You know you're getting older when...

[NeverEnd]

You know you're getting older when...

1. You're still calling the circuit: AHSA.

2. You attempt to wear an unapproved helmet into the show ring.

3. Your boots DON'T zip and you've just duck taped your boot socks to your leg!

4. Rust breeches and a brown show coat hangs in your closet!

5. Ponies are beginning to resemble little WB horses and less like PONIES!

[Heineken]

...a 2'6 oxer looks HUGE

[Sparky Boy]

I can relate to ALL of the ABOVE. ;)

[dags]

You know you're getting older when...

1. You're still calling the circuit: ASHA.



Close, AHSA :D But I'm right there with you.

I'll throw in . . . still own a stack of navajos and petal bells . . .

[pony grandma]

Your wide noseband bridle is back in style.
You own the original rub rag.
You can sew braids.
You own a pair of real 'hand' clippers.
You have a loud plaid show coat with a velvet collar hanging in a closet somewhere, and yellow canary breeches.
Your movements have become slower and more deliberate.
And they now come with sound effects :D

[Screebe]

You remember when you didn't have to count strides...and have to force yourself to count them now.
You will forever have a crush on Rodney Jenkins.

[danceronice]

2'6" looked big when I WAS young....I was a much bigger sissy as a kid.

When you get up in the morning and your back and hips go "Really? Are you SURE?"

[harveyhorses]

You remember when you didn't have to count strides...and have to force yourself to count them now.
You will forever have a crush on Rodney Jenkins.

Sigh,
You remember when stretch breeches were the NEW thing...

[Dixon]

While washing your sweaty horse on a midsummer day, soaking your sweaty self still sounds refreshing but would no longer be socially acceptable.

[Mags]

The hunter classes were on the outside course:cool:

The eq classes were in the sand ring:lol:

[Twigster]

haha! I LOVE my hand clippers!

[Fly_High]

haha

You no longer bounce and you swear the ground got harder.

[Vindicated]

I am just now thirty-
and I can answer yes too alot of those questions.

But I started riding fairly young-things were TONS different even just 20-24 years ago.

The horses were different even.

I was actually thinking about it last night.

My first horse could hold his own in the hunters, do the Jumpers & the eq stuff...all at the same show...Same horse also did dressage and I took him to horse trials-which were not so big back then, or if they were I did not pay any attention until I started doing them.

[TheHorseProblem]

...you have muffin tops over your breeches, which are not low rise.

[Mtn trails]

I can so relate. When I recently got back into showing and riding English in general, I was wondering when the AHSA became whatever it is now and when did the USCTA become the IEF or whatever? I owned rust breeches, did sew in braids and one anal retentive boss demanded 27 braids on her geldings and 26 on her mare.

I'll see your crush on Rodney and raise you a Robert Ridland.:lol:

[Arizona DQ]

and THE Horse show of the year was held in Madison Square Garden, NYC in November of every year.....:sadsmile:

[Peggy]

Your USEF and PCHA numbers are one digit shorter than anyone else's in the barn.

[MyGiantPony]

You have a loud plaid show coat with a velvet collar hanging in a closet somewhere,

Only because I KNOW it will come back in fashion some day! :lol:

[Portia]

Your jumper prospect decides he wants to be a hunter, and you agree with him that, instead of 10 jumps with inside turns against the clock, 8 slow, steady jumps on stride sounds like a great idea. ;)

[billiebob]

The lesson kids you teach are SHOCKED that you played the original Donkey Kong.

[Queen Latisha]

When you refuse to have your choker monogrammed and wear a pin instead.:D

[AppendixQHLover]

Try having a absence from the show ring for 15 years and than coming back. Yeah..I aged myself several times.

i was floored when I saw people not braiding.

I mentioned sewing braids in and people looked at me like I lost my mind.

[MIKES MCS]

When you still refer to :
Katie Monahan
Leslie Burr
& Melanie Smith by those names.. instead of what ever thier married names are ...

When you realize you should have kept your white shirts , because 45 years later they are back even though we fought so hard to add color...and your Granddaughters would be able to wear them and be current now .

and ditto for Black coats which are oh so in style for the Eq ring now... and even though they were heavier wool, would have been fine for indoors in the middle of the winter because they don't make them like that anymore...

When you realize that your Siegfried that you packed away 30 years ago, ( and couldn't part with) is a heck of alot more secure and sturdier than any french saddle ever made and to hell with it, I'm ready for the couch again , who needs technical for 3ft anyway/ Rain -snow -sleet, Hunter - Jumper- Eq.. Indoors - outdoors.. 55 years old and it still can do the job.

[Peggy]

You held x-ray plates for the vet when you were 12. Now the vets stop when a minor gets anywhere near where they're working.

You remember when halters and lead ropes came in only in red, blue, green, and rope-colored.

[BeastieSlave]

You remember when breeches had buttons - not velcro - on the leg....

[horselesswonder]

Your USEF and PCHA numbers are one digit shorter than anyone else's in the barn.

I have a horse who is in the same boat (his AHSA # is 5 digits, mine is 6 and the rest of my horses' are 7). Show secretaries sometimes question whether the old guy's number is correct. :lol:

[hellerkm]

You know your old when you and Daren Graziano where riding ponies at the same horse shows!!! And he was younger than you!!!!

[cutemudhorse]

Uh. . . they don't sew braids anymore?? :o ('course I'm just visiting your cool thread. I would sew my dressage braids. . . I think. . . )

I want a new hand clipper! I was just thinking a few days ago that would be a good thing to have again.

[RockinHorse]

Your idea of bling for a horse show is combing a checker board on your horse's rump.

[clydeweiser]

Yeah maybe when you get older you prefer the American Hunters and Shooters Association to showing horses! :lol:

[Arcadien]

...when you grew up riding your paint along the busy highway bareback with no helmet & no shoes, and not only did your parents not see anything wrong with it, but no one seemed to feel it wise to tell them (or you) there might be something wrong with it.

...when around 12 yos old you leapt on bareback paint on a Saturday morning and said good bye to mom, who only knew you were meeting up with your pal on her palomino in the next town and riding all over the roads and woods, and wouldn't be seen again until dusk, and she just waved goodbye and didn't worry.

...when you remember bouncing with anticipation the night the first "Black Stallion" movie hit the theatres, and managed to harass your non movie going parents into taking you.

;)
Arcadien

[OneMoreTime]

haha

You no longer bounce ....

Or you NOW bounce, but in different places. Thank goodness for Enell. :)

[LaraNSpeedy]

Oh its funny - now Rodney J is too old for me - but I still have a secret crush on Michael Matz. Sigh. Hes a hero!

Anyways - I remember when large pony hunters was one of the COOLEST divisions. I remember when the Washington National Horse Show was The Show I looked forward to every year. I remember when a half halt in hunters was really referred to as a 'check' which is like a mini mini half halt. I remember when a courtesy circle was called a hunter circle.

I remember when my hunt coat was grey with a pink pin stripe in it.

I know I am getting old when I REFUSE to buy TS breeches and have the last ten plus years because NO ONE SHOULD EVER EVER EVER MAKE BREECHES that are DRY CLEAN ONLY! That is a big ole scam.

I got back into HJ about ten years ago or a little more and did low speed jumpers which was fun. I noticed everyone wanted the horses to look fat - like unhealthy fat - the riders skinny - the horses really big as in tall and with high set necks and everyone in a standing martingale. But I have noticed it has gone back to a little smaller horses - like back to 16 -16.2 - we have a 17.3 TB that has to collect to make the strides right which I appreciate actually because when I did a hunter class on my 16 hand TB - it was impossible for him to make the stride and I felt that was so unfair because he has a big stride and he's beautiful over fences. Maybe I am just sour! hee hee

[Fly_High]

Or you NOW bounce, but in different places. Thank goodness for Enell. :)

hahaha I had originally typed gravity is a killer in more ways than one. haha

[mbhorse]

hahaha I had originally typed gravity is a killer in more ways than one. haha

Well ain't that the truth!

[HorsRdr477]

...a 2'6 oxer looks HUGE

I am so glad I'm not alone!

[AndNirina]

Ulster boots, Harry Halls, Thelwell's pony cartoons and the arrival of the Miller's catalog

I had to laugh, in the most recent Dover catalog they feature Westropp petal bell boots with a sign that says "New!" Right.....

[AndNirina]

oh, and fillis and peacock were the only stirrup choices.

