How were you taught to ride

[eml]

Picked up from another post that many people did not realise that riding in an indoor school was a fairly new way of doing things.

When I learned in the 50's generally beginners were led out from another horse until they could steer, start and stop. I remember following along on hacks desperately trying to master this going up and down lark although I was happy at 'hound trot' an old fashioned jog that was used to fitten horses/ponies. I was then taught to canter across a stubble field on a lead and again by following on hacks. Jumping came along when logs or ditches got in the way.

One day I was taken to the 'jumping paddock' where a number of show jumps were set up and coached round them. Then we went off to compete ( ex gypsy pony cost £30 :rolleyes: ). A year later I was out on the county junior SJ circuit and the following year in a HOYS final jumpoff!!!

At the same time I was taken out hunting and so learned to go 'cross country' followed by XC competitions.

In the sixties I rode SJ and PtoP horses while I was still at school, (generally escorting out childrens hacks on them :eek: ) during weekends and holidays to earn the keep of my pony and moved onto a straight out of training TB (expensive £100 :rolleyes: )when my legs grew too long.

Notice no school...no dressage...no silver spoon.

In the 90's (you work out my age :D ) I started lessons for my BHS exams and met the concept of 'school' for the first time..and my oh so much younger instructor's comment "its pity you didn't really learn when you were younger"!!

Better or worse..I really don't know... riding these days seems more technical, less instinctive and dare I say it less fun!

[Wally]

I was bumped about on various ponies as a kid, then one day taken to an indoor riding school, put on a bay and white Gelding Called Dandy, led about for the first lesson shown how to stop, go, get on and off, then next lesson I was flying solo.

Did this for a few years until I could get over show jumps, learned when I was doing it wrong 'cos I fell off! Got a baptism of fire on the hunting field and endurance riding in the 70's and 80's....then learned to technical stuff in the 90's onwards!

I learned to stay on because if I fell off there were 90 other horses going to run over me out hunting. Fall off on an endurance ride in Exmoor and you have a long walk home. I learned endurance riding skills on the job, from the vets and other riders.

They said the British turned out riders whose bravery and courage would out do that of our continental cousins due to our hunting traditions, but the continental riders have more finesse in the dressage arena.

[Suggs]

we had stables in my family when i was growing up, so i was just stuck on a horse i cant rember a time before horses so it was probley the day after i was born.lol

[Little Dolphins]

I was taught to have wrists 'softly rounded', and hands 'as though one were holding a book'; hands down, toes up. I cannot do the new thing of arms straight out from elbows and thumbs on top. I have to say, the method I was taught gave me gentle hands,even on a rearing horse (in a road on a hack which we did from the outset), where I stuck on ( age 10, early 60s)..

[Gill]

I started riding age 11 in the sixties. My first day at riding school covered the basics. My second day I went on a 4 hour picnic ride which included my first canter which felt very fast indeed, on a little skewbald pony called Spice. We just went along with the rest, my RI shouting 'sit up!' and 'be jabers she's flying!'
I rode at a dealers so the horses (hundreds of them over the years) were constantly coming and going, everything from strong black fell ponies to a Russian tb. We would just get them going quietly, some newly broken at three years old (eek!) when they would be sold. It's a wonder I wasn't killed in the process. Health and safety hadn't been invented.

Anyone else remember Billy Hood's on Whickham highway? Its all so built up and busy roads these days you couldn't ride there now. The Metro Centre is at the bottom of the fields!

[joosie]

I'm not from a horsey family and my parents couldn't afford lessons. I learned to ride about 6 years ago through trial and error, by borrowing friends' ponies and later by booking hacks and exercising my teacher's golden oldie. I have also had two shares, plus my current one, and been on a number of riding holidays. But I only had my first riding lesson in January! So no, I didn't learn how to do things "properly", and to be honest I think the way I did it was much more fun!

[Belle1]

I first rode in the mid 1980s. I was taught in an outdoor, fenced, sand school. The instruction left a lot to be desired but I didn't know any better at the time. It was kick to go, pull to stop, pull the reins to steer, and grip with your knees. I still can't get my knees to stop gripping up :mad:
We went round nose to tail, sometimes trotting or cantering to the rear of the ride, with a bored loking instructor who basically just told us where to go and what pace to go at rather than correcting our riding. There were 2 types of pony, those who took a bomb to get them to go forwards, and those who didn't stop!

