBH it's probably a certifiable illness, this horse thing

Yeh I did the same - on a shire colt. Still have the war wounds lol!

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

A body brush with a rainbow colour strap... Everyone pretty much had one in the 1990's!

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

Oh and the poor family Jack Russell used to wear a Barbie horse saddle, tied on with a shoelace. He was a good sport - used to jump the course of 'show jumps' I'd set up in the garden (mum's bamboos for her climbing flowers propped on garden chairs). Think the dog quite liked it actually... never complained

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I love this thread. Having done all the things others have done, read all the books and put my non horsey pets and siblings through everything everyone else has as well I no longer feel as though I was a freek of nature.

I was just pony mad and had a very vivid imagination.

 

[lhotse]

Further to my Exmoor trekking experience detailed earlier in the thread, my early teenage years were spent riding a neighbour's horses around the Badminton Estate!! I was 13/14 at the time, mum had sold all the little ponies as 3 kids were too much work, so I spent a good few years riding other people's horses. We used to go out for hours, galloping up Worcester Avenue towards Badminton house is fantastic aged 13!! It certainly made me a better rider!

 

[exmoorponyprincess1]

My Jinny books have arrived!!!! off to have a cuppa and reminisce!!!

 

[babymare]

walking miles in morning doing 2 paperrounds to prove to psrents how much i wanted a pony. Aged 14 i became proud owner mum of sunny. Worth the cold wet mornings

 

[Alchemy]

Like others i never had a pony so my memories are

Reading all the saddle club books,the Jinny books and cant remember the other popular author if we where on a long car journey or on a train I would imagine I was riding either the black stallion or Downlands Cancara and jumping over all the hedges etc, the hours i used to spend playing with my plastic horses dreaming up all sorts of senarios ( no ipad etc in thoses days!) also if i was out walking the ususal i would "canter" along, also used to "ride" the arm of the sofa!!
Thank god at 22 i was finally given my own horse

 

[SarahF]

My Jinny books have arrived!!!! off to have a cuppa and reminisce!!!

Ahh lucky you! Mine have also arrived - at my mum's in Manchester though and I'm in Africa so will have to wait a bit longer haha. At least I'll have something to read when I visit!

 

[Red-1]

What - the Jinny books were not real??????

Also The Jill books....... Oh to have two ponies......

I had a savings box and bought a full grooming kit piece by piece. I had feeding regimes and fitness programmes, I knew every page of my blue Pony Club book.......

I worked on schooling my green pedal bike....

I visited the local shows and adjusted the practice fence all day long.....

I dreamed and hoped and begged.....

Finally I GOT a pony!!!! Yay, never looked back. Now coming up 50 year old and horses are in me.

 

[Testy]

This thread is lovely...
Good to know I wasn't the only child riding their bike round with a riding crop and string reins.
I also wore a bare patch down my parents lawn pretending to be a pony cantering over a jump made with flower pots and gardening cane. And set up a jump on the edge of the patio step which was my drop jump, turned my ankle over badly on landing and ended up in a+e when it swelled up like a balloon!
Makes me feel even more lucky to have finally managed to buy my own 4 years ago