Riding school ponies - memories

[Noodles_3]

I just thought it would be a nice thread to give a special thanks to the pony/ponies who taught us how to ride as youngsters or our all time favourite pony. Please include pictures if you can

Mine was Lucky all I knew is that he was old and a strawberry roan gelding! He wasn't the prettiest pony but god how I adored him. If you approached his stable with tack his ears would be back and he would pull the ugliest of faces but once I side he stopped. He was an absolute gent to ride and taught the most nervous beginners and would ALWAYS look after them. I never saw him misbehave once under the saddle. Though, he could always step it up a gear if you wanted. I fell off him once doing clear round jumping, he just seemed to come 'alive' and once we were over the first jump he was like a rocket, I just couldn't stay on so I went out the side door and he stood on my thigh by accident I had a massive hoof imprint and it was all bloody - ouch. Lucky stopped and stood looking at me like .. Ermm I think you're meant to stay on love!

We also did mini comps at the stable and always come last lol mainly in best turned out as he wasn't the prettiest, even plaited up but to me he was beautiful. As I got older I left the stables and found out a long the grape vine that Lucky had since passed I never did get chance to say goodbye. Unfortunately I have lost other pictures I have of him but the only one I do have is this one



I'd love to hear about your stories and see old pics if anyone has any

 

[Nudibranch]

My favourite for a long time was a fleabitten grey called Toby, he was a lovely steady pony about 13.2hh. I won their drawing competition with a picture of him. Eventually they sold off some of the ponies and a girl in my year at school bought him. However before that happened my favourite had changed to the appropriately named Aldaniti, a little gelding who went like the clappers. Great for competitions. I sometimes wonder what happened to them.

When I joined the university riding club they used stables near Leahurst. There was an enormous bay gelding called Max, a lovely boy, I'd have offered to buy him if I hadn't had my own!

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Beauty - a small black Shetland (if memory serves right) - first pony I rode and instructor rode a bicycle whilst leading me. At same stables Tango a chestnut mare who kicked people but I loved riding and looking after her when I got older.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

In the 60's it was a little black mare call Biddy

At Park Farm where I trained it was Oddi - a black and white 13 hh pony who was very cheeky and liked to stamp on toes.

 

[Tnavas]

I learned to ride on a palomino called Merlin and can remember being told one day that I was to ride a different pony and I was really upset. They handed me the reins of a cream coloured pony who sort of looked familiar. It was a clipped out Merlin!

Then there was Elfin, Folly, Billy the buck, Conker, Tinkerbelle, Tarella, Samantha, Petroushka, Kahlie, Star, and Cinders

 

[BSL]

They all taught me so much. Thank you, Penny, Rob Roy, Topsey, Stormy, Nimrod, William, Smokey, Lucky 1, Lucky 2, Jack, Friskey, Flash, Magic, Amaryllis, Scarlett, Blue, Seamist, Nobby, Bronco, Toast, Cloud, Webster, Boris, PacMan, Bubbles. Such happy memories. Still making more at the moment, with the last two

 

[Katikins]

I learnt at Blackdyke where as far as I was concerned they were all fabulous I learnt on Tiffany who was such a saint, here is myself (left) on Tiffany any my sister on Rusty (another saint) at our first ever show!

And then moved on to Jinx who I think I had my first fall off... he stopped at the jump, I didn't. He was very forgiving, as evidenced here by the pony club flapping!! (same show actually just a year or two later)!

 

[Wiz201]

First pony I rode was probably a 12 or 13 hand grey pony Sunny. He took me out on the first few half hour treks, then I remember he went lame in one of the first few lessons I had and I was swapped onto a bigger one. The bigger pony after that was Rupert, probably a bay 14 hand pony. He was lazy but steady. I remember doing a winter ride on him through the snow. At the same stables I did sometimes ride a chestnut pony Copper but he wasn't good to handle. He once knocked me on the ground to go and get some hay.
The best period of learning to ride was in my mid teens from 14 to 16 and my favourite was a Dales pony Duke. He cantered off with me once when I didn't want him to but I never came off him once. Another horse I liked was a bright bay mare Kat. She was a bit grumpy on the ground but nice to ride and she became my prefererred horse to hack out on.
Ridden a few more but those were the ones that stand out (apart from the youngster I fell off from and broke my humerous in 2002)

 

[Noodles_3]

I love this I too was also guilty of the pony club kick!