[hellerkm]

this is a blast! I can relate to everyone of your posts!!
guess we are all just "more experienced" nice to know I am not the only old person out here!

[BeaSting]

Pink Swat

[RockinHorse]

You see a pretty piece of paisley or calico fabric and think what a lovely choker it would make.

Saddle pads, when used, were full size. There were no half pads.

[copper1]

velvet hunt caps
big ring snaffles
black dress boots, better yet-NEWMARKET boots!
I well remember the buttons on the legs or breeches as well as the boot straps!

[ssteach]

This does bring back memories HAHAHA
velvet hats, brown, green, blue......
velvet collars.. use the one that came with the shirt? Never!
Choker pins of all shapes and sizes!!!
Brown field boots
Pinning your number on
God how many needles did I lose sewing braids with colored yarn.......ahhhhhhh
Hermes saddles that people actually rode in...

[Spooks]

When you learned to ride...

1) there was no mounting block and one of the first skills you learned was how to mount correctly from the ground;

2) picnic tables were an acceptable obstacle to jump during lessons, preferably when placed on a slope.

[AppendixQHLover]

Ulster boots, Harry Halls, Thelwell's pony cartoons and the arrival of the Miller's catalog


I love Thelwell pony cartoons. I have a mug that I got for a prize at a show. The mug is 25 years old and still looks good.

[Janet]

Britches came in only one color, canary. (I suppose there must have been white too, but I never saw it.)

Britches had "pegs", with a side zip(for women), and buttons on the legs. (Boy was I happy when "womens lib" made center zips acceptable for women's clothing other than jeans).

The only tall boots acceptable for showing were black dress boots, with level tops (no spanish tops), well below the knee, worn with boot straps which went between the 2nd and 3rd botton on the britches.

Field boots came ONLY in brown, and were only appropriate for informal situations.

Show jackets were single vented, and long enough to cover your hips. Black was perfectly acceptable for hunter classes.

Chokers were in a contrasting color/pattern, similar to the fabrics used for men's ties, and always worn with a stock pin.

Hair was worn in a hair net, but hung BELOW the hunt cap.

Hunt caps had elastic chin straps, but you put the strap back up when showing.

Saddle pads were only for schooling, not considered appropriate for showing.

Girths were tri-fold leather, with a piece of linen in he cneter, whch you soaked with neatsfoot oil.

The dominant fly spray was Repel-X

The dominant hoof dressing was Molementum.

At a typical outdoor show, the only classes held in an enclosed ring were the equitation classes (and jumper classes if offered). All the hunter classes (both jumping and under saddle) were held on the outside course.

Only jumpers and equitation had jumps that would fall down. Hunters had jumps that wouldn't fall down, including real stone walls, post and rail fences, solid coops, brush boxes (those would fall over if you hit them), aikens.

There were far more B and C rated shows than A rated shows.

At the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden, the Pony Hunters ran well after midnight.

Hunters wore 12 or 13 braids.

Pony Hunters were split into two heights, Small and Large, which jumped 2'6" and 3' respectively. There were no other pony Hunter divisions (no green, no Children's).

Except for equitation classes, there were no classes for horses below 3'6" (hunters), and jumper classes started at 4'.

The winning hunters were almost all TB, with an occaisional TB x QH. Any horse that was a "non TB" color (palomino, buckskin, roan, spotted) stood out like a sore thumb. Trakheners, Hanoverians and the like were only seen in books, not in the show ring.

[RockinHorse]

Handy Hunter classes that required a horse to be truely "handy" were not a novelty. :)

[MyGiantPony]

A horse became a jumper because it was too hot for the hunters.

[MyGiantPony]

Oh, and Dippity Doo and Aquanet were crucial braiding tools.

[Mtn trails]

Ulster boots, Harry Halls, Thelwell's pony cartoons and the arrival of the Miller's catalog

I had to laugh, in the most recent Dover catalog they feature Westropp petal bell boots with a sign that says "New!" Right.....

YES YES YES! I so remember all of that. I loved the Thelwell cartoons and Harry Halls were da bomb!

I still have an ancient can of Mollementum in my tack trunk that I've had since the early 80's. Doesn't Swat still come in pink? I have a pink can of that too that I still use.

Katie Monohan
Melanie Smith
Beezie Patton

Boot straps, brown field boots, elastic on velvet caps, showing at the Garden was truly big time.

[BAC]

Sigh,
You remember when stretch breeches were the NEW thing...

Yup, and I had two pair, canary and rust. I thought I was so hot in my new "tight" breeches without those huge flairs. :D

[MIKES MCS]

Oh, and Dippity Doo and Aquanet were crucial braiding tools.

OMG'D I forgot about that pink sparlkey stuff that gooped so well then got stiff , Do they still make it , it worked great!

[chawley]

Oh my gosh, I love this thread; it's such a trip down memory lane. Granted, I'm only in my 30s, but I started showing very young (5 yrs old). I remember when the small, medium, and large ponies were huge divisions and A shows were affordable and there were many to choose from (in our area at least).

And I second the secret crush on Michael Matz.....I did a clinic with him when I was 11 and fell in love! haha And I'll forever remember watching him and Jet Run in the mud at Chagrin.....Wow, what a combo.

[NeverEnd]

The lesson kids you teach are SHOCKED that you played the original Donkey Kong.

HA! How about Dig-Dug on DOS played with a joystick!

[NeverEnd]

Ulster boots, Harry Halls, Thelwell's pony cartoons and the arrival of the Miller's catalog

I had to laugh, in the most recent Dover catalog they feature Westropp petal bell boots with a sign that says "New!" Right.....

When Miller's was the now Rider's brand. Wow! Does the huge Miller's store still exist in NYC??

[Arizona DQ]

Harry DeLeyer and Snowman!!!

[MyGiantPony]

OMG'D I forgot about that pink sparlkey stuff that gooped so well then got stiff , Do they still make it , it worked great!

I still see it now and then at the dollar store.

[Starda01]

Harry DeLeyer and Snowman!!!

Wow, now that's going back! Anyone remember the movie "The Horse with the Flying Tail"? It was about Nautical, the palomino stock horse who won the team gold medal at the 1959 Pan American Games. He was ridden by Hugh Wiley, and trained by Bertalan de Nemethy. I saw that movie being made when I was in first grade, living in Northern Virginia.

I too remember the hunter courses being on outside courses, with brush jumps and coops, etc. No one would dream of doing that today, except for the cross county or hunter trials. Glad to hear others remember that too.

I also remember the Washington International Horse Show and the National at Madison Square Garden being the pinnacle of the show season.

I also had canary breeches, black hunt boots with straps that took forever to break in. I'm so glad boots have zippers now, I'll never buy any without them.

And TBs were the horse of the day! We also rode by the side of the road, without helmets or saddles, and even along side of railroad tracks. Wanna know how fast the old mare can run? Race the train. :eek: I'd never allow my kid to do half of the stuff we did. :no:

We rode over to the local shows, didn't show with a trainer. Rode the same horse in western gymkhana classes and hunter classes. One didn't trade up, one simply remade Dobbin into whatever you wanted him to do. Mind you, we weren't in the higher levels of the horse world!:no::)

Ah, for the simpler times...:) Its a wonder I survived them!:winkgrin:

[Janet]

Harry DeLeyer and Snowman!!!
I did not see them compete, but I saw Snowman's retirement ceremony.

[ssteach]

Anyone Remember "Texas" ? the show jumper in the 70's I saw him at the Forum in LA when I was in middle school whewwwww.... I think he was older at that point as he was beaten by a little horse from Canada... Rosemary hilll or something like that

[KnKShowmom]

Crosby was the only thing in the tack room,

Horses shipped in either a van or a 2 horse bumper pulled by the family station wagon,

Brown herringbone jacket, a stock pin and brown field boots,

And once a year, the vet came out and tube wormed everyone.

[Arizona DQ]

Wow, now that's going back! Anyone remember the movie "The Horse with the Flying Tail"? It was about Nautical, the palomino stock horse who won the team gold medal at the 1959 Pan American Games. He was ridden by Hugh Wiley, and trained by Bertalan de Nemethy.
:

Absolutely!!! I still look for the movie on Netflix, etc.....

I used to go to Garden every year with my horse crazy girlfriends!!! I wish I had kept the programs!!!

I lived on LI and used to walk to Harry's farm in St James for my lessons with him!! Of course I remember that farm before harry bought it, it was a dairy farm called Brangle Brink (of something like that)...!

yes, I am OLD!!!;)

[KnKShowmom]

Was that Hollandia Farm?? I too lived on LI and seemed to remember a fire there.....

