What Was Your Favourite Riding Holiday?

[vocalist]

A nostalgic trip through my photo album reminded me of a terrific holiday in the autumn of 1974 at Eastmanton Stables, Pulpit Hill, Sparsholt, Wantage, Oxfordshire which was run by a lady called Liz Seymour Metford Trent who was really nice, good teacher too. She had some lovely horses, my favourite was a 15 year old 15.2hh Dun gelding called Avoca but there were lots of others whose names escape me - even the one I won a 2nd rosette on at a gymkhana! It wasn't a trekking holiday, we mucked out, cleaned tack, had lessons in the outdoor schooling ring, went on hacks, jumped, were entered into gymkhana's and had a LOT of FUN.

We used to sleep in a big bedroom in the large house, there were about 4-6 girls in one room and boys in another. A caravan housed a couple of staff and Liz used to sleep in a converted stable!! I remember getting into trouble when Liz came back from a trip out for devouring a whole tub of ice cream during an impromptu ice cream eating competition and again for turning out one of the horses instead of taking him for a walk down the lane on a halter - took me hours to catch him again!

Liz owned a dark shaggy pony at the time who regularly won the veteran pony class as he was one of the oldest in the county!

Liz with one of the goats

Getting ready to ride out

Waiting to find out who we were riding

My favourite horse at Eastmanton called Avoca - When I was old enough, I tried to buy Avoca but she wouldn't part with him

I came 2nd!! - think the pony did it really LOL

I did a bit of research and it appears the stables stopped running holidays and the company was dissolved in 1983/4. Eastmanton Stables was then sold and used by racehorse trainers for several years. The house is still there but the stables have been converted into residential properties.

Did anyone else go to Eastmanton and remember Liz - I would love to know the names of the other staff & horses/ponies!

What was your favourite riding holiday and what memories does it bring back?

 

[Sukistokes2]

Ooooooo I will have to do this later!!!

 

[catwithclaws]

Ooooo when I was a kid I went to Heart of Wales riding school near Rhayader for week long holidays. They had loads of horses, specifically remember Poppy, Candy, Peabrain (yes, Peabrain) Dotty, Glen and Wally (who once rolled with his rider on!)

It was a proper instructional holiday, 2 sessions a day either flat, jumping or Xc and a half day hack over the Welsh hills (bloody hell it was cold that day, remember us all sticking our hands down the front of our horses numnahs to keep them warm!

Sadly due to the cost of insurance they stopped doing the holidays, was absolutely gutted best weeks of my little kiddy life haha

 

[snowstormII]

I spent a week every summer from about the age of 11- 13 (1979-82 ish) at the best place ever...Nine Tors on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. Super kind lovely owners. Great, safe but sparky ponies. I used to live for the moment I was put on the train to get there to meet a whole new load of pony mad kids and see my favourite ponies again, to dine on hearty meals and snack on endless toast and jam (neither of which happened at home as my mum was always watching her weight!). Being able to ride all day in chattering, gorse-jumping groups of happy children over all terrain, up river beds, swimming with horses in a natural pool in bikinis and no tack, and jumping stone walls was just heaven for a girl who only got to ride once a week, and I am certain it sowed the seed for me enjoying hunting so much. I will remember Skylark and those treasured days all my life.

 

[vocalist]

Just remembered the pony I rode in the gymkhana was called Robin! So good to hear other peoples memories of their holidays too!

 

[StoptheCavalry]

Ooooo when I was a kid I went to Heart of Wales riding school near Rhayader for week long holidays. They had loads of horses, specifically remember Poppy, Candy, Peabrain (yes, Peabrain) Dotty, Glen and Wally (who once rolled with his rider on!)

It was a proper instructional holiday, 2 sessions a day either flat, jumping or Xc and a half day hack over the Welsh hills (bloody hell it was cold that day, remember us all sticking our hands down the front of our horses numnahs to keep them warm!

Sadly due to the cost of insurance they stopped doing the holidays, was absolutely gutted best weeks of my little kiddy life haha

I used to go to heart of Wales too!! I rode a chestnut gelding called Shaun, a palomino mare who's name I can't remember maybe willow(?) and a really small grey pony called something like sparky who used to try and kick you as you got on!! I tried to loan Shaun once for the winter but couldn't find anywhere to keep him :-(

I absolutely loved my holidays there, not sure you'd get away with bareback xc and swimming on horseback now, not to mention jumping off the really high "cliff" into the river. I have loads of photos somewhere.

 

[Deltaflyer]

I spent a week every summer from about the age of 11- 13 (1979-82 ish) at the best place ever...Nine Tors on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. Super kind lovely owners. Great, safe but sparky ponies. I used to live for the moment I was put on the train to get there to meet a whole new load of pony mad kids and see my favourite ponies again, to dine on hearty meals and snack on endless toast and jam (neither of which happened at home as my mum was always watching her weight!). Being able to ride all day in chattering, gorse-jumping groups of happy children over all terrain, up river beds, swimming with horses in a natural pool in bikinis and no tack, and jumping stone walls was just heaven for a girl who only got to ride once a week, and I am certain it sowed the seed for me enjoying hunting so much. I will remember Skylark and those treasured days all my life.

Gosh!!! Sorry, serial lurker here but I just HAD to post in response to this.

I went to Nine Tors in about '74-'75 with a couple of girls from school. I rode an Exmoor pony called Solo for the week, one of my friends had a grey mare called Bluebell and the other a bay called Major (I think it was Major, could have been Sargeant). I still have dreams about that holiday. Did they still have that ancient old bus when you went there? It was such fun trying to find the horses in the mist in the mornings and then riding out for what seemed all day without a care in the world.