 

[Identityincrisis]

My first love at a riding school was a dark bay mare called Gee, she had a star shaped as a G she was a lovely little mare, very TB like (very much my type, then and now!) she was later sold which was bitter sweet for me as I would miss her but she was wasted and not suited to a riding school. I wondered for years how she got on, she must be over rainbow bridge now :'( Thank you Gee xx Misty was another and the complete opposite of Gee! Hairy pony who tried her little socks off. People laughed when I took her into a jumping 'competition' how they stopped when they saw her fly!!! Love you both <3 xx

 

[dibbin]

I learned on a pony called Solo - his party trick was rolling in the arena if asked to halt!

 

[Clever pony]

I ride at blackdyke and love it ! Whenever a conversation about jumping comes about everyone who knew him always says how amazing Tiffany was! Apparently he used to jump 4:6 gates to get into the best field!!!

 

[OWLIE185]

I learned to ride on a pony called Mizzie at a traditional riding school near Felpham near Bogna Regis on the south coast. I used to be taken out for hacks on a lead reign and go to the beach were we would jump the sea breaks.

 

[Bav]

I learned on many ponies but the one that I'm most fond of was a grey elderly highland called Smokey Joe who was a demon on the ground who hated other horses, people and everything inbetween.
I fondly remember being the only person he never bit and who could tack him up on a Saturday morning! He taught me to jump when I was 10 and would go like the clappers. He also had a penchant for buggering off with you in open fields.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a249/Sassybav/smokeyjoe4.jpg

He was on loan to the riding school/livery where I went on to work full time and now keep my own horse on livery. I still keep in touch with his owner who moved to wales and he's living the dream in his early 30's and still jumping out of the field and buggering off when on 'gentle hacks.'

EDIT: I was a very leggy child who loved purple. The purple went, the leginess unfortunately hasn't...

 

[Tern]

Right well.. The first pony I rode in the first riding school was called Shadow she was a little grey mare who wouldn't hurt a fly though I no longer know where she is or what happened to her. There there was probably Biscuit - a lovely dun Highland mare whom I recently found out belonged to my friend's farrier but Biscuit had to be PTS a few years ago, she served her time at the riding school for a long time. Tommy - another grey who has a fear of bottles due to being abused. Muffin - what I thought was a huge grey (actually tiny now!) who could be a mare (aha, no surely not!) at times. Hugo - A black little pony - The sluggiest pony on the world who cat leaped every jump.. made me terrified of jumping for a large number of years. Then of course there was the simply awesome Toby 2 - a lovely palomino awesome pony whom I adored.

fast forward to next riding school - First horse I rode there was called Matt a chestnut pony who was trained to a higher level of dressage but knew how to look after you - he had to be PTS years back due to Lameness. Then there was Destiny & Silver, Destiny was a lovely black gelding who was a 'trick' horse and knew spanish walk, how to lie down etc quite cheeky under saddle. Silver was a fleabitten highly strung gelding who I had many falls off but lovely all the same! These two were also PTS due to chronic lameness. Then there must have been Charlie Pony who is a huge black cob and still there and quite lazy (know how to get out of work) I could tell you all the horses there but I have been there too long and so many horses come and go.

 

[fiwen30]

In hindsight, my first riding school was a death trap, but I'll never forget the ponies I learnt on. Ginger was my first favourite, a tiny, shaggy bright chestnut pony of about 12hh. He gave me an awful riding position due to his ridiculously short neck - you had maybe 30cm of rein between hand and bit! Then there was Tilly who was a roly-poly black and white cob and who gave me my first unwanted canter whilst out of a group hack. Finally my utmost favourite was a black gelding named Sooty, he was maybe only 14.2hh looking back, but he was the fastest pony at the school and a wicked jumper. I remember pleading with my mum to buy him when the riding school closed down, but to no avail. I often wonder what happened to them all...

