What got you 'into' horses?

S

shadowboy

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 May 2006
Messages
4,754
Visit site
When I was 5 my parents decided that I should learn to ride- they felt it was something every young lady should be able to do (very medieval lol) - anyway I loved it- and I passed the just wanting to learn to ride- got my first horse at 10 years old. Have now been with horses for 20 years......

Just intregued- how/what made you/why are you so interested in horses?
 
My mum. I was two years old and she had riding lessons at a stables based in the grounds of a gorgeous and well known stately pile. By the time I was six mum had given up years before and I was belting up and down the edge of the lake on mad ponies and bitching about not being allowed down the jumping lane
grin.gif
 
My grandad used to breed and show shire horses so I was born into a horsey environment although my parents aren't horsey. Then it led onto lessons and my own ponies when I was young and it has just contiuned.
 
My great aunt breeds Irish draughts and showjumps and that side of the family is fairly horsey in general.

My aunt had a riding school and so I've always been around horses.
 
I always loved horses, but I was *so* *so* ill when I was a child I couldn't ride, was in and out of hospital, missed two years of school, numerous blood transfusions/drips/tests etc. My beloved Nanna surprised me when I was about 8 years old with my very first riding lesson and I was hooked
smile.gif
My Uncle then raised money for me to go on a riding holiday but I was too ill to go, so the money went toward horse gear so I could at least continue riding when I was better. Had very bad health which caused me to attempt suicide, so Mum and Dad found a lovely lady who allowed me to groom and ride her two when I was 11 til they both died six months apart when I was 16 - they did this to help me focus on something else and realise that life did have it's good points, I learnt so much from this lady and I had fantastic opportunities. They then paid for me to go to college where I trained to be able to work with horses but I had a bad fall at the end of the year meaning I couldn't do my BHS Stage One so I had to complete the year and exams on written work (I passed with a merit
grin.gif
) then I had MORE bad health and am still recovering, but then I met a lovely lady who allows me to ride the horses at her yard for a small contribution. I'm absolutely loving it and it's helping my recovery very much
smile.gif


Sorry for long ramblings
blush.gif
 
My cousin Lori (sadly she died of leukemia in 2001, she was a good dressage rider), gave me a pair of her old riding boots from the 70's when I was 10 in 1985 as I was heavily into My Little Pony. Haven't looked back since!!

Everytime I ride or am down the stable, I think of Lori and what she got me into!
smile.gif
 
It is just a way of being for me.....there are photos of me when I was about 18months old with plastic cups in my hands for hooves, crawling around the carpet.....
blush.gif
confused.gif
grin.gif
.....and frankly it just never wore off.

My dad grew up with carthorses on the farm, so I suppose it possibly is in the blood, but I never needed any encouragement .....I just am, simple as.
 
Golly, it's so long ago I can hardly remember if there was any specific event that got me interested. I just can't think of a time when I wasn't completely obsessed - my mother says I always showed an interest even when a baby. Just seem to have been born with this expensive, time-consuming, frustrating habit!!
smile.gif
 
According to my Mum from the age I could lift my arm I would point at horses and giggle and smile. Things were very hard at home but she managed to get me riding lessons for my 5th birthday and it went from there. Loan and shared two at 13 then got a TB at 14 the rest as they say is history!
 
I can remember my dad arranging lessons for me and my sister when we were around 7 or 8. He loved horses and enjoyed them as much as we did. We were so excited and have never looked back. Now I have children and a grand child, so thats how long ago it was. Sadly my dad is no longer with us but the memories are
grin.gif
 
I was always scared of horses. After I got married, my OH, who has ridden since she was seven, persuaded me to learn. I enjoyed it well enough, but wanted to dedicate myself to the Martial Arts.

Around two years ago I decided to retire from the MA's and needed something else that would challenge me, was physical and preferably outdoors, so the OH suggested taking up riding again and I am now addicted, hacking, jumping and shortly to try XC
grin.gif


Oh! and the 'challenging' bit was an understatement
shocked.gif
 
My family were not horsey , but my Auntie used to take me to see the Coalman's horse ( that dates me
blush.gif
) & my great Uncle had learned to ride during his time in WW1 .

