Thread to reminisce about pre health and safety/designer riding wear days

[FionaM12]

I used to get Horse and Pony magazine, they had a pony called Freddy who used to write his own column!

The educational standard of ponies has declined so much since then.

 

[missieh]

Love this thread. Also a 70s /80s pony girl! Now, lets see, there were
cavaletti's, baler twine grass reins, gamgee pads under exercise bandages, oats or treacle to pep them up a bit, tbatching with straw under a sweat rug, natives never wore rugs

 

[missieh]

Love this thread. Also a 70s /80s pony girl! Now, lets see, there were
cavaletti's, baler twine grass reins, gamgee pads under exercise bandages, oats or treacle to pep them up a bit, tbatching with straw under a sweat rug, natives never wore rugs, if any one clipped it was a trace clip, hairnets under hat with elastic over the peek for shows, everyone loved Ryans Son!!!!!

 

[TelH]

I used to get Horse and Pony magazine, they had a pony called Freddy who used to write his own column!

I used to get Horse and Pony Magazine too...with the posters in the middle. I had Ginny Elliot (when she was Holgate) and Priceless on my bedroom wall

 

[lilyoftheincas]

What do you have to wear then? And is it for safety reasons?


One of the joys of being old is no-one tells me what to wear. If they did I'd only ignore them.

By t-shirt I meant a short sleeved one, so we can only wear long sleeves! I mean I understand if we're riding outside, but in an indoor school when not even doing jumping? Seriously? And I'm expected to wear a bp

 

[Waffles]

The way to tack up back then in the 70s was if your pony blew out when girthing up, you gave them a sharp dig by lifting up your knee to the girth area and as they gasped as you kneed them, you quickly pulled up the girth about 4 holes.

 

[FionaM12]

The way to tack up back then in the 70s was if your pony blew out when girthing up, you gave them a sharp dig by lifting up your knee to the girth area and as they gasped as you kneed them, you quickly pulled up the girth about 4 holes.

Haha! That's how I was taught to do up a girth!

 

[Waffles]

riding to the blacksmith (who happened to be a farrier) and having to have a day off school to do so. When the horse lost a shoe, it was a joy as you (as a 12 year old) could go to flirt with the apprentice. With one shoe off, you would ride, but keep on the verges then it would be ok.

 

[ElphabaFae]

I can't really say much because I'm only 18 but...

- Being able to jump a grid of 5 or so fences without reins and stirrups
- Drop nosebands were fashionable
- Dutch gags were fashionable
- Petal overreach boots
- If you fell off you got straight back on and did it better the next time!
- Those horrible hoof picks with the brushes on the end



EDIT - I remember my nan telling me her saddle cost £50 and that there no such things as rising diagonals, or using rugs in the fields.

 

[FionaM12]

riding to the blacksmith (who happened to be a farrier) and having to have a day off school to do so. When the horse lost a shoe, it was a joy as you (as a 12 year old) could go to flirt with the apprentice. With one shoe off, you would ride, but keep on the verges then it would be ok.

That's exactly what I did, in about 1972 when I was 16 and had just bought my Bamber. The only farrier we could find (none would come out to shoe only one horse) was miles and miles away in Crosby, Liverpool.

The farrier was very elderly and had a wonderful old forge surrounded by flats and modern buildings. I rode my boy through rush hour city traffic to get there, neither he nor I turned a hair at this. I remember the forge still had the price lists on the wall for the carthorses in Liverpool city. In old money, of course.

His shoes were done, and Bamber and I set off for the long, busy ride home. Wagons roaring past us dwarfing us. My parents didn't think this was dangerous, and neither did I. No mobile phone to check in on. I just set off and said see you in a few hours...

How strange to think that was the same person who so nervously plucked up the courage today to hack Mollie round a few quiet country lanes. Something it's taken me nearly a year to be brave enough for..

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Yes!! Showjumpers had personality and I could say (and spell) the names of all the horses.
I used to get Horse and Pony magazine, they had a pony called Freddy who used to write his own column!
Before that I used to get a magazine which was like a comic with horse stories, really good though and the pictures were amazing. You used to get a small model horse with each one and j collected them all! Never heard of anyone else who got it though, can't remember what it was called! Next time I go to my mum and dads I'm going hunting in the attic!