I was surprised to read a few years ago that Harry was still going strong and living in VA, guess he wasn't as old as we thought back then!

[Janet]

Was that Hollandia Farm?? I too lived on LI and seemed to remember a fire there.....

I was surprised to read a few years ago that Harry was still going strong and living in VA, guess he wasn't as old as we thought back then!

I had a nice conversation with him at HITS Culpeper a couple of years ago. Definitely old, but still very active. His kids used to ride my mare's grandsire.

[BAC]

Was that Hollandia Farm?? I too lived on LI and seemed to remember a fire there.....

I was surprised to read a few years ago that Harry was still going strong and living in VA, guess he wasn't as old as we thought back then!

Yes the de Leyer farm was Hollandia. I saw Snowman there many times after he retired. Don't remember a fire though, maybe that was later on.

I have heard Harry is not doing so well and that his farm in VA is for sale, a friend went to look at it but said it needed too much work.

[BAC]

When Miller's was the now Rider's brand. Wow! Does the huge Miller's store still exist in NYC??

Its still there but it is now called Manhattan Saddlery (www.manhattansaddlery.com (http://www.manhattansaddlery.com)). It was Miller's up until maybe 6 years ago, then it became Copperfields before changing to its current name.

[Arizona DQ]

Was that Hollandia Farm?? I too lived on LI and seemed to remember a fire there.....

I was surprised to read a few years ago that Harry was still going strong and living in VA, guess he wasn't as old as we thought back then!

Yes! On Moriches Road. We used to have a summer home down the road from there and used to drive by it every day on the way to the beach!!! I went to Hollandia a few years back but it was not the same... (nothing ever is...)

[Arizona DQ]

Its still there but it is now called Manhattan Saddlery (www.manhattansaddlery.com (http://www.manhattansaddlery.com)). It was Miller's up until maybe 6 years ago, then it became Copperfields before changing to its current name.

WOW! I imagine Kaufmanns is gone? I always liked Kaufmanns over Millers - and have no idea why...:no:

[BAC]

WOW! I imagine Kaufmanns is gone? I always liked Kaufmanns over Millers - and have no idea why...:no:

Yes,Kaufmanns is gone for many, many years, I had stopped riding for 20+ years and it disappeared sometime during that time. For a while there was a mail order Kaufmanns, but I'm not sure if it was connected to the original store. Do you remember M. J. Knoud on Madison Avenue? That shut down in the 90's, can't remember exactly when but I loved taking a walk over there on my lunch hour and checking it out.

Hollandia Farm sold much of the property off to developers, the barns are still there, the outside course is long gone. :cry:

[Arizona DQ]

Yes,Kaufmanns is gone for many, many years, I had stopped riding for 20+ years and it disappeared sometime during that time. For a while there was a mail order Kaufmanns, but I'm not sure if it was connected to the original store. Do you remember M. J. Knoud on Madison Avenue? That shut down in the 90's, can't remember exactly when but I loved taking a walk over there on my lunch hour and checking it out.

Hollandia Farm sold much of the property off to developers, the barns are still there, the outside course is long gone. :cry:

I do not remember Knoud at all....:no:

When I was working in Manhattan I once took the bus to go to Kaufmanns on my lunch hour... I almost slipped in some drunk's puke....the neighborhood was really scarey!:eek:

I have not been back in that area since (that was 1973)... Geez!!! I hate to admit my age......:o

I am going back to LI this fall to visit family, I probably will skip the St James visit this time..... :(

[Bella'sMom]

- you called your show shirt a 'rat catcher'
- 'dressage' was an essential part of whatever discipline you did (and there was no 'rolkur')
- you could take the same horse to an A show, to a Pony Club rally the next weekend, and hunt with a recognized hunt in the 'off season'
- swimming bareback on your horse was just what you did in the summer
-you remember what a 'standing stall' is
- there were bareback pleasure classes (and Handy Hunter, Command Break and Out)

[denny]

You remember when you could say Victor, Bennie, Rodney, Bert, Kus, Hof, or Bernie, and everybody knew EXACTLY who you were talking about.

[Foxtrot's]

When you said Ian, everybody knew who you were talking about -- and still do :)

When you tucked up the ribbon-tails on your velvet hunt cap without a harness, because to keep them down meant you were hunt staff.

[cavalli]

Pariani saddles, Harry Hall , but when you send your Olster clipper for repair, and they send you back a refurbish pair, because they didn't have the parts anymore for yours :lol:

[janedoe726]

Going back to my pony days:

Everyone had ONE horse/pony. None of this string of 8 or 10.

Shows were one day. Trailered in, schooled, showed, and went home.

You wouldn't be caught dead schooling on show grounds without your full chaps, keyhole/lollipop pad, navajo rug, and Prix des Nations saddle.

Over half the horses were off the track.

You could have lunch on the show grounds without having to take out a second mortgage on your house.

Shows often had fun classes such as Trainer's Medal or pairs class.

I didn't have to pay the bills-- Mom and Dad did!! Yea, I'd go back if I could!:yes:

[RockinHorse]

- you called your show shirt a 'rat catcher'


I still call my show shirt a ratcatcher :D

[RockinHorse]

Shows often had fun classes such as Trainer's Medal or pairs class.




And groom's classes:)

[hellerkm]

You wouldn't be caught dead schooling on show grounds without your full chaps, keyhole/lollipop pad, navajo rug, and Prix des Nations saddle.

OH my gosh I am LMBO!!! because my kids ride like this EVERYDAY , each in a Pre D saddle without any knee rolls, guess I need to get with the times aye???

[HuntJumpSC]

I am LOVING this thread! Wow, so many things I had forgotten and so many things I still have or wish would come back...LOL!

I still have & love my rust breeches, and my good 'ol classic PDN is coming out of retirement to break my new 2 year old this fall.

*Flat tack~ I miss it.
*Navahoes & Cashels
*Ulsters
*I always wanted petal bells, but never got a pair (I think Libertyville still has them?)
*Miller's Catalogs~ I would go into hiding & drool over the new stuff
*Eggbutt & Full cheek bits
*Brown field boots....*sigh* I had a pair of Vogels & Miller customs that I had to sell on Ebay because my calves outgrew them~ would love another pair!
*Breastplates~ They've all but disappeared
*I still have my unapproved colored velvet hunt caps: emerald green, lighter green, navy, and even a red one.
*Harry Hall hunt coats w/velvet collars (I loved my hunter green one)
*A Very Young Rider was the best book ever!
*Full suede chaps
*The first big, clunky approved helmet & how much the juniors hated them


And I still have a crush on Greg Best :cool:

[Vitriolic]

In hunters, ponies jumped 3', juniors 3'6", and open 4' (green got to do 3', and 3'6"). No serious adult would be caught dead on a horse that wasn't a TB. The first warmbloods that showed up in my area seemed so clunky and cold. People were scrambling to find bridles to fit them. Watching fancy, expensive 17 hh warmbloods lope over 2'9" and 3' courses seems ridiculous (yet somehow alluring ;) ) to you. After a few decades between coaches, you look at the coach like he is nuts when he tells you that a line is an eight.

I still have 2 Harry Hall wool jackets, a 1976 Crosby PDN, and breeches with buttons on the leg!

[mvp]

You painted creosote on fences-- horse hot sauce. Sometimes that stopped them from chewing on your investment, sometimes they said "Bring It! Is spices up plain old wood nicely."

[Bank of Dad]

I went to the Washington International every year it was at the National Guard Armory, and they had junior classes there in the mornings and they were free to attend.

I still ride in my 30 + yr old Siegfried cause I need it now more than ever. It has to last at least 10 more years.

My BF can still fit into my tiny rust cotton breeches that I gave her after my kids were born. I hate her.

Millers and Deluxe Saddlery were the only catalogs around. Deluxe actually told you what each piece of tack was used for.

[middy]

I still have my Harry Halls (will never fit into them again in this lifetime) I just loved them so much that I still have them.

All hunters when in pelhams only.

[gooselover]

That is when you know you are getting older. I just, yesterday, had a trip down memory lane - from 35 years ago.

