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

[coblets]

what was it like? What memories do you have of it, or experiences that you made that wouldn’t be possible in the modern day?

Reading through people’s memories on the Ewell Village Stables thread, and some other older threads about horses in London, all of which are making me think how tragic it is that so many yards have closed down, and how bad the roads have gotten in certain areas. Feels like urban horsemanship is a subculture of its own and it’s starting to disappear.

 

[fredflop]

If you look at a lot of the “older” areas of London there’s some lovely open spaces and green places.

unfortunately rocketing house/land prices has put paid to these

 

[cindars]

My sister worked at Civil Service Riding stables nr Marble Arch. She used to take me riding in Rotten Row.Later she worked at Wimbledon Village stables so used to ride there as well. The Common was wonderful.This would have been the 50s.after I got married and moved to Dartford rode at Bexley. Also used to ride from stables in Streatham and Brixton to Tooting Common.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I rode in urban Belfast in my teens. The pony I rode was kept in stables that were part of a yard of garages.
He was an absolute rock in traffic, and we would often go on day trips to the beach.
Only photo I can find, this is Arthur outside my mam & da's house in East Belfast, note the double yellow lines.
Isn't my da's hair amazing? I was about 16 here, so more than 30 years ago.

 

[Gloi]

In the 70s whenever I went to London (which wasn't often) I always went to a stables very near Hyde park and went for a group hack on Rotten Row.

 

[Dave's Mam]

We also had a flat bed cart & would take the local kids for a picnic, or just even a spin round the block.

 

[piebaldproblems]

If you look at a lot of the “older” areas of London there’s some lovely open spaces and green places.

unfortunately rocketing house/land prices has put paid to these

Some of the outskirts near the Kent Border, and in the very West of London too have quite a few fields dotted around here and there.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I rode in Chingford at The Queen Elizabeth riding school as a kid and went to a private stables in Tottenham as well, my dads friend had a small stables in Edmonton I used to muck out and ride after school with his kids it was great fun.

 

[shortstuff99]

I used to ride in the early '90s at Mill Hill in London

 

[daffy44]

I also rode in Mill Hill, but in the 80's, I also rode on Hampstead Heath, I used to hack there across the North Circular, I was about eight yrs old when I would take my pony across the North Circular. I remember seeing the Army horses on their morning exercise from the barracks at St Johns Wood going through the Whitestone pond in the mornings.

 

[Snowfilly]

I rode in Chingford at The Queen Elizabeth riding school as a kid and went to a private stables in Tottenham as well, my dads friend had a small stables in Edmonton I used to muck out and ride after school with his kids it was great fun.

My mum learnt at the Lizzie and was then head girl there for years! She brought the palomino pony Goldie from there, she often talks about Blackie and Cadet the Dartmoors, Brumby who was lazy and Queenie who was old when she started there.

 

[Pinkvboots]

My mum learnt at the Lizzie and was then head girl there for years! She brought the palomino pony Goldie from there, she often talks about Blackie and Cadet the Dartmoors, Brumby who was lazy and Queenie who was old when she started there.

How many years ago was she there I dont recognise those ponies, I was there when Gill Day owned it in the late seventies and eighties.

I think Kevin run it after Gill.

 

[Snowfilly]

You would have been a bit after her then I think, she worked for Gill for a couple of years but was mostly under the previous owner Mrs Cooper.

Kevin run it until it was sold for building a few years back, I popped in when I was in the area and he was there.

 

[View]

There were a few of us around on the southside of Glasgow who kept horses either at home, or in a nearby field in the middle of houses. Our lad was fine if trains passed beside him, but couldn't stand being on the bridge over the line if a train was passing. Rode before and after school in the winter to give him as much exercise as possible, long hacks at the weekend both days. Summer evenings were much appreciated when we could do enough work after school. This was in the early 80s.

 

[cremedemonthe]

In the 90's I was working on site repairing and fitting saddles etc all round the South East, was a regular at Wimbledon Village Stables, Ridgway Stables and Wimbledon Common rangers (next to the Windmill) plus dozens of other around Tadworth, Banstead, Epsom , Horley, Charlwood, Reigate, Dorking, Oxted, Caterham and many more
Was far more laid back in those days, real down to earth.

