Where you began riding? Me, Whiteleaf...

[Vindaloo]

Just sitting here with a nice G&T on the go thinking back into the VERY dim and distant past to one of the first riding schools I ever went to.

It was Whiteleaf riding stables in Teynham in Kent. Just wondered if anyone here went there and remember any of the people/horses.

I am sure the owner/instructor was Graham Butt (I could have got that surname ridiculously wrong of course) and fondly remember ponies such as Orry, fat, white pony jump anything but only from a near standstill, Dusty, really apt name oh loads and loads so won't bore you all.

Learned a lot at that place but not all of them good. In fact, this was definitely the place responsible for my lack of courage over the fences. That said, I was there from 7am to 7pm every weekend to earn my ride and loved every blooming moment.

Happy Thursday from a nice sunny India. Would be nice to ride but I'm stuck in with toothache. Dentists out here are sent straight from butcher college I kid you not.

 

[Sparky86]

My parents used to run Whiteleaf! It wasn't the same time you were there as I don't recognise any of those names. We had such a great time growing up there, I still miss it now!

 

[Vindaloo]

You are kidding me? My goodness I don't even want to think about how long ago it was not (i'm approaching the big one) There was a little roan there called sparky!

Lucky you growing up there. Back then, the hacking was pretty nice although some of the rides I went on were a touch unorganised with ponies belting off in all directions and kids falling off all over the place. It was hilarious looking back at the total lack of health and safety rubbish.

 

[Dolcé]

I started at Owlet Farm Riding School in Horsforth, Leeds, when I was 9, told them I knew how to ride and went straight out on a hack (I had never been on a horse and they must have known when I clambered on but still let me go out). I managed the steering and stopping, didn't like the trot much and the canter on the cricket pitch nearly finished me but I managed to stay on and was hooked from then. I used to ride what I thought was a huge fleabitten grey called Alex who used to star in Follifoot (Owlet used to provide the horses), he probably wasn't that big really. I went on to be an instructress and worked at the next door riding school, Lingbob, that was the posh one of the area, we livery there now and the YO still has all the old photos of the horses. We spend many happy times remembering them!

 

[Vindaloo]

Ha, that was a bit of a baptism of fire but good on you for keeping going. I'm sure many have had first times like that and thought 'b*gger that for a game of soldiers' and never tried again.

Did you have to do the whole round the world, lie back on ponies bum, touch your toes exercises? My OH has just started riding out here in Indai and he's had to do all of those on the lunge. I rather cruelly took photos while laughing my head off to see an adult doing all those things I had to do as a child. To be fair to him, he managed all and is going back for more.

 

[Spyda]

I bought my first UK pony from Charville Riding School in Hillingdon around 1978'ish, Middlesex. I also kept a couple at Mick Jupp's Goulds Green yard for a while.

 

[BSJAlove]

Twin Trees in Northil Beds. loved it still in touch with them now, lovely people.

 

[Flicker]

I still remember my first lesson, aged 8, at Riverbend Riding School outside Johannesburg. I was so excited I was nearly sick in the car on the way out. I rode a chestnut pony called Coco and did my first ever Round The World. I cried when I had to get off.

I think my parents had been calling my bluff, booking me the lesson, and they didn't think I'd stick with it. I think they've realised I'm serious about it now

 

[Damnation]

Abbeylands Equestrian Center in the Isle of man
Sadly shut down now and has been torn down

 

[I See Clover]

I started riding at Champflurrie Riding School in Torphican. Mum used to make me wear the most hideous jacket giong - it was bright turquoise with zips EVERYWHERE (and by everywhere, I'm talking all up and down the arms and all over the back and front!). I used to ride a pony called Daisy and a grey gelding called Whisper - he was my favourite!

In the summer holidays, they always held a 3 day camp where you would compete in games, show jumping and cross country - it was great!

 

[Red30563]

I had my first lessons at Nightingale Riding Stables in Buckhurst Hill, Essex. And here I am on a pony called Smokey Joe. No, I don't know why I was on such a wee pony either!

(No crit, please! I was 10 and it was 1973!)

 

[morandi]

I remembered where it was but not the name. I just looked it up and it appears to be called Barrow equestrian center in Cheshire. I remember the first pony I rode was called Sandy. I must have been 7 or 8.

 

[scarymare]

Long Close Stables in Eton. 1974 I rode a pony called Tumbler. Despite the fact I am now in Scotland, I still exchange Christmas cards with my instructor who was (then) 16 - I was 8.

 

[rosy]

Well, this is the dim and distant past ( 1971- ish ) but I learned to ride at Noblethorpe Hall in Silkstone, near Barnsley. The ponies I can remember riding were Banjo, Apache, Storm and Cardinal. There were a few others but I can't recall their names.

I went there for a few years and then a friend of a friend needed someone to exercise their pony for them so I stopped going. I don't know when it closed because I went away to college and didn't keep up with anyone there.But I have a lot of gratitude to this place as my parents were not a bit into horses and I would never have been able to ride if it hadn't been for Noblethorpe.

 

[Vindaloo]

Just before I moved out here I was living in Buckhurst Hill and that stables is still there although VERY dilapidated and I think is for sale. If I had LOADS of money I would buy it. My god what a location.

