Alibear
Well-Known Member
What about when shavings first arrived you used to muck out in a pair of marigolds into a laundry basket.
Or was that just my yard?
Or was that just my yard?
The "good" old days
- Thread starter cptrayes
- Start date
cptrayes
Well-Known Member
Dunnings in Clanfield! Had to drive for blooming miles to get there but it was the only place you could buy a cork lined hat with a piece of knicker elastic to hold it on!
Dandelion and Burdock ?
Dandelion and Burdock ?
wysiwyg
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
What about when shavings first arrived you used to muck out in a pair of marigolds into a laundry basket.
Or was that just my yard?
[/ QUOTE ]
HAHA!!
me too.....
What about when shavings first arrived you used to muck out in a pair of marigolds into a laundry basket.
Or was that just my yard?
[/ QUOTE ]
HAHA!!
me too.....
Enfys
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
What about when shavings first arrived you used to muck out in a pair of marigolds into a laundry basket.
Or was that just my yard?
[/ QUOTE ]
You mean people don't now?
What about when shavings first arrived you used to muck out in a pair of marigolds into a laundry basket.
Or was that just my yard?
[/ QUOTE ]
You mean people don't now?
Goya
Well-Known Member
My riding school was 7/6 (35p) an hour.
First pony--set of shoes 12/6p (75p)
Disagree re vets--I must have been lucky as we had and still do have (and I still use the same practice, although the vets have obviously changed now) a very good horse and small animal vet.
ets and hay was 10 shillings a bale (50p)
First pony--set of shoes 12/6p (75p)
Disagree re vets--I must have been lucky as we had and still do have (and I still use the same practice, although the vets have obviously changed now) a very good horse and small animal vet.
ets and hay was 10 shillings a bale (50p)
Alibear
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What about when shavings first arrived you used to muck out in a pair of marigolds into a laundry basket.
Or was that just my yard?
[/ QUOTE ]
Well full livery now don't you know
If it were me I still would though, you could do a box in under 5 mins and very easy to chuck it on the muck heap, also a nice small muck heap.
You mean people don't now?
[/ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What about when shavings first arrived you used to muck out in a pair of marigolds into a laundry basket.
Or was that just my yard?
[/ QUOTE ]
Well full livery now don't you know
If it were me I still would though, you could do a box in under 5 mins and very easy to chuck it on the muck heap, also a nice small muck heap.
You mean people don't now?
[/ QUOTE ]
Spudlet
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
What about when shavings first arrived you used to muck out in a pair of marigolds into a laundry basket.
Or was that just my yard?
[/ QUOTE ]
We were dead posh - we had a bucket to go with our (holey!) marigolds
In fairness it was an old trade size container for tile grout rather than an official bucket
What about when shavings first arrived you used to muck out in a pair of marigolds into a laundry basket.
Or was that just my yard?
[/ QUOTE ]
We were dead posh - we had a bucket to go with our (holey!) marigolds
In fairness it was an old trade size container for tile grout rather than an official bucket
flowerlady
Well-Known Member
I haven't read all the posts only first 2 pages so sorry if someone has remembered you used to have to ride against the traffic on the road. Never shod my ponies hoofs were brilliant.
In my first job with horses I had to crush the oats for all the horses and ponies
In my first job with horses I had to crush the oats for all the horses and ponies
NikkiF
Well-Known Member
I have so enjoyed reading this! I'm an oldie but only been riding for 20 odd years, so was surprised to find that I remember quite a lot of these memories! Strange how one doesn't realise how much things have changed.
Plastic chin cups and rubber riding boots - my feet were always cold in the winter!
No such thing as neck covers for horses, fully clipped or not.
Round the world and scissors, oh dear bet I couldn't do them now!
Hacking out on Sundays before the shops were allowed to open, we went for miles on main roads that always had much better verges for cantering on
And yes used to hack to the local meets before finally getting a trailer.
Can also remember people at the yard always worrying about me as used to hack out on my own for 3 or 4 hours!