 

[Tikimouse]

Piglet a little cremello named so because he sounded like a pig(let) and had a pink nose! No one else would ride him even though I wasn't the most experienced rider there! He went up for sale as was obviously not much use and despite begging my dad wouldn't/couldn't buy him for me. Apparently is still around though and was up for sale about a year ago (offered to the riding school apparently!)

 

[Skib]

When I was a girl in about 1950 there was a RS grey pony called Phlox who lived in a field a short bike ride from our house. I would get out my bike (pretend horse) and visit Phlox, feeding her handfuls of grass and cow parsley, picked from the verge and handed her over the fence.
I was sure Phlox was my friend and that she liked me. I never rode her and have no pic but she is unforgotten. So will record her here.
Having learned to ride late in life, I still ride RS ponies of course - I cant consign them to the past.

 

[Sukistokes2]

There are two I remember....George, who was a coloured cob, horrid to handle but nice to ride I learnt to canter on him. The other was Smokey Jo a dark bay cob, with a white blaze and legs. He was a super horse, my sister and I loved him, we loved him so much we talked our Mum in to buying him. Not a happy ending sadly, the school were happy to sell him on but before we could buy him he was stolen from in front of the school. He was tethered grazing, they lost several in one day. Both my sister and I still talk about him and wonder what happened to him.

 

[Meems]

I learned to ride on a palomino called Merlin and can remember being told one day that I was to ride a different pony and I was really upset. They handed me the reins of a cream coloured pony who sort of looked familiar. It was a clipped out Merlin!

Haha that's funny!!

 

[Annagain]

I learned to ride at a riding school outside Cardiff called Downside. I learned later on in life it didn't have the best reputation at the time (it's much improved now, I understand) and can see why as the ponies had no grass turnout back then and they got through instructors pretty quickly.
I didn't know any better at the time and loved it though. My first ride was on Coco a very handsome bay pony but my favourite was Smartie, an appaloosa who was a darling but terrified of whips, so you weren't allowed to carry one on him. I even had a T-shirt printed saying I <3 Smartie! Others were Ben, Rusty - Smartie's best friend, they were inseperable in their turnout yard - Snowy,who would roll with riders on if he got the slightest bit wet, Shelley, Orbit who was quite sharp and terrifed me, Alfie and the two little ones Misty and Flicker. Misty was miserable as sin and would back into other horses to kick them. I had my first fall off Flicker when I forgot to check my girth and my saddle slipped. As I got better / older, I moved onto the horses and particularly loved Ollie and Albert. I have many happy memories of those horses.

Years later, a friend at my yard took on an elderly pony called Mr Snow. As we were out riding one day about a year after she'd had him, it started raining on the way home and Mr Snow got down to roll on the road. It was only at this moment I realised it was the same Snowy!

 

[pennyturner]

You're all so very lucky. I didn't have a pony when I was a child, and have been making up for it ever since. Perhaps that's why I don't want a 'proper' horse.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

My favourite was a 13.2hh bay pony called Foxy, he had a blaze and 3 white socks and a smaller sock on his near fore.

He was such a good confidence giver though for a bit he did scare me jumping as he used to cat leap. Out hacking he was completely bombproof and he used to love going down the fields and once took off past all the bigger horses. He would also know if you could get him to move or not and would be really stubborn for most of the kids but used to go well for me! He would also not canter on his left lead so I'd put out poles to get him to go on the correct leg and he was my first go at flying changes. He was almost my first gallop can remember one evening in the school holidays when it was sort of golden light we cantered to the top of one of the empty turn out paddocks went along the top and let him go down it felt fantastic (still love galloping!) Once I got more confident jumping him I enjoyed it though he still had days where he would run out at most of them, I also went to a couple of clear rounds at the RS down the lane and he was a b****er the first time I took him running out etc but was super the next time so he was my first time of going out to a little competition. Also used to do all the yard competitions on him and they held an annual show and I would always stay late the night before bathing him and getting his socks perfectly white then take his tack home and spend ages trying to make his skanky rs tack look good! Used to frustrate me so much. There was a new viaduct wall filler that arrived one year and I was doing the topsscore class and I was first to attempt it and he flew over it and everyone was cheering yet the next day he was running out at tiny crosses! I did also sit on him bareback in the stable (secretly! )

He had to retire as his back went when having a lesson with someone else and everyone thought he'd have to be pts but he pottered about fairly happily for aFfew years before having a turn in the field and having colic like symptoms so he was pts, he was going to be pts that summer anyway as his mobility was going.