 

[CMcC]

I also rode in Mill Hill, but in the 80's, I also rode on Hampstead Heath, I used to hack there across the North Circular, I was about eight yrs old when I would take my pony across the North Circular. I remember seeing the Army horses on their morning exercise from the barracks at St Johns Wood going through the Whitestone pond in the mornings.

There used to be donkeys rides at the Whitestone Pond, every time we saw them I had a tantrum until my mum let me go on the donkeys.
I remember seeing people riding on Hampstead Heath and being very jealous, maybe it was you Daffy!

 

[OldNag]

Yes, in the 70s and 80s.

I started with a stables based in Streatham/Tooting where we road on Tooting Bec (there was a sand school there), also rode at Dulwich, Willowtree and New Lodge.

We did go out on the roads sometimes at Dulwich but the park was a godsend, and there were 2 schools.

Edit to say Dulwich is still going, don't know about the others. I moved out of London years ago.

 

[Widgeon]

I used to hack there across the North Circular

I'm afraid this made me laugh out loud - I'm only in my thirties (grew up in Surrey) and I literally can't imagine anyone ever doing this. I was having a little think about horses on the roads the other day though, and came to the conclusion that the world is just speeding up and there's increasingly little space and time for horses :-( Does anyone else have photos of their memories? I always really enjoy these threads and the ones reminiscing about London riding schools.

 

[Skib]

There are still stables in London and RSs. Most of them are near Parks or open ground. Plus 2 or three urban riding centres where "deprived" kids can ride. My grandchildren went to Lee Valley.
But we dont hack on roads. The only city centre riding I have ever done is to get from the Mews to Hyde Park, and that involves traffic lights and double decker buses. The RS horses are used to it and if you drive a car in London, I guess it is sort of normal. Could be terrifying for visitors not used to our traffic though. And I doubt if I could find and ride the route on my own. I havent riden at Wimbledon myself, but I have seen how the horses there leave the yard as a group and go along the main roads to the Common.

 

[Karran]

I rode at willowtree in South London from the very late 80's, on and off through the 90's until the early 2000's when I went away to uni. It was tucked down some back streets on scrap land belonging to the railway line. We had no hacking, very little jumping. Rode in a indoor school. I wasn't a very brave or competitive rider (still ain't!) and my parents didn't have the money to involve me but they did a lot of successful showing and breeding of Arabs.
The horses regularly went to a farm near Hastings for a month off/turnout. Its been closed now for a few years. Photo not mine and pinched from the facebook group page.

 

[Littlebear]

I grew up on an east London council estate, although we travelled to keep the horses on a yard, there were many people who had horses in converted sheds in the gardens, i was a teenager and me and my friends used to borrow them and ride them round the streets and parks, they were completely safe and didn't seem to mind being ridden once in a blue moon or maybe having no fear helped alot at the time.
When i think back now they were couped up in really very cramped conditions and coped really very well. I am not sure it would be so well received now but it was not uncommon back then.
I also rode at Hyde Park but that was different entirely, those horses go for holidays and are very well used to solid London traffic. A great experience still though.

 

[Fransurrey]

In 2000 I got my first pony as an adult and kept him just outside Dartford. Having ridden around Bolton the urban sprawl wasn't a shock, but the number of trotters in sulkies was, as were the superbike champion wannabes (it was quite near Brands Hatch). I couldn't do it, now. I remember trying a horse a couple of years ago before I bought my boy and the lady was in Wokingham. I was terrified on the roads, there!