The yard I am at now teaches people properly. Group lessons are in a large outdoor school which is unfenced so can be a bit :eek: at times, there is no riding nose to tail, it is all open order. I am still trying to ditch bad habits from the past. My Husband started riding at our yard at the end of August, with no bad habits to eradicate and good instruction right from the start he is making really good progress. He had his first attempt at jumping at the weekend:
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f174/Belle3/IMG_2095_cr_1024.jpg

[Cochise]

Heh, I'm one of the 1990's riders! I learned by 8 weeks on the lunge, half hour lessons, private. Then I went on to group lessons, one hour once a week, and within 6 months I was asked to be a "helper" and got to learn all about horse care etc. I'd spent months reading a lot of how to ride books, and had spent weeks practising "up and down" on a chair at home before I even got on the pony :p

[Mehitabel]

i started in 1982, in a sand school on the leadrein and walking out led as well. i don't really remember my early lessons - we did move into an indoor school when we were learning to canter - so when we were off the leadrein. i vaguely remember it being quite an exciting thing to move into the 'big school'.

i really started to learn when i was 13, suspended from school (i was a terrible child!) and was at the yard all day every day - that was when i began to get lessons in return for helping, and started to help with the babies and the ponies for rehabbing. i backed my first pony at age 13, which was a real learning curve - i started to learn about seat and weight aids and so on and that elusive 'feel'.

[Afellpony]

My first lesson was in July 1960. For the first part of the lesson, we (there was 6 of us) went into one of the horse's boxes (he was called Cobnut) and shown how to tack up. When he was tacked up the different parts of the saddle and bridle were explained to us. Afterwards we were given our horses (I had a black mare called Destiny) we went into the school for a walk round. It was explained to us how to hold the reins etc. On the 4th lesson, we went out on Streatham Common (I rode Pepe). The whole ride started to trot. Pepe stopped, put his head down to graze and I fell off (rolling down his neck onto the ground). I wasn't best pleased as my dad and brother were watching me from behind a bush - and laughing!!!!:mad:

[CrisO]

I learnt in the 70's again out on hacks. The yard owner's daughter sometimes took these and she would give me tips of the heels down head up variety. At 10 I was bought a 13 2 pony ( a skewbald gypsy cob) who managed to combine being incredibly lazy with not being in the slightest bombproof. We had 2 paces refusing to move and violent shy into the middle of the road. Jumping she always stopped dead then cat jumped. however I did learn to stick on. I started having lessons through the pony club and rallies and the local riding club organised an instructor for a group of us 1 evening a week in the summer. My parents weren't horsey and I didn't have a clue how to look after a horse but luckily there were always people around to help. It's scarey to think of some of the things we did (galloping along grass verges on dual carridge ways; charging round without saddles or bridles. We jumped at the chance to ride any horse and the more it pranced about the better. I was lucky that my second pony could jump and I then got involved with pony club teams which meant free training.
When I took up riding again after a long break I though I was now mature enough to think about dressage and position. There are pluses and minuses, I will never have as good a classical postion as people who had more formal training; however I do find I can cope with unexpected situations better and confidence when jumping transmit itself to the horse which means we get over. I am completely sensible these days though, almost verging on the cautious.

[Frances]

I learnt to ride when I was 7 at Miss Smith's in Holyport, Maidenhead (she taught the Queen to ride, apparently!). We went round in little circles outside. My mum had two donkeys and we used to be towed round the garden on them, sitting on sliding felt pads that needed a crupper! They used to turn round and bite your legs! Ouch.

Then went to Hawley Equitation Centre in Farnham and used to be shouted at constantly in the indoor school and went out on terrifying hacks down main road to forrestry commission land.

Scared myself rigid, so gave up for a bit. Then Dad remarried and new wife had a pony who her kids were bored of. They were very religious so I used to go out riding to escape twice daily prayer meetings with guitar!

Pony died and I used to beg, steal and borrow off other people for years. Then moved to London and found riding school at Royal Mews. Rode there for years with HAC Saddle Club. Shouted at and terrified again. Went hunting too on Salisbury plain on ex-Kings Troop horses - that was brilliant!

Had babies so stopped for few years. Moved up to Shetland. Bought house with 5 acres so bought expensive mowing machine, aka Haakon and had to train him from scratch. He said to me "if you ride me like you were taught, I will kill you! Stop and listen to me". So I did and re-educated myself.