[Arizona DQ]

There was a mail order training program, I can't remember the name. :no: As a kid, I wrote away for it - it was "free" and after they got me on their mailing list I kept getting stuff from them. Of course, I could never afford to send them any money, but they kept sending me "teasers".... Anyone remember that?
Back then, if it was "free" I wrote away for everything!:lol:

Maybe this was the precursor for the current NH rave? :cool:

[hellerkm]

A Very Young Rider was the best book ever

I can't find this book anywhere for my DD does anyone know where to get one??

[KnKShowmom]

A Very Young Rider was the best book ever

I can't find this book anywhere for my DD does anyone know where to get one??

Our elementary school has one - ask me how I know! :D

The book I remember from way back when was Light Horsekeeping - it was at my house more than it was at the library.

[hellerkm]

Our elementary school has one - ask me how I know! :D

The book I remember from way back when was Light Horsekeeping - it was at my house more than it was at the library.

I found it on Amazon just now!! I ordered it, I am sure I should have ordered at least 2 ( pages will be worn and dog eared in less than a week)

[Dinah-do]

I remember Texas (in Canada) before John Simpson had him and I bet the little mare that beat him was Strawberry Hill ridden by his sister Barbie.

[Mozart]

When it was too hot to school in jeans and full chaps you wrapped polos around your calves..

[Summit Springs Farm]

pony club
outside course inside course
Crosby PDN saddles were THE saddle
fox hunting every week
horse showing once a month
Velvet collars on hunt coats
most horse shows were for charity purpose not commercial
posted list at the ring for when you would go
no flying lead changes
no stride counting
Betty Oare my American Idol
Rodney Jenkins awww no crush here... maybe Tommy Serio...or Michael Matz
Katie Monahan

[Sing Mia Song]

What I miss the most is that there were no "series" shows at the same grounds weekend after weekend. Each of the area barns (and the local 4-H/pony clubs) at their own facilities, and it was a treat to always show in a different place. As previously mentioned, they all had outside courses, we kids always braided our own, and there were no grooms, unless you count a hapless parent. :winkgrin:

[jody jaffe]

You paid $150 for your first pair of custom Dehners -- and you had to scrimp and save to do it.

[janedoe726]

When it was too hot to school in jeans and full chaps you wrapped polos around your calves..
Haha! So I wasn't the only one!!!

[heatherny2]

The Sussex County Fairgrounds had only 2 rings..
Yes, I had a velvet collared jacket - that my grandmother made for me..
Riding helmets (called huntcaps) had only an elastic strap, but then the "big" change came, and our "huntcaps" had the plastic safety strap that you could chew on between classes (at least I did) :lol: ...
The ground didn't look so hard to land on...
It was so exciting just to attend the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden...

Wow, I feel old

[heatherny2]

You paid $150 for your first pair of custom Dehners -- and you had to scrimp and save to do it.

How about having my mom pay just a little more than that for a pair of custom field boots that I didn't even realize were Der Daus until just last year (yeah, she got them for me about 20 years ago, and yes they still fit and are in excellent condition) :D

[Dinah-do]

Custom Dehners for $150.00 - 40 years ago?
Show hacks were very popular and juniors under 12 penalized (or excused ?) for wearing spurs. White string girth and coloured browbands ON HUNTERS.

[2DogsFarm]

You remember when breeches had buttons - not velcro - on the leg....

:lol:and it took a full day after the show for the indentations on your calves to go away!

I remember when:

*madras plaid huntcoats were THE fashion, while I was resentfully forced to wear my Aunt's black wool hand-me-down (wish I still had that now!)

*When helmets were real velvet over a metal shell and the only "safety feature" was a skinny elastic band that usually stretched out or broke and got tucked up underneath with your hair

*Marshall Fields in downtown Chicago sold tack as well as riding apparel in the big upstairs Sporting Goods department (DHs first saddle was a Si Jayne model from Field's - I still have it)

*juniors wore jodphurs with paddock boots and legstraps, plus kneestraps to keep your cotton twill jods from riding up your calf

I have to go lay down now.....

[DancingQueen]

When you have two refusals and think you still have a shot at completing the course!

[BeastieSlave]

Okay, maybe I shouldn't tell this, but my first riding 'cap' was a hand-me-down from my aunt. I just loved that on the inside it said "Saks Fith Avenue" :lol:

When the rule was handed down that juniors had to have some sort of strap to hold our hunt caps on (remember that?), I sewed a 1/8" piece of elastic onto the lining to wear under my chin. Fat lot of good that did! I wore that thing for several years after a standard put a dent in the side. It's proudly displayed in my livingroom to this day :)

[BeastieSlave]

Okay, maybe I shouldn't tell this, but my first riding 'cap' was a hand-me-down from my aunt back in 1974. I just loved that on the inside it said "Saks Fifth Avenue" :lol:

When the rule was handed down that juniors had to have some sort of strap to hold our hunt caps on (remember that?), I sewed a 1/8" piece of elastic onto the lining to wear under my chin. Fat lot of good that did! I wore that thing for several years after a standard put a dent in the side. It's proudly displayed in my living room to this day :)

[Peggy]

You paid $150 for your first pair of custom Dehners -- and you had to scrimp and save to do it.$135:D. With babysitting money. And, yes, they were brown field boots.

[hijumpin1]

Our elementary school has one - ask me how I know! :D

The book I remember from way back when was Light Horsekeeping - it was at my house more than it was at the library.


I have a copy of Light Horsekeeping. What a great little book. I found a copy and bought it for a friend.

I also remember the Deluxe Saddlery catalog! Does anybody remember Snaffles? Great catalog of the mid-eighties.

I miss braided reins. I was thrilled to find a pair of Jimmy's to go on my show bridle, they are just so pretty to look at. I also am missing the "English" tailored coats, such as Pytchley and Heythrop. The fabric is just nicer than the current variety.

[Vitriolic]

When you have two refusals and think you still have a shot at completing the course!


Or fall down or off and carry on with eight!

[Big Belgian]

$135:D. With babysitting money. And, yes, they were brown field boots.

$115.00 Dehner cordovan field boots back in 1972. I cubbed in them up until a few years ago when they finally gave up.

Eisers in NJ was a little hole in the wall shop on RT. 22 but smelled heavenly.

USET riders were chosen by training sessions and horses were donated to the team.

Steinkraus, Chapot, Kusner, Hoffman

Bold Minstrel, Snow Bound, San Lucas, H.O. Sloopy, Trick Track

[supershorty628]

A horse became a jumper because it was too hot for the hunters.

Still happens occasionally! My high junior jumper was my junior hunter/equitation horse for 2 years before she became a jumper.

[mojo7777]

Does anyone remember the name of this shop (DC)? It's driving me crazy. I keep thinking it was Stubben, but surely they just sold the saddles... My dad took me there to buy my first hunt cap. What a magical place it was for a little newbie rider!

[Linda]

Shiny Black patent leather tops added to my show boots (when they got broken in around the ankle and were too short)....in the 60's

[CallMeGrace]

Funny, I was just laughing at myself because I had a "when I was your age" talk with my daughter (we were at a show, watching the jumpers, and a kid yelled "sh..!!" when she missed a distance): straw bedding and heavy metal forks; wraps that you had to pin (no velcro - remember the stuck fingers??); you didn't show until you could jump 4'; you didn't wear tall boots until you were 16; you only jumped once a week - the rest was "flat work".

I rode a chestnut Morgan pony that everyone looked down their noses at - too flashy. When I decided to buy a horse for my kids, I bought a TB and everyone looked down their noses at me for being "old fashioned"!

I remember Eiser's!! And, hacking to Hamilton Farm to watch the training sessions.

[Simbalism]

I still have a Pytchley coat hanging in my closet. I'm sure I will never be small enough to wear it again, but it is so nice and in really good shape. I still remember ripping flannel for wraps, and of course no velcro. I have to admit I don't know how to sew braids, but we always braided our own horses for shows and did all our horse's care-no grooms.

[ssteach]

I remember Texas (in Canada) before John Simpson had him and I bet the little mare that beat him was Strawberry Hill ridden by his sister Barbie.

YES!!! that was the mares name!!!! Yeah Someone is as old as me!!!!

[AndNirina]

I loved my Pychtley coat and its awesome fox buttons. I wish those were still around. The Paddock Shop in LA was the BEST! So sad that it's gone... that was my childhood. That place smelled delicious and Buddy and his staff did the most amazing work.

PDN's were amazing. I wish I still had mine. Remember the Sovereign PDN's? I asked Santa for one of those for a long time. Well, that and an Hermes Steinkraus.

[hunter-eventer-hunter]

Oh, and Dippity Doo and Aquanet were crucial braiding tools.

