How did you get into horses?

[Tinker_Belle]

Prompted by this post , I'm interested to know how you got interested in horses?

Were you born into a horsey family? Or was it a hobby/natural love that grew & you learned about horses any which way you could?

For me it was a natural love from day one. I used to bounce in my pushchair when a toddler at the sight of horses apparently

Didn't get chance to have regular, weekly lessons so they were twice weekly/monthly & I'd do as much as I could at the yard. When I wasn't at the yard I read book upon book upon book about horses & horsecare, helped friends with theirs & eventually got my own at 10/11. Learned from the lady that kept her in livery for me before ending up with a youngster at 13/14 through loss of first pony. I think me & Sunny learned from each other with a bit of trial & error along the way.

In hindsight it wasn't the textbook way to go about things & ending up with Sunny wasn't planned but I don't think it has turned out that badly. I'm not a massively confident rider but I know the basics of horsecare & stable management, along with a tiny bit more that is enough to see me through most bits of horse ownership.

So how did you get into horses, how did you learn enough to have your own & do you think it turned out well? Whether it was textbook learning or not?

 

[JessPickle]

A friend of my sisters in junior school invited me and beth to come riding with her at a RS. We loved it from then and continued it

 

[Persephone]

I came from a horsey family, so was plonked on a pony at an early age. Just never really got out of it.

I had a six months break from horses and absolutely hated it.

 

[westernriderH]

my mum had horses when she was younger, i decided i wanted to try riding, had lessons and then at 14 got an ex-racehorse, who had to be pts because of a brain tumour

then got another two horses, mum got scared of one, sold them both...a year later i started helping out at a riding school for a couple years, now have two of my own horses

 

[hannah_karina]

It wasnt till i was about 13... went to the MK 3DE to help out, (had been a number of years before and felt no different) but that time it was like a lighbulb in my head and i just thought they were amazing!! and from that day i have not changed my mind! i started to work as a Part time groom down there, helping out (unpaid) any chance i could get...just to be with them and learn!

 

[amabelscott]

My grandfather was an MFH so i guess it is a family thing!

 

[jenbleep]

By watching the Grand National, aged 10!

Well I might have been 8 or 9, but I can't really remember. All I remember is watching it on tv in Bristol, with my Mum, her friend and her daughter (my friend) and we all 'bet' on a horse and rider.

My horse was Party Politics - I liked the names and the colour of the jockeys silks

(Pink and purple!)

From then on I was obsessed with horses and riding

My Mum was skint so I could only have lessons every few months

and also went on hacks when I went to visit my Dad in Cornwall. (Some of you Cornish people may know of the 3 three yards I frequently visited

)

My family aren't horsey

My mum loves horses, and used to go ride when she was very young, but know she feels she is too big

and I think she is a bit scared! But she still watches equestrian stuff on tv.

My Dad is not horsey AT ALL

And when he did used to take me riding he would drop me off, and come back to fetch me in an hour!

Plus he would go mad if I even got a horse hair in his car

My cousin used to ride. I sometimes wish I had a horsey family, and I really wish I started riding earlier

But I'm making up for it now

 

[katie_southwest]

I went once when I was about 7 and loved it! Had weekly lessons and cried most times because I was a very nervous child but if they said to me get off if your going to cry I wouldnt id just stop crying because I didnt actually want to get off..! I had lessons til about 15 years old when I had a nasty fall and injured my back..then ventured back on a horse for lessons when I was about 19/20. Bought my lovely mare a year or so later! My family arent horsey..mum used to ride when she was young but not for about 35 years!

 

[Rachel_M]

My sister started riding before me. My family, even though they have had brief dalliances with horses, could not be called "horsey" by any stretch. I am, by far, the most dedicated.

To the point that I got the nickname from my father.... B.L.T


Boring Little Tit.

 

[Gorgeous George]

I don't really know what sparked it for me, no-one in my family is horsey but from about age 6 I was pleading to go riding and on my 7th birthday I was given some riding lessons and have ridden ever since. As a kid I spent every hour I could helping out at the stables as I really wanted to learn how to look after a horse and just be with them. Of course I waited 30 yrs till I got my very own.

 

[redmerl]

Loved horses from being v young.

Started riding @ 4 (thanks to granparent) them Mum took over taking me for lessons and got the first one on loan @ 12.

Got my own horse @13. Mum and Dad are not horsey. Dad hates them (waste of time and money).

 

[galaxy]

My great grandfather was a farrier and my Mum had cancer when I was 4 and I lived with my Gran. She always watched horse racing and told me stories about horses....

 

[m3gan]

My mother and father both rode,

they used to play polo together. My mum had her own polo pony who was at her wedding!! I learnt to ride at 8 yrs old and had a break for about 10 years when my children were young then got back into it 10 years ago and now have my own horse ( have had him just over 2 months), Previously I loaned horses. My mother only gave up riding when she was 79yrs. !!

I intend to beat that!!