[nicolaj]

I first rode in the mid 1980s. I was taught in an outdoor, fenced, sand school. The instruction left a lot to be desired but I didn't know any better at the time. It was kick to go, pull to stop, pull the reins to steer, and grip with your knees. I still can't get my knees to stop gripping up
We went round nose to tail, sometimes trotting or cantering to the rear of the ride, with a bored loking instructor who basically just told us where to go and what pace to go at rather than correcting our riding. There were 2 types of pony, those who took a bomb to get them to go forwards, and those who didn't stop!

Bella1 your experiences same as mine! Started to have 'lessons' (use that term in a very vague sense!;) ) aged 11 in 80s. Teachers weren't qualified, a generally shouted at you! It was all about pointing toes up, heels down and also twisting the ankle so your toes pointed inwards as well, ouch that hurt! Gripping with the knees, (missed the memo that went round telling you to stop!) and rising trot, the faster you moved your bottom in mid-air the faster the horse would go?! Also tought to rise at the trot pushing up with the knees, have spent ages re-educating myself to rise from the hips/pelvis, you know what I mean! Also told that 'shoving' my seat in the saddle would get the horse to move faster as well. It seemed to work on the horse at the school anyway!

Eventually stopped going to that 'school' and just used to beg, borrow and steal rides whenever I could. Became a real pain in the backside!:o You know going round asking at all the yards if needed any help in return for rides. Always a no.

Same as you Bella1, hubby began to ride when I started taking real lessons again, and with no bad habits to break, skip loads of confidence as no bad expereinces to cloud judgement, progressed very quickly! Makes you sick!;)

Now got my own horsey, bit of a baptism of fire really, he was only three, but such a good honest chap, and now 51/2 and we have really come on together (I know green on green etc) but have been very lucky with experienced help and some really good horsey friends, which I have met since owning a horse.

I know health and safety is very important, but sometimes, the fun has been taken out of learning, and too much time in the school is no good for your confidence. It is only when you leave the school you realise that you can't ride!!! Having to sit spooks, and other things that is what really teaches you to ride. (So I've still got a long way to go yet, need to get out more!)

[chev]

Started actually learning (as opposed to just sitting on a pony while someone led it around, either on foot or from another horse) on a little round brown mare around 1980 or so in half hour lessons. No indoor - just an outdoor 'school' aka a corner of the field fenced off. In winter one corner became deep mud and in summer it dried out to near-concrete. Once vaguely competent I started helping out in return for more lessons, until I was proficient enough to escort hacks and rides and actually work. I didn't ride in an indoor until I started lessons again last year - we used to have lessons outside in every kind of weather (it was character-building :rolleyes: ). I also had a pony on loan as a child who taught me a fair bit (mostly how to fall off without breaking bones). The school took horses for backing and schooling (and re-schooling) which gave me all sorts of opportunities for learning about that.

From there I went on to work at a couple of studs breeding Welshies (one in particular was amazing - they kept three stallions, a B, C and a D and I rode the B while the eldest daughter hacked the D out with me - they were very very horse-wise people who taught me a huge amount about how horses think) and learnt about stallions, foaling, and early handling.

In some ways the way I learnt was very instinctive and not particularly 'correct'. I did very little competing (no cash to fund that) but got to do a lot that just wouldn't happen now (I remember taking a beach ride out at 14 - three hours with two clients galloping across the sands on a nutter of a pony. Anyone being faced with a 14 year old as their sole escort now would probably have a hissy fit in the yard straight off and quote several reasons why that is unacceptable) - I think part of the reason that happened then was just that although there seemed to be more risk-taking, there was also much more in the way of discipline. You didn't mess around with horses. You used sense. Simple.

There wasn't much in the way of technical stuff done; I was often told I rode too long (although that's turned out to be a good thing now!) but we did do lots of stuff that really helped develop a good seat (we had a few bareback lessons and such - I even remember bareback jumping lessons) and were encouraged to develop a feel for the horse. What I find now is that when I do more technical things in my lessons, although it's new in some ways, most of it falls quite easily into place with what I learnt as a child.

[DITZ]

used to ride at our local stables,, just hacking no lessons at about age 9. Stables closed down after a couple of years when dual carriageway needed to be built so riding stopped. Didnt really start riding again till the age of 22 again just hacking. Part loaned a horse for a couple of years and rode a local trainers 3 racehorses at weekends for another couple of years. When he retired I then bought my own 3 or 4 years ago. Said horse bolted with me and jumped a fence onto a railway line. It was at this point I had my first lesson!