I forgot about Dippity Doo....god, that stuff was sticky. I still use the Aquanet. Bet if I dig deep enough in the tack box, I still find some dippity doo residue.:D

[huntingcreek]

Chokers were held on to the Ratcatcher by a button in the back. (Still have a ratcatcher like this that I wear when it's warm as it's worn so thin that it's the coolest one I own!)

Paisley chokers.

Hunting your show horse to build 'brave' and 'forward'.

Hacking to and from the local horse show across Fort Belvoir training grounds and parade field.

Going to the local auctions with 15 other girls in the back of the trainers pick up.

[huntingcreek]

Does anyone remember the name of this shop (DC)? It's driving me crazy. I keep thinking it was Stubben, but surely they just sold the saddles... My dad took me there to buy my first hunt cap. What a magical place it was for a little newbie rider!

Wasn't this The Saddlery? Had a Grey horse out front that was always dressed to the nines!
I thought that they moved out towards McLean. - Could be wildly mistaken as it has been a ton of years!

[Lori]

AHSA, yep, I still get stuck on that one
Velvet collar Pytchley, yep, hanging in the closet
I still have stock pins
Wide nosebands and flat tack, yep, still love them!
Favorite bits are full cheek snaffles and pelhams
Rust breeches, yep, still wear them with brown paddocks/half chaps
I still don't count strides
Most all of my horse books are classics and I still study them like I did all though school
I have a poster of Rodney Jenkins and Idle Dice schooling in VA
I have "hand" clippers
I miss outdoor courses
Where are all the rustic airy fences???
I am fine with a grass arena
Horse of Course magazine
Millers catalog
Gayers Saddlery
Most all tack was real England made great smelling leather! Indian made was low-level.
Campbell Coach Trailers
Washington International was at the old potato chip roofed Capital Center. A yearly treat!!!
"School for Young Riders" book was really a beautiful farm (and is a classic!!!!)

I did hang up the hunt cap with elastic strap for an approved JR8, though :)

[Mtn trails]

I forgot about Dippity Doo....god, that stuff was sticky. I still use the Aquanet. Bet if I dig deep enough in the tack box, I still find some dippity doo residue.:D

I think I still have a little can of Aqua Net in my braiding kit. It's been a while since I've needed to braid. :)

The plain round tops on tall boots, no spanish tops or even taller on the outside than inside.

The smallest jumps at a show were 3'.

Caliente helmets were the helmet of choice by the in crowd.

Triple Crown products were the top of the line (I still have a set of pillow wraps by them that I bought in the 80s and are still in perfect shape).

Everyone was getting needlepoint custom chaps, belts, dog collars, halters, etc.

Zip paddock boots had just been introduced but all the traditionalists still went for laces.

I have a poster for the 1988 National Horse Show at the Garden. It shows a rider with her head turned, blond so I'm thinking Katie, red USET coat, flat as a pancake saddle. It's not a photo, it's done in pastels and a print. I found it under a bench at a barn I worked for and the owner said I could have it. SCORE!

[RockinHorse]

Ribbons had thick rossettes, custom centers instead of generic, and the year printed on them.

[mojo7777]

School for Young Riders, Form Over Fences, A Horse of Your Own, Album of Horses--all bibles...

[InTheDark]

How about M.J. Knouds in New York City????

Also I had Harry Hall breeches that had buttons on the front, rather than a zipper. Three buttons up, then a flap that came up over and had more buttons to the side.

Here here for outside courses and no divisions for horses under 3'6"....





This is soo much fun!!!:)

[AppendixQHLover]

Ribbons had thick rossettes, custom centers instead of generic, and the year printed on them.

AND actual trophies for first place, and champions at every show! There were no series championships.

Gayers Saddlery is still open here in MD. The place is so CROWEDED with stuff. You never know what will be found there.

[Janet]

AND actual trophies for first place, and champions at every show! There were no series championships.

Gayers Saddlery is still open here in MD. The place is so CROWEDED with stuff. You never know what will be found there.
Solid silver from Tiffanies for first place in an individual class, at an unrecognized show. Small pieces (teaspoons, saucers) but still solid silver.

[flogarty]

Wow, now that's going back! Anyone remember the movie "The Horse with the Flying Tail"? It was about Nautical, the palomino stock horse who won the team gold medal at the 1959 Pan American Games. He was ridden by Hugh Wiley, and trained by Bertalan de Nemethy. I saw that movie being made when I was in first grade, living in Northern Virginia.

I have that on VHS somewhere. As a child I was OBSESSED and watched it at least once a week.

[WIExpat]

...a 2'6 oxer looks HUGE

Amen!

[In the Air]

Solid silver from Tiffanies for first place in an individual class, at an unrecognized show. Small pieces (teaspoons, saucers) but still solid silver.

Tralee horse show in Virginia. Outside courses, huge silver perpetual trophies.

[RockinHorse]

All classes were run individually. There were no back- to- back trips or open cards.

All ribbons were awarded in the ring.

[Janet]

All classes were run individually. There were no back- to- back trips or open cards.
And staggered through the day. If you were in the Jr Hunters, there would be one class in the mofrning, one in the middle of the day, and one in the afternoon.

[Trakehner]

Rodney Jenkins had red hair.
George Morris lessons were $20
Pegasus Stables in Rock Creek
Caliente's were the only "real" helmet
Sewn in bits on the bridle
16 hands was a BIG horse
Hunters were TBs, usually off the track
Canary and Rust britches
Romika rubber riding boots
Ulster saddle pads
Stombocks was in Potomac
Potomac Horse Center was in the boonies and impressive
International Horse Show was at the DC Armory
John at Meadowbrook who cleaned our tack after we rode

[RockinHorse]

All classes were run individually. There were no back- to- back trips or open cards.

All ribbons were awarded in the ring.

And staggered through the day. If you were in the Jr Hunters, there would be one class in the mofrning, one in the middle of the day, and one in the afternoon.

And the jumps were moved around between classes :)

[Janet]

And the jumps were moved around between classes :)
On the contrary, the jumps were on the outside course, so they were never moved at all.

[HappyTalk]

Hacking to shows, showing my classes and hacking back home.

[trooper345]

Show Rider, School for Young Riders....aaahh, I studied those books like they were bibles. I remember moving to VA from Long Island and meeting a girl who rode with Mrs. Dillon, it was like meeting a celebrity :)


and don't forget Buddy Brown......sigh.....I touched his boot as he rode past me at Oxridge Hunt Club

[RockinHorse]

On the contrary, the jumps were on the outside course, so they were never moved at all.

When I showed juniors, you usually had one or two of your division classes in the ring (usually the handy class was in the ring) and the rest on the outside course. The equitation classes were also in the ring and the jumps were moved around between classes.

[MyGiantPony]

Rodney Jenkins had red hair.


OK, now it was just mean spirited to mention that. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[BAC]

And staggered through the day. If you were in the Jr Hunters, there would be one class in the mofrning, one in the middle of the day, and one in the afternoon.

Yeah, that's the one thing about the old days I don't miss. :D We always seemed to have the first class of the morning and the last of the afternoon. :sigh:

[Janet]

Show Rider, School for Young Riders....aaahh, I studied those books like they were bibles. I remember moving to VA from Long Island and meeting a girl who rode with Mrs. Dillon, it was like meeting a celebrity :)

WHen I interviewed for a job (that I eventually got) they said "it is in Vienna Virginia, but you have probably never heard of it". I said "Oh, yes, I have heard of it" and thought "THAT'S where School for Young Riders is!"

[InTheDark]

were 99.9 fine silver...... oh then again, maybe they still are - haven't seen one in many decades!!!!!

[Rubyfree]

OK guys- I'm 28 and this thread is making me feel old. Of course, I basically haven't shown since the late 80's, so I guess I missed that a lot of these things went out of fashion, and carried on using them at home. I showed up for my first day of work at a 'new' h/j barn a few years ago in my (shiny) rust breeches and very broken in, no spanish top dress boots and was just gobsmacked that (a) there was such a thing as black field boots and (b) they were the only acceptable boot. Gobsmacked, I say. I went new boot hunting last year and flat refused to buy black field boots- can I tell you how hard it was to find dress boots that were not 'dressage' boots?
At that same barn, I pulled out some of my old wraps (that you have to pin) and got sideways looks. Same response to my navajo pads and petal bells. I won't even tell you the response I got when I suggested that someone take their lazy, slow hunter hunting to get him to move out a bit. Silly me.
And I still have a crush on Michael Matz. :lol:
Since I clearly will never be able to catch up with the trends enough to show, maybe I'll throw a throwback show. One day, real fences, pretty ribbons, NO BLACK FIELD BOOTS! Who's in?

