Nostalgia. Does Anyone remember The Old Thread On Things We Used To Do & Use? I've Lo

[Maesfen]

Unashamedly, on the back of the 'old fashioned horsemanship' thread, does anyone remember a thread about 18 months ago, maybe even longer, that was reminiscing about the things we used to do and use that have changed now? Sadly I forgot to save my copy as it was fascinating and a real trip down memory lane. I've tried a search but good though the new search thing is, I haven't found it yet so can we start another one for the newer members amongst us - unless someone else has a saved copy of course!

So, do you remember Jacatex clothing, the putty riding macs, string girths, jute rugs and non stretch jodhpurs? If so, please let's hear your memories.

 

[Halfstep]

My strongest memories are of horrid, heavy, smelly and uncomfortable canvas New Zealand rugs. Thank god for modern breathable well fitting turnouts! Although I have a fondness for those lovely woolen day rugs we used to use .

String girths. Yes, especially scrubbing white ones for shows - with carbolic soap in the kitchen sink!

The first generation of safety hats with those awful plastic chin cups. My parents made me wear one and I felt like such a looser.

Candy striped puffa jackets.

Flat caps. There was a trend for these when I was around 13 or 14. Why? Who knows!!!

White on everything (this was for SJ). I had white rubber reins, white bit guards, white plastic tendon boots (remember them? Useless things), white rubber over reach boots, and a white string girth. I thought I was the most fashionable thing ever! And I had my initials embroidered on my saddlecloth. Get me!!!

Bread poultices. A slice of white bread soaked in epsom salts and hot water. the best thing ever for drawing out pus, in the days before animalintex.

I don't think too much nostalgia is a good thing. In general, nutrition, veterinary and dental care, shoeing and saddlery, and rugs are so much better now, horses must be more comfortable.

 

[Double_choc_lab]

Yellow scratchy polo neck jumpers
Rubberised riding macs
Sixpence for the phone box
Hacking to shows and PC - then hacking home again
Bran, oats and pony nuts
Sitting on a straw bale to watch Badminton showjumping - only two lots of stands then (40 yrs ago)
String riding gloves
having a saddle for Christmas without even trying it on pony - never thought of measuring in those days
No "back man", no whisperer, no TT,no pirelli, just your manual of Horsemanship,common sense and ex military or mounted police to instruct at PC

I could go on and on

 

[Kat]

String gloves that shrank when you washed them (or closed up as my mother used to say) in canary!! I have lasting memories of trying to ram my fingers into them...

Plastic chin cups, I had one for my beagler that had a harness that went round the hat. It was the height of safety back in the days when hats didn't have straps! The riding school I went to used elastic under the chin on the hats they lent to clients - and thought this was very safe and responsible!

I didn't have a candy striped puffa but lots of the girls on the yard did, my mum wouldn't buy me one as I had a waxed jacket and that was properly waterproof so why did I need a puffa??? Because my wax jacket is freezing mum!!!

 

[Maesfen]

Oi you, I still have a candy stripe Puffa, lol! I still use an old fashioned woolen day rug, nothing smarter IMV especially with the matching roller, tail guard and bandages, lol, anal, that's me!

My riding hat too only had a bit of elastic, those chin cups were very new!

Yellow scratchy polo neck jumpers
Rubberised riding macs
Sixpence for the phone box
Hacking to shows and PC - then hacking home again
Bran, oats and pony nuts
Sitting on a straw bale to watch Badminton showjumping - only two lots of stands then (40 yrs ago)
String riding gloves
having a saddle for Christmas without even trying it on pony - never thought of measuring in those days
No "back man", no whisperer, no TT,no pirelli, just your manual of Horsemanship,common sense and ex military or mounted police to instruct at PC

I could go on and on

Too true!

I remember Hickstead before the bank was built and they had roughish wooden stables at the top of the hill with little Jane Summer (not Anne! ) allowed to wander free until Ted whistled her.

Having to walk to the stables (6 miles!) through Croydon at the crack of dawn if I wanted to be at the stables early because the buses didn't run until 8.

Taking the riding school ponies to a local fete to give rides and being in charge of them at only 14/15!

Hacking miles to rallies or local shows, taking part in every unsuitable class and still hacking back in the dark tired and hungry but blissfully happy because I had had a pony for the day.

The awe we were in when one went to Porlock for training and passed her BHSAI which was a new test!

Going to White City and Haringey for the Royal International and HOYS and watching and meeting my heroes like Pat Smythe, the d'Inzeo brothers, a very young David Broome, Foxhunter, Wilf White & Nizefela (who I was lucky enough to work for many years later)

The list is endless but I want to hear your memories, not mine!.