[hApPiNeSs]

About 6 years ago, I was put on an exmoor pony and told to follow the ride. :o with the occasional instruction shouted from the person at the front

i read lots of books on riding and sort of 'taught myself', i carried this on for 5 years before i started at a riding school.

my instructer was horrified that i hadn't ridden in a school before, but did day i had a good sticky seat - so those early falls must have taught me something :eek: :D

nowadays, i'm quite happy to ride out on a hack on a spooky horse, but am terrifyed of the thought of jumping in a sand school with people watching.

i guess you get used to what you know :)

if i were to dod it again, i would book lessons at a riding school first job - they may be less fun, but you progress a helluva lot quicker and it is a lot safer too. (maybe if i had learnt on a nice safe RS hoss i wouldn't be so nervous nowadays) :(

[eventerbabe]

gosh, i must have started in about 1986. our school had 2 indoors and a rather bad outdoor school so most of our lessons were indoors. i found it a real shock to the system when they moved us outdoors for stuff like cross country.

can't fault the tuition we got. i hated my instructor as she really scared me but i can see now why she pushed me! and i've her to thank for my 'sticky bum' seat.

lessons were never too chaotic, there was always the fight about who wanted which pony (the school had a chart in the 'pony palace' which detailed which horse was in which lesson so we'd always decided who we wanted before the lesson). i remember spending many a frustrating hour stuck in the M corner of the school arguing with an opinionated little skewbald shetland who just loved that M marker so much he couldn't leave it :rolleyes:

its a shame schools have had to change so much due to the litigious society we have today. I remember being taught how to tack up by one of the yard hands, he showed me on one pony and left me and my sis to tack up the other 6 ponies in the line!! and i'll never forget being forced to ride round with my hands tied together by a tie that was tied on one wrist, run round the back of my neck and secured to the other wrist. or the time i was made to do a grid work class holding 2 plastic beakers full of water. i got a bawling at if i spilled even a drop :rolleyes:

i go back to the school quite regularly, but only coz they have a good tack/feed shop. all my old friends have gone, except buttons. when i see her (and she's a tiny 13.3hh fine thing) makes me wonder that i was ever small enough to ride her!

[*Sez*]

I started bumping around when I was two. I have no idea when or how I was taught aids, mounting, dismounting, etc. because as far as I'm aware I've always known how to do it! :D The earliest riding lesson memories I have are from when I was about five to seven years old, and we rode in a field (no school). When I was about ten, I went to a different yard near Boxted, and you essentially "hired" a pony for the day and the older girls showed you what to do. You got two hours worth of riding a day, usually an hour hack and then an hour bombing around the field, and in between we'd bareback the Shetlands in the yard. Everything we were taught came from the older girls, who showed us how to muck out, clean tack, etc. and everything was done in routine. I don't even recall if there were any actual adults supervising us (although I'm sure there must have been...). So most of my learning was done by finding out what worked best for me. No one really cared about your position or technique, unless one of the girls offered to give you a quick lesson or lunging session in the stubble field.

I started having "proper" lessons when we moved house and I was quite surprised to find that the relaxed attitude of my old yard wasn't how every school was! At this one, you had limited contact with the horses, unless preparing for a lesson or riding, and you weren't expected to muck in like I was used to. No tack cleaning over lunch (we used to watch The Munsters in the hay loft of the tack room, juggling sandwiches and pot noodles with sponges and bridle parts!), no mucking out... it wasn't even necessary that you groomed and tacked up unless you were really keen :o

[teabiscuit]

it was awful really-my dad got me a pony for christmas, he was a little buggar and every time i rode him (bareback-no saddle) i came off, more than once often. after nearly breaking my head falling off him (thrown really), dad relented and then got a gem of a pony who looked after me, no lessons, just me and my pony and the road (very little traffic in those days) for a few years.
the odd lessons followed, and a spell at horsey college, plus riding my own horses including backing them, until 25 years later i can afford a lesson a week on my rather lovely homebred sweetie (backed by me too so i know everything thats happened to him his entire life).
I've lots of experience with youngsters etc, but little experience of "higher up the ladder" riding so my lessons are wonderful and the learning is such a fantastic experience.
just edited to say my dad walked miles with me, he was no instructor but he kept his eye on me until he was sure i was ok

[sidesaddlelady1]

Picked up from another post that many people did not realise that riding in an indoor school was a fairly new way of doing things.