Plastic chin cups and rubber riding boots - my feet were always cold in the winter!
No such thing as neck covers for horses, fully clipped or not.
Round the world and scissors, oh dear bet I couldn't do them now!
Hacking out on Sundays before the shops were allowed to open, we went for miles on main roads that always had much better verges for cantering on
And yes used to hack to the local meets before finally getting a trailer.
Can also remember people at the yard always worrying about me as used to hack out on my own for 3 or 4 hours!
Rambo
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
riders' kit - those really thin quilted jackets, what were they called? good job i was young, i'd freeze to death in one of those now!
[/ QUOTE ]
Do you mean Lavenham Jackets ?
The 'new' fashion iten after them was the PUFFAjacket....originally available in red or blue....but then they came up with all sorts of funky stripes and stuff
I never had a dentist out to any of my horses in 15 years...and surprisingly they had no problems !
We had New Zealand rugs for turnout and jute rugs for stable...with the option of a wool blanket in the winter.
Coolers weren't called coolers...they were sweat rugs and were basically string vests.
We had one saddle, one bridle, at most two bits (a snaffle and a pelham). Maybe one set of leather tendon / brushing boots.
Food technology had advanced massively by the time i quit riding in the late 80's....Bailey's had come up with a 'Number 4'....bread crumbs or so they looked. Sugar beat still needed to be soaked for 24 hours before being fed though and there was no haylege for horses...the big round bales you saw in the fields were silage and fed to cattle lol!
Stylo Matchmakers were 'the' boot to be seen in.
Showjumpers wore beaglers with no strap...except Lionel Dunning who wore a harness with his hat.
People used to tow three horse trailers (Rice Beaufort?) with a familky saloon
riders' kit - those really thin quilted jackets, what were they called? good job i was young, i'd freeze to death in one of those now!
[/ QUOTE ]
Do you mean Lavenham Jackets ?
The 'new' fashion iten after them was the PUFFAjacket....originally available in red or blue....but then they came up with all sorts of funky stripes and stuff
I never had a dentist out to any of my horses in 15 years...and surprisingly they had no problems !
We had New Zealand rugs for turnout and jute rugs for stable...with the option of a wool blanket in the winter.
Coolers weren't called coolers...they were sweat rugs and were basically string vests.
We had one saddle, one bridle, at most two bits (a snaffle and a pelham). Maybe one set of leather tendon / brushing boots.
Food technology had advanced massively by the time i quit riding in the late 80's....Bailey's had come up with a 'Number 4'....bread crumbs or so they looked. Sugar beat still needed to be soaked for 24 hours before being fed though and there was no haylege for horses...the big round bales you saw in the fields were silage and fed to cattle lol!
Stylo Matchmakers were 'the' boot to be seen in.
Showjumpers wore beaglers with no strap...except Lionel Dunning who wore a harness with his hat.
People used to tow three horse trailers (Rice Beaufort?) with a familky saloon
cptrayes
Well-Known Member
Pennwood Forge Mill - everyone knew him, didn't they. The black horse, when the Horse of the Year show was on BBC One after the nine o'clock news for a whole week - they just dropped the normal programs for the showjumping - wouldn't BS dream of that now???
criso
Coming over here & taking your jobs since 1900
[ QUOTE ]
The one thing I would never want to return to ,is the veterinary facilities of 40 years ago.
[/ QUOTE ]
Not 40 years ago but I remember 'helping' the vet when he had to remove a benign lump from a horse - not mine.
He gave a GA in the field and I sat on it's neck and kept an eye while he operated, I was only about 14 at the time.
The only reason I was at the stables that day was because I went to the local catholic school and we got saints days off.
We were one of the first to get haylage, we were not far from Westaways where they first developed horsehage.
They trialed it on one of the ponies at the yard that had what we called at the time broken wind.
The one thing I would never want to return to ,is the veterinary facilities of 40 years ago.