I rode beach donkeys & ponies , then my friends Mum asked me to ask my Mum if I'd like to have lessons at the local R/S as my friends sister had lost interest . I was about 7 years old & was instantly hooked !

My Great Uncle used to help me when the pony wouldn't lead out of the box , used to shout ' Who gave you permission to dismount ?' when I fell off & chatted up the instuctors - he was a lovely character
smile.gif
 
Born into an equestrian family, my grandparents rode, they ran a riding school along with my mum (when she was younger well before I was born), my mums sister rode, my dad rode, my dads sister rode, along with their chidren, my mum's half sister also rode, my sister and brother rode, so there was no escaping really
grin.gif


I was plonked on a shetty before I could even talk
grin.gif
this was going back 28 years ago, excuse the terrible riding attire!
blush.gif
grin.gif

010.jpg
 
I dont know really
frown.gif
I dont have a horsey family, I had no horsey friends. I know my brother used to ride when he was a child, but I wasnt around then. My dad came from a farming background where they had horses, and Mum is petrified of them. :S But I know my first ever ride was at a beach in Devan on a donkey, and it spooked at a fairground ride :l. And ive been riding every now and then, We cant afford full time lessons. And we cant afford to loan and share so at the moment, its the odd occasional treat
frown.gif
But one day I will own a horse I hope, or atleast share or loan one.
smile.gif
 
I wasn't from a horsey family but I was always obsessed by them. I desperately wanted riding lessons but my mum couldn't afford them so I tried to earn my own money as well as make friends with people with ponies!
wink.gif

That didn't always work though. I remember one girl who had a pony saying to me 'if you're so mad about ponies, why doesn't your mum buy you one?'
shocked.gif

Errrm ....
crazy.gif
 
Aw Kenzo - that's sweet! I have photos of me at a similar age in a red anorak, so don't worry! Is that family in the background?
 
[ QUOTE ]
I wasn't from a horsey family but I was always obsessed by them. I desperately wanted riding lessons but my mum couldn't afford them so I tried to earn my own money as well as make friends with people with ponies!
wink.gif

That didn't always work though. I remember one girl who had a pony saying to me 'if you're so mad about ponies, why doesn't your mum buy you one?'
shocked.gif

Errrm ....
crazy.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Yep...that was me as a kid.....making friends with kids with ponies, how mercenary of me
blush.gif
grin.gif


I would have poked my eyes out to have what my young daughter has and takes for granted..... don't get me wrong she loves her pony to bits and she's not spoiled, she has to do her bit but to her having her own ponies is completely normal, she doesnt understand why the girls at school get jealous........I can't make her understand just how lucky she is....maybe she will shes she's older hopefully.
 
god yes how bad is that, a right anorak!
blush.gif
grin.gif
mind you those brown velvet hat came back in!
grin.gif


No not family, that was in Wales at my anties, no idea who they are to be honest, perhaps some girls or friends she had working for her, they did pony trecking and stuff like that, but had the odd Shetland dotted about for the little ones.
 
My first velvet cap was brown too! I remember being mortified when I was sent off aged 7 to prep school where we rode, and I was the only one with a brown hat! I changed to black the first chance I got! Never had those funky red wellies though
smile.gif
 
