Radnage House Riding School - who learned to ride there?

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Rueysmum

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There have been several posts in the last few days in which Radnage House Riding School is mentioned.

I learned to ride there, starting as a 5 year old in 1968.

The first horse I rode was called Robin and I still have a photo of me on him. I also remember Nesta (skewbald mare who nobody wanted to ride as she was so slow), Taffy (dark bay welsh type who was even slower), Frolic (palomino/chestnut mare who very sadly died of colic), also Acorn, really lovely Exmoor type and very fast), Freddy (chestnut mare who I borrowed for a mock hunt c. 1972), Sabine (bay mare), Rosina (another bay mare), Buster (dark bay lightweight Sec B type) and Scipio (lovely strawberry roan) who was there on loan for the summer.

And how could I forget Edwina? (Acorn's half brother - about 12 hands and a little madam).

I (had) her for a week during my first "rIding course" when I was about 8, and she wouldn't let me pick her feet out.

Any more Bucks oldies out there???? Happy days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Rueysmum said:
There have been several posts in the last few days in which Radnage House Riding School is mentioned.

I learned to ride there, starting as a 5 year old in 1968.

The first horse I rode was called Robin and I still have a photo of me on him. I also remember Nesta (skewbald mare who nobody wanted to ride as she was so slow), Taffy (dark bay welsh type who was even slower), Frolic (palomino/chestnut mare who very sadly died of colic), also Acorn, really lovely Exmoor type and very fast), Freddy (chestnut mare who I borrowed for a mock hunt c. 1972), Sabine (bay mare), Rosina (another bay mare), Buster (dark bay lightweight Sec B type) and Scipio (lovely strawberry roan) who was there on loan for the summer.

And how could I forget Edwina? (Acorn's half brother - about 12 hands and a little madam).

I (had) her for a week during my first "rIding course" when I was about 8, and she wouldn't let me pick her feet out.

Any more Bucks oldies out there???? Happy days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

I was just thinking about funny little Acorn and Edwina, did a search and found your post! I learnt to ride there from about 5 I think and learnt on Acorn and Edwina, will try to find some pics to post. Would have been early eighty's by then so they must have been getting on a bit!

Remember doing week course and funny little shows and stuff, and don't know if it was just my mum but we all seemed very smartly dressed for kids!

Have great memories of the place
 
lara b said:
I was just thinking about funny little Acorn and Edwina, did a search and found your post! I learnt to ride there from about 5 I think and learnt on Acorn and Edwina, will try to find some pics to post. Would have been early eighty's by then so they must have been getting on a bit!

Remember doing week course and funny little shows and stuff, and don't know if it was just my mum but we all seemed very smartly dressed for kids!

Have great memories of the place
Click to expand...

Wow, that's brilliant. They were great ponies - my brother seems to think that they were actually brother and sister, or half-brother/half-sister. I had Edwina for my first "course" and she wouldn't let me pick her feet out! Then I was lucky enough to get Acorn for the week when I was about 11 and he was absolutely brilliant, as ever! Got a lovely photo of him somewhere! That would have been about 1974, so he must have been getting on a bit when you used to ride him. Was he still speedy?
 
Here are Acorn and I, he was my fave!
acorncrop.jpg

Picture is dated 84' so god knows how old he was!

p.s yes I think she was his sister
 
Rueysmum said:
There have been several posts in the last few days in which Radnage House Riding School is mentioned.

I learned to ride there, starting as a 5 year old in 1968.

The first horse I rode was called Robin and I still have a photo of me on him. I also remember Nesta (skewbald mare who nobody wanted to ride as she was so slow), Taffy (dark bay welsh type who was even slower), Frolic (palomino/chestnut mare who very sadly died of colic), also Acorn, really lovely Exmoor type and very fast), Freddy (chestnut mare who I borrowed for a mock hunt c. 1972), Sabine (bay mare), Rosina (another bay mare), Buster (dark bay lightweight Sec B type) and Scipio (lovely strawberry roan) who was there on loan for the summer.

And how could I forget Edwina? (Acorn's half brother - about 12 hands and a little madam).

I (had) her for a week during my first "rIding course" when I was about 8, and she wouldn't let me pick her feet out.

Any more Bucks oldies out there???? Happy days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Goodness, that takes me back!
I didn't actually learn to ride at Radnage House but did ride there a few times when I was at college in Bucks in 1973-4. I had forgotten the name of the place so thank you for reminding me.
 
lara b said:
Here are Acorn and I, he was my fave!
acorncrop.jpg

Picture is dated 84' so god knows how old he was!

p.s yes I think she was his sister
Click to expand...

Oh my goodness, what a lovely photo of Acorn. Isn't he woolly!! The one I have of him is a summer picture taken with me on him on the yard, waiting for the start of the lesson. He was gorgeous!
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Goodness, that takes me back!
I didn't actually learn to ride at Radnage House but did ride there a few times when I was at college in Bucks in 1973-4. I had forgotten the name of the place so thank you for reminding me.
Click to expand...

You're welcome. It's lovely to find people who share similar memories.
 
OH yes! I remember them all like it was yesterday. David, Charlotte, Rosanne, Rosita (all siblings I think), Tiger, Frolic, Belinda, Plowman, Laddie, Gilligan, Copper, Scipio…

Ring any bells?
 
