South London riding schools in the 1970s

[bouncing_ball]

i used to work for them between 1989(riding school teacher then when i had a row with Lilo about the amount of hours the horses woked a day i went to work in the livery yard side)
Bill promoted me to YM after Gordon left. Bill Johnson was hilarious as gay men often are. sadly he couldnt make it pay around 91' and Martin Blum came back to take over. I didnt have much to do with the riding school after that i was in the american barn with the liveries.
I left for a leg op and martin had hired some tit BHII who was useless and fell off every livery horse there.. amazing someone remembers, what a small world!

LOL I remember that the one who put her CV up in the tackroom? She didn’t stay long. She runs a yard Guilford way with her daughter now (daughter competes / teaches BD)

Martin didn’t stay long, he did a moonlight flit, leaving debts, with his older blonde girlfriend. Leaving some of the horses.

Bill came back, and ran yard from Manor farm for a bit. And had horses down Show Yard out the back for a bit, as it was empty. Then there was a challenge about access rights through the yard, and yard and horses relocated almost overnight to Stag Lodge.

Did you know Diana (who worked in Livery barn as groom?) And the girl who was a groom and a livery (horse called Special)? Jennifer with the Arab Candlelight? And Karl who was one of the grooms? And David and Tiffany?

Dredging my memory!!

Was the summer when Madonna “like a Virgin” was on the radio!!

 

[OldNag]

I would have been there in the 80s, I learned to ride on a lovely ex-polo mare called Belle, a brown welshie. She was a wicked little thing! There was a very naughty palomino there at the time who seemed to delight in taking the piss out of every novice rider. My mum used to go for lessons with me and she was being shouted at one day by a very strict male instructor called Chris to get him on the track and trot on. Not only did he not trot on, he left the track and walked very neat circles around the apoplectic instructor! My mother was MORTIFIED!

I was there late 70s and then late 80s.( in between I was at Willowtree and then New Lodge). There was a Belle when I was there but she was a piebald cob. I remember her being fairly grumpy! The only palomino I remember was Tommy, a Sec. C. He was gorgeous.

 

[indiat]

It's driving me crazy what that palomino was called, I will have to ring my mother in the morning and find out. I am sure his name will be burned into her memory!

 

[1970s Rider]

Apologies for bringing up an old thread but.....

I learnt to ride at New Park stables back in the early 70s when Hester was the owner.

It wasn't long after I started that she sold the stables on to a Derek and his brother.

Maureen was the Chief instructor, under Heather and then Derek, and Beryl ran the private livery across the same yard.

I can only remember a few horse's names when I was a helper and then (totally) unqualified instructor.....

Gin
Worthington
Vodka
Tonic
Brandy
Toby
Pickles....Bought from Gleneagle stables
Sam....Son of Pickles

Where you a helper?

 

[wingedhorse]

i was livery manager at Manor Farm livery and riding school by Ham Polo club richmond 1989-91 owned by Lilo Blum who also owned Hyde park corner riding 'school' (term used lightly!) at top of Park Lane. circa 1940- 1986 it burned down.

anyone remember that crazy old character?

I remember Lilo and Martin Blum and then Bill Johnson!! Trying to work out who you are. Did you have Ridgebacks? And leave to be a driving instructor? Or did you own the huge chestnut grumpy show horses? Harley and have a twin sister?

 

[Shabby Chic]

I used to have a loopy pink pony that would frequently tank with me on Tooting Common and dump me on the South Circular, so my dad would have to come out on foot with me

He struck up some interesting conversations with the negotiable affection crowd on the common when trying to work out in which direction we - or more often - just the pony had gone!

Was it Mischief? I remember a Mr Derriman walking out.

 

[Shabby Chic]

Apologies for bringing up an old thread but.....

I learnt to ride at New Park stables back in the early 70s when Hester was the owner.

It wasn't long after I started that she sold the stables on to a Derek and his brother.

Maureen was the Chief instructor, under Heather and then Derek, and Beryl ran the private livery across the same yard.

I can only remember a few horse's names when I was a helper and then (totally) unqualified instructor.....

Gin
Worthington
Vodka
Tonic
Brandy
Toby
Pickles....Bought from Gleneagle stables
Sam....Son of Pickles

Where you a helper?

I remember!!

 

[Shabby Chic]

It's driving me crazy what that palomino was called, I will have to ring my mother in the morning and find out. I am sure his name will be burned into her memory!

Silver Sands?

 

[Shabby Chic]

I used to have a loopy pink pony that would frequently tank with me on Tooting Common and dump me on the South Circular, so my dad would have to come out on foot with me

He struck up some interesting conversations with the negotiable affection crowd on the common when trying to work out in which direction we - or more often - just the pony had gone!

Was that Mischief?

 

[Dante44]

Think you might be getting confused here. As far as I recall ,Shep(aka William Balman) was not ex military ,but an ex Shepherd .Of course with his deep Somerset accent one could never be entirely sure what he was saying.

I have been looking for someone who remembers Shep’s yard. Can you recall the name of it? Am I right in thinking he only had one leg? I remember all the horses you said, Cherry was the first pony I rode, I named my rocking horse after Queenie and sadly remember Melody breaking her leg. I so hope you find this message.