OldNag
Wasting my time successfully....
I can identify with that! Pony- deprived as a child.
Much prefer ponies and do wish I was a couple of inches smaller!
Riding school ponies - memories
- Thread starter Noodles_3
- Start date
I can identify with that! Pony- deprived as a child.
Much prefer ponies and do wish I was a couple of inches smaller!
Kat
Well-Known Member
Oh gosh what a lovely thread! There are so many wonderful and awful horses and ponies that I owe so much to!
I think perhaps the main credit should go to the quirky coloured mare Capri........ what did she teach me? Mainly to SIT UP! Also to mount gently, to hold on and that riding is a risk sport! She bucked like a rodeo horse but she was incredibly clever, fast and could jump anything from anywhere. Oh and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
And no post about riding school ponies would be complete without mention of the handsome but stubborn Paddy. A smart bay with one white sock and a white star who I loved so much. For anyone who read Joanne Webster "nobody's horse" he was my Knocker. No body wanted to ride him because he was old and grumpy and stubborn but I loved him. He lived to a grand old age but even now I have a lump in my throat thinking about him and it must be 20years since he was pts.
I think perhaps the main credit should go to the quirky coloured mare Capri........ what did she teach me? Mainly to SIT UP! Also to mount gently, to hold on and that riding is a risk sport! She bucked like a rodeo horse but she was incredibly clever, fast and could jump anything from anywhere. Oh and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
And no post about riding school ponies would be complete without mention of the handsome but stubborn Paddy. A smart bay with one white sock and a white star who I loved so much. For anyone who read Joanne Webster "nobody's horse" he was my Knocker. No body wanted to ride him because he was old and grumpy and stubborn but I loved him. He lived to a grand old age but even now I have a lump in my throat thinking about him and it must be 20years since he was pts.
YorksG
Over the hill and far awa
The ones that stand out for me are Willie and Twinks, the shetland and the shetland cross, that a very undersized 7 year old me rode. Then Freddy (chesnut) and Crackers (dun) both about 12.2 and both very whizzy are memorable, as a still undersized 12/13 year old shot round the school and the field trying to do rising trot without irons on a pony that thought we should be cantering 
When I was 15 Mum and Dad bought sis and me our own 15hh cob, I co-incidentaly grew and am now 5'6" and ride 15.2s and above but still tend to pick the forward going ones
When I was 15 Mum and Dad bought sis and me our own 15hh cob, I co-incidentaly grew and am now 5'6" and ride 15.2s and above but still tend to pick the forward going ones 
Honey08
Waffled a lot!
I first rode at a trekking school that took you put on hacks and taught you. There was no school, initially you went on the leadrein.. I started off on a skewbald Shetland called Fred, then a white pony called Rupert, with my cousins on black Shetlands called Tiny and Darkie. Next came a lovely Connie called Cognac. Finally, when you were "good" you were allowed to ride the palominos. There was a beautiful mare called Sara and a lovely, but cheeky, gelding called Tally. If you got a letter from your parents that they were responsible, you were allowed to take them out alone, so at the age of ten off I went (with a friend) on a six year old pony (scary thought now!).
One day my parents got a phonecall. The riding stables was closing as the owner had cancer and they were selling all the ponies, so did we fancy buying Tally? We did. We'd never had horses, but had land, so I set off home. As soon as we got to the end of e usual treks, he stopped and refused to move, so I had to lead him home, where he hated being alone and charged around. Every time I got on him he just set off back towards the riding school. I was terrified. Long story short, even though they should have sent him back, my parents said he was the only pony I would have. Thankfully we found a couple of good instructors and the pony club along the way, and we got it together. We had many many happy years, and even though we sold him once he terrorised his next owner and he returned, spending the rest of his days at home with a few loaners. He died of a tumour in his mid 20s. I still credit that pony for half of what I know today!
I would post a photo if I could work out how to use Photobucket on an iPad - how do you copy and paste image codes etc?
One day my parents got a phonecall. The riding stables was closing as the owner had cancer and they were selling all the ponies, so did we fancy buying Tally? We did. We'd never had horses, but had land, so I set off home. As soon as we got to the end of e usual treks, he stopped and refused to move, so I had to lead him home, where he hated being alone and charged around. Every time I got on him he just set off back towards the riding school. I was terrified. Long story short, even though they should have sent him back, my parents said he was the only pony I would have. Thankfully we found a couple of good instructors and the pony club along the way, and we got it together. We had many many happy years, and even though we sold him once he terrorised his next owner and he returned, spending the rest of his days at home with a few loaners. He died of a tumour in his mid 20s. I still credit that pony for half of what I know today!