 

[ThePony]

I remember those awful plastic cups. I had one on my jockey skull, I thought I was the coolest thing around when I got my skull cap, had a velvet one before that. Was so thrilled with my hat that instead of the plastic chin thing I brought a webbing and suede one, nice! Was convinced that it had to be welded onto my head to stay there so rode around with my teeth permanently clenched! My body protector (bought to 'grow into'!) that did up with strings between your legs. Friends had the tarten harry hall ones, I was soooo jealous! I rode my pony in a single joint, loose ring snaffle, if we did something where she was strong I had a kimblewick - I think there were only those two bits in the whole world!
Had the shrinking string gloves, also had a knitted cream tie for hunting, lovely!

 

[ThePony]

ohh, and actually it was fantastic when you could watch olympia, badminton etc on normal telly at a normal time, brilliant!

 

[charlie76]

Caldene Jodphurs that stretched so far you could pull them over your head after one wear!
And Loveson rubber boots that used to take the whole family to pull off your feet!
We still use Jute rugs in the riding school for drying off and have been known to use them with a string vest sweat rug and thatch them with straw- now that is old fashioned!!

 

[Kat]

I remember those awful plastic cups. I had one on my jockey skull, I thought I was the coolest thing around when I got my skull cap, had a velvet one before that. Was so thrilled with my hat that instead of the plastic chin thing I brought a webbing and suede one, nice! Was convinced that it had to be welded onto my head to stay there so rode around with my teeth permanently clenched!

YES! Mine was tight on my first skull cap but instead of making me clench my teeth it made me look a bit slack jawed and chinless as it sort of pulled my chin back towards my neck....... nice........

On my skull the chin cup was rubber lined with foam, my friend had a suede one but my mum didn't think they were very safe...... I was frankly shocked when I returned to riding after a few years break to find no one had chin cups anymore!!

So who remembers when those coloured nylon bristle brushes came out and you could buy colour co-ordinated grooming kit instead of just brown/beige everything???

 

[Kat]

Caldene Jodphurs that stretched so far you could pull them over your head after one wear!
And Loveson rubber boots that used to take the whole family to pull off your feet!

Oh yes!!! I was still wearing my age 11 Caldene jodhs at 23!!! They were an improvement on the previous pair that had so little stretch that my mum had to help me put them on - she'd pull them up by the waist and sometimes she'd pull so hard she lifted me off my feet. Everything I had was bought to grow into and was expected to last me........

So it was either 3 sizes too big or 3 sizes too small! In fact my stylo rubber boots are still a shoe size too big! They only come up to mid calf though.

 

[Onyxia]

Haha,the colour grooming kit was a welcome addition.
The chin cups were awfull-I always had a spotty chin as a kid but never since the chin cup went,funny that

Beige Harry Hall jodhs were the thing to be seen in,and of course muckers (but NEVER do the straps up,the more **** you could get in the velcro the better!).

The first synthetic saddles,god some of them were ugly

 

[swalk]

Oooh, those chin cups were awful, mine always ended up all chewed and raggedy and it was always soggy inside! And you would always get told horror stories about how some child's lip had been cut off by the chewed edge of the chin cup.
I also remember buying a new saddle but it went on everything from a 12.2 welshie to a 16.3 WB and it fitted them all fine (with the odd bit of help from a crupper or breastplate).
I remember the first time I saw a bridle that wasn't brown or black. It was about 17yrs ago at Market Bosworth show, I was in the judges box for some reason and a steward came in and announced 'I've managed to get that awful pink bridle removed from that pony's head'.
Kimblewicks were very popular when I was young, does anyone use them now?

 

[Irishlife]

I simply cannot resist this one!

Jacatex - Yes please may I join your clique! I used to drool over the quarter page ads in "Pony" and longed for a riding mackintosh in putty (still do).

I proudly and unashamedly admit to having two letters published in "Pony" in the "Vet to the Rescue" column. I still have the hard copy replies typed on a manual typewriter.

Faded rosettes with child writing on the back of each one.

"Well done, jolly good try" (especially remembering "Bonnie" who bolted in the Walk Trot and Gallop race - got a Consolation rosette for a Jolly good try - I was five and still remember holding onto the pommel with not a care in the world while Bonnie tanked it through the show ground).

Millets - the first pair of stretch jodphurs I bought.

Local jumble sales where I aquired custom made hacking jackets and elephant ear jodphurs in calvary twill.

I only bought a hat harness because it was "cool".

Always (and still do) stitch up ribbons on hats due to fear of MFH's everywhere.

Dressing up to ride through the Royal parks in navy jacket polka dot stock and shiny tack and boots. BUmping into Mr Quinn who took his hacks out from the riding school there in a black jacket and bowler hat. Jumping over the park benches and cantering over old turf between the trees.