I remember Horse & Pony magazine & Freddy.

I also had My Beautiful Horses magazine and poss the one you are thinking of that came with a Pony in My Pocket toy, that was fairly cartoon like?

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/puppy-power-for-the-nineties-1255205.html

I still have a "string vest" anti sweat rug as they were called.

Brightly coloured rubber bit rings & rein stops

I was really thrilled when i got my little tack tray grooming kit with waterproof cover none of these posh boxes.

Riding schools let you ride bareback in lessons (unfortunately only did it a couple of times before Health and Safety started as this is only going back about 14 or so years) Fortunately now i have horse on full loan i can still canter round the field bareback & jump with no hands

The my little ponies were not the hideous abominations they are now.

There was no age limit for helping out at riding schools and i used to be up there all day in exchange for free ride from about the age of 10.

Although i didnt have my own pony i had a brilliant time & think health and safety has made it a lot more boring and regimented!

 

[Patterdale]

No it pre-dated Pony in my Pocket! It wasn't any brand, I'm going to look it up!

Ps I had allll the My Beautiful Horses, probably past the age when I should have....!

 

[Waffles]

We were allowed out for the whole day to go to Hereford market with the farmer guy who was about 58 (we were around 13). we would travel in the back of the mini van with a sheep or two, tied up with bailer twine, beg him to buy us a piglet (he never did) then he would buy us chips on the way home. we never washed our hands. Our mums trusted the farmer totally. we would sit on the farmer's lap and he would let us steer the mini down the last half mile home whilst he sang "After the ball was over". Amazing.

The farmer let us break 2 of his ponies using a headcollar and washing line as a makeshift cavesson and lunge line. We did rather well, and let the farmer's wife have a go on the newly broken 14.2hh mare. She got bucked off and was nuts. years later, I found out they were renting these ponies out to ride and people thought they were fab

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I used to get Horse and Pony Magazine too...with the posters in the middle. I had Ginny Elliot (when she was Holgate) and Priceless on my bedroom wall

I was another who had horse and pony used to love decorating my bedroom walls with the posters. I also remember Freddie the chestnut pony. They also quite often came with a stencil or useless plastic hoof pick that was so blunt it did nothing!

Anyone else have "Magpie Models" toy horses- i used to play with mine for hours (when i wasnt at the stables!) and still have them for in the unlikely event i have kids!

I loved getting my first grooming kit it was a green tack tray with waterproof cover.

Riding schools gave you bareback lessons although only did this a couple of times as it was around the time when health and safety came in.

Choosing a velvet browband and trying to decide what colours you wanted.

Riding schools didnt have an age limit on helping and i used to help up there from about the age of 11/12 most days in the holidays and after school and on Saturdays in exchange for free rides.

Think health and safety has made it a lot more boring for kids nowadays and while i didnt have my own pony i still had fun, although i was born in the 90's so around when h & s was starting to come in although nowhere near the extent it is now.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Have just realised i cross posted- re typed as thought my rubbish computer had crashed (as usual!)

 

[stevieg]

For me it's:-

Beige jods - all the time as that was the only colour you could get.
Canvas rugs with a grey blanket lining which took a millenium to dry
Jute stable rugs
The Jill books
'String vests'


A friend used to love hunting and his Dad would drop him off a couple of hours before the meet complete with pony and trailer. Dad would then go to work and leave said friend (at the age of 11) to sit in the trailer with a book and a packet of sandwiches waiting for everyone else to arrive. He would spend the day hunting and then make himself comfortable in the trailer again while waiting for Dad to pick him up on his way back home from work! Wouldn't be allowed these days.

 

[cambrica]

this is the best thread ever , Ive done almost everything mentioned on here !
hehhe re the strapped on blanket , we did the same thing in 1973 but only because we couldnt afford the saddle for a while !