I would post a photo if I could work out how to use Photobucket on an iPad - how do you copy and paste image codes etc?
Jo1987
Well-Known Member
Lovely stories! I actually was lucky enough to buy my favourite riding school pony, a 13.1 black gelding called Jake. My dad bought him for me 13 years ago, he's 24 now and still just as naughty as ever! He bucked me off 3 days after I got him and continued to do so on a regular basis until I learnt to hold on. He was the most fantastic first pony, never let me get away with anything and taught me everything I needed to know to move on to horses.
Here he is, stealing the limelight with my 5yr old in the background!
And enjoying an apple!
Here he is, stealing the limelight with my 5yr old in the background!
And enjoying an apple!
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Katikins
Well-Known Member
It is so lovely to hear that Tiffany is still talked about there!! He was quite the dude and yes, it didn't matter what field you put him in he'd never be in it in the morning. If memory serves me correctly he also jumped in with Rosie who had to go out alone and got kicked and broke his leg and was in plaster for goodness knows how long. But that was before I was there and he went on for quite a while after I left as well!
Fondest memories are probably battling with his enormous mane to get some kind of golf ball sized plaits in and doing my first ever chase me charlie on him!!
Spit That Out
Well-Known Member
I learnt to ride on a 14.2hh black mare called Peg...my friend (2years older) had a girl in her year who's dad had about 7 horses in a field and at weekends let me and my friend ride.
Peg was awesome, we would tack up and go for a hack for hours around the fields, jogging and cantering everywhere. That horse didn't know how to walk but I learnt to hang on!!
Once my dad realised this was a hobby I was going to stick at unlike karate, swimming, dance and gymnastics that I tried a few times and never went back! He took me to a "proper" riding school.
I was put on a steady cob that I loved but realised I didn't know how to ride, my position was all wrong, I didn't know how to jump and I used to find going around in circles in a school boring. But in the summer we would hack and do XC which I loved.
I helped out at weekends for a ride and that's where I learnt about tack, how to groom, muck out etc etc but I will always hold a flame for Peg and charging around the fields, gripping on to her mane and being unable to breath until we stopped!
Peg was awesome, we would tack up and go for a hack for hours around the fields, jogging and cantering everywhere. That horse didn't know how to walk but I learnt to hang on!!
Once my dad realised this was a hobby I was going to stick at unlike karate, swimming, dance and gymnastics that I tried a few times and never went back! He took me to a "proper" riding school.
I was put on a steady cob that I loved but realised I didn't know how to ride, my position was all wrong, I didn't know how to jump and I used to find going around in circles in a school boring. But in the summer we would hack and do XC which I loved.
I helped out at weekends for a ride and that's where I learnt about tack, how to groom, muck out etc etc but I will always hold a flame for Peg and charging around the fields, gripping on to her mane and being unable to breath until we stopped!
Embo
Well-Known Member
What a lovely thread making me feel a little emotional!
I didn't learn to ride until I was about 14. My first ride was on a dun elderly horse with a sway back and growing out hog, called Beba. I fell in love instantly. I would ask to ride him every week. When I was off the lead-rein and was able to do walk & trot independantly, I was allowed to ride him bareback.
I did my first canter on a little mare called Sorrell, at the same RS. I asked to join a lesson one Sunday and I was put on Sorrell as she was already tacked up and ready to go. The lesson group was more advanced than the group I was usually in, so I learned to canter accidentally! But although very forward going, this mare was very sweet and looked after me.
Special mention to Sherry, a little chestnut roan mare whom I rode if Beba wasn't available. And to Trigger, a white gelding with blue eyes... he taught me that not all horses were as kind or pleasant to ride as Beba & Sherry. He would tank into the other horses to try and bite/kick them and generally take the pee if he could. I suppose he truly taught me to ride, not just be a passenger!
Once I turned 15, my friends and I decided to try another riding school that had a better reputation. I was first put on a chestnut mare called Flinders. I would ride Flinders, a black mare called Eclipse and a coloured gelding called Mojo every week until I was moved up a group. Flinders taught me to jump.