[/ QUOTE ]
Not 40 years ago but I remember 'helping' the vet when he had to remove a benign lump from a horse - not mine.
He gave a GA in the field and I sat on it's neck and kept an eye while he operated, I was only about 14 at the time.
The only reason I was at the stables that day was because I went to the local catholic school and we got saints days off.
We were one of the first to get haylage, we were not far from Westaways where they first developed horsehage.
They trialed it on one of the ponies at the yard that had what we called at the time broken wind.
humblepie
Well-Known Member
Bit late to this but we had some of the first velcro boots - local saddler made some as as a trial back in about 1969 for my 11.2 jumping pony! We used to box the ponies to the blacksmith which is now under an office block in town. Endless lots of bareback jumping and chase me charlies etc.
OH wants to add - he is sure that years ago you got quickly checked out by a parent and plonked back on the horse, not the air ambulance called immediately (we were at a show this summer and OH is convinced the air ambulance had been called before the girl had actually come off, it arrived that quickly - and yes she was fine).
OH wants to add - he is sure that years ago you got quickly checked out by a parent and plonked back on the horse, not the air ambulance called immediately (we were at a show this summer and OH is convinced the air ambulance had been called before the girl had actually come off, it arrived that quickly - and yes she was fine).
mymare
Well-Known Member
OMG! I love this!!! It really takes me back!
Eugh, the string girths!! I hated them!!! The first NZ rug I had had one leather strap on the front and leather legs straps, the second one, which I thought was so posh and modern, had cross belly straps and no leg straps and extra fluffy wither padding! She wore a jute rug at night with a green woollen blanket underneath, folded up the neck and back again with roller on top. I wore a thin black velvet riding hat with an elastic chin strap that I put OVER the peak, as it just wasn't cool to wear it under the chin!
And yes, all strait feeds. I think the first mixes I can remember were Main Ring Blue and Main Ring Red...
Eugh, the string girths!! I hated them!!! The first NZ rug I had had one leather strap on the front and leather legs straps, the second one, which I thought was so posh and modern, had cross belly straps and no leg straps and extra fluffy wither padding! She wore a jute rug at night with a green woollen blanket underneath, folded up the neck and back again with roller on top. I wore a thin black velvet riding hat with an elastic chin strap that I put OVER the peak, as it just wasn't cool to wear it under the chin!
And yes, all strait feeds. I think the first mixes I can remember were Main Ring Blue and Main Ring Red...
cptrayes
Well-Known Member
Benjamin27 I have a friend whose parent picked her off the floor in the warm-up ring, drove her to hospital for 15 stitches in her wrist, drove her back to the event and plonked her back on the horse to complete her cross country round!
DuckToller
Well-Known Member
What a great read - I was aiming for an early night but can't resist adding my bit.
We used to make whole courses out of cavalleti, two or three balanced firmly on each other, and then jump them bareback. Why??? We also played bareback wrestling - the aim was to get the other riders off by grabbing their lower leg and pushing - made you ride with your lower leg clamped on like a vice.
Only one person at our yard had a trailer, when we wanted to go anywhere we clubbed together and hired a big old lorry, and the driver took out the partitions so we could get about 7 horses and ponies in - I'm sure it was only meant to take about 4! The YO shoved at them to get them to move over so the last one would fit on
And then as we hardly ever went to shows we were all hopeless and got eliminated and fell off, and didn't go again for another year because it was too expensive.
Virtually every horse and pony on the yard had a white patch along the spine from the surcingle pinching or on their withers where the heavy jute rugs rubbed. The riding school ponies were kept in stalls where they had no water, so they were led out to water 3 times a day. That's the most shocking for me now - I would hate to leave mine without water for even a few hours, let alone all night.
We used to make whole courses out of cavalleti, two or three balanced firmly on each other, and then jump them bareback. Why??? We also played bareback wrestling - the aim was to get the other riders off by grabbing their lower leg and pushing - made you ride with your lower leg clamped on like a vice.