 

[Janette]

In my family, we didn't 'do' horses so I had the yearly hack/trek whilst on holiday. We DID 'do' house building etc. So, by the time I was 17, Dad had bought an old farmhouse - complete with looseboxes. These were advertised as DIY livery. by the time I was 20, I'd been having regular riding lessons (was training as a nurse so had a wage packet

) I got a Highland X on loan whilst his owner was having a baby. He went back, and I qualified and got a job in Leeds.

And that was it really for the next 15 years, until 5 year old daughter got bored with ballet, and fancied ponies. I thought this was thoroughly good idea so indulged her, whilst feeling dead jealous. To make things worse, by this time, Mum and dad had decided that people of our 'class' (whatever that was) could 'do' horses, so mum bought a welsh pony and shared it with Heather. Mum played, Heather did a bit of showjumping and showing and I had riding lessons at the local riding school (still dead jealous)

So now Heather is 17, I am 45 and I have inherited the relacement of the Welsh Pony. A very opinionated, crafty and wily coloured native pony who began to boss Mum around after about 3 weeks. So at the age of 41, my parents gave me a pony

.

Good things come to those who wait.

 

[DiablosGold]

I come from a non-horsey family. Mum and dad used to take me to the local horse sanctuary for a treat. For my 8th birthday I went on a pony day at a local RS, then got lessons in return for helping out there. Had horses on loan before I ended up with my own one

 

[maddielove]

Both parents are non horsey, my aunt (who lives very far away) used to ride, and my great uncle rode in the army in WW2.
I used to go for "walkies" at the local RS (minutes away), I soon got too big for ths and had to go on "Paddock Hacks" and my first one sparked me to start lessons, I was 9

 

[xspiralx]

I had a horsey friend when I was about 5. That started my love of horses and the obsession continued from there, long after I was no longer friends with her.

I read all the pony club books, and the Ginny series and all of those, and got pony magazines. Eventually my parents realised it wasn't just a phase so I started bi monthly riding lessons at 10, which progressed to weekly, and then I saved up and bought half my own pony when I was 14.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

Haven't got a clue - My family tried so hard to put me off and didn't grow up knowing any one with horses - since I can remember lifes been about horses. Think how much richer I'd be...

 

[annie0bigC]

my parents were not horsey at all! my sister got into them after a riding lesson on holiday and i followed that love! 10 years later i have 2 horses!

 

[dawnpetenathshir]

I've always loved horses since I can remember, my parents weren't horsey and only used to allow me to ride once a year when we went on holiday. I started lessons when I was 22 had a break when I had my son and went back to it at 35. Got my own pony at 37

. Best thing I ever did

 

[duckling]

My mum used to ride as a teenager (she learnt at Norton Heath when it used to be an RS in the 60's-70's for those who know it!!) but gave it up when she went to uni, and decided to pick it up again when I was 5. I'd been horse crazy since I can remember and when mum saw the stables would do kids lessons from the age of 6 she bought me some lessons for my 6th birthday

Mum then gave it up again when I was about 12 (she realised she didn't bounce anymore!!) and I carried on and helped out at the riding school every weekend just to learn whatever I could and be round the horses. When I was 14, mum said I could find a horse to share, and I loaned horses til I came to uni

 

[Fantasy_World]

I came from a non horsey family but have Irish blood in my veins ( both sides) so that may have something to do with my love for horses lol. Anyway have loved them since about 5 ( earliest memory) as there used to be two fields in Wolstanton ( and outskirts of Newcastle) that contained ponies and one of my nan's would take me to go and see them. I do have vague memories of this but hell it was long time ago ( bout 30 years lol). At the age of 9/10 I started going for private riding lessons as I had been asking about going riding and a friend of my mum's daughter was going so it gave mum someone to talk to as she is not horsey. Even now she is still scared of my two and won't even give them a carrot.
I had lessons for nearly 2 years then my friends had ponies bought for them and moved on. Mum no longer had anyone to talk to and my lessons just dwindled. I did go back to riding a few years later though and would go on rides on holiday and so on. Had a nice hack at Cockington at Devon years back as a kid, still have the pic, just wish I was that thin again lol.
Then it was just hacks, pub rides, picnic rides and so on. Went on a few own a pony for a days too and then had lessons again when at college at 16. You were allowed to take a sport option on a Wednesday afternoon and a friend and me at the same college jumped at the chance when one of the lecturers arranged lessons at a nearby school.
Besides riding horses I have also been a fan of horse racing for as long as I can remember. Starting with the Grand National my interest then switched to the flat as well and the big flat and jumping festivals. A bit of a gambler I decided to pursue a career in an area I knew about and hoped would bring me close to horses as well as providing me with the funds to actually own a horse. After studying at college as a mature student doing a levels I went on to uni for 3 years graduating in 2002 with a degree in journalism. I used to be the racing correspondent for a newspaper in the Staffs area ( did it for over 3 years) but then a full time job ( as only freelance) took up too much of my time and I could not concentrate on my journalism as I wanted to. One job had to go and sadly it was the freelancing because I could not afford to to give up my full time work.
After splitting with husband of 13 years in 2003 I spent the next year trying to pick up the pieces until my now partner moved in during 2004. In late 2006 we remortgaged and paid off everything and I got the two lovely horses I have now.
I suppose I have an outlook on life in that things always happen for a reason. I am a believer in fate. We may get upset, jealous and even angry from time to time when things don't go our way or when times seem really bad. Not getting those 'breaks' happens for a reason as there is something better around the corner ( well that is my motto).
Anyway if things had happened differently for me then I would not have had the two lovely guys I have now ( mean the horses lol). I suppose people would argue well you would have different horses then. But I could argue that if my life had been different then equally I may not have had them at all.
My motto is to live for today. Sod the future. Enjoy your horses while you have the time for them and they are with you. Lives can change ever so quickly and it could all be gone in the blink of an eye. I suppose that is the way I feel about things because it has taken me so many years to live that dream of actually owning horses. I was not lucky enough to have been born and raised into a horsey world and as such I have the fear the 'dream' will just be taken away at the drop of a hat. It does not take much to knock me back to reality especially when I hear someone say to me, when they know I have horses, 'I have always wanted a horse'. Because they were my sentiments for a very long time.
Caz

