Foxhunter49
Well-Known Member
The question on feeding has made me post about 'modern' riding, teaching and care of our horses and ponies.
When I was learning to ride hardly any children had their own ponies. The only ones who did were either farmers children or 'rich' people who then kept the pony at the local riding school.
Teaching was done by either ex army or ex army trained instructors. The rides were regimented, tough but fun. We were taught to do a good sitting trot before allowed to trot rise. During the course of a hack (of which there were more than in the school) we were still under instruction and taught parts of the horse, tack, different birds, trees and plants. Shown where a fox had killed, badger sets and anything else to do with nature.
We were made to ride up and down steep hills at all paces with and without stirrups. Sent up jumping lanes putting on or taking off our jackets, with and without stirrups. Mad to go first and last or to canter under control in a line along an open field or on the beach. A lot of the ponies went pony racing so that certainly taught you how to hold a puller. We rode a lot bareback with only rope halters for control.
If you were not a competitive rider or slightly nervous then you were put on a ride that was quieter and suited to your needs.
We were encouraged to join the Pony Club, hunt and to go to shows. We worked all day at the stables and learned about care of the horse.
The horses and ponies lived out all the year. They had a belly clip in winter and no rugs. They worked six days a week - never more than four hours a day during the summer with tourists. There were ponies well into their twenties in work. The only cases of laminitis were those that came in to be 'cured' as did many 'naughty' ponies and horses. All were fed two hard feeds a day if they cam in for work. They were fed straights and chaff (hay which we kids had to cut with the chaff cutter) according to what work they had done and their temperament and condition.
Then more and more parents bought their children ponies and instead of keeping them at the stables they kept them in a field near their home. It gradually became prevalent that, after a year of riding at a riding school, a child got a pony and kept it outside where they received little tuition and what tuition they did get was from people who had done the same.
The old methods of feeding, teaching and general welfare has gone by the board.
I rarely ever teach but when I do it is usually at a PC rally or at a riding school when I go 'home' teaching both the children and grandchildren of ex pupils. The poor kids are initially terrified by the exaggerated stories they have been told about me but they come away happy and having worked very hard and having learned a lot.
Watching lessons being taken I am bored silly watching and listening to the drippy voices and the continuous 'OK then', little constructive criticism, no teaching the use of the seat and ponies that are as bored as the children.
I do understand the rules about health and safety but forcing the novice into a correct position rather than letting them find their own balance and comfort zone first.
Reading many of the questions on here confirms that many people have horses with the best intentions but have limited knowledge/experience in how to handle certain situations, not necessarily serious one either.
People sit correctly but are ineffective because they have a weak seat. Theoretically they know but practise is another thing.
Obviously this is a generalisation and does not apply to all, only a heck of a lot!
I would be interested to know what comment you have on this?
When I was learning to ride hardly any children had their own ponies. The only ones who did were either farmers children or 'rich' people who then kept the pony at the local riding school.
Teaching was done by either ex army or ex army trained instructors. The rides were regimented, tough but fun. We were taught to do a good sitting trot before allowed to trot rise. During the course of a hack (of which there were more than in the school) we were still under instruction and taught parts of the horse, tack, different birds, trees and plants. Shown where a fox had killed, badger sets and anything else to do with nature.
We were made to ride up and down steep hills at all paces with and without stirrups. Sent up jumping lanes putting on or taking off our jackets, with and without stirrups. Mad to go first and last or to canter under control in a line along an open field or on the beach. A lot of the ponies went pony racing so that certainly taught you how to hold a puller. We rode a lot bareback with only rope halters for control.
If you were not a competitive rider or slightly nervous then you were put on a ride that was quieter and suited to your needs.
We were encouraged to join the Pony Club, hunt and to go to shows. We worked all day at the stables and learned about care of the horse.
The horses and ponies lived out all the year. They had a belly clip in winter and no rugs. They worked six days a week - never more than four hours a day during the summer with tourists. There were ponies well into their twenties in work. The only cases of laminitis were those that came in to be 'cured' as did many 'naughty' ponies and horses. All were fed two hard feeds a day if they cam in for work. They were fed straights and chaff (hay which we kids had to cut with the chaff cutter) according to what work they had done and their temperament and condition.
Then more and more parents bought their children ponies and instead of keeping them at the stables they kept them in a field near their home. It gradually became prevalent that, after a year of riding at a riding school, a child got a pony and kept it outside where they received little tuition and what tuition they did get was from people who had done the same.
The old methods of feeding, teaching and general welfare has gone by the board.
I rarely ever teach but when I do it is usually at a PC rally or at a riding school when I go 'home' teaching both the children and grandchildren of ex pupils. The poor kids are initially terrified by the exaggerated stories they have been told about me but they come away happy and having worked very hard and having learned a lot.
Watching lessons being taken I am bored silly watching and listening to the drippy voices and the continuous 'OK then', little constructive criticism, no teaching the use of the seat and ponies that are as bored as the children.
I do understand the rules about health and safety but forcing the novice into a correct position rather than letting them find their own balance and comfort zone first.
Reading many of the questions on here confirms that many people have horses with the best intentions but have limited knowledge/experience in how to handle certain situations, not necessarily serious one either.
People sit correctly but are ineffective because they have a weak seat. Theoretically they know but practise is another thing.
Obviously this is a generalisation and does not apply to all, only a heck of a lot!
I would be interested to know what comment you have on this?
. No reins, no saddles, etc., even more fun when jumping a course without reins or a saddle - cue numerous ponies disappearing off across the horizon.
our hats had the elastic under the chin and where very flimsy. Pony had a rug rack in the stable where the rugs would go, we got our shavings from the local wood yard for practically nothing.