[LaurieB]

Young kids riding ponies with pelhams or full bridles with two reins and no one thought that was unusual.

Spending $150. for my first pair of Vogel boots (and my parent were aghast at the price.)

Wearing 3 hairnets to control hair that hung down below my velvet hunt cap.

Jumping out of the ring to get to the outside course and back in at the end.

Numbers that hooked over your collar and hung down the top of your back.

No saddle pads ever...unless your horse had a sore back.

A show season that started in April with a couple of schooling shows and ended in early November after the Garden.

Not having to qualify for anything.

[Janet]

I went new boot hunting last year and flat refused to buy black field boots- can I tell you how hard it was to find dress boots that were not 'dressage' boots?

Try somewhere that caters to fox hunters.

[BeastieSlave]

Paying $3 per class at the local shows and nobody needed a signature for anything!

[mojo7777]

Wasn't this The Saddlery? Had a Grey horse out front that was always dressed to the nines!
I thought that they moved out towards McLean. - Could be wildly mistaken as it has been a ton of years!

I think the name was Stombach's. Somebody just mentioned they were in Potomac, but I'll bet that was the one that started out in Georgetown. It's so heavy with horsey significance in my memory! I definitely remember the cool, big-looking, horse out front and the heady leather smell inside.

[beenanddone]

I loved my Pychtley coat and its awesome fox buttons. I wish those were still around.

I have one...i just got it maybe 2 years ago, new. LOVE IT! best off-the-rack fitting coat i have ever had!

[Sarabeth]

You remember when growing up, your neighborhood was full of horses.

When you visit now, the few barns that haven't been razed to make way for development are long empty, with sagging roofs and tall weeds everywhere.

[La Gringa]

All the horses in the classes were TB's, Appendix's or Appys. No WB's.

You did hunters and eq on one horse and sometimes jumpers too.

You braided your own horse for shows.

Checkerboards on the butt were cool

They had 2 arenas at a show max. They had fun classes like family, puissance, costume classes, and pairs.

No long stirrup classes. The kid classes started at 3' or 3'3"

At 13 you did Barbara Worth Medal at 4' (at least at my barn we did).

Scalloped braids

Mud knots

Outside hunter courses, natural fences, occasionally a bank or ditch in the hunters.

Sidesaddle classes and appointment classes.

Horsemanship was as important as riding.

Meredith Michaels (Beerbaum), Candace Schlom (King) were on the same jumper team in the 11 year old class in Jumpers at Santa Barbara... in costume.

Ostrich and Camel races at Indio

[imagdrider]

LOL, I had a 20th Century Si Jayne model saddle too! I loved that saddle

[JOBEAN]

Anyone remember Scrimshaw? Ridden by Michael Hunter ..I think..

[3rdrock]

Many repeats, but as I drink my coffee and remember:

AHSA, TB's were in, mucking stalls to have extra lessons, outside courses

Pychtley show coat - first one was used - green -I still have it, along with my first black show coat.

Saved all year long to attend MSG, sneaking in to see the horses and petting Idle Dice's nose. Galloping Grandpa.

Paul Newman on the show grounds was exciting.:eek:

I still have my Prix de Nations, no knee roll, hard as a rock saddle. Great for breaking babies. Cost $400.

Navajo saddle blankets. Pelhams.

A very young Rider was the best Christmas present ever.

Horsemanship, Horsemanship, Horsemanship

[3rdrock]

One More

Jimmy Williams

[La Gringa]

Anne Kursinksi riding on the West Coast

Greats who have passed.. from the west coast.

Gary Ryman

Larry Larson

Barbara Worth

Jimmy Williams (repeated)

Mark Mullen

Victor

Please add to this list if I forgot anyone. RIP to them all.

[BAC]

Greats who have passed.. from the west coast.

Victor

I guess I am even older, we had Victor on the East coast for many years before he went out to California.

[Skipper]

what a nice trip down memory lane- thanks everyone.....I'll add a few

canary breeches with buttons on the calf
ratcatchers
colored chokers with stock pins
horses went both english and western and you just changed your tack and threw chaps on over your breeches and boots and switched your hunt cap for a cowboy hat
jumping out of the ring to go out on the uphill/downhill outside course and finish jumping back in the ring
all classes being pinned in the ring
tying your horses to the trailer but always leaving someone by the trailer to watch them
thellwell ponies
waiting for the Millers catalogue to come and wearing it out

I guess I better get back to work.....thanks again

[Janet]

I guess I am even older, we had Victor on the East coast for many years before he went out to California. Me too.

[Topper]

Going into NYC, visiting M. J. Knoud and Miller's was a huge treat! I always love the Knoud's shop. I have a side saddle made by them.

Newmarket boots! I first pair of high boots and not until I was 13!

The chain straps with the lovely pastic cup that fit on you chin, I was alway chewing on mine as it would slip up.

The outside course with natural fences

[HobbyHorse101]

Uh Oh I think I was born in the wrong decade..I've got the grey show coat with black velvet collar (Showed my pony for years in that and black breeches) I call the shirt the ratcatcher, and I show in a stock pin (I've got atleast twenty very pretty ones) I've shown Show Hack a number of times and like it alot. I'm in pony club, and show'd at 4H shows, haul in, in the tow horse bumber pull. Would love to ride hunters in a grand ol' outdoor course preferably jumping training prelim style jumps with lots of banks and water (Real water not a little liver pool puddle) Oops and have a pair of Ralph Lauren non stretch Rust polo breeches..

And the newmarket boots...well I'll get them eventually (Oh and current show coat is brown, and getting brown helemet, and looking for brown boots)

Somehow I was born in 93 and love everything about how the hunters used to be :winkgrin:

[BAC]

Uh Oh I think I was born in the wrong decade..I've got the grey show coat with black velvet collar (Showed my pony for years in that and black breeches)

Black breeches in the pony division? :eek: I must have slept through that era fortunately.

[Wendi]

You know you're getting older when...

you find this thread funny!

[copper1]

I paid $400 for my Hermes and thought it was beyond expensive!!!! '69-70 I think.

[je.suis]

I recall when they broke the thousdand mark and were the most expensive off the racks you could buy ! When I rode in one, I felt the seats were too hard. They're pretty comfy now and perhaps a very used one could be purchased for $1,000., with a broken tree.

[Janet]

And not once did my parents make me ride...they had to make me come home!
But that is "you" vs "others". Not "then" vs "now".

I knew plenty of kids whose parents "made" them ride, as well as kids who would do ANYTHING to ride.

[debsinsb]

You paid $150 for your first pair of custom Dehners -- and you had to scrimp and save to do it.

I think mine were $150 also. Field boots.

A long show was maybe 10-12 days, and included Western and Saddlebreds.

Grunion hunting at Del Mar.

[monalisa]

You own brown field boots.

[monstrpony]

Your USEF and PCHA numbers are one digit shorter than anyone else's in the barn.

... and you remember when it was PCHJ&SHA (and what that stands for).

Oh, and those Miller's catalogs? You could get your Stubben Siegfried for $199. Or you could really splurge and get a Lorelei or Daland for $225.

[chunky munky]

Still have some of the "AHSA" Silver Medals in small velvet lined blue boxes. My boots had patent leather tops too. Still have MSG programs from the 60's. All my Paul Brown books. Bought my first hunt cap at the original Beval's, a tiny little old house in Bernardsville. And of course Bev was there to wait on us...going to the USET barns and watching the schooling in the mornings. Priceless.

[sirensong4]

oh my god, this is making ME feel old too! And i am BARELY 30!
I never showed in rust breeches but i DID have canary.
I still have--and looooooove--my petal bells, although i don't currently own a horse that can wear them.
I still have navajo blankets . . .
i still have and love my brown hunt coat and my VINTAGE (old when i bought it) off-white show shirt . . . remember when show shirts ONLY came in white?
i still have my unapproved hunt cap . . .
I still have ULSTER jumping boots . . .
And coolers made of actual wool . . .
Oh, and I still have my velvet International mushroom-head helmet . . . And my Collegiate IHSA saddle with no padded flap or knee rolls. When i started riding, suede knee rolls were the Thing to Have. I HATED them and still don't like padded flaps!
I WISH we could go back to flat tack and I wish there were no such things as rein converters. If you can't figure out double reins, don't use the pelham/4-ring/whatever!
what else . . .
I think somewhere i may have an all-leather girth that pre-dates elastic.
I'm sure there is more . . .