Emmerton said:
OH yes! I remember them all like it was yesterday. David, Charlotte, Rosanne, Rosita (all siblings I think), Tiger, Frolic, Belinda, Plowman, Laddie, Gilligan, Copper, Scipio…

Ring any bells?
Click to expand...

God, yes! I don't remember David and am a bit hazy about Charlotte (what colour were they?) but I do remember Rosanne and Rosita (very pretty bays), Tiger, Frolic (remember when she died, very sad, poor Miss Smallwood, Belinda (grey?), Plowman (remember his name), Laddie (grey), Gilligan (dark bay?), Copper (seriously evil horse, but knowing what we know now he probably had raging pain somewhere).

Lastly, Scipio!!! I absolutely loved him. I had him for a course once when he was staying there for his summer holidays. Happy days!!.......
 
David was a blue roan with a sticky up mane and the most comfortable trot ever; Charlotte was strawberry roan and I used to have her on courses; Rosanne v pretty raspberry roan and a bit mad; Rosita very pretty and bright bay, Tiger was really cute skewbald and a fab jumper; I remember Frolic, elegant dun; Plowman a big lump of lard, as was Belinda! V stubborn! Laddie, yes, small and grey; Gilligan. Really nice too – and Scipio was a fantastic jumper. My memory is intact! Happy to share my lovely memories!:)
 
Rueysmum said:
There have been several posts in the last few days in which Radnage House Riding School is mentioned.

I learned to ride there, starting as a 5 year old in 1968.

The first horse I rode was called Robin and I still have a photo of me on him. I also remember Nesta (skewbald mare who nobody wanted to ride as she was so slow), Taffy (dark bay welsh type who was even slower), Frolic (palomino/chestnut mare who very sadly died of colic), also Acorn, really lovely Exmoor type and very fast), Freddy (chestnut mare who I borrowed for a mock hunt c. 1972), Sabine (bay mare), Rosina (another bay mare), Buster (dark bay lightweight Sec B type) and Scipio (lovely strawberry roan) who was there on loan for the summer.

And how could I forget Edwina? (Acorn's half brother - about 12 hands and a little madam).

I (had) her for a week during my first "rIding course" when I was about 8, and she wouldn't let me pick her feet out.

Any more Bucks oldies out there???? Happy days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

My another oldie from Radnage, but I believe I am older ! But I do remember Nesta very well in fact I rode her at Wycombe Show and what an uphill battle, one pace..slowwww. Not sure if any of the following were still there in your day. Jane my first pony at 7, Johnny, Nesta and her foal, Sebina and her foal, Silver and Sammy two grey arabs, Oliver, Antrim, Nickleby (ridden by Gill
an instructor, who was always mean to him), Susan, Craddock, Polly, Rudy..etc etc. Spent many years riding there and helping in school holidays to get the rides! In Bucks again now, love to hear from anyone..those were the days...sigh
 
GlennP said:
My another oldie from Radnage, but I believe I am older ! But I do remember Nesta very well in fact I rode her at Wycombe Show and what an uphill battle, one pace..slowwww. Not sure if any of the following were still there in your day. Jane my first pony at 7, Johnny, Nesta and her foal, Sebina and her foal, Silver and Sammy two grey arabs, Oliver, Antrim, Nickleby (ridden by Gill
an instructor, who was always mean to him), Susan, Craddock, Polly, Rudy..etc etc. Spent many years riding there and helping in school holidays to get the rides! In Bucks again now, love to hear from anyone..those were the days...sigh
Click to expand...
I am an oldie from Radnage too, I guess I was there around 1968 to 1971 when I got my own pony. I started with little Sabina (I even took her hunting once), then rode Charlotte, Susan (she was an ex top showjumping pony), Frolic, Rachel (who was bought by a regular at the stables) Jeremy (he was gorgeous), Nesta (hard work) and once or twice some of the giants like Ferdie! I also worked there every weekend with my younger sister Yvonne, we were rewarded with free rides down to the pastures. I took Charlotte to Pony Club Camp once and often rode her at South OX Pony Club Rallies. I'd love to meet other Radnage graduates now that I am back in the area. My main teacher was the very wonderful Gillian Watson, first lesson on a Sunday morning.
Was anyone else here on that lesson?
Cathie
 
I found this thread by complete accident. I learned to ride at Radnage between 1976-1981 and remember many of the horses mentioned above. In addition, there was Dandy, Nugget, Juanita, April, Richard, Stormy Weather (I loved riding him), General (the largest horse in the place) and Venture. Gilligan was ANCIENT. He was at least 34 when I was there. It's sad to think they all must be no longer by now. Perversely, on my last visit, we were given the chance to choose which horse we most wanted to ride and I chose Taffy. Taffy was the Radnage "slug". By then I could ride quite well, so as our lesson was out in the field across the road, I decided to wake him up. I don't think he knew what hit him (metaphorically) but he moved more in that lesson than I think he'd ever moved!
 
I did not learn to ride there but I did go to my very first indoor show there in about 1964/5. An official Pony Club show no less! (Can you imagine asking today's precious ones to jump a course in that size school?!) I also took my PC B test there a year or two later.

It was a top top class establishment and we were honoured to be allowed in!
 
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