Gateacre Riding School

[Ally70s]

I've recently returned to Liverpool after a number of years, and memories of my earliest riding experiences popped up. I rode in the early 70s at Gateacre riding school, and was trying to find any further info about it, when I started reading the comments on a thread on this site.

I recognise the horses mentioned, Driver, Ala, Jorrocks, Desmond, Squire, Merrylegs, Oliver, Kate, and a few of the riders too, I think? I also remember the little book, and waiting with anticipation to be allocated my ride, Driver was my very favourite.
I always dreamed of owning my own horse, a goal not quite reached, but my love of horses and riding has never vanished. Some brilliant memories of those days at Gateacre, and Jim and Joan Blundell.
So good to read of others happy horsey memories at the Stables.

 

[Jintysos]

I've recently returned to Liverpool after a number of years, and memories of my earliest riding experiences popped up. I rode in the early 70s at Gateacre riding school, and was trying to find any further info about it, when I started reading the comments on a thread on this site.

I recognise the horses mentioned, Driver, Ala, Jorrocks, Desmond, Squire, Merrylegs, Oliver, Kate, and a few of the riders too, I think? I also remember the little book, and waiting with anticipation to be allocated my ride, Driver was my very favourite.
I always dreamed of owning my own horse, a goal not quite reached, but my love of horses and riding has never vanished. Some brilliant memories of those days at Gateacre, and Jim and Joan Blundell.
So good to read of others happy horsey memories at the Stables.

Click to expand...

Hi, I have only just been sent this by a fellow rider. I’m Janet Butler, my sister Sue and I rode at Gateacre from 1962. I’m now 65, sadly Sue died 2 years ago. Sue loved Driver, Storm and Allah. I learned to ride on Penny and Danny. Favourites were Juliet, Gale, Wildfire, Jonathan and later Squire, Jorricks, Allah and Misty. We kept in touch with Jim and Joan right up until they died. They came to both our weddings. When he closed, he did have all his horses humanely put to sleep and stayed with every one of them. He couldn’t bear for them to go to anyone who might harm them, especially the unscrupulous people at Childwall. Someone actually broke into the yard one night and was throwing sugar into the horses’ eyes. Any riding school parties at Reynolds Park would have been catered for by my mum and dad who ran Butler’s Catering Services until they passed away in 1984/5 when I was 28. I can remember all their names, I can see them in their right stables around the yard. Loving reading everyone’s memories! I now live in Scotland but can’t ride now due to arthritis