Hello everyone
It’s another month and another writing challenge set up by Gail of Is This Mutton. I am joining my friends who live in Portugal, the States, Australia and the UK to explore a theme. This time we are looking at Vacations or using the British use of the word, Holidays.
I started this by writing about something completely different – living in a foreign country as opposed to taking a holiday in that country, but I was going so off piste with the theme that I scrapped it. So, Holidays it is and I apologise to anyone who thought I was posting Travels part 2 – it’s not that!
Well, as you know I’m very fond of going on a cruise. Not the mega ghastly-type cruise – those beasts of the sea that ruin it for people like me who prefer a small ship. I hear that more and more places are banning cruise ships from docking at their ports. I approve of that, but I’m just hoping it doesn’t impinge on the company that I use which has two modest ships with fewer than 1000 passengers, which is a low number these days.
Anyway, setting that aside, the holidays I am going to talk about involve horses. Yes, horses!
I adored horses as a child but never took any riding lesson and not once did I ride a horse. You have to realise that when I was growing up horse-riding was an exclusive hobby and mainly taken up by wealthy families who could afford to pay the fees for their horse-mad children. I was truly horse mad, but my parents didn’t have the money to indulge my fantasies, so they remained fantasies. Instead, I bought many books about girls riding horses. And in the days when there was only one channel on the television, we watched horse jumping in the evenings as a family and, as long as my father wasn’t watching cricket or rugby, I would watch horse racing on a Saturday and Sunday. Very occasionally friends from school who did have riding lessons would take me to a Saturday equestrian or a show jumping event.
Mind you the reality of these large beasts was a slightly different matter, and I remember being shouted out when I nearly walked into the path of a large cantering horse – scary!
And then I did indulge my fantasy! Three times – each one on a holiday! The first time was when I was doing my psychiatric nursing, and with my friend Rowena we went on a pony-trekking holiday in Wales.
I’m not sure anything like this would be allowed these days. But not having ever sat in a horse before and without any riding lessons whatsoever (or a helmet) we were given a horse and for 7 days we rode out into a fairly wild and rugged part of Wales – can’t remember exactly where – and we trekked for hours through this beautiful countryside, at times up and down quite steep hills, with a leader of course.
I was surprisingly quite good at the riding and got into the rhythm of the horse very easily. I mean, my first encounter on the first day, this act of getting on a horse, phew, even at the young age I remember thinking, how is this possible! But you are immortal when you are young and never scared and I did it and I even survived falling off my horse – when it decided to gallop! The whole experience was idyllic, the countryside, it was beautiful and amazing, I was actually riding!
Of course, being in the early 1970s I took barely any photographs of anything as neither of us had a camera! What a contrast to today! But, hunting through my photo albums I’ve found one photograph of me on a horse on that holiday.
Finally, I had ridden a horse – in what I thought was the most beautiful place. So having done that once I was quite keen to do something with horses again.
This time my encounter with a horse was with three other friends that I’d met on my psychiatric nursing course. We flew to Cork in Ireland and had a caravan and horse holiday. Oh, my, goodness, I know from another caravan holiday, that you will hear about shortly, that this one was not very well organised at all. And reader I was considered the experienced rider who would be in charge of said horse and caravan. I mean – WHAT! After precisely one week’s pony trekking!
We arrived in a little village outside Cork and there was our beautiful gypsy caravan. And there was the horse. Right, said some lad. Here is the tackle – this is how you tack up. Umm, OK. And this is your map with your nightly stops. Oh, thanks, said I. Right, off you go. Umm, excuse me, I said, how do I get this horse to start? Like this, he said, and whacked the horse on its backside so hard, it set off in a gallop with me just about not screaming with terror and saying to myself – I’m in charge of this, oh cripes!
I mean how could they let four inexperienced young women be in charge of this beautiful beast and this lovely caravan. Well, they could, and they did as we never heard from them again until we finished the trek and we actually managed to get everyone, including the horse, back into the place we started from. But I did learn fast!
And we did manage to take some photos – here we are together.
That’s me on the left, then Rebecca, Verna, and Olivia. And we quickly learn to tack up because no-one else was going to do it!
Naturally we got lost several times and I distinctly remember little villages where we had to turn the caravan around in tiny little streets with numerous Irish villagers shouting instructions at us and saying – you shouldn’t be here, darlin, it’s not this way, it’s that. No, it’s not, another would say, it’s that way, the other way, you know. And so on.
We also found ourselves in Cork and mistakenly took the caravan down a huge precipitous hill, which was quite dangerous for the horse and all of us. We had loads of adventures along the way, but geez, we really shouldn’t have been allowed to be in charge of a bicycle, let alone a huge horse and the quite beautiful but heavy caravan.
The interior of the caravan – I remember that Olivia did a mean corn beef hash!
This was a never to be forgotten holiday as was my third encounter with horses. Now this was more like it. This was another horse and caravan holiday, but this time with Mr F and our two children, which took place over 7 days in and around a very flat part of Gloucestershire.
This time the people in charge of the horses and caravans met us every evening at our destination not because they wanted to know how we were, oh no, they wanted to know how the horses were.
We were still expected to untack and then catch the horse in the morning and tack it up again, and by the second day Mr F who had never touched a horse, and myself – we could back a horse into the shafts and secure the bridles, no problem. The organisers were there to send you off on your travels and make sure you arrived at the allotted place in the evening, again, only to inspect the horses and see that they were ok.