 

[J&S]

I rode in London in the early 70's before my daughter was born and also in mid 70's prior to my son being born.
I could write a book about the ex racer I used to ride from Roehampton Gate, (Mr White's I think?) She was called Cheddar Cross and despite a rather bad start where she was hit by a car when exercising from her racing yard and going into private ownernship of a pretty hap hazard lady whose ad I answered in the personal column of the Times, she did end up happily installed with a wealthy owner who bred a lovely foal from her near Chessington Zoo. For a while whilst I was riding this horse a girl friend of mine rode a nice ex polo pony that belonged to our local scrap men at World's End. They had won the pony in some bet I think. They had her stabled and properly looked after at Roehampton.
The other horse I rode was on livery yard on Wimbledon Common and he was a bit of a devil and all of us would get bucked off at some point or other but, I did ride him round Robin Hood roundabout to get from Wimbledon to Roehampton Park one time!!
I also rode with Mr Crawford in the village at Wimbledon, I rode a nice pony who I think had been his daughter's show jumper. We once took a friend who was a real Hell's Angel, he said he could ride but actually couldn't and ended up on a lead rein....... great image???
For a one winter we rode some where near Epsom and went on the edge of the Downs, I remember a nice big grey mare called Tosca, mine was a fun little black horse but sadly can't remember his name. My friend and I used to take a really flamboyant chap with us, a fashion designer with loads of dyed blonde hair........ it was the 70's remember!
One time I rode a palomino horse on Rotten Row to be photographed for some thing, can't remember what, I do remember having lots of henna on my hair and wearing a matching roll neck pullover. The horse came from one of the Mews stables.
Basically, if one loves horses and riding one will find opportunity any where one can.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I've ridden along Tottenham High Road and Fore Street in Edmonton I wouldn't do it now!!

I used to ride along lea Valley canal from Tottenham marshes up to the North circular road at Edmonton as our field was right near the road there, the horses went up there once a week for a couple of days then we would ride a few more up there and bring the others back.

 

[Coblover63]

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!

 

[TheresaW]

My Dolly came from Kevin at the Queen Lizzie stables. She was at a yard in Buckhurst Hill when I bought her 20 years ago.

 

[coblets]

I rode in London in the early 70's before my daughter was born and also in mid 70's prior to my son being born.
I could write a book about the ex racer I used to ride from Roehampton Gate, (Mr White's I think?) She was called Cheddar Cross and despite a rather bad start where she was hit by a car when exercising from her racing yard and going into private ownernship of a pretty hap hazard lady whose ad I answered in the personal column of the Times, she did end up happily installed with a wealthy owner who bred a lovely foal from her near Chessington Zoo. For a while whilst I was riding this horse a girl friend of mine rode a nice ex polo pony that belonged to our local scrap men at World's End. They had won the pony in some bet I think. They had her stabled and properly looked after at Roehampton.

Was this at the livery in Roehampton that still remains? I’ve seen their horses - in particular, a grey stallion - go riding past in Richmond Park, but never seen any signs of a stables on that side of the park.

 

[teapot]

Was this at the livery in Roehampton that still remains? I’ve seen their horses - in particular, a grey stallion - go riding past in Richmond Park, but never seen any signs of a stables on that side of the park.

Stag Lodge? It has two yards, one livery, one riding school.

Hyde Park is still going but they'll rarely if ever let anyone canter in Hyde Park, and Wimbledon Village Stables are still open too.

 

[PeterNatt]

I kept my Tri-Coloured Skewbald Cob in Mill Hill and Totteridge in North London between 1978 and 1990 and hacked to Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath as well as riding on Wimbledon Common, Richmond Park and Trent Park. My horse was totally bomb proof and spook proof but on one occasion as we were hacking past Trafalger Square the pigeons took off and we ended up galloping through the red traffic lights and along The Mall, stopping at Buckingham Palace! Here is a photo of three of us going around Trafalgar Square: (Left to Right) Tracy Bailey on Mr Frisk, Bob Champion on Jigsaw and myself on Rhys (Owned by Ross and Kirstie Nye of the Ross Nye Stables). (We were completing the last stage of the Bob Champion Ride For Life and heading for Buckingham Palace).

 

[daffy44]

There used to be donkeys rides at the Whitestone Pond, every time we saw them I had a tantrum until my mum let me go on the donkeys.
I remember seeing people riding on Hampstead Heath and being very jealous, maybe it was you Daffy!

I loved those donkeys! I used to go and stroke them and sniff their noses, but I never got to ride them, my riding on the Heath came a bit later.