Only one person at our yard had a trailer, when we wanted to go anywhere we clubbed together and hired a big old lorry, and the driver took out the partitions so we could get about 7 horses and ponies in - I'm sure it was only meant to take about 4! The YO shoved at them to get them to move over so the last one would fit on
And then as we hardly ever went to shows we were all hopeless and got eliminated and fell off, and didn't go again for another year because it was too expensive.
Virtually every horse and pony on the yard had a white patch along the spine from the surcingle pinching or on their withers where the heavy jute rugs rubbed. The riding school ponies were kept in stalls where they had no water, so they were led out to water 3 times a day. That's the most shocking for me now - I would hate to leave mine without water for even a few hours, let alone all night.
SirenaXVI
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
30 years ago I had a like thin quilted jacket with a cord collar, navy blue it was a Lavenham everyone had them, then I progressed to a wax jacket( horrible stinkey thing) then a candy striped puffa. Those were the days!!!
And Stylo matchmaker rubber riding boots.
[/ QUOTE ]
Oh yes the candy striped puffa! Mine was navy with dark pink/pale blue stripes, ahh leather topped Stylos, I remember them.
30 years ago I had a like thin quilted jacket with a cord collar, navy blue it was a Lavenham everyone had them, then I progressed to a wax jacket( horrible stinkey thing) then a candy striped puffa. Those were the days!!!
And Stylo matchmaker rubber riding boots.
[/ QUOTE ]
Oh yes the candy striped puffa! Mine was navy with dark pink/pale blue stripes, ahh leather topped Stylos, I remember them.
SirenaXVI
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
And a bit later in life, thost annoying petal over-reach boots that all the jumping poies wore going 'clackety clack, flappity flap' ....... GREAT days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Miss them so much .... so much so that I have just challenged the person I share neddies with to a day of gymkhana races in summer, with our two speedy veterans! I WILL WIN!!!!!
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*blushes* I still have some somewhere
And a bit later in life, thost annoying petal over-reach boots that all the jumping poies wore going 'clackety clack, flappity flap' ....... GREAT days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Miss them so much .... so much so that I have just challenged the person I share neddies with to a day of gymkhana races in summer, with our two speedy veterans! I WILL WIN!!!!!
[/ QUOTE ]
*blushes* I still have some somewhere
Pearlsasinger
Up in the clouds
[ QUOTE ]
Agree about the vets. Equine only vets were unheard of. You just got the guy who spent most of his time injecting cats and dogs and really didn't have much of a clue about how to treat a horse.
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Late 60s/early 70s (and later) round here most vets had trained just post war, or previously, and had been trained to treat horses as they were used on farms extensively until then. They were also trained to treat farm animals and were mostly (still are mainly) mixed practices in this area. Admittedly we still compalin if we get 'the gerbil man' to an equine emergency.
Agree about the vets. Equine only vets were unheard of. You just got the guy who spent most of his time injecting cats and dogs and really didn't have much of a clue about how to treat a horse.
[/ QUOTE ]
Late 60s/early 70s (and later) round here most vets had trained just post war, or previously, and had been trained to treat horses as they were used on farms extensively until then. They were also trained to treat farm animals and were mostly (still are mainly) mixed practices in this area. Admittedly we still compalin if we get 'the gerbil man' to an equine emergency.
maxapple
Well-Known Member
We used to be able to do fun things in riding lessons ... anyone remember round the world and scissors??
My riding instructor used to make us do round the world, wait till we were facing the wrong way round and then smack the pony on the bum and make him trot off. Apparently it taught us balance !
We also used to play 'hide and seek' on day rides. This involved hiding in the woods and then if you were spotted it was a free for all gallop back to the meeting place.
Another favourite riding lesson activity was learning how to jump with no reins and no stirrups!
I dislocated my shoulder once after falling off jumping. There was a doctor who was about to go out on a ride who just stuck it back in for me
with instructions to 'take a deep breath lass' as he did it and then I had to get back on and jump the course again!!