[sirensong4]

oh, got more. Remember when no-bow's were new and high-tech? Because everyone still had quilts?
And remember when GEL PADS were new? and most people (that i rode with, at least) still used lollipop pads to make regular tree saddles "fit" wide horses?

[spaced]

The sewn in braids had to be an odd number and never exceeded 11-15!

[BridalBridle]

You remember that there was actually a "show season" a beginning in April and an end with the indoors.
You had sewn in reins, flask w sugarless tea HOLD THE MAYO on the no crust sandwich, white gloves under the saddle flap,flat leather, no elastic girths....for the appointment classes..EVEN FOR THE SMALL PONIES.
Small ponies were 11.2 med under 13 hands
You could "challenge" the height of a pony every weekend.
Mont Co Fair with the Ferris Wheel at night.
Orange Co Fair.
ALL COURSES ON DIRT ...NO SAND.
three chicken coups on the outside courses 2'3' 3'6" no wings pick your height.
Jumping out of rings as the last fence
Every fence ridden off the eye...no counting.
ZIM'S this ZIM's that...or Fox Hollow Singing Star whatever.
Farnley THIS ...Liseter THAT
Warren Streaker and Bud Stitley judged every show....at least if felt that way.
Saddles were flat NO KNEE ROLLS.
Sheep skin saddle pads
Powder blue riding jackets with yellow collars.IN REAL COTTTON FOR SUMMER.
You used the same horse for the Jr Hunters as u did for the Medal classes.
J Arthur Reynolds
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST YOU NOW PICK UP YOUR BACTRIM PRESCRIPTION WITH YOUR VIAGRA;-]

[Silk]

After bringing horses in you find burrs in your wig?!

[Janet]

oh, got more. Remember when no-bow's were new and high-tech? Because everyone still had quilts?
Quilts? They were a new fangled replacement for sheet cotton.

[Trakehner]

Sewn in bridles and no saddle pads in hunter classes.

3' classes were the starter courses, none of these 18" pre-green-mouthbreather classes.

Canary britches and Romika rubber boots.

Caliente helmets.

Grooms...we had grooms who cleaned our tack at Meadowbrook.

[headsupheelsdown]

I have gotten the brand-new re-print of the book "A Very Young Rider" on buy.com a couple of times recently for $14.99. The best part is the pages in the back where they tell you where everyone is now! No more wondering "whatever happened to Vivi Malloy?" Right now it says temporarily out of stock... but that has happened before and I place a back order and got it really soon. Are the ones on Amazon new with the update in the back or used?

I actually give this book to lesson students when they buy their second lesson card, I think it is a great introduction to kids and parents about what is going on. It's a little dated, but that doesn't matter much.

This thread is bringing back SO MANY MEMORIES!!

[Glorybee]

When the crowd went WILD cheering for Big Ben at the Garden in the GP. I think it was Natural ( may have the name wrong) a little bay who was the first to sell for a million and we were in awe ( they announced it at the show)!

[JGHIRETIRE]

Whatever did happen to Harry Halls anyway?
Bounce?? Maybe on my head - the rest of me doesn't. I really liked those rust breeches!!
I was just past the velvet collars thank you but heavy on the velvet riding helmet. I still have my Thelwell books!! My daughter just doesn't think they're that great - they still make me laugh!!
What is with the 18"??? HUH? It was 3' 3'3 and 3'6. LOL Cool Thread!!

[headsupheelsdown]

One of the boarders at a barn in Indiana that I boarded at as a teen got a Borelli jumping saddle out of the Sears catalog, which had a tack section...

Heavens, this thread has caused me to remember things I haven't thought about in years, no DECADES.

And remember when, in the Chicago area, Libertyville Saddlery was THE destination? It was the exit after Lamb's Farm, you knew you were getting close, then... Whatever happened to Bailey's?

And winter indoor showjumping was at the Armory downtown.

[JUMPERROUND]

those of you old folk who grew up on the Island, your old when you remember your saddle that Bernie Kauffman made at the Saddle Shop in Huntington

[17hTBmare]

Hunting your horse on Saturday to prep him to show on Sunday.

[KnKShowmom]

those of you old folk who grew up on the Island, your old when you remember your saddle that Bernie Kauffman made at the Saddle Shop in Huntington

I loved the Saddle Shop - seem to remember a horse on the roof???

Even though it was much smaller, I loved the Country Rider in Cold Spring Harbor. An older gentleman had it at first then sold it to Mrs. Wright - I got my first pair of custom boots from her, don't know where they went but I still have 2 jackets and my (unapproved) velvet hat that I will wear now and then.

[Hunter Mom]

A long show was maybe 10-12 days, and included Western and Saddlebreds.

Snicker. I remember almost missing a class on my ASB because I was up the hill watching the hunters :)

Good mail meant getting the Libertyville and Miller's catalogs - but Sears and JC Penny did have tack too. And you actually had to mail in your order!

[RockinHorse]

You know you're getting older when...you remember and yearn for the hunt coats that were long enough to cover a multitude of sins :winkgrin:

[AnotherRound]

and THE Horse show of the year was held in Madison Square Garden, NYC in November of every year.....:sadsmile:

Yes, "trying to get to the Garden" was your goal, and someone you know "went to the Garden".

So they don't have the medal mclays at the Garden anymore? Who knew.

Jumper courses were no lower than 4'

There was always an outside course hunter class (my fav)

My instructor had me trot a 4' course for practice

Nobody but nobody leaned on their horse's neck over a jump, and there was no such thing as a crest release

Rodney Jenkins was in his 20's, long and lanky, and set the standard for all the cool trends in the ring.

I had a green hunt coat, with a green velvet collar which matched my green velvet hunt cap and I had a tailor put a yellow satin lining in, so when you went over a jump, their was a hint of flair of the lining.

[myvanya]

Maybe I shouldn't admit this, but I am under 30 and I still have a cottage craft girth and a crosby girth sans elastic that I use all the time! I ditched the cottage craft as it is older than I am and that scares me a little but the Crosby girth is still in great shape!

And I love my Thelwell books! In fact I am so mad that my Mom won't give me my collection of little mini Thelwell mugs I won as a kid- they used to give them out at VHSA shows when I was a kid with the First place ribbons.

I also just bought my first saddle with a knee roll this year. It was bound to happen someday....but I do miss my old Crosby's and my Lovatt & Ricketts- they were such great saddles!

[Oldenburg99]

I was the only one out of 30 some-thing entries in our classic to do a checkerboard and it was AWESOME :cool:

[mojo7777]

You know you're getting older when... you find yourself wishing everyone would go back to "flared" style of breeches everyone wore in your youth in order to hide some of the...ah...figure changes you've had since then!

[skyy]

As a kid, I had no access to horses but I had access to books and being given A Very Young Rider by my favorite aunt was the best present ever. I still have my copy but hadn't looked at it since I was 13 or so. I pulled it out to read it with my daughter because we were at the point where she needed a bigger pony but was quite attached to the old pony and I remembered at the end that Vivi had the same painful emotions about moving on to a new pony. Lo and behold, as we got to the end we read that the last name of the new little girl who got Penny was Pedersen. Not a common name at all but it is now my married name. I cried like a baby and my daughter thought I was loosing my mind. I soooo wanted to be either Vivi or the new little girl when I was growing up. (Now of course I am reliving my childhood through my daughter and her ponies :) )

[springdaisy]

My uncle gave me his old saddle about three years ago-I love it!!!! It's a Prestwick close contact. Flat as a pancake, none of those knee rolls, no padding whatsoever. He used to show hunters and jumpers with it 25 years ago. Everyone else hates my saddle, says it's like riding bareback. I can't stand those squishy saddles, you can't feel anything!

[luckeys71]

My husband just recently bought me the boxed set of Thelwell books he found at a thrift store! I have a set of glasses with Thelwell cartoons on them a friend gave me as a birthday gift probably 20 years ago. Love Thelwells!

[JazCreekInc.]

My mom and I just ordered "A Very Young Rider" because our copy is lost and it was my FAVORITE as a kid. Valerie went to get measured at Vogel, and watched Buddy at the Garden ;)

[Lord Helpus]

When the proper hairstyle was a page boy in a hair net.