LOL, I think I was the best bare-back rider in Bedfordshire as my dad sold my saddle for beer money!!
Also remember loading about 7 ponies in a cattle truck and taking them to be blessed at Horseman Sunday London, then going for a gallop around Hyde Park, everyone there from the tinker to the posh with brass tags of their horses names on their saddles. Do they still do that??? even the preist was on a horse!
Growing up wanting to be Caroline Bradley on her Tricentral horses - named if I remember Tricentral Rubber Ball & Manuel ?? may be wrong.

PLUS IT NEVER RAINED

 

[FionaM12]

we would sit on the farmer's lap and he would let us steer the mini down the last half mile home whilst he sang "After the ball was over". Amazing.

That is just fantastic.

 

[cambrica]

Why, in 1974, I decided to enter the fancy dress as a fishing boat is anybody's guess! No riding hat - check, bareback - check, plastic browband - check, red nylon reins - check, cagoule - check (though that is part of the costume!)

One of our favourite places to ride was some derelict land, part of which was used as a tip and we used to build jumping courses out of whatever old doors and bedframes we could find there, carefully balancing yet another half brick on top to make it just a bit higher until the ponies couldn't be persuaded to haul themselves over it any more.

Oh my word, tears rolling down my face... Please tell me you won

 

[taranana]

Another one loving this thread!

Doing the one week summer holiday camp where you did everything for your pony including catching and turning out. Riding bareback back to the fields at the end of the day (hoping your pony lived in a far flung one to get extra riding) and then being picked up in a clapped out mini van so stuffed with kids that if you were really lucky, you could sit on the edge with legs hanging out of the open doors.

No wonder my kids love to travel on the towbar down the lane to the yard!

 

[FionaM12]

Oh my word, tears rolling down my face... Please tell me you won

The fish hanging from the bridle is genius.

 

[LeannePip]

i ct remember much of this, I'm 18 and only started riding when i was 11 but remember seeing all the things you've mentioned at my old yard and the YO showed us all her 'olden day stuff' :L

but i do remember the days when hunters lasted more than a year . . .

 

[charmeroo]

Also - when I learnt to ride you had to remember that you were trying to keep a 10 shilling note between your knee and the saddle!!

 

[longdog]

I worked at a local riding school in the early 70's. We used to get groups of students from foreign language schools for rides. The girls would turn up in skirts & sandals(!!!!) & the boys in shorts & plimsolls - not a hat between them & we would just haul them on board & off we went!!! My blood runs cold when I think back. Never mind the rounding up of the ponies in the morning with just a few headcollars & ropes - bareback - again no hats - sigh, the younger generation just don't know they're born.......

 

[Jesstickle]

I still don't use a numnah - so much easier to clean the underside of the saddle than a numnah. horse doesn't sweat up under the saddle and is far more comfy.

My saddle as a kid was serge lined and definitely not easier to clean than a numnah! That woman is evil I tell you, evil. I used have to brush off the serge with a really stiff dandy brush for a good half hour every time the pony sweated to get it clean!

 

[sula]

The only farrier we could find (none would come out to shoe only one horse) was miles and miles away in Crosby, Liverpool.

My family on my mother`s side, hailed from the Smithy in Little Crosby, Liverpool, way back in the day. Random throw-in fact!

Really enjoying this thread and feeling quite melancholic and nostalgic

 

[FionaM12]

My family on my mother`s side, hailed from the Smithy in Little Crosby, Liverpool, way back in the day. Random throw-in fact!

That could well have been the place. It was in the old village which had almost been swallowed by the city. Was it still a working forge when they were there?

 

[Eaglestone]

When you had to constantly change rugs to the 'specific' one for the time of day .... stable rug ... New Zealand ..... thank goodness for the lovely lightweight, quick drying rugs, which can be left on, inside and out

 

[ZondaR]

What I particularly remember from the 70's is the most exotic and glamorous sounding name ever in show jumping. Captain Raymondo Dinzayo. (I've written it phoneticly as I haven't a clue how to write it properly.)

 

[Merrymoles]

Also - when I learnt to ride you had to remember that you were trying to keep a 10 shilling note between your knee and the saddle!!

Blimey you were posh - we only got leaves to keep there! However, if you lost it, you just grabbed another one from the nearest tree and hoped no-one noticed. Lessons were ten bob though