And finally - the only riding coats we had were those green quilted ones (barbour style) which were ridiculously thin and totally useless in the yorkshire winter!
My riding instructor used to make us do round the world, wait till we were facing the wrong way round and then smack the pony on the bum and make him trot off. Apparently it taught us balance !
We also used to play 'hide and seek' on day rides. This involved hiding in the woods and then if you were spotted it was a free for all gallop back to the meeting place.
Another favourite riding lesson activity was learning how to jump with no reins and no stirrups!
I dislocated my shoulder once after falling off jumping. There was a doctor who was about to go out on a ride who just stuck it back in for me
And finally - the only riding coats we had were those green quilted ones (barbour style) which were ridiculously thin and totally useless in the yorkshire winter!
maxapple
Well-Known Member
This post is fab - and its making me late for work!!!
[ QUOTE ]
The real charachters in the world of showjumping Even my Mother knew who Harvey Smith was lol.
[/ QUOTE ]
Ah - how true. Does anyone remember when he gave the judges the middle finger after they stopped him jumping any higher at the puissance! My granny nearly had a heart attack and threw her tea towel at the tv in shock!!
I also don't remember our ponies even having saddle cloths / numnahs. We used to just use blankets folded into four.
My final memory is the riding school owner opening all the stable doors, standing at the edge of the field and whistling and the horses would all come cantering in and go into their own stable! Excellent!!
[ QUOTE ]
The real charachters in the world of showjumping Even my Mother knew who Harvey Smith was lol.
[/ QUOTE ]
Ah - how true. Does anyone remember when he gave the judges the middle finger after they stopped him jumping any higher at the puissance! My granny nearly had a heart attack and threw her tea towel at the tv in shock!!
I also don't remember our ponies even having saddle cloths / numnahs. We used to just use blankets folded into four.
My final memory is the riding school owner opening all the stable doors, standing at the edge of the field and whistling and the horses would all come cantering in and go into their own stable! Excellent!!
Hippona
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
2 things I remember - jodphurs only came in beige and you could find tack shops in city centres! (my old haunt is now an Ann Summers!!!)
[/ QUOTE ]
Hah!
Mine too! How strange!
Yep...saddles were leather, saddle cloths were sheepskin, headcollars were green. Everything was made of canvas......buckles were a nightmare for a kid in winter, girths were a pian to do up- no elastic. You rode in wax jacket and weighed a tonne when wet.
Ponies got hairy in winter and were unrugged mostly....
Feeds were straights (no wonder the mare I rode was demented...cereals/oats/maize everyday)
Jod were beige- jackets were green and quilted and gloves were string affairs.
Pink was unheard of!
In contrast- my daughter has just bought a blue leather diamante headcollar for her pony........
2 things I remember - jodphurs only came in beige and you could find tack shops in city centres! (my old haunt is now an Ann Summers!!!)
[/ QUOTE ]
Hah!
Mine too! How strange!
Yep...saddles were leather, saddle cloths were sheepskin, headcollars were green. Everything was made of canvas......buckles were a nightmare for a kid in winter, girths were a pian to do up- no elastic. You rode in wax jacket and weighed a tonne when wet.
Ponies got hairy in winter and were unrugged mostly....
Feeds were straights (no wonder the mare I rode was demented...cereals/oats/maize everyday)
Jod were beige- jackets were green and quilted and gloves were string affairs.
Pink was unheard of!
In contrast- my daughter has just bought a blue leather diamante headcollar for her pony........
Hippona
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Wish it was still like this...kids today just have no idea do they.
[/ QUOTE ]
No they dont. As I said to my OH the other day whilst moaning about our daughters lack of commitment (probably unfairly)....."its all just too dam easy for her."
What I would have given for a fantasic pony, horsebox, parents who fully support ambitions and never moan about the cost.
As the saying goes they dont know they're born.
