How old were you when you got your first horse/pony?

[_jetset_]

I was just wondering because my Dad made me wait until I was 18 years old and I have now had her for almost 5 years! In some ways I am glad he made me wait because I had sole responsibility of her rather than my parents having to take me up twice a day... but then I sometimes wonder if I missed out with pony camp etc

 

[lizzie_liz]

I was abotu 13 when i got my first, but was away at boarding school where the horse came too, the one frequently advertised in H&H, so have always had to look after my own, but now that i am at uni mum looks after mine when i am away, then i look after her when i am at home

 

[RunToEarth]

Had ponies since I could walk, my first was Cracker, a little white thing. Bertha has been there since the begining, and shes still here now...

 

[mangobiscuit]

I a couple on loan before being treated to my own - between ages of 8 and 12.

Then bought one at 12 that didn't work out, was heartbroken.

Mum found out about a horse locally that was for sale - went to see him FELL IN LOVE and nearly 13 years later...i still have the little ratbag!

He still looks and acts like the 6 year old I bought - my first proper HORSE and I would never ever part with him. He truely is one of the family.

Sorry for going soppy but I really do love him! Ask Vicstress

x

 

[mandy4727]

I got my first pony when I was 11. Heidi. She was killed in a car accident whilst I was on her. A cop car at that. I had only had her 10 weeks. I got Margo when I was 13. And Tartan when I was 14. Had Margo for 27 years until she was sadly PTS in Jan this year. Still got Tartan. And got Calli in Jan this year. Have had 3 others inbetween all of which have been sold and 1 I still keep in contact regularly with by email.

 

[_jetset_]

i think have done some serious missing out on things... I am so so tempted to try that horse camp thing I have read so much about! Maybe it will make me feel as though I didn't miss out...

 

[Ginn]

I only got my own last year at the age of 20 (and I still haven't told my dad she's actually mine!

) Had quite a few loans/part loans etc before then though.

 

[Ginn]

[ QUOTE ]
I am so so tempted to try that horse camp thing I have read so much about! Maybe it will make me feel as though I didn't miss out...

[/ QUOTE ]

Do!!! I only started pony club at 15 and stopped at 18 but I am a member of a couple of fabby riding clubs who both run residential and non-resisdential camps and I have had sooo much fun with them - probably more so then the pc camps I did in that a fair few bottles of wine are usually shared!

 

[calon]

i have always been lucky had had ponies to ride or on loan from being 8yrs but didnt buy my own untill i left home at 17yrs and havent been without one since i am now 46 yrs

 

[Horseymum]

I didn't own my first horse until I had left home and thought I could afford it at 26. How wrong was I, I don't think you can ever really afford a horse, but I have still got her 11 years later.

 

[Enfys]

I've had ponies since I was 6, my mother was a bit of a kleptomaniac when it came to them. She'd go to Exeter sales and come back with 3 or 4, she'd farm them out with friends so my father didn't know exactly how many we had. So my brother and I had about 3 each and 1 for each friend too! Unfortunately I seem to have inherited the trait and up until recently had ponies hidden away too.

 

[vicijp]

I had my first pony when I was about 6. She was great on the lead rein but as soon as I came off she was nuts so was sold. I actually learnt to ride on a donkey that someone kept in one of our fields. I didnt have a pony for a couple of years, used to ride at a dealers/riding school on weekends. Had a pony off the meat man when I was about 10 and spent a couple of years getting carted and buried before winning everything in site. I rode her up until I was about 14 (she was 12hh, I am short) then gave her to my cousins. I did have another pony for about a year, but he was sent for meat when he reared over backwards in front of a lorry - he would jump anything though. I started riding the racehorses when I was 11 so went straight onto them.

 

[ernikins]

I had ponies on loan up until I was about 20, and then bought my first horse. My parents were never horsey and didn't want to buy me a pony for me to grow out of the phase!! Think they realised the phase was here to stay when I reached about 20!!!
Sometimes I feel like I missed out a little bit - but think it has made me really appreciate my horse now that I have my own!

 

[crackerjack]

I got cracker when i was 8 and still have him now!

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

I got my first pony at 10 and kept him at a riding school. did all the gymkana type stuff there and it was great. My second pony I got at 12. I kept her in a field down the road from my house. I just hacked her because i had no transport and we couldn't afford shows/pony club etc. Then when money got really tight we sold her and I was horseless for about 10 years.

Now got my own (age 26). I bought her myself and I am *so* making up for lost time doing riding club, lots of local shows, hunting this season... I want to go BSJA and will have a bash at BE on a ticket to ride next season, also thinking of doing an adult pony club camp next summer.