When I learned in the 50's generally beginners were led out from another horse until they could steer, start and stop. I remember following along on hacks desperately trying to master this going up and down lark although I was happy at 'hound trot' an old fashioned jog that was used to fitten horses/ponies. I was then taught to canter across a stubble field on a lead and again by following on hacks. Jumping came along when logs or ditches got in the way.

One day I was taken to the 'jumping paddock' where a number of show jumps were set up and coached round them. Then we went off to compete ( ex gypsy pony cost £30 :rolleyes: ). A year later I was out on the county junior SJ circuit and the following year in a HOYS final jumpoff!!!

At the same time I was taken out hunting and so learned to go 'cross country' followed by XC competitions.

In the sixties I rode SJ and PtoP horses while I was still at school, (generally escorting out childrens hacks on them :eek: ) during weekends and holidays to earn the keep of my pony and moved onto a straight out of training TB (expensive £100 :rolleyes: )when my legs grew too long.

Notice no school...no dressage...no silver spoon.

In the 90's (you work out my age :D ) I started lessons for my BHS exams and met the concept of 'school' for the first time..and my oh so much younger instructor's comment "its pity you didn't really learn when you were younger"!!

Better or worse..I really don't know... riding these days seems more technical, less instinctive and dare I say it less fun!

Oh, that rings bells. I learned in the early fifties too, by much the same method although there were teaching sessions in the field once I was considered competent enough. The old man who taught me was in his seventies and taught me the old-fashioned English Hunting Seat. Consequently photos of me riding astride look like photos from the 1930s - sitting as if in a chair, well behind my feet! I still ride like that as recent(ish) attempts to teach me the modern way resulted in me falling off with monotonous regularity! On the good side, I picked up my side saddle seat easier than a lot of modern riders.

[sidesaddlelady1]

I was taught to have wrists 'softly rounded', and hands 'as though one were holding a book'; hands down, toes up. I cannot do the new thing of arms straight out from elbows and thumbs on top. I have to say, the method I was taught gave me gentle hands,even on a rearing horse (in a road on a hack which we did from the outset), where I stuck on ( age 10, early 60s)..
Iwas taught
"Your head and your heart keep up,
Your hands and you heels keep down,
Your knees keep close to your horse side
And your elbows close to your own"

And an old penny under each knee against the saddle and I got to keep them if they were still there at the end of the lesson!

[sidesaddlelady1]

I was taught to have wrists 'softly rounded', and hands 'as though one were holding a book'; hands down, toes up. I cannot do the new thing of arms straight out from elbows and thumbs on top. I have to say, the method I was taught gave me gentle hands,even on a rearing horse (in a road on a hack which we did from the outset), where I stuck on ( age 10, early 60s)..
Don't know how they stay on with their arms stuck out almost straight at the elbows. Should think they'd disappear over the horse's head if he stuck it down as there isn't any lee-way. Arms had to hang straight down from the shoulders to the elbow when I learned (and still do when riding side saddle)

[Skib]

I love this thread. Seems my eccentric but blissful way of learning to ride, was reinventing the wheel. Even the instructor I found would leave nothing to be desired.
Arms had to hang straight down from the shoulders
Exactly so - using gravity, which is why they hang forward, if you go into forward seat.

[denise42]

I started riding in the early 70's . All my farm friends had horses , they would get on their favorite and I would get what was left ( and happy too ) and we would ride..no tack except a bridle and reins..or a halter and 2 lead ropes..
I learned to gallop when my friends and I were riding on the side of a busy highway , and a man in a garbage truck blew his air horn and my horse took off like a bat out of H-LL ,..I bet that man had no idea that he could have gotten me and my friends killed..dumb A-S..:eek: I learnd to canter up and down steep hills by riding in the gravel pit behind my house..I don't know if I would ride thoses hills today...:p Jumping was something you did to get over what ever was in your way...Oh yes the good old days...:p

[Kanuma]

shoved on a pony and told get on with it!! :D

i had some lessons mainly in an outdoor, I did a jumping lane a few times (think mini xc course type), its only in the last few years ive gone indoors!

[cloang]

I first learnt in the late 60's, always out on a hack, and was always nagged to "grip with those knees". If you couldn't hold a sixpence (how old am I) between your knees and the saddle you were told off.

After a huge gap I have had a couple of lessons again and cannot believe the difference. Much more comfy tho now and I have been told I have a "good seat" but wish I had half the confidence I had the first time round.