[/ QUOTE ]
Oh god yes...I would have scooped out my own eyeballs for a pony.....I used to remember the heartache if we passed any kids in the car out riding their ponies, I almost couldnt look I was so jealous
....my daughter has had her own since being aged 2, she loves our horses but but possibly not with the same longing that I had when I was young, when I knew it was no option for me, my parents simply couldnt afford it- I had to beg/work for rides.
[ QUOTE ]
Wish it was still like this...kids today just have no idea do they.
[/ QUOTE ]
No they dont. As I said to my OH the other day whilst moaning about our daughters lack of commitment (probably unfairly)....."its all just too dam easy for her."
What I would have given for a fantasic pony, horsebox, parents who fully support ambitions and never moan about the cost.
As the saying goes they dont know they're born.
[/ QUOTE ]
Oh god yes...I would have scooped out my own eyeballs for a pony.....I used to remember the heartache if we passed any kids in the car out riding their ponies, I almost couldnt look I was so jealous
....my daughter has had her own since being aged 2, she loves our horses but but possibly not with the same longing that I had when I was young, when I knew it was no option for me, my parents simply couldnt afford it- I had to beg/work for rides.
cptrayes
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
This post is fab - and its making me late for work!!!
[ QUOTE ]
The real charachters in the world of showjumping Even my Mother knew who Harvey Smith was lol.
[/ QUOTE ]
Ah - how true. Does anyone remember when he gave the judges the middle finger after they stopped him jumping any higher at the puissance! My granny nearly had a heart attack and threw her tea towel at the tv in shock!!
I also don't remember our ponies even having saddle cloths / numnahs. We used to just use blankets folded into four.
My final memory is the riding school owner opening all the stable doors, standing at the edge of the field and whistling and the horses would all come cantering in and go into their own stable! Excellent!!
[/ QUOTE ]
No no no!! You must be too young for this thread
No-one in those days ever used a middle finger gesture - it was a V sign - and he said he was only doing it as a V for victory - yeah, like Mattie Brown was a Welsh Pony
And talking of ponies - Stroller - 14.2 and representing the UK at the Olympics
This post is fab - and its making me late for work!!!
[ QUOTE ]
The real charachters in the world of showjumping Even my Mother knew who Harvey Smith was lol.
[/ QUOTE ]
Ah - how true. Does anyone remember when he gave the judges the middle finger after they stopped him jumping any higher at the puissance! My granny nearly had a heart attack and threw her tea towel at the tv in shock!!
I also don't remember our ponies even having saddle cloths / numnahs. We used to just use blankets folded into four.
My final memory is the riding school owner opening all the stable doors, standing at the edge of the field and whistling and the horses would all come cantering in and go into their own stable! Excellent!!
[/ QUOTE ]
No no no!! You must be too young for this thread
And talking of ponies - Stroller - 14.2 and representing the UK at the Olympics
itsme123
Well-Known Member
my first pony (a little 12.2hh welshie) was kept at mum's friend's place and her gardener used to trim his feet for me. Pony was a beggar for jumping out of his field so said gardener put up a barricade of barbed wire fencing...
I had a battered old saddle and where it didnt fit we used sponge pads from an old sofa. I had a smart white numnah that I used for best and a white string girth.
I remember aged about 12 my mum taking me to the saddlers and buying me a pair of harry hall black jodhpurs. They were THE thing. I had a pair of navy 'frogs' (i think thats what they were called) boots too. A hat with just elastic, but on that joyful 12th birthday i was bought a crash hat with a rubber chin cup, and a wax jacket too.
I got free shavings from the wood yard and used them in his stable, and he was never fed anything but a bit of hay in winter. I never had a back person out and I had to save up to have the vet out once a year. We'd hack to the nearest shop, one would hold the ponies while the other went in and bought sweets, and we'd tie the ponies to a bench and have a picnic.