Hacking to shows at dawn and returning in the dark with rosettes on the bridle, a haversack that had a dandy brush in it and oats for pony's lunch.

Baler twine and a hoofpick in the pocket and a few pony nuts.

Keeping my eyes peeled for packs of fox cubs because Pony Club rules stated must always report them to MFH.

I still have a nostalgic tin of Properts saddle soap on my dresser - also handy for nailing up as bridle holders.

JUte rugs, canvas NZs,

Woolen day rugs with yes Initials embroidered in the corner, Tattersall check summer sheets, plaited fiillet strings.

I could also be here all day but will leave for now and be back with more ramblings.

 

[marmalade76]

We had heavy canvas NZs and jute stable rugs. I had sting girths with matching plaited nylon reins (mine were red).

Hacking miles to shows, there was one, sometimes two every weekend, hardly any now! Would do as many classes as possible, now, I can barely afford to do one as the entry fees are sooo expensive.

I also had a candy striped Puffa and a Barbour. In my teens, I moved on to the white rubber reins, black bridle with white piping on nose and browband, white numnah, girth and white flappy Westropp OR boots.

Sorry about the quality, but that's my then pone modeling the white accessories!


There are lots of old fashioned things I love and still use, I have a heavy wool day rug I would still use if I was to go out competing and I had a few old string vest style sweat rugs, most of them white.

 

[Rosehip]

Being 'only' 27, I may be a tad behind with the nostalgia, but I too remember Jute rugs, woolen day rugs and blankets and string vets! I loved them all and still use them! Theres nothing I like better than layering my beloved mare up for the night all snug with a stripy surcingle over the top to secure it! My filly wears the new fangled stuff, but Mels is my slip back to tradition!
I definately dont miss chin cups or god awful NZ'z, but I DO miss calling them NZ's!! Why are they 'turnouts' now???

 

[georgiegirl]

I remember having a rather fetching body protector with a strap that went from the back up inbetween your legs - I hated that thing!

 

[eggs]

Remember everything already mentioned. Particularly loathed the plastic chin cup that made your chin sweat like crazy and gave me spots.

Never thought to use bread but did use bran as a poultice.

Heavy anti-cast rollers - x-surcingles had not yet been thought of.

Still have a pair of white(ish) rubber reins lurking in the tackroom.

Leather brushing boots with tiny straps which were almost impossible to undo when your fingers were cold.

My first back protector was about 18" wide and 2'6" long made out of a type of foam with an elastic strap round your middle. Felt very protected with the "new" back protector which went round your whole body and did up between your legs.

Spending hours untangling nylon string girths when I snuck them into the washing machine without my mother noticing.

Jods only came in shades of beige but had the advantge of being so thick your celluite was well hidden.

I could go on ...

 

[barbaraNcolin]

Also still being a "young'un" (at only 25) my nostalgia is also a bit lacking but I do remember...
Canvas rugs being called new zealands and being sooooo heavy when wet when I was still little, trying to chuck them up over the pony's back
Mucker boots, there's no way I would ride in them things these days! The loveson ones were all the rage but looking back now there's no strength or structure to them
String vest rugs and waffle rugs, I love my waffle rugs and buy loads when I see them in the tack shops nowadays
Back protectors with a fanny strap
EVERYTHING being white for pony BSJA

 

[MurphysMinder]

I still have a candy striped puffa too.
Remember all the above, plus more. Used to hack to all the shows, pc rallies etc, think the furthest we did in a day was 12 miles each way, competing in every class we could at the show in the middle. I remember when the trend was for matching plaited nylon reins and string girths, my chestnut had yellow and the grey had blue, oh and matching plastic covered browbands too. In the winter we used to give a bran mash, with added potato peelings, once a week. Ponies lived out without rugs or field shelter, just thick coats and hedge to get them through awful winters (who else remembers 63?).

 

[mattilda]

Jute stable rugs with a surcingle and a blanket under it from the armynavy surplus store.
Fed bran with every feed.
One NZ rug for all weathers.
I also remember thatching. Straw under the old string vest style sweat rugs.

 

[lh1975]

So nice to remember all those things! I used to do the bran mash with a dollop of molasses - used to love the smell : ) Thatching with an anti sweat rug was another and hacking to shows with a rucksack on my back and then telling my Mum later that day that I crossed roads that were pretty much motorways - sorry Mum! Also remember trying to pull off my boots and failing miserably - and the first riding hat I had which was paper thin but that was the standard then.

Does anyone remember Horse and Pony magazine as it used to be? Used to love the diary about Sultan the pony...

Aaah, happy days!