Then one week I was put on Hercules, a 15hh(ish), chunky black cob gelding. I would ride him all the time and I loved him to pieces. I would happily jump anything on him with no stirrups, including barrels and spreads. Eventually someone bought him (a while after I had moved on from there) because he developed COPD. The girl who bought him is a friend of a friend so I get updates on him every now and then. Lovely to know he's loved and cared for, still doing loads and enjoying life. I just wish it was me that had bought him!
making me feel a little emotional!I didn't learn to ride until I was about 14. My first ride was on a dun elderly horse with a sway back and growing out hog, called Beba. I fell in love instantly. I would ask to ride him every week. When I was off the lead-rein and was able to do walk & trot independantly, I was allowed to ride him bareback.
I did my first canter on a little mare called Sorrell, at the same RS. I asked to join a lesson one Sunday and I was put on Sorrell as she was already tacked up and ready to go. The lesson group was more advanced than the group I was usually in, so I learned to canter accidentally! But although very forward going, this mare was very sweet and looked after me.
Special mention to Sherry, a little chestnut roan mare whom I rode if Beba wasn't available. And to Trigger, a white gelding with blue eyes... he taught me that not all horses were as kind or pleasant to ride as Beba & Sherry. He would tank into the other horses to try and bite/kick them and generally take the pee if he could. I suppose he truly taught me to ride, not just be a passenger!
Once I turned 15, my friends and I decided to try another riding school that had a better reputation. I was first put on a chestnut mare called Flinders. I would ride Flinders, a black mare called Eclipse and a coloured gelding called Mojo every week until I was moved up a group. Flinders taught me to jump.
Then one week I was put on Hercules, a 15hh(ish), chunky black cob gelding. I would ride him all the time and I loved him to pieces. I would happily jump anything on him with no stirrups, including barrels and spreads. Eventually someone bought him (a while after I had moved on from there) because he developed COPD. The girl who bought him is a friend of a friend so I get updates on him every now and then. Lovely to know he's loved and cared for, still doing loads and enjoying life. I just wish it was me that had bought him!
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MagicMelon
Well-Known Member
It wasn't the very first pony I learnt to ride on but the one I remember and rode the most was a haflinger called Shandy, she used to jump ragwort plants whenever we cantered up the fields. Remember her well! I think the two I learnt to ride on were a skewbald called Dolly and a chestnut called Stroller who had a huge fold in his neck where he'd had to have surgery at one point. I still have a little Thelwell mug that I won in my first "competition" doing lead-rein SJ on Dolly. Those were the days of doing round-the-worlds!
Dizzle
Well-Known Member
I was taught to ride by Mrs Phipp of Wyck Rissington in the 1980's, she was in her late 70's by then and had been teaching since she was 14 so I'd be surprised if she hadn't taught someone else on here too! (ETA She is still alive in her mid'90's now )
Anyway, I learned to ride on Pebbles, I was 5, he was about 20, 13.2hh no feather but plenty of bone, he was blue roan but with a huge white splodge under his saddle. He spent many years teaching me the art of 'sticky bum', I always loved riding him and still took him for the odd canter up until I was about 16 (he was PTS around then).
Then I moved onto Tarquin a 14.2hh Fell pony who was the love of my life, I spent hours brushing grooming and plaiting him and most of our ridden life was spent either trying to get him near a jump or trying to stop him from bronking and taking me home at 200mph. He was sadly PTS when I was 15.
Then I moved onto Snoopy 12.2hh Welsh pony, strawberry roan, very grumpy and bitey but amazing fun to ride, we had brakes and we had speed and I credit him with my love of pony squashing!
)Anyway, I learned to ride on Pebbles, I was 5, he was about 20, 13.2hh no feather but plenty of bone, he was blue roan but with a huge white splodge under his saddle. He spent many years teaching me the art of 'sticky bum', I always loved riding him and still took him for the odd canter up until I was about 16 (he was PTS around then).
Then I moved onto Tarquin a 14.2hh Fell pony who was the love of my life, I spent hours brushing grooming and plaiting him and most of our ridden life was spent either trying to get him near a jump or trying to stop him from bronking and taking me home at 200mph. He was sadly PTS when I was 15.
Then I moved onto Snoopy 12.2hh Welsh pony, strawberry roan, very grumpy and bitey but amazing fun to ride, we had brakes and we had speed and I credit him with my love of pony squashing!