Your Pony Club Camp memories!

[Erehwemos]

I was reminiscing the other day with a friend about all the fun times we used to have and the mischief we used to get up to at PC camp (in the 'olden days' - the scary thing is it was almost 10 years ago now

) I just wondered whether anyone here has any fond memories also?

Mine include things like chucking water through the windows of the boys' tent, spraying fart spray in the 'enemy' tent, my friend stealing cider from the adults' stash at the disco and ending up sat in a puddle with her trousers down.....the list is endless! So were we alone, or does everyone else have funny tales to tell?!

 

[Enfys]

Mine were a lot more than 10 years ago! (pre 1981!)

I don't think I can tell you some of the things we did!

But I do remember all of us sleeping in a haybarn and the older girls reading from "The Rats" (Stephen King) and scaring the little ones witless.

At Bicton, some Hunt official driving through the East Devon Camp (they had the stables, we were at the farm) blowing a hunting horn!

At Bicton again, although we had the stables that time, maybe 16 years old, getting very drunk on sherry (probably about a glassful, it still has the same effect now) on the last night and falling asleep in the corner of my stable, and having my first, and last, hangover.

 

[Erehwemos]

[ QUOTE ]
At Bicton again, although we had the stables that time, maybe 16 years old, getting very drunk on sherry (probably about a glassful, it still has the same effect now) on the last night and falling asleep in the corner of my stable, and having my first, and last, hangover.

[/ QUOTE ]

Aww bless, the mental imagery of that is fab

I bet your pony thought, what the hell???

That's just reminded me of a time my 'friends' locked me in a stable with a boy who was loaning my old pony, and wouldnt let us out until we promised to snog

We outwitted them though - the stables backed onto a hay barn and had rear walls of only 7/8ft high - so I got him to give me a leg up over it and I escaped!

I remember the older girls having an illicit meeting with a load of bikers - they sat on the road drinking and smoking until the DC went ballistic at them - unfortunately one of them was her daughter

 

[Enfys]

I'm just hoping no-one comes on and says "I know WHO you are now!"

When I went back to instruct one year we had an Instructors v Members Horseball (kind of) match, I was on a borrowed pony (maybe 13h) and I can remember him persistently taking off with me under low trees!

The Instructors kept getting penalised for foul language!

I loved camp.

 

[Evelynmary]

My Pony Club camp memories go back even further - the late 50's early 60's. The ponies were kept tied on lines, very primitive. Our parents were on nightly duty to keep children and ponies in their respective 'stalls'. This proved impossible as ponies are natural escape artistes and parents, being considerably more tipsy than their children, clearly weren't canny enough, memorably one of them was my mother. Worse than that my father came to give a talk each year.

Wish I was clever with pics as have a few - very strange riding wear, very shaggy ponies and, though I say it myself, we were bally good at gymkhana if not much else. All such good fun, as it should be, for ponies and their riders.

 

[Lolo]

Well, I don't go back tht far (lol), my first camp was 2003 and my last 2006 (all senior). I jumped my 14hh pony over a 3'6 fence in the chase-me-charlie from trot, and scared my instructor witless. The next year I had a rather unusual looking little coloured pony, and we were stabled next to magicmillbrook's daughter, with her virtyually identical coloured pony. The only differences were Flicka was a mare and had a nicer tail! We tacked up the wrong pony's and were nearly on board before our instructor realised our mistake!

 

[Magicmillbrook]

Hey, I remember that year, Patrick and Flick's were both new to you girls, I couldnt believe how similar they looked next door to each other! We are getting a newie tommorow. She is the absolute opposite of the TB, will post some piccies if baby lets me have a few minutes on the computer.

 

[Mike007]

We must have had the best ponyclub camp one year.To keep us boys out of trouble,we did Sword ,lance and revolver for a week. Pick up cavalry lance and gallop at tent pegs, pull out sabre and skewer a dummy on a pole at a gallop(doesnt half knock you back in the saddle)Draw revolver(real Webley.455)and shoot baloons ata gallop.The gun only had blanks,but more than capable of bursting balloons at some distance.Fantastic fun .I wonder whether health and safety and political correctness would allow it now.

 

[MrsMozart]

Ah, the heady days of Pony Club camp....

Ponies tied up on ropes with blocks on the end

'Escaping' from the girls dorm (old grooms rooms above the stables) to go and see the boys dorm (tents), and hiding behind some rather nice cars in the garages

An indoor pool with a trapeze over it

.

Riding twice a day - as a child without a pony of my own, this was absolute heaven

.

Pony Club tests.

The DC yelling in best DC-can-be-heard-across-three-counties voice at girl galloping across a field, only girl was deaf

.

 

[Enfys]

[ QUOTE ]
This proved impossible as ponies are natural escape artistes and parents, being considerably more tipsy than their children, clearly weren't canny enough, memorably one of them was my mother.


[/ QUOTE ]

Oh Heavens yes! Tipsy (downright pickled) Instructors, they frightened us to bits one night running outside the cowbyre we were sleeping in with a walking stick on the corrugated roofing. I will never forget thinking "How silly!" at hearing them cackling (no better word for it) as they staggered back to their caravan.

Funny, I was on staff at several PC camps and can remember getting well and truly tanked up, wrecked even, at a memorable Pembrey camp, when all the other booze had dried up on some Pine concoction that smelled like loo cleaner...absolutely lethal. We didn't think we were being silly at all!

 

[tabithakat64]

I was really excited about joining the PC, I was rode a little hairy coloured pony and I hacked to rallies, my tweed jacket was borrowed and all of the posh people with their sleek horses new trailers and nice clothes wouldn't talk to me. I loved mounted games though and my pony was fatser than most of theirs

 

[Brandysnap]

Hi all, especially tabithakat64

I never got to PC camp, but it was always my dream! (But i never had a pony!) My lovely parents once hired one from a riding school for the local PC show, late 1960s, but we never got anywhere (the optimism + naievety showing here!!) (But - noone ever talked to me, either!)

PC camp was always such a dream, but is it now the same as it was, Silver Snaffles x? There seem to be a lot more TBs (regardless of youngster's ability to ride), with consequent H+S stuff, + repercussions all round from change of attitude.

I just love to see young folk having fun with ponies, doing bareback races, taking ponies into river/sea, etc, + that's how we learn to stick on. And PC camp? A healthy way of learning about alcohol/other things grown-ups do...! (And seeing parents in 'relaxed' mode?!! Doing things they forbid sons + daughters to do!!))

Well, i missed out on Pony Club camp, but i'm well up for it now! I'm sick of hearing about PC (ie political correctness) - let's instead refer to PC (ie Pony Club) as those who strive to be committed, fair competitors + competent.

I hate to hear stories of horses which have been borrowed for a camp (well, would you lend yours?!), and i also strongly believe that the Pony Club is for ponies + youngsters, not for 16.2s + competitive, aggressive mothers, which is sadly what we have in Cheshire.

May the good old Pony Club camp long exist, along with good old Pony Club values! Please can i bring my 27 year old 14.2 to the next camp? Guaranteed a laugh as she bucks me off!! All bests, BS x