Spent more time playing Mary King’s Riding Star than riding your actual pony? Fond of a polo neck? And do jodhpur clips give you the shivers? It sounds like you were a horsey child of the 90s
1. Mary King’s Riding Star game was more time-consuming than looking after your real-life pony
Mary King’s Riding Star computer game promised to turn you into a “world champion”. But it wasn‘t easy. There was a lot of (virtual) grooming and feeding to be done before you reached those lofty heights.
2. The Saddle Club books dominated your bookshelf
You had so many Saddle Club books — largely given to you by non-horsey relations who were chuffed to find an equestrian-related present — that there was no hope of getting through them all. Did they do bulk offers? No-one ever had just one…
3. Dandy brush polo necks were how you rolled
Turning up to a party in a polo neck with a grooming kit print was a fast-track way to get you in the party mood.
4. Taping Badminton was an important fixture in April/May
You recorded Badminton on a video — and then watched it again, and again and again. That was life before iPlayer.
5. Jodhpur clips made you cry
Jodhpur clips seem to have gone off the radar. Perhaps you were part of the last generation that suffered:
a) The irritation of getting them on — and them flicking off three minutes later.
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b) Trying to keep them on — and enduring the agony when they came off and your jodhpurs crawled up your legs.
6. Dismounted rallies were a competitive event
When foot-and-mouth disease hit in 2001, you went to so many dismounted Pony Club rallies that:
a) You could take your bridle apart in record time
b) Your mother ran out of thread to sew the endless stable management badges onto your sweatshirt.
7. You’ll never forget Mary King’s 2000 Badminton victory
When Mary King and Star Appeal won Badminton in 2000 (pictured above), she cemented her status as your ultimate idol.
8. Five was the soundtrack to Pony Club camp
Five’s 1999 release “If Ya Gettin’ Down” was a sure way to get everyone on the dance floor at the Pony Club camp disco. You knew all the moves and the bit where you lent back and touched the ground with your right hand was done in sync with your line up of friends.
9. ‘Derby the Horse’ was for looking at — not playing with
You were told that your TY beanie babies were going to make you millions — as long as you left their tags on in a protective plastic cover. Which is why Derby the Horse was left in his box (and is still there).
10. Bollocks was an acceptable swear word…
…in the context of a “Bollocks to Blair” car sticker.
11. You were not a Moody Mare
When you reached your teenager years your parents sniggered as they presented you with a “Moody Mare” rugby shirt for your birthday. You didn’t see the funny side.
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A graduate from Durham University, Madeleine joined H&H in 2011 and became Features Editor — producing content across the magazine and website, including the popular inside back cover article ‘The horse that made me’ and the weekly ‘The best of my fun…’ interview. She has written on topics as diverse as hay making and headcams, to hot totty in the horse world and circus horses. Madeleine now works as a freelance feature writer for Country Life, The Telegraph, Horse & Hound, cntraveller.com, The Spectator and The Field, as well as writing obituaries for The Times.