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Heheh Nine Tors, I rode sark want, I have a photo somewhere, if I can persuade Photobucket to work I'll post it. It didn't have my heart like Bush did though, this was a farm (still exists in the same family ownership now, but not horsey) just outside of Saltash in Cornwall, we slept about twelve girls in one dorm, bathrooms facilities were one loo and one tiny wash hand basin, there was loads of food and we carried big ice cream containers tied to our saddles, and full of sandwiches on day long hacks. I too won my first rosette on riding holidays, I first went

 

[dollymix]

I used to go to heart of Wales too!! I rode a chestnut gelding called Shaun, a palomino mare who's name I can't remember maybe willow(?) and a really small grey pony called something like sparky who used to try and kick you as you got on!! I tried to loan Shaun once for the winter but couldn't find anywhere to keep him :-(

I absolutely loved my holidays there, not sure you'd get away with bareback xc and swimming on horseback now, not to mention jumping off the really high "cliff" into the river. I have loads of photos somewhere.

Me three! I went to The Heart of Wales for a holiday with my friend when I was about 13. Loved it! Full week of horsey madness!

I rode a chestnut called Chesney. Think he was a welsh cob. Remember doing the all day ride and for the last 30 mins I was switched to an ex-racer as Chesney was supposedly bad in traffic. Remember being scared if this massive ex racer who literally bounced home whilst watching chesney plodding home half asleep lol!

Was also slightly questionable how they brought in - open all the stables doors (yard was a bit of a warren, linked together via barns etc) and then just open the gate and watch them
All stampede up the hill to their stables!

I also remember Peabrain (grey Arab type? Don't remember it being particularly crazy!), and my friend rode one called Sandy or an elderly grey called Zeus.

 

[Rudders74]

In the late 80s I went every year to White Tor Stables, Peter Tavy in Devon. Long lovely days galloping across the Dartmoor with pub lunches and home cooked meals in the evening. It was run by Rod and Sue and their parents and brings back the most wonderful memories. Of course I no longer have a fraction of the confidence I did back then in my teens but it was a blast. The ponies used to get so excited when they were getting close to the gallops.

 

[catwithclaws]

I used to go to heart of Wales too!! I rode a chestnut gelding called Shaun, a palomino mare who's name I can't remember maybe willow(?) and a really small grey pony called something like sparky who used to try and kick you as you got on!! I tried to loan Shaun once for the winter but couldn't find anywhere to keep him :-(

I absolutely loved my holidays there, not sure you'd get away with bareback xc and swimming on horseback now, not to mention jumping off the really high "cliff" into the river. I have loads of photos somewhere.

Me three! I went to The Heart of Wales for a holiday with my friend when I was about 13. Loved it! Full week of horsey madness!

I rode a chestnut called Chesney. Think he was a welsh cob. Remember doing the all day ride and for the last 30 mins I was switched to an ex-racer as Chesney was supposedly bad in traffic. Remember being scared if this massive ex racer who literally bounced home whilst watching chesney plodding home half asleep lol!

Was also slightly questionable how they brought in - open all the stables doors (yard was a bit of a warren, linked together via barns etc) and then just open the gate and watch them
All stampede up the hill to their stables!

I also remember Peabrain (grey Arab type? Don't remember it being particularly crazy!), and my friend rode one called Sandy or an elderly grey called Zeus.

Think I remember shaun! Yeah peabrain was a grey araby type Omg can't believe there are people who remember this. Miss being a kid so badly haha I remember the bringing in each morning - was always one or two who would turn off and end up by the dormer cabin lol! Xxx

 

[Bills]

Ooooo when I was a kid I went to Heart of Wales riding school near Rhayader for week long holidays. They had loads of horses, specifically remember Poppy, Candy, Peabrain (yes, Peabrain) Dotty, Glen and Wally (who once rolled with his rider on!)

It was a proper instructional holiday, 2 sessions a day either flat, jumping or Xc and a half day hack over the Welsh hills (bloody hell it was cold that day, remember us all sticking our hands down the front of our horses numnahs to keep them warm!

Sadly due to the cost of insurance they stopped doing the holidays, was absolutely gutted best weeks of my little kiddy life haha

I did too!! Loved the place!

I rode a little grey pony called Smokey Joe and my friend rode a grey cob with one eye but don't remember his name.

We had such fun, and it is where I jumped my first 'xc' fences on cheeky little smokey

 

[PickleVictorious]

I used to go to Rhiwiau in Llanfairfechan. My favourites were Boo, Roxie and the lovely Celyn. Remember having lessons in the school then leading the horses up a whacking steep hill to get back to the stables, and feeding the horses grass from a growing machine. We had some mega gallops on the mountain, all masses of fun as a child!

 

[timgollin]

I was at Eastmanton with Liz and Mike (and lived in a horse box next to their box) for a couple of summers
And I remember Avoca, a Palamino who hated to be trailered
And the ancient ponies Chatty and Biscuit, who died finally in their late 30s
And the goat named Everard
And the two donkeys which wouldn't do anything
And the 34 cats and 26 dogs, +/- which lived in the house
It wasn't a clean part of my life but it was glorious

 

[vocalist]

I spent several summer holidays at Eastmanton with Liz and Mike - Avoca was a dun and I wanted to buy him when I could afford a horse. I have a photo of Everard somewhere along with others of some of the horses. Always enjoyed the holidays there. The stables have been sold and last time I looked on Google Earth, have been converted into private residences.