 

[gothdolly]

Its my mum's fault, she loved horses and rode other people's as a child but was never allowed riding lessons, so when I was about 2 she found us a shetland to borrow and a riding school to go to and introduced my dad to riding as well, he got really into it and ended up working for years at a horse sanctury.

At one point we had 4 horses at home and our own land and stables. Absolute bliss, I look at old photos of my childhood home and cry sometimes!

 

[Ottinmeg]

one of my sisters primary school teachers kept a horse at a RS and 2 places became available and for some reason she asked my sister if she wanted to try it which ment i had to as well as mother claims she always treated us all the same. personally i much preffered looking after them than riding them but it was me who carried on and my sister who gave up. gave it up for years and years and then my kids started showing an interest and mother took them for riding lessons. two years or so later i was once again helping at a local show and mother in her wisdom decided to buy the kids a pony, 3 months later moose joined us... 7 months later otto joined us ,then somewhere in between tinkerbell joined us and finally last october sophie also joined us!

 

[sidesaddlegirl]

My family isn't horsey but my sister was into horses as a kid before me and we always played My Little Pony or with our Barbie horses. When I was 10, my cousin (who rode) gave me a pair of her old leather riding boots which fit me and I was hooked!

 

[Nudibranch]

Grandad loved horses and racing, but nobody else is horsey. Lived in Liverpool for the first 9 years of my life, before we moved to Wales I can remember my dad saying one day we'd get a pony (just one of those things people say without thinking about it I imagine)...anyway made new friends in the country and started riding when I was 10. That was it, hooked ever since!

 

[Natassia]

I started riding at 8 - my parents aren't horsey and when I was v young my mum put my name down for membership at this riding school (you had to be 8 to go there and there was a waiting list) because she thought it would be a nice thing for me to do and her friends put their daughters' names down! When we got the letter from the RS I was so excited and went there every week for riding one week and stable management lessons the next week, so only riding every 2 weeks. When I was 12 I started working there during the holidays. I did have the option to carry on there and teach etc but for other reasons got fed up with it and got my own instead, and have never looked back!

 

[Selkie]

Mum was happy for us 3 girls to ride (dad just paid), we all gave up when we went to college but two of us started again in our 40's and the other one rides when she comes for holidays

 

[Emsibuddy]

My best friend in the infants ar primary started.She used to write and draw about her favourite pony all the time, so I wanted to go then. After months of maybes I went for a lead rein hack at the local RS. It had been pouring down but I was determined to go. I never looked back.
6 years on I am now I member of the Pony Club and am about to go and show next weekend for the first time in my life. This year I will be going to big county shows and helping a friend with her ponies.
One day in the future, I hope to have my own pony. Its my main goal in life.

I am the only horsey person in my whole family, my mother and fathers side both,no one else has a clue about horses! hehe so I am pretty much making my own decisions about riding.

 

[muffinino]

[ QUOTE ]
Haven't got a clue - My family tried so hard to put me off and didn't grow up knowing any one with horses - since I can remember lifes been about horses. Think how much richer I'd be...

[/ QUOTE ]

Snap!

Mostly non horsey family, one pony between the lot of them, and he was a pet. My parents also hoped I would grow out of it - no chance!
Nagged until my parents were able to afford lessons when I was 12, helped at my RS at weekends from age 14, worked in a trecking centre whilst in Uni, then for a scurry driver until I moved to Cardiff aged 24, got my horse a few months later.
I don't regret a second or a pound spent on horses! Have always been obsessed, always will. I intend to keep them until I cannot walk and then I shall be wheeled out every day to a place where I can watch them graze.