My tweed jacket was a hand me down via the hunt, along with a pair of battered old rubber boots (they were pricey!) and teamed with a school blouse and dad's tie were my gymkhana clothes. We hacked to the local show and to enter the games was 20p a class. There was always a second hand stall there and I'd save like mad, and remember buying my first ever rug, an old NZ that didnt fit properly, and lugging it home. To have a dry pony to ride in winter was pure luxury. I also had a light that went on my stirrup which meant I could exercise after school... in the dark (!) along country lanes. No-one batted an eyelid!
Fittening in those days meant at least six weeks of roadwork, seven or eight miles of hacking a day, hillwork and only at the end (week five and six) you went above trot. In week four you were trotting on the roads for most of that mileage. I dont recall anything ever going lame or having laminitis. I think the biggest worries in those days were horses getting cast and horses colicking after hunting.
I had a battered old saddle and where it didnt fit we used sponge pads from an old sofa. I had a smart white numnah that I used for best and a white string girth.
I remember aged about 12 my mum taking me to the saddlers and buying me a pair of harry hall black jodhpurs. They were THE thing. I had a pair of navy 'frogs' (i think thats what they were called) boots too. A hat with just elastic, but on that joyful 12th birthday i was bought a crash hat with a rubber chin cup, and a wax jacket too.
I got free shavings from the wood yard and used them in his stable, and he was never fed anything but a bit of hay in winter. I never had a back person out and I had to save up to have the vet out once a year. We'd hack to the nearest shop, one would hold the ponies while the other went in and bought sweets, and we'd tie the ponies to a bench and have a picnic.
My tweed jacket was a hand me down via the hunt, along with a pair of battered old rubber boots (they were pricey!) and teamed with a school blouse and dad's tie were my gymkhana clothes. We hacked to the local show and to enter the games was 20p a class. There was always a second hand stall there and I'd save like mad, and remember buying my first ever rug, an old NZ that didnt fit properly, and lugging it home. To have a dry pony to ride in winter was pure luxury. I also had a light that went on my stirrup which meant I could exercise after school... in the dark (!) along country lanes. No-one batted an eyelid!
Fittening in those days meant at least six weeks of roadwork, seven or eight miles of hacking a day, hillwork and only at the end (week five and six) you went above trot. In week four you were trotting on the roads for most of that mileage. I dont recall anything ever going lame or having laminitis. I think the biggest worries in those days were horses getting cast and horses colicking after hunting.
Hippona
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
. I also had a light that went on my stirrup which meant I could exercise after school... in the dark (!) along country lanes. No-one batted an eyelid!
[/ QUOTE ]
Oh! Oh ! Me too....you know, I started to think I was imagining this....I haven't seen any for years and years- they were a bit like cycle lights- white at front and red on the back- I used to ride after school in winter in the pitch balck- (no HiViz in them days either) but I do remember these lights- I can't remember if they were actually 'in' the stirrup or fastened onto them seperately....
God this thread is ace.....
I remember the local RS taking us and ponies on a trip to Bridlington, we went off in a shonky old lorry, rode on the beach all day and ended up on a nudist beach
I was about 12- my pony wouldnt move, just stood stock still in front of an old (naked) couple.........
. I also had a light that went on my stirrup which meant I could exercise after school... in the dark (!) along country lanes. No-one batted an eyelid!
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Oh! Oh ! Me too....you know, I started to think I was imagining this....I haven't seen any for years and years- they were a bit like cycle lights- white at front and red on the back- I used to ride after school in winter in the pitch balck- (no HiViz in them days either) but I do remember these lights- I can't remember if they were actually 'in' the stirrup or fastened onto them seperately....
God this thread is ace.....
I remember the local RS taking us and ponies on a trip to Bridlington, we went off in a shonky old lorry, rode on the beach all day and ended up on a nudist beach
Spudlet
Well-Known Member
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We used to be able to do fun things in riding lessons ... anyone remember round the world and scissors??
My riding instructor used to make us do round the world, wait till we were facing the wrong way round and then smack the pony on the bum and make him trot off. Apparently it taught us balance !
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PMSL - that's so mean!