Absolutely loved that pony and if I couldhhave a 15.2hh younger version of him without the running out and mobility problems I would! I have a lovely painting of him that my friends mum did as a birthday present

 

[exmoorponyprincess1]

The first pony I remember falling in love with I was only just turned 5 and she was a little dapple grey mare probably 11hh on her tip toes - she was beautiful and I rode her in all my lessons, her name was Pip and my instructor told me her mum was a circus horse which, at the time, I thought was very glamorous!! I now realise that she was either sold or she passed away, but I was told she was so pretty that she went to join her mum at the circus when she wasn't at the yard for my lesson one day - I was gutted and kept asking my parents to take me to the circus to find her!! Have some lovely pics of me going around the school on her during one lesson standing up in my stirrups with reins dropped and arms sticking out for balance but they are at my parents house!

 

[savia]

The one pony that took my heart as a child was a black mare named PJ, who resided at Field Farm stables, just up the road from American Adventure.She had a blaze and I'd guess she was around the 13.2hh mark, though can't be sure, and was privately owned, but was used in school lessons.She was naturally a very speedy pony, trotting down the long side in 2 seconds flat, BUT she was THE safest pony around and would only go when and what pace you told her to and would stop with the slightest aids.And she was also 100% genuine and honest, never trying any tricks and always trying her heart out.She ended up being sold and I was heartbroken and still wonder what happened to her.

 

[RhaLoulou]

I rode at Carr Farm near Sutton, it was 50p for half an hour a £1 for an hour in the 70's. They had some lovely ponies and us kids had great fun. My favourite was Barley Boy who was a palomino, they also had a grey pony called Rocky who used to squash unfortunate riders against a wall if he got a chance, there was also a fjord pony called Cloud who I was allowed to ride bareback! I used to fall off all the time but I loved it, I never had my own pony but I don't think I missed out!

 

[ROMANY 1959]

My son started at riding school at age 7 , he first rode a chestnut mare called beauty , then onto a grey sec A welsh show pony, Justin... Then a bigger chestnut called faith... Then he fell in love with penny!!! So when the school agreed to sell her we bought her, but kept her there on working livery, then I bought big lad in 2009, kept him there on working, but now it's just a livery yard, penny is retired with bad knees, and he has sasha now, and Dublin is on yard but with full loan to an 18 yr old who does lots with him.. I no longer ride..

 

[Noodles_3]

I love my memories from the riding school! Just wish I could go back in time, it makes me sentimental! I had some of the best times at my local stables.

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

Marcus - a bright bay New Forest - always chose him for own a pony weeks & jumping competitions, an absolute star. I loved that little pony.

 

[Red-1]

OMG, what a beautiful thread!

Hmmm, back in the 70s I went to Millview Riding School in Sheffield. It was run by Hazel, but she did not seem to ride or teach, the head girl was Alison Baggaly. OMG I worshiped her! She was an inspirational teacher.

The horses...... I started on "star" a chestnut with.... a star. He was cool, but maybe a bit nondescript. Then there was Perry, a bay with a splash of white on his rump, so really a coloured. He was Mr Perfect! Then Pepsi, he was a grey with a ewe neck, a bit edgy, but that was his gift! They were 14.2hh's. I also liked Mandy, a sweet mare with a hog, and Bracken, a bay. They were 13.2 and although I was perhaps a bit big I loved riding them. There were bigger ones too Killarney and Manhatten, it was quite a boost to be put on those at 13 years old. I also remember Charlie Brown, who I nearly had as my first horse.

There were also smaller ones, Smokey and Snuffi and also Blaze. It was a bit of a downer though to be put on the very small ones..... Although Snuffi taught me to jump, it as a small grey belonging to a neighbour, not a school horse at all.

Memories memories, all those years ago, and I remember them so well. If Hazel and Alison read this, or if anyone knows them, let them know they were inspirations, and I DID make a career our of horses, despite being one of many desperate horse mad girls with no obvious talent!!!