I'm sorry to say I was there! How old does that make me! Mum bought me a pair of Cream johds to go hunting in. The really old fashioned ones with baggy bits at the thighs. (I hasten to add I was well under 10 at the time!) The pony was real but he only sat on it for a few moments. I don't think he brought his weight down at all - just sort of straddled it. Show jumpers were real sitting room heros then - far more well know even by people who didn't ride than now. Some of my heart throbs then still ride now.....
Weren't they just! Glory days! I was allowed to sit up late to watch the showjumping, and everyone knew who David Broome and Harvey were!
I doubt it did the pony any harm having Harvey rest one leg on it for a couple of minutes. I have to say, people had a lot more common sense back then.
People today seem to think things were 'brutal' and in some ways, they were harsher - more down to earth - but there was also a hell of a lot more horse sense around, and countryside knowledge - more people who really understood what was going on.
These days people watch something on telly and think they're the expert.
i wish i had this picture when the instructor of a clinic i went on kept telling me im to big for pony and i should sell her!! im not small on her, but im not 'big' either, certainly not that big ha!!