They even accompanied each caravan (as we did occasionally travel in a posse) up a steep hill. We were told to get out, all apart from Mr F, and with instructions from the owners and a great yee haa, Mr F (plus the horse and caravan) galloped up the hill like a character from Wagon Train or Laramie.
What I hadn’t told you is that the week before, we stayed in Wales with Mr F’s uncle and aunt, and as a treat we were taken to an agricultural show – it might have been the Royal Welsh Show. Whatever it was, I remember it as a very big event that was held over several days with prime cattle, sheep, horses, tractors and many other agricultural animals and artefacts on show competing for best of this and best of that. I recall many white coated Welshmen combing the coats and plaiting the tails of cows and bulls (more about them in a minute) and horses.
And there we were in a small group standing in one of the main throughfares with cows and bulls tethered either side: my two children, Uncle Steve, Mr F and me. In the distance we began to see two large horses getting a bit agitated, shimmying around and then rearing. We took no notice. This was followed by a whole crowd of people running towards us. Good gracious me, I thought, (read this in a very British accent) what is this, why are they panicking? Huh? And then still standing in the same place I saw two huge Clydesdales pounding towards me trailing an agricultural implement. Aghast, I stood there and then dived headfirst through the cordon separating me from the rather large tethered bulls. I came up the other side unscathed, the horses passed by and were caught at the end of the thoroughfare, and the crowd had dissipated. And only then I said to myself, where are the children?
Oh my, I had reacted in a second and what had I done, first and foremost? Saved myself. Doubly aghast I went searching for them, and found them at the end of the thoroughfare, they had very sensibly run with the crowd out of the way of those enormous horses. Meanwhile Mr F had gone down in a pile of bodies, his camera was damaged, but he was fine, and Uncle Steve went head over heels over a fence but was also fine. It made the national evening news as several people had been caught up with and/or kicked by various animals. So, the only ones who had been sensible were the children because instead of standing still and being very British (or English) they had run with the crowd. But they told me afterwards that they were dreading the second week of the holiday – the horse and caravan trek – as they really didn’t want to have anything to do with horses ever again.
Fortunately, you can see they got over their shock and worry about horses and were enchanted with this lovely family holiday.
I also remember that at the end of the week we took our horse and caravan back to the starting place and then were ushered into a land rover that would take us to our car. Reader, the vehicle never went over 30 miles an hour but it felt like we were speeding at 90! We had been so used to the rhythm of a gentle clip clop, clip clop ,clip clop.
That had been the pace of the holiday. Happy days.
And now it is time to introduce my friends who are participating this month. Starting with Mary Katherine of MK’s Adventures in Style. Mary Katherine chose this month’s topic as travel is just about her favourite thing. She reminisces about a couple of memorable trips from the distant past.Click here to read more.
Suzy reflects on her lifelong love of holidays, from rainy caravan trips in Cleethorpes to adventurous travels around the world and shares her dreams of future destinations. Click here to read more about Suzy’s adventures.
Jill who blogs at GrownupGlamour explores the difference between traveling and taking a holiday. Click on this link to find out more.
For this month’s prompt ‘vacations and holidays’ Leslie has chosen to write about the consequences of a particular trip home to Tennessee in 1997. You can read the details here on her blog.
Debbie who blogs at DebsWorld wonders if life is one big holiday after retirement. Her blogs tagline is ‘Midlife – travel, fun, adventure so holidays are an important part of her life. She reminisces on some fabulous holidays over the years. Click here for more memories from Debbie
Gail from Is This Mutton fame always kept a journal of her holidays as a child and shares some excerpts, including what the wall paper looked like at a 1970s Bournemouth hotel. Click on this link to read more.
And finally, Marsha of Marsha in the Middle is about to set out on an adventure with a friend. They’re visiting Ireland and Scotland for a whopping 16 days! But hat’s not what she’s writing about. Instead, she’s recounting the wonderful experience she and Nigel had riding on Amtrak! Here is the link to her blog.
And that really is all, thank you for reading to the end and again apologies for this last minute change from Travel to horses! Next week’s post will be a quick look at some of the dresses I’m taking on the cruise,
Until then, with love, Penny, the Frugalfashionshopper
What adventures you had and such different holiday experiences are being posted today.
I know and yes, it’s been so interesting to read about other people’s experiences too.
Thanks Rosie 😊
What a thrilling mix of horse adventures and unexpected moments! Loved hearing about your unique holiday experiences—so full of life and memories! Thanks for sharing!
Those holidays I realise now were amazing experiences – I mean I have never forgotten them.
Thank you Doris for reading the blog 😊
Hi Penny
So much to respond to. I have ben on three cruises, the first were Viking cruises to Paris and Normandy and then a Danube cruise. The French one had been on my bucket list for ages. On the Danube one there had been little rainfall, water levels were low, and so we were not able to travel all the way to Budapest by ship. Still, we did get there and it was a good experience. I really liked these trips as there less than 300 passengers on board. there was an excursion included in every port. the food was excellent and regional, with wine included in lunch and dinner. Given the right opportunity I would go again with this company. My last cruise was on a giant 4000 passenger Baltic cruise. I did not like the ship experience but was so grateful I got to experience so many countries I never thought I would see, Russia, Scandinavia, Estonia, etc. I went with a friend who’s husband thought it would be too stressful for him so she asked me if I was interested and I am happy that I got this opportunity.
As I have written about before my family has gone to Chincoteague Island in Virginia for almost 30 years. Sometimes I even went alone, at times with just my daughter, with a partner and various iterations of family and extended family. And I too was a horse obsessed child. I still have some of my horse related