16 things we miss about being young
How much fun was it being young and horsey? We are obviously still horsey, just varying degrees of young... Anyway, here are a few of the many things we miss about those wonderful days
1. Being able to get on from the ground
2. In fact, being able to vault on in the field, bareback, in order to race back to the gate
3. It not hurting a jot when you hit the deck after screeching to a halt on arrival at said gate
4. Indeed, it not being terribly far to fall
5. It being socially acceptable — desirable, even — to have a matching numnah, travel boots, rug and bandages. (Admittedly you can still get away with doing this as an adult if you do dressage)
6. Not having a muffin top when wearing jodhpurs
7. Polo mints being a staple part of the diet
8. Getting to travel in the luton of the lorry being a highlight of any weekend
9. The euphoria of winning a gymkhana. A feeling that couldn’t be dampened, not by your pony standing on your ankle, nor by the fact you had a mixture of water, flour and arena surface stuck to your face
10. Not having a bad back
11. Not having to foot the bill
12. Relishing all chores, as long as they were horse related. Remember cleaning every bridle in the tackroom for fun? Remember even cleaning tack if not for the purposes of a show?
Continued below…
9 things we got up to at Pony Club camp that we’re sure wouldn’t happen now
13. That feeling the night before every show/rally/hunt being on a par with the excitement of Christmas Eve
14. Having the energy to leap out of bed at 5:30am and listen for stirring from anyone of car driving age who might possibly be convinced to take you to the yard
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
15. Having 6 to 8 weeks off each summer and spending every possible minute of them at the yard
16. The hot afternoons spent lazing in the haybarn (having constructed a den out of bales), discussing ponies, riders, and crushes on your instructor
What horse-related things do you miss about being young? Let us know below…
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Sarah has worked at an equestrian journalist and editor since 2004 and has held the position of Horse & Hound Editor-in-Chief since 2014. She has reported for Horse & Hound from major championships including Europeans and World Equestrian Games. She has co-written books on horses and horse sport including The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Horses & Ponies. She has owned and ridden horses since 1993, and worked for and trained with Olympic gold medallist event rider Leslie Law prior to going to university. While studying for a BSc at London School of Economics Sarah also worked for top British dressage rider Louise Spate.