When there was no A/O division. Once out of juniors, you went straight into the Open divison.

When The National Horse Show ran from Tuesday -- Tuesday and was at Madison Square Garden which was actually ON Madison Square in NYC. The stabling (at least for ponies) was in a tent, in a parking lot, a block away and we rode down the street to the ramp down to the ring.

Pony classes were during the day, but the open working hunter classes (which my 14 year old sister had to ride in because she was on a horse by then and there were no junior hunter classes at The Garden) were all at night.

For reference, this was in 1959, the first year I rode there. By 1964, ponies had been banished, juniors, small and large, had been added, but no ammies because there was no real ammie division yet. The show had been moved to the "new" Garden over Penn Station and everyone hated it and mourned the loss of velvet seats and the glamour of the old days, when long gowns and tails were de rigeur for the evening sessions.

-- Ladies boots had patent leather tops if you had your hunt colors. Men's had brown tops.

Melton wool britches came with flap fronts for both men and women.

Shows held corinthian classes with FULL appointments (meat sandwhich, no crust, cut into 4 trianges, string gloves under girth with 2 fingers pointing forward, etc.) I showed in my last corinthian class in 1982(?) at MSG. Since then it has been "Formal attire", which looks stupid -- shadbelly with a *($&* helmet.

And, yes -- climbing on your pony bareback with a halter and leadrope knotted to the halter, in shorts and sneakers, and galloping through the woods playing cowboys and indians.

Then, taking that same pony to MSG. :yes: And getting good ribbons. :D

[Janet]

According to Wikipedia, Madison Square Garden moved from Madison Square to 50th Street and 8th Ave in 1925.

It moved from there to Penn Station in 1968.

So both 1959 and 1964 were in the 50th St Garden. Even though we all call it the "Old Garden", it wasn't the original Garden.

[FlyingSwap]

I learned to ride on Penny, the pony in A Very Young Rider!

I think there is a mention in the new edition of the book about Penny's final home being at Eileen Beckman's (my grandmother) Otteridge Farm. I was a very, very little girl when we had Penny, and there are lots of pictures of me riding her and learning to trot, etc. Actually, the first time I cantered was on Penny. I was barely 4, and was walking around on her while my grandmother taught a group lesson. She spooked at something at the far end of the ring and cantered up the long side. Nanny nearly had a fit, but I hung on and was grinning like a fool when she stopped. I think that was when they realized they had a rider on their hands ;).

Anyway, I just thought I'd mention that to the people who loved that WONDERFUL book---I was Penny's last little girl. She was an amazing pony. I remember looking wayyyy up at her and thinking she was huge---and she was a medium.

[Fixerupper]

Boot straps...OMG...I had forgotten!
I treasured my Caliente...

The fall 'circuit' - Harrisburg, Washington, NY (Madison Sq. Gardens) and Toronto (the Royal)....boy... were those horses sacked by the end of the Royal!
but they had the winter off ...:eek:

Does anyone else remember 'pom poms' on the jumper's braids (ha! braids for jumpers!) in the '70's?
I was a show groom then and hated them...they looked so tacky...!!!
I would use some kind of synthetic yarn that you could fuzz up to be more 'subtle' :lol:
I also hated the hunter 'appointments' class...you got dinged for 'crusts on sandwiches' 'fingers pointed/folded' on gloves tucked under the girth and other silly $h!t !!

This is a great thread!

[Mtn trails]

Our elementary school has one - ask me how I know! :D

The book I remember from way back when was Light Horsekeeping - it was at my house more than it was at the library.

Yep, I remember that book. I remember one of the lines:

"I promise to lose 5 lbs. when Jaime gets shod." :D

I must be senitmental. I just bought a Whippy plain flap saddle just because. And it was almost free.

Who were those announcers at all the big shows? Peter and David? I loved them.

I so remember Bernie from The Saddle Shop on Jericho Tpke. A friend of mine worked there forever and now works at what used to be North Salem Saddlery. She's the gal who does all the engraving work - halter plates, stall plates, saddle plates, etc. etc. Her name is Jody, we became friends in the 5th grade when I found out she was a horse nut too.

Do you remember the Hobby Horse just down the road from the Saddle Shop?

[YankeeLawyer]

Do you remember M. J. Knoud on Madison Avenue? That shut down in the 90's, can't remember exactly when but I loved taking a walk over there on my lunch hour and checking it out.


I remember Knoud's. I got all my hunt caps there when I was a junior. It was so sad when they closed. I think it was in the late 80s, though.

[YankeeLawyer]

Still have some of the "AHSA" Silver Medals in small velvet lined blue boxes.
Me too! My mom saved them for me :)

Bought my first hunt cap at the original Beval's, a tiny little old house in Bernardsville. And of course Bev was there to wait on us...

I worked at Beval's in high school and helped them open the New Canaan store.

[Mtn trails]

My first saddle was a used Beval Gladstone. Bought it when I was on the HITS Florida circuit before it was all just held in Wellington. I believe we were at the Tampa show at the time when I bought it.

The Florida circuit was (correct me if I'm wrong, visualizing the state of Florida) - Jacksonville as a warm up, West Palm Beach Polo Club, Tampa/St. Pete. I feel like I'm missing something.

[YankeeLawyer]

The Florida circuit was (correct me if I'm wrong, visualizing the state of Florida) - Jacksonville as a warm up, West Palm Beach Polo Club, Tampa/St. Pete. I feel like I'm missing something.

We used to do Miami as a warm-up, then go on to Palm Beach and finish up in Tampa around spring break.

[Running Fox Farm]

God, this makes me feel SOOOO good to read all these messages. I was beginning to think I was the last original equestrian dinosaur standing! The goal in life was to " make it to the Garden", DC, harrisburg and the Garden being " the Big 3" and the Natons Cup at DC, when many nations ACTUALLY showed up with full teams to vie for the then-prestigious honor. For me it was a navy jacket, deep red-maroon velvet collar and hunt cap, braid my horse in yarn to match. Even tho I am now much larger in the beam than those days, PLEASE never bring back the flared breeches. Who remembers the old Maryland Pony Show held at the Timonium racetrack infield, largest junior show in the country? How about if you didn't have a Thoroughbred you didn't have a chance at pinning? Ha - try that now!

[Mtn trails]

We used to do Miami as a warm-up, then go on to Palm Beach and finish up in Tampa around spring break.

Miami! That's the one I couldn't think of. Thanks. :) What was the one that was by the Monkey Jungle? What a nutso place that was.

Who was that guy from Japan who rode in just about all the Grand Prixs and just crashed through everything out there? Hiro something or other. Anyone remember? It was such a hoot watching him because you knew what was coming - oxer CRASH!!, wall CRASH!!, big vertical CRASH!! :lol:

[pegasus44]

Yes, "trying to get to the Garden" was your goal, and someone you know "went to the Garden".

So they don't have the medal mclays at the Garden anymore? Who knew.

Jumper courses were no lower than 4'

There was always an outside course hunter class (my fav)

My instructor had me trot a 4' course for practice

Nobody but nobody leaned on their horse's neck over a jump, and there was no such thing as a crest release

Rodney Jenkins was in his 20's, long and lanky, and set the standard for all the cool trends in the ring.

I had a green hunt coat, with a green velvet collar which matched my green velvet hunt cap and I had a tailor put a yellow satin lining in, so when you went over a jump, their was a hint of flair of the lining.

OMG We are old!

[War Admiral]

When the "A" shows were multidisciplinary - and so were many of the judges. Trust me, saddle seat riders quaked to show in front of Victor just as much as hunt seat riders did! :)

@ Mtn Trails - I do remember that Hiro guy but my memory's not pulling out the last name...

[Haalter]

Hiro Tomizawa? But that wasn't all that long ago, I don't think...maybe late 80s or early 90s? Perhaps there was an earlier Hiro...um...that also crashed a lot :uhoh: Probably just one I guess...I believe he was the heir to the Seiko fortune and his big horse was Don Carlos. Why I remember this, and I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning, I have no idea.

[babecakes]

oh, got more. Remember when no-bow's were new and high-tech? Because everyone still had quilts?

OMG! I still use my old thinner quilts. I can get a better wrap with them.

[Pat9]

The Miller Christmas Catalog meant that Christmas was really on the way. I still have my pewter Thelwell ornaments, and a few of the collectible ornaments I bought from that catalog all those years ago. Now that I can afford to buy more from this catalog...it's gone. Bring me my time machine!