 

[Allover]

Monchel riding school nr Wisbech, i was about 8-9.

The horses i remember were Jade, Scottie (i won a Chase me charlie on him), Dandy (a one eyed ex grade A)Topic (my brother used to ride him because pony was incredibly safe and my brother was very scared!!!) Monarch and they also had a spotty stallion called Cherokee. The hacking was fantastic, all round the fens, loads of places to have a proper gallop.

Ahhh the memories

 

[Old Bat]

I learnt to ride in the mid-late 60's at Beauport Park, Hastings. First ever ride was Frosty, then Bonaparte, Charlie, Skylark. My favouries were, over the years, Charlie, Bundle, Baron, Spotty and Little Chap (had the biggest feet ever!)

 

[Vindaloo]

Hey, but good on your mum to be ahead of the game when it comes to high viz. Can't help laughing though, it does sound truly horrible. That could start a whole new thread about the vile things our parents made us wear. I am damaged goods on that front.

Pudding basin hair cut, clarkes shoes you name it....oh the shame, the shame.

 

[Rueysmum]

Radnage House Riding School late sixties/seventies. It was run by Pat Smallwood and we even had Gill Watson as an instructor.

Oh, for the good old days!!!!

 

[Allover]

I had my first lessons at Nightingale Riding Stables in Buckhurst Hill, Essex. And here I am on a pony called Smokey Joe. No, I don't know why I was on such a wee pony either!

(No crit, please! I was 10 and it was 1973!)

I am loving the hairstyle in the background!!!

 

[Kat]

I started riding on my neighbours shetland, and when I outgrew that went to a place called Moorbridge in Derby, and fell off a little coloured mare called Capri - LOTS.

I can remember an hour's lesson being £3 and my parents threatening that I would have to stop if it went over £5.....

I have lots of VERY fond memories of the ponies there, and it makes me very sad to think that most of them are probably no longer around. The best thing was that they had plenty of horses and ponies that weren't "riding school plods" it was great experience! If a bit hair raising at times!

 

[dibbin]

My first riding school was the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Saddle Club in Brunei, in Borneo (my dad was on loan there from the RAF at the time, we lived there for 3 years)

I started on Solo, who was a little sod of a Section A, and then moved on to Twinkle who was a NF. The horses were all so sweet.


There were monkeys

 

[Crazy Friesian]

Cheston Farm nr South Brent in Devon, early 80's. I still pop by there when I am down there. It has changed hands a few times and the original owner has long since earned her wings, though I am still in contact with her niece.

Health and safety... what health and safety...

I think my parents hoped I would discover boys and horses would go out the window.. Quite the opposite, for MANY years...

 

[blakesmum]

I had my first lessons at a place near Ivybrigde in Devon, but did most of my formative riding at a place called Venton Vanes, nr Widegates in Cornwall. I was owner by a lady called Marcia and I remember the instructor was called Eve. Loved that place.

 

[Trish C]

I think the first pony I ever sat on was my Mum's cousin's. Learnt to ride at either Red House Stables or Tansley Riding School, both near Matlock in Derbyshire... can't remember which came first!

 

[AprilBlossom]

For about a year in the very early 90s I was taken to Normanby Hall in Scunthorpe and sent out around the grounds with an instructor once a week. I remember riding a little grey called minty, and being infatuated with horse riding from day 1. (which was being put on a donkey at Skegness...parents seemed to think it would be funny as I would be frightened, ha, showed them!lol)

The moved down south to Hants and spent from about 1992 to 2007 at Tanglewood in Colden Common, bar leaving for almost a year and giving up riding as my lease pony got put down and subsequent attempts to ride other horses ended in tears. Know all the old ponies, have a few photos on facebook of a number of them in their later years - still going though! And I remember Darcy getting a full page obituary in the local paper when we let him go, as he'd taught so many generations to ride!

 

[mollichop]

Bambers Green riding school in Bishops Stortford. Just googled them and they are still there. Est in 1978 so I must have gone when they first opended.

I used to ride a gorgeous bay pony called Iona and also a palomino called Fudge. There was a tiny black pony in our lessons called Blackie who used to fart on every trot stride and we used to get told off for giggling at him

There was always a teenage girl having a private lesson on a big horse and the male instructor used to get her to hold a cup of coffee when she rode to help her balance All us little uns thought she was amazing.

Ah the memories - fab thread!

 

[Chestnut mare]

Ah whiteleaf! How long ago was u there? I didn't learn to ride there but worked there about 10 years ago and had had my pony there at livery about 5 years ago .

 

[Red30563]

Just before I moved out here I was living in Buckhurst Hill and that stables is still there although VERY dilapidated and I think is for sale. If I had LOADS of money I would buy it. My god what a location.

How interesting! It was a great setting, with beautiful views and hacking directly out into Epping Forest. Lessons were £1.80 when I was there!

 

[quirky]

I learnt to ride in the late 70's at Cardiff Equestrian Centre.
I remember my instructor was called Nick and he was really tall and skinny.
I used to ride a little strawberry roan called Pinky.

Those were the days .