I wish to God that riding really were more easily and cheaply available, Del. With lessons coming in at around the £25 a go mark, horses can only still be seen as the rich family's preserve. One of my friends' young neices has shown a huge amount of natural potential, but the family has just split and there's no way lessons can continue.
I think there are so many social knock-on benefits - I used to ride with a bunch of very mixed kids, some from well-off families, some from what might politely be called working class, but who were mostly rough as a badger's arse. (Although never having petted a badger's arse, that might be a cruel slur on their botties.) We all had our animals at the same municipal stables, rode together, showed off and fell off in front of each other, made unusual alliances through our common interest, and had beltingly good childhoods and teen years. Okay, so one or two went off to get done for car stealing or other sidelines later, but we had a great kinship which has lasted right now into our retirement years for many of us. Nothing at all to do with what kind of family we came from, how big or 'umble our home was - it was all about a love of riding and the buzz of going very fast and sometimes exchanging war stories. We took part in gymkhanas, shows, showjumping, but mostly just went off riding for the fun, not the trophies.
Now this took place years ago in the middle of the Dark Continent, not the UK, but when you look at old books on childhoods in the 1920s, 30s, etc., kids rode rough ponies and even London had its riding schools, where you could muck out in exchange for rides. (I bet no-one remembers Lilo Blum? Riding school in Rotten Row, and a racehorse owner, too.)
Municipalities could do a helluva lot towards giving urban kids these chances - rather than shooting the amount of Dartmoor ponies that are being killed off at present for meat, bring in a bunch and let kids learn how to work with them for free. I'm sure there are still plenty of people and companies who'd sponsor them, simply because of the horsey connection. Should I write to Richard Branson?
I think there are so many social knock-on benefits - I used to ride with a bunch of very mixed kids, some from well-off families, some from what might politely be called working class, but who were mostly rough as a badger's arse. (Although never having petted a badger's arse, that might be a cruel slur on their botties.) We all had our animals at the same municipal stables, rode together, showed off and fell off in front of each other, made unusual alliances through our common interest, and had beltingly good childhoods and teen years. Okay, so one or two went off to get done for car stealing or other sidelines later, but we had a great kinship which has lasted right now into our retirement years for many of us. Nothing at all to do with what kind of family we came from, how big or 'umble our home was - it was all about a love of riding and the buzz of going very fast and sometimes exchanging war stories. We took part in gymkhanas, shows, showjumping, but mostly just went off riding for the fun, not the trophies.
Now this took place years ago in the middle of the Dark Continent, not the UK, but when you look at old books on childhoods in the 1920s, 30s, etc., kids rode rough ponies and even London had its riding schools, where you could muck out in exchange for rides. (I bet no-one remembers Lilo Blum? Riding school in Rotten Row, and a racehorse owner, too.)
Municipalities could do a helluva lot towards giving urban kids these chances - rather than shooting the amount of Dartmoor ponies that are being killed off at present for meat, bring in a bunch and let kids learn how to work with them for free. I'm sure there are still plenty of people and companies who'd sponsor them, simply because of the horsey connection. Should I write to Richard Branson?