[eml]

Sidesaddle lady I think we must have been taught in same 'school'

My instructor was trained by a cavalry officer and a had worked in racing for a while. Her red haired temperament led to several 'incidents' including my riding a notoriously badly behaved PtP in a 'school' lesson for some poor girl she was interviewing. I don't think her training had prepared her for 'and rider and horse left arena over 4' fence when I tried to do trotting poles'

I almost gave up riding altogether when my german au pair (ex Klimke groom) introduced me to 'modern' styles but fortunately my horse at the time forgave my initial wobbles!

I did however try a short sidesaddle course and didn't take to it....loved it to trot, canter ok but jumping just felt scary!

[Little Dolphins]

Iwas taught
"Your head and your heart keep up,
Your hands and you heels keep down,
Your knees keep close to your horse side
And your elbows close to your own"

And an old penny under each knee against the saddle and I got to keep them if they were still there at the end of the lesson!

Yes, Sidesaddlelady! That rhyme, how it all comes back to me... but we had slips of paper(not pound notes, unfortunately), instead of coins. Mind you, I always made my stirrup leathers longer and longer during a ride/lesson, as I found this more comfortable, thus making the knee thing hard to do. At least longer leg-shapes are de rigeur now.
Agreed, I don't know how arms straight from elbow is helpful; hands down and soft is much more natural. I keep being told to have them further out in front.

[coverblown]

60s for my first lessons. I had about six, on holiday, and then parents couldnt afford any more. They cost 6 shillings and ninepence for three lessons!

This was at Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae. My brother and I were horse "groupies" and used to help out with the rides on the beach. I still have the photos!

Then Mum and Dad said we could have lessons... After 3 lessons you were considered a "rider" and could go on hacks (walking and trotting on the island roads and beaches..).

However the lessons............ they were on a wide road! Yes, with cars.. (clearly not as many as today, but even so..)

We went round, nose to tail, in a circle on this road, trotted to the back and so on, all on the lead rope, and giving way to any cars that wanted to come by... how docile were those horses, and with beginnners, too? Terrifying to think about nowadays.

The we did exercises -
round the world
scissors
thread the needle

over thirty years later on my return to riding with my daughter those exercises were the only familiar things.

As was measuring your stirrups with your arms (does that really work?)

Anne

[Afellpony]

There seemed to be an awful lot of ex cavalarymen teaching in riding schools in the early 60s when I started having riding lessons. Their methods and style left a lot be desired. Then the 70s came along with AIs. These early AIs were held in high esteem by us helpers (slaves more like it) and although, we worked weekends/holidays in the stables we were probably crap riders. When AIs started giving us free lessons in return for work etc we thought we'd arrived! Now I prefer to have lessons with someone who's a bit more than an AI. On saying that, I have the occasional lesson with a young lady who's not even an AI (she's studying for it) and she is excellent. She has far more riding experience than is required for the AI exam and her teaching method is really good. You do need the qualifications to obtain a teaching job in most riding schools today.

[Fillygal]

I only wished I'd started proper lessons earlier in life.

Started in the late 60's when I was around 11 and generally then you could just go grab a horse for the day - take it round the local Orchards and on roads with very little instruction and without a safety helmet too:eek: :eek:

After a bad experience I lost my confidence (not surprising considering at 11 years I just thought I knew everything there was to know when actually I knew diddley Squat:rolleyes: )

So in short I came back into riding proper in my 40's and I'm lovin it - but heck have riding styles changed now and old habbits die hard such as gripping with knees etc - no wonder my instructor has a very long whip:D

[LinzCos]

I learnt in the 60s too. Riding round a little field first and doing all those exercises. It wasn't long before we were let out on a hack - in a great long line of decreasing size - I always dreamed of being on one of the big horses at the front! And riding across the stubble - the best ride of the year:)

[Esther.D]

Iwas taught
"Your head and your heart keep up,
Your hands and you heels keep down,
Your knees keep close to your horse side
And your elbows close to your own"

And an old penny under each knee against the saddle and I got to keep them if they were still there at the end of the lesson!

I was taught that in the early 1980s! Except we had a bit of paper instead of a penny (skinflints!).