We used to be able to do fun things in riding lessons ... anyone remember round the world and scissors??
My riding instructor used to make us do round the world, wait till we were facing the wrong way round and then smack the pony on the bum and make him trot off. Apparently it taught us balance !
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PMSL - that's so mean!
hussar
Well-Known Member
Oh, I remember round-the-world and scissors! And jumping cavaletti without reins and stirrups and sometimes bareback.
We would bring the RS ponies in from the field riding one (in a headcollar) and leading another 2 on each side. They were good as gold. Only the two horses that were hunted ever had rugs or were clipped. I don't remember lameness, mud fever, sunburn, rain scald - any of the things that seem to plague horses these days.
They were wormed once a year with a drench - glass bottle with a rubber hose attachment! Same bottle was also used for colic drenches. They never had the back man or their teeth done. The farrier only cold shod and took about 20 minutes per horse. The tack was only leather with plaited string reins and the occasional coloured plasticy browband. String girths, no numnahs or blankets, only snaffles or the odd pelham, only drop or cavesson nosebands.
If it was raining in winter when we brought them in they were packed four at a time into the stables, nose to tail, with a tiny haynet each. They never kicked or squabbled. Wet backs were covered with a teatowel before the saddle was put on!
We would bring the RS ponies in from the field riding one (in a headcollar) and leading another 2 on each side. They were good as gold. Only the two horses that were hunted ever had rugs or were clipped. I don't remember lameness, mud fever, sunburn, rain scald - any of the things that seem to plague horses these days.
They were wormed once a year with a drench - glass bottle with a rubber hose attachment! Same bottle was also used for colic drenches. They never had the back man or their teeth done. The farrier only cold shod and took about 20 minutes per horse. The tack was only leather with plaited string reins and the occasional coloured plasticy browband. String girths, no numnahs or blankets, only snaffles or the odd pelham, only drop or cavesson nosebands.
If it was raining in winter when we brought them in they were packed four at a time into the stables, nose to tail, with a tiny haynet each. They never kicked or squabbled. Wet backs were covered with a teatowel before the saddle was put on!
RuthnMeg
Well-Known Member
Cavaletti and hexagon/square shaped poles!! Arhh the memories, no pony hit them, well they tried not to, it hurt.
I don't remember any nervous pony back then, they just gor ridden and did things regardless. Some were naughty, but if we fell off we bounced straught back on and I can't remember an ambulance dealing with any riding accident.
I also remember, summers were always hot and jumping the ponies in the fields over newly made hay. We tied them up at the edge of a field and had a picknic then went paddling with or without pony in the stream. Mum never seemed concerned if we were gone for hours, and i don't remember sweaty ponies either!! If pony bucked out cantering, you laughed and played rodeo!
Wish it was more like that now, H&S have no doubt in my mind spoiled many things, FUN being the major one.
I don't remember any nervous pony back then, they just gor ridden and did things regardless. Some were naughty, but if we fell off we bounced straught back on and I can't remember an ambulance dealing with any riding accident.
I also remember, summers were always hot and jumping the ponies in the fields over newly made hay. We tied them up at the edge of a field and had a picknic then went paddling with or without pony in the stream. Mum never seemed concerned if we were gone for hours, and i don't remember sweaty ponies either!! If pony bucked out cantering, you laughed and played rodeo!
Wish it was more like that now, H&S have no doubt in my mind spoiled many things, FUN being the major one.
cptrayes
Well-Known Member
Vets had to prescribe wormers!
So you had to pay a vet visit, so most people didn't and there were millions of wormy horses and plenty died of redworm. Dreadful!! Didn't become legal to buy them in a saddlery until some time around 1980. I had an "under the counter" supplier and it was like buying crack on a street corner
So you had to pay a vet visit, so most people didn't and there were millions of wormy horses and plenty died of redworm. Dreadful!! Didn't become legal to buy them in a saddlery until some time around 1980. I had an "under the counter" supplier and it was like buying crack on a street corner