People who rode in London/urban areas before the 2000s

[Labaire]

I was born in Ewell and lived there until I was 7 (1977). I don’t remember these yards but I had pony rides and parents kept our ponies in a stables off the Hook Road. In the 70s, lions escaped from the circus and killed a horse, and injured another ( a hackney) who was later PTS. I also remember a place that had a couple of Shetlands, one was called Dolly and she’d had gone through a horrible attack which she survived. We moved the ponies to Ashtead before then moving up to Suffolk in 78. Grandparents lived in Epsom and I remember grandad taking me to one of the yards to see the horses but I can’t remember the chaps name we met-I could ask mum. Still have my rosettes fromHorseman’s Sunday!

 

[splashgirl45]

Oh wow, I passed this on to her and she’s so happy to hear it! Yes, she’s Linda. We had Goldie all his life, he was 33 I think, and I learnt to ride on him. Mum also ended up with a TB mare who she named Queenie after the Lizzie’s Queenie.

Is it ok if she messages you? She isn’t on the forum but can use my account! I know she’s love to share memories and hear how Jean is doing.

have sent you a pm with an update of news for mum

 

[laura_nash]

I used to ride at Adel Wood equestrian centre in Leeds. Our normal hack involved crossing the dual carriageway ring-road both ways. They used to get to the central reservation and stick their heads down to eat the grass, with traffic bombing past at 70mph in front an behind.

I liveried at Adel Wood for a few years as a teenager.

I remember one time a (possibly slightly tipsy) fellow rider going for a canter on the central reservation while we stood and waited for her - it was very quiet though I think it was very early in the morning.

The horses had to be solid in traffic but I do remember some close shaves, including a police chase coming past when we were all out for a "day ride" to Harewood House.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I was at Nightingale with Tommy when I first bought Dolly.

We later moved to Bury Farm, before moving to Epping.

I used to be at Bury farm when Mandy Luesley was there.

 

[Pinkvboots]

yes remember that yard, and there was also barnfield, woodlands, bury farm and sue budds yard, ....then there was high beech rs and nightingale rs with the lovely tommy robinson, a real horseman who sadly died a couple of years ago..i miss the area as i knew everyone and it was nice hacking...

I remember all those I worked at pine Lodge for a while when Syd had it as well, I also worked ar Fairmead farm with Austin to you remember them? I worked at high beech with Gloria as well.

 

[splashgirl45]

yes remember them, and mandy....its a small world

 

[TheresaW]

Mandy is still going. Not at Bury Farm anymore. She has her own place and breeds some amazing foals.

 

[teapot]

Mandy is still going. Not at Bury Farm anymore. She has her own place and breeds some amazing foals.

Great coach and assessor too!

 

[Cheval Gal]

I had a horse at Trent Park in the 80s, and can't ever remember non-liveries or those who were not pupils of the riding school using our hacking. It was amazing to hack round there because you never had to touch a road.

As others have said, the horse world was a lot more 'earthy' back then. I miss it.

 

[View]

I second that. First time I met her she was chief assessor for my PTT - she couldn’t do enough to calm my nerves and make sure I was OK (6 weeks post ankle fracture).

Have since been to a CPD day at her yard. So friendly, so happy to pass on knowledge and not afraid to listen when a student has in depth knowledge on something.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Mandy is still going. Not at Bury Farm anymore. She has her own place and breeds some amazing foals.

I know her place I used to rent a field opposite it before she bought it and she kept all her mares and foals there so I used to see her a lot back then, it's totally different now it was just fields and a log cabin then.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Mandy is still going. Not at Bury Farm anymore. She has her own place and breeds some amazing foals.

It's not far from fairmead farm (Austin) do you remember the place or him? Her drive was next to the montessori school.

 

[hobo]

I rode at Westways in Hounslow all through the 70's. It was right under a flight path for Heathrow which was very close by, so the planes were very low and loud!

Snap I rode at Westways mid 70's . I also took my own horse there to some shows late 70's. I used to ride in Donkey woods, Hounslow heath, hanworth airfield, bushy park and I would race the lorries round heathrow's perimater(sp) road and take my pony to watch concord take off. I can not believe how good my pony was I just took it for granted and I was not the nervous nelly I am now.