I had my first ride aged 3, started riding at the local riding school aged 4 - not really 'taught' just led out on leadrein around the lanes. Got my own pony at 5 and most of my education was at Pony Club rallies and another (rather more sophisticated) riding school where I was taught the rhyme above. It had a school, or rather a sand paddock. I was also taught how to fall off, first off barrels and then off a pony! Did all the usual exercises, eg round the world as well as riding backwards and all sorts of other things like that, I vaguely remember jumping facing backwards with no stirrups (very low jump and sensible pony!) oh the days when you are young and bounce :D I might only be 28 but I definitely bounced better at 8 :p

[notpoodle]

i was basically taught by people yelling at me. admittedly, i was pretty useless (still am ...) but it didnt help my confidence one jot! i would say the first two stables i rode at (in the mid eighties ...) were pretty crude teaching-wise. we got a lot of 'pull them reins!', 'give him a good kick!' and 'smack him one!'. positionwise, it was all 'heels down!', 'youre sat like a sack of spuds!', 'sit back' and 'grip with those knees!'. nobody said anything about halfhalts and stuff either, it was either a pull or a 'gentle pull' :rolleyes:

then i went on holiday to an icelandic farm with a fantastic trainer. oooh what a difference! no yelling, useful comments, constructive criticism ....

Julia
x

[HorseManiac]

My Riding Story..

Haggis Farm
Age: 6-9 : Taught how to ride(basics) horse care etc. Loved the place but got too expensive.

Hannah Newton
Age: 9-10 Taught me 2 things over a year- where your legs should be and thats she's a horrible person and every time after a lesson she would talk her sister and say horrible stuff about me(i could here it)

Monach Farm
Age: 10-11 Taught nothing really. Hated the place. Stables wernt mucked out daily straw was just added on the top:eek: Stables Stank!! Also I was taught to ride with no contact and I lost my confidence because they made me canter without stirrups and hands on head. Terrified me!! I rufused and nearly walked out.Probaly only stayed there because I couldnt leave them horses which wernt groomed every day. They hardly went out. :( :mad:

Sheila Weale -
11-12(my age now) Saw i was struggling took me on(thank god!!):D Taught me how to ride and school a horse properly. How to look after horses and how they love a natural life. Actually learning that horses can live out 24/7:) . Something Monach could do, but they dont bother even if they have around 80 acres of land!!:eek: Last year I wouldnt jump a ting cross pole now im jumping 3ft and competing!!:) Also so much more confident and got my first horse from her!!:D :D

There you go!!:p

AnNelI & eChOe

[smudge]

My story is something similar to Denise42. All friends had horses, parents didn't want to "encourage me" so I just rode about on everyone elses and learnt as I went, they tended to be the ones no one else wanted to ride for one reason or another. The good thing about that was I learnt to read the horses I hung about with, if I do that they do this and basically taught myself from age 6 ish onwards.

I watched a lot of riders in shows etc and tried out what I seen at home, it did seam to work for me at least.

Liz

[Skib]

Silly but to all theold fashined lessons i'd like to add:
Pony rides on the beach. South coast resorts - Bexhill or Bognor perhaps just after the war. 1940s. First donkeys. Then you moved up to pony rides. You walked from one breakwater to the next, but if you wanted you could trot (sitting trot) on the way back. Must have pleased the man that I trotted, as he had a queue waiting for rides.
You started on green felt saddles with an iron handle, But the pony had a leather saddle. Jane Shilling said the memory never left her and prompted her to ride. Me too. Rode every day when the tide was out. And sometimes my dad payed for me to go twice. The man turned the pony round and off you went again.
But the rocking horse, and roundabout horses, taught me too. One very elderly instructor kindly told me that I sat better on a horse than some people who had started riding at 8. But I did ride aged 8. For years I rode that rocking horse. Lines Brothers, it was. Would be worth a fortune now.

[hoofhearted]

My first experience of riding was being led up and down on a grass verge by a bloke giving pony rides. One day they let me off the lead rein and the pony promptly took off at canter back for its stable with me hanging on for grim death, finally fell off spraining my wrist! (Don't think I was wearing a hat actually so was probably lucky).

Unfazed, persuaded parents to let me go to riding school for lessons - one in Burntwood in Staffordshire where we used to have nice hacks over the common.

Aged about 8 or 9 used to help out at a (sort of) livery yard where a couple of young girls where I lived worked - actually watched a mare giving birth though I can't really remember much of the actual event - just being thrilled that I'd been there.

It was also where I fell in love, with Topper, a little dapple grey pony. His owners hardly ever came up to see him to I got to ride him a lot and thought of him as mine, I was devastated when they decided to sell him- remember watching another girl come and try him out crying my eyes out!