So I would say that just because you missed the kiddie stuff, it doesn't matter. You can still do most of that stuff as an adult plus you are totally independant and don't have to rely on the goodwill and financial support of your parents. Most of the people I jump with are kids but I don't mind. I just enjoy myself and they are all a good laugh. It is like being a kid again myself LOL

 

[CastleMouse]

I got Castle when I was 11

 

[TGM]

I was 15 - my parents were self-employed and were worried that they might buy a horse and then suddenly find they couldn't afford to keep it. They finally gave in when they realised how keen I was - I even joined the Pony Club and just attended the unmounted rallies and helped out at the mounted ones. The DC was great - she finally persuaded my parents to get me a horse

 

[riotgirl]

I got my first pony when I moved form junior to secondary school. My dad decided a pony would keep me from getting interested in boys!

 

[Helena88]

17

 

[jacks_mum]

i had to wait until i was 30. i nagged my parents constantly from when I was about 2 until i left home. then couldn't afford one. moved into a city for work and finally moved out to the country agian when i 25. I met a girl who needed her accounts doing and we swapped my services for occasional riding. before too long i had one on loan at her stables and when he moved away i got a bank loan and bought Trooper. He died following an accident 5 years later and I now have Jack and Pepper.

 

[peapod]

I've had ponies since I was about 3 - but I bought my own when I was 15.

 

[Bex7]

28!!!!!

 

[tuscanyD]

I was 32. My parents didn't [and still don't] drive and we were living on the bread line. At 12 yrs I rang every riding stable in the book until I found one on a direct bus route. That was Park Farm in Northwood and it was a 40 min journey every saturday but I did it come rain or shine and never complained about which horse I rode [these days kids seem to be able to choose!!]

I kept riding at schools and other peoples horses and took exams and became an instructor, rode a great variety of beasts - until at 32 I decided it was like having kids and there was never a 'right' time and if I waited til I could afford it it would neverr happen. So my current mare is my first and only! I sold my flat in 2003 so I could keep her!

 

[_April_]

I then took riding lessons for a few years and after mucking out my mum's horse for a good long while to prove I was really interested I got my own pony at 12, a lovely 13.2 Grey sweet as pie mare.

I then put her on loan to a family where she lived for about 10 years before passing on. In the meantime I had a brilliant 13.2 speedy gonazales on loan who loved all the things I wanted to do ie zoom about, jump and do PC games. She went back to her owners when I outgrew her but I'm still in touch and see her about twice a year.

Did a good few Pony Club camps and they are brilliant fun, plus spending a week under such intensive instruction helped me come on leaps and bounds.

I did have my own horse till about 3 years ago, when sadly she was PTS with grass sickness.
I quit riding for about a year after that but I'm back into it now with the help of a wonderful 14.2 mare who I have on loan who I'm having great fun with and learning alot!

 

[katelarge]

I win!! 34!!!

I started riding at 7 and wanted my own pony but there was little money coming in to the house so it was out of the question. It was hard because all my friends got one and not me. It was the first time I realised we were poor! Stil, these things teach you to be strong I suppose.
Went off to Uni at 18 and then moved to Lodon, this was a horse-free period in my life. Then after an unhappy marriage I got back into it, god knows why! Started with weekly lessons, then had a horse share, then moved out to the sticks - and I now own the horse I used to share!

I didn't miss out on the kiddy stuff as I did ride but I never had that feeling of a horse being "my own", and it to be honest it's still hard to get my head round even now!

 

[PoppyPony]

2 days after my 17th birthday (about 2 weeks ago!)
I've loaned since I was 13.

 

[Faithkat]

You had to wait till you were 18!!!! I waited <span style="color:red">40 years </span> and was 46 when I got the first one!!!

 

[Christmas_Kate]

Heck, I've never actually 'owned' a horse of my own.

I started riding at 4. My mum was horse mad, and we lived on a farm. I used to ride the big hunters on a lead rein. My dad hated horses (he still does). When I went to school i sobbed knowing my mum would be riding out and I couldnt go!
By then I was truly hooked, and pony crazy. My dad finally gave in and let me have lessons. I exercised quite a few hunters (there was no question of liability etc then!) and begged rides from people.
Then when I was about 11 or 12 my mum's friend said I could have her daughters old pony. Who was a complete phsycho. Desperate, i said yes, and he taught me alot. My mum finally made me 'give him up when he threw me off onetoo many times and smashed my face up. She couldnt quite belive that after being thrown, I had walked (with broken ribs and nose) to find him, then untacked him, washed him down, and put him to bed. I refused to go to hospital until he'd dried off.....

Then I had another loan which my dad had no idea about. if the first was a phsyco...well this was completely bl**dy nuts. I was bolted with and thrown off. I did learn how to sit a buck though.... I had a few jobs on yards and stuff during this time, and also part loaned a sec d thing, which was green as anything.
I then 'gave up' on horses for 8 years. Found the stud after I moved back to the village, and the rest is history. We now have a little 12hh welsh x for the kids, and I'm on the look out for something for myself.

 

[Claireg9]

18 Months old!

 

[MagicMelon]

I nagged for years until I got one when I was 10 or 11. I think it taught me a lot about responsibility as he was all my responsibility.