I'm not from a horsey family (not even an animal family), no one knows where i get it from! but i started riding when i was 7. At 6 yrs old i was involved in a serious accident and nearly lost my leg, i was out of action for 18 months while it healed and in that time i saw my friend riding her pony. So i begged and begged my parents and eventually, despite the fact we couldnt afford it, they let me have lessons thinking i'd soon grow out of it. Oh how i didnt! lol 20 years later i'm still going having had 9 horses/ponies over the years and atm having 3 of those 9. I've converted my dad and he helps out (when i let him) when i'm injured, busy at work etc and will sit with me while i'm riding though he goes over every day to them in the field to make sure their ok and to give D a scratch. Dad actually cried when i lost my beloved Nettie, and this from a man who doesnt show emotion! Still working on mom (she's terrified of them) but will (wouldnt say happily) brush the midget as he's smaller than her, give H a quick rub on the nose, but he doesnt like being messed with any way, and will give D a good scratch on the head, she has on occasion given him a brush down his neck.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Riding the donkeys at Mablethorpe or Cleethorpes can't remember I was only about 18 months old

[/ QUOTE ]

that made me chuckle, I reading along (as i have it the screen decreased as I'm at work) and I thought it was going to say '' only abou t18 years old''
grin.gif
 
I have always loved horses but didn't know anyone who owned one and the nearest thing I had as a child was a rocking horse - I used to watch the horse racing on the TV and pretend I was a jockey
grin.gif


Went on a pony trek while holidaying in the Lake District when I was 29yo and decided I wanted to learn how to ride.

Asked a neighbour where to go for lessons (knew she was 'horsey') - turns out she was a dealer. She asked if I wanted to come and help out on her yard one day and have been hooked ever since
smile.gif
 
I have no idea, no-one in my family is horsey but I was just obsessed with them. My bedroom had thelwell wallpaper and a thelwell bed set
grin.gif
! My parents didn't have much money and I begged for lessons and on my 7th Birthday I had a lesson on Smudge
smile.gif
. As my parents couldn't really afford lessons it was agreed that I would forfit my pocket money and wash up every weekday to 'earn' my lessons!! I soon started helping out at the stables and got to earn lots of free rides.

Apart from when I was at Uni I always rode and dreamt that one day maybe........ so roll on 2 yrs ago, an elderly Aunt sadly died
frown.gif
but kindly left me money in her a will with a hint of what it was for, and OH said 'go for it'
smile.gif
! So after 30 years of waiting and dreaming my dream came true and I guess that is why George is just so so precious to me
smile.gif
.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have no idea, no-one in my family is horsey but I was just obsessed with them. My bedroom had thelwell wallpaper and a thelwell bed set
grin.gif
! My parents didn't have much money and I begged for lessons and on my 7th Birthday I had a lesson on Smudge
smile.gif
. As my parents couldn't really afford lessons it was agreed that I would forfit my pocket money and wash up every weekday to 'earn' my lessons!! I soon started helping out at the stables and got to earn lots of free rides.

Apart from when I was at Uni I always rode and dreamt that one day maybe........ so roll on 2 yrs ago, an elderly Aunt sadly died
frown.gif
but kindly left me money in her a will with a hint of what it was for, and OH said 'go for it'
smile.gif
! So after 30 years of waiting and dreaming my dream came true and I guess that is why George is just so so precious to me
smile.gif
.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is soooo nice...what a lovely thought of your Aunt
grin.gif
 
For as long as I can remember I asked (or should I say begged) my mum if I could learn to ride and have my own pony which was always followed by a no!
So when I was 16 and got my first job I started lessons!
I am now 34 and still going strong on the obsession, much to my husbands wallets disapproval!! lol
smile.gif


I have 2 boys who are now learning to ride so hopefully they will become just as obsessed as me!
 
I'm probably the exception in that I was never that interested in horses. My mum had a pony as a kid, but had totally lost interest and has never got it back - even with my obsession! My sister was the one who was begging my parents and they eventually gave in when I was 9 and my sister was 11 and enquired about lessons at a local riding school.

The most suitable lesson was on a saturday afternoon when my dad played rugby so Mum told me I would have to go along. I could either stand there and watch or join in. As I was easily bored I opted to join in. I can't say I loved it straight away but it was better than standing outside in the middle of winter watching. I gradually got the bug though as it became more exciting and I learnt to canter and jump and the day I went on my first hack there was no going back.

My sister gave up after two years - 20 years and three horses later I'm still going strong!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top