 

[dotty1]

Who remembers Rags the Blue Peter RDA pony, a lovely dapple grey mare, I think they had a black one after her??
I had a back protector that was just a piece of polystyrene with an elastic belt, you stuffed it up your jumper and looked like a hunchback.
Canvas NZ rugs that you had tot do the surcingle up really tight to keep it straight and it was lined with a bit of old balnket. My poor old tb would have been in heaven these days, he must have been so cold.
Velvet riding hats with elastic that you had to keep tying in knots as it stretched, then the webbing harness you could put over the hat to give you a chin cup to hold it on.
Husky jackets and waistcoats, they were really thin and again you must have been frozen. If you were posh you had a Lavenham with the cord collar!!
String gloves that got really baggy after a days hunting in the rain and got filthy really quickly.
Jute stable rugs with witney wool blankets under. They were so heavy you nearly got squashed when pulling them off, don't know how the horses stayed standing in them
Extra Tail fly repellent, only in aerosol cans then in bottles at a later date.....the only fly repellant available then.
String and then lampwick girths
I used to get Pony magazine, all in black and white I think
So much is more comfortable/easier these days.......

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

I remember the post vaguely.

I certainly do remember string girths, NZ rugs and hats with plastic cup chin straps!

I always find it amazing the vast array of rugs we have now, in the old days you either had a NZ rug or did not rug your horse at all!

There were only a few types of feed about too! Cool mix and stud mix for example.
Brushes were wood handles only, none of this soft plastic/rubbery comfortable material.

There was only saddle soap and neatsfoot

Carr and Day and Martin were the main producer of alot of horsey products, I used to love the cartoon horse!

Am sure there is so much more...

 

[zsmm4]

what a fantastic thread! So many memories.

 

[m3gan]

My riding school's "menage" was an old tennis court! Where we were shouted at for looking like you were were sitting on a toilet etc.and ritually humilitated! We were made to ride without stirrups and do round the world and loads of other things, the riding school ponies all had various quirks, probably would be banned today cos of health and safety! the one I used to get to ride was called Grey Rabbit, the reason being you could not stop the him. It certainly taught me so much.

My friend and I would hack miles to shows, and we didn't even have proper saddles, just a sort of pancake to sit in! But we had such fun!!

 

[Katie__Connie]

I still use jute rugs

 

[miss_bird]

had 1 saddle between 4 ponies/horses and just changed the numnahs.
getting up at 5 to prep for a show, hack miles there do loads of classes, head home with rosettes hung on bridle.
Rubber riding boots that nearly took your leg with them when you tried to get them off.

 

[Ditchjumper2]

I remember Jacatex....was so excited to get a black jacket with a red lining for Christmas....and guess what, sad I know, but I still have it in the back of the wardrobe! Also remember:

Saddles were serge lined
Those webbing girths where there were 2 of them as 1 was not safe
Most bits were made of nickle
Bits were snaffle or twisted snaffle
Drop nosebands and standing martingales
Riding the riding school ponies to and from field bareback in a headcollar
Being at riding school all day to earn a free ride....as above
Rubber riding boots that made your legs sweat, with a nice yellow polo so you looked like Jill from the Jill books
Entry fees for jumping £1.00 or 50p for gymkhana
Chase me Charlie and barrel jumping
Those canvas NZ rugs (worldbeater?) where the legs straps were leather with chain on the end

 

[apes_mum]

Candy striped puffa jackets.

Flat caps. There was a trend for these when I was around 13 or 14. Why? Who knows!!!

White on everything (this was for SJ). I had white rubber reins, white bit guards, white plastic tendon boots (remember them? Useless things), white rubber over reach boots, and a white string girth. I thought I was the most fashionable thing ever! And I had my initials embroidered on my saddlecloth. Get me!!! :Quote:

Ha ha! omg I so remember the flat cap trend. Everyone at our yard (full of teenage girls) used to wear one and we thought we were so trendy!!!
I can remember when the Candy Striped Puffa jackets first came out. I couldn't afford one, and wanted one so badly, but had to make do with my stiff old wax jacket! And the white accessories!! no self respecting teen would enter a class without them!!
Hilarious!

 

[Borderreiver]

Ah riding school days! Yes the days of Jacatex and elastic band hats.

I remember the first plastic curry combs, only in black and called a 'flexy'

My riding was done at a dealers/school so we rode everything from newly broken three yr old ponies to ancient retired hunters, thru all the nags from the local sales.

That lovely feeling of wanting to do everything, not minding what the horse did you were never scared. Cantering for miles on my first picnic ride, two days after I first sat on a pony!

Feeding brewers oats which were cheap and the horses loved them.

As to striped Puffa jackets, bring them back please, so much nicer than the black and brown short length ones you get now. I still have a nice navy and white striped one which is so comfy and warm.