Carried on at various riding schools, both my best friends got ponies in our teens even tho' neither of them could ride (one lived on a farm and the others father was well off!) and both of them were really tight about letting me have rides.

I was also taught the grip with your knees style of riding!

At the place where I rode Topper, there was a big stubble field with a large dip in the middle where me and my friend had some great times cantering bareback up and down the dip (it was called the windmill field, cant remember why).

Happy memories:) ....and now I'm such a nervous rider, whatever happens to the fearlessness of youth (tho' I never did like jumping).

[Kazzie]

I learned to ride in the 60's too. We were told to grip with our knees as if there were a 10 bob note between them and the saddle! I don't think they majored too long on lessons as such - it was leading rein round a dirt track until able to do rising trot then out hacking, again on lead rein. You knew you'd made it when you were allowed out without a lead!

I used to ride a very bad tempered pony called Titch who would buck for all he was worth - I loved him though. I remember a horse called Topper who had a docked tail.

[amandal]

First ride was on the ponies at Cleethorpes beach, aged 3, then went to a riding school near where we lived in Lincolnshire, vague memories of a little grey pony and me, mum said my legs didn't reach past the saddle but that I was off the lead rein quite quickly.

Moved to N Wales, went to a riding school on a farm, rode many and varied ponies, including a wonderful Shetland called Inky. Do remember having lessons and going on hacks, can't remember what the lessons were like. The owner/instructor was great though, remember her demonstrating jumping by riding one of her cows - and yes it did jump.

Moved to Germany, no riding for a bit, went to school in England - rode every Sunday at a riding school in/near York. 2 instructors - father was ex army and shouted a lot but I don't mind that sort of instruction:) , son was younger and used to spend a lot of time instructing me as I used to ride his old pony - James, a lovely dun I think. Can remember a lot of the ponies/horses there - this was the 1st indoor school I rode in, it was a treat to ride in the field in the summer. Also rode at a German riding school during the easter hols one year - amazing experience, taught me a lot about control, seat and position - pity I had such a long break from riding I forgot most of it.

Back in England, at another boarding school which had a riding school attached, lived there basically. Rode as much as possible, helped out for rides, helped out just to be there, took Pony Club exams, I loved the place, the instructor/owner, the horses, everything about it really.

Left the school after a year, back home in Oxfordshire now - no riding for some months. Mum met a woman at work who had an arab pony she needed riding and she used to give me lessons, lovely chestnut arab, very floaty - can't comment on the instruction as don't ever remember receiving any - oh apart from the time she belted the horse because I'd fallen off as he spooked :eek: .

Moved to Hertfordshire after a while found a riding school there, the owner's now dead unfortunately. I loved that place - so many favourite horses/ponies - even the mare who used to bite your bum as you mounted. Instruction was great too, encouraged you to try everything and told you how to do it well. Sister and I used to go up all the time, school was indoor but it had a xc course too. Hacking was lanes, bridlepaths and a rare treat. Best day there- was riding my instructor's mare, sis was on her favourite pony and mum & dad were on the 2 cobs used for beginners - their 1st ever horse experience. After the 1 hour lesson we had instructor said that it would be more fun for our parents to have a wander round the course and she let me and sister jump round - we ended up riding for 2 hours. Shortly after that she was competing her mare and she broke her leg and was pts:( .

Had an accident out hacking with a school friend, injured my back and gave up riding until 4 years ago.

[Mossy]

I too go back to the "if it works repeat it, if it does not brush the dirt off your trousers" school. I had a few lessons when I was eight and next saw a school when I was 48!!! I might not know about school finesse but I have reasonable glue and invaluable experience from skulling around yards and listening and learning. If you get pulled forward when bucked a backful of dry stubble is a salutary learning situation!

[Lori B]

My grandad kept pigs, way back in the 60's, and he used to sit me on one we called raggy ears (the other piglets chewed it's ear as a baby). That was my first experience of riding something ;) ;)

Then my dad bought my sister and i a pony. All i remember is sitting in the car while these ponies were rounded up, they all came galloping over a hill and we both said "want that one".

Ginger was a 12.2 chestnut gelding, flaxen mane and tail, and as wild as they come. :eek: :eek:

We fell off a few times but basically didn't care. We loved him to bits and had so much fun my dad got another pony, Silver. Hi ho Silver lived up to his name!! :D

Those were the days, i'm 44 now and have a 12year old daughter who rides. I can honestly say though i wouldn't let her do half the things that my sister and i got up to years ago. :eek: :eek: :D :D