Did you have a 'horsey' childhood?

[lizpurlo]

Just for fun, and being a bit nosey!

[mjcssjw2]

i have voted, put that my parents rode, thats not quite true - my dad had a milkround and used a horse and milk float.

[mrsfields]

i need a different category:

"Yes, my parents weren't horsey, but they bought me a pony and didn't help me/just left me to it" LOL

[lizpurlo]

Oh dammit, the two categories I missed out!

[heidi]

I went for the first one too, but my mum didn't ride any more by the time I did (other than the odd sit on my pony - until he had her off one day!) My dad isn't in the least bit horsey - other than watching the racing, eventing and SJ on the TV! But being a farmer, he has supported me by providing grazing, hay and straw!

[Beth&Rosie]

I had riding lessons as a child, and my parents bought me a pony when I was 12, but they just left me to it, just provided the taxi service!

[lizpurlo]

Oh dear, I should have put in an extra option about being bought a pony and left to get on with it!

[girlmechanik]

I used to "hitch a ride" on a friends sisters pony rarely as a child. Nothing through teens. And then took it up as soon as I got a job my dad grew up around working shires but my mum is terrified of my horses! The Shetland is her limit lol x

[antares]

I am assuming that those that say their parents didn't help did get financial contribution from their parents for upkeep or did you all start working very young.

My parents aren't horsey, I had riding lessons from 8 and then got a loan pony at 10, went through several loan ponies, rode any horse or pony I could get my hands on, was the go to teenager for adults who had ponies to back or school so got lots if experience. I finally got my own horse in adulthood but never had a shortage to ride

And my parents were immensely helpful both financially and mucking out in the winter so I could ride before school, taxi service, counsellors and all the rest of it. Even in my 20s my dad came to shows and lessons with me for moral support and to hold my horse for course walks

[kafee]

I've voted for the third category, but it's not quite right either. I was really keen, my parents were none horsey but paid for 10 riding lessons when I was 13. I found a succession of ponies to share from the age of 14, and my parents left me to get on with it.

Ps. My Dad had helped with a bakers round as a child, horse drawn, of course, so he had a little understanding of horses!

[Deleted]

I need another category My parents weren't horsey so I saved my pocket money to pay for a riding lesson about once a month and found a local stables that I could walk to and worked for free for an occasional ride!

[marychick]

I'm sort of in the same boat as Michelle. My parents weren't horsey so I helped out at my local riding school in return for free rides

[antares]

What about you lizpurlo?

[lizpurlo]

Sad to say I'm in the last but one category! For some reason I was born into an incredibly academic family, none of whom could understand at all where I was coming from, and all talk of horses and ponies was simply dismissed as deeply boring and worthless. Determined little sod that I was, I managed to find ponies to borrow, and saved up to join the local Pony Club. No parental assistance whatsoever, it was all bicycle, bus or cadged lifts to any available equine.

[mrsfields]

Nov 14, 2014 9:15:16 GMT 1 antares said:

I am assuming that those that say their parents didn't help did get financial contribution from their parents for upkeep or did you all start working very young.

mixture of both as i always had part-time jobs from age 13 to help towards my pony's keep! they did pay for livery (although always sooo late, after many embarrassing threats of getting kicked off the yard!) but showed no interest whatsoever and just left me to my own devices (aged 11) - it didn't bother me at all though back then (but as a mum myself it makes my hair stand on end!), in fact, it was the best thing ever because i had so much freedom and had so much fun with my lovely lad and have great memories... we used to hack miles to gymkhanas with a friend, no parents in sight, bit of cash in my pocket for entry fees, do our rounds and hack back to the yard, no mobile phones then, and would spend endless long days and evenings there just in my own little peaceful world... was lucky enough for a few years to have my diy yard not too far from school, so would go up every morning and night before and after school to muck out, ride and feed my pony, but thinking back, it was a lot for a kid to be on a diy yard while at school with no parental input... i loved every minute of it though... would also occasionally bunk off school and stay up the yard all day, once 3 weeks in a row pmsl!! god knows how i got away with it... my dream job would have been to be a jockey back then, but the problem was i was very academic and my parents wouldn't stand for it... was made to sell my pony at 16 to concentrate on my O'levels (and had massively outgrown him), but got really down and would just come home from school to the house and cry - parents freaked out and i was then allowed to buy another horse (with my own money)... cue three more wonderful years of juggling diy, breaking in and training my lad (4 yo unbroken, recently gelded arabian), and studying for O and A levels... then had to sell due to uni and no option to take him with me due to having to go abroad on placement... fast forward 17 years to 2006 when i was able to buy Ken for my pony-mad daughter! we now have 3 lovely horses, our own land, and finally a trailer (life-long dreams!) and we're regularly going out and about together with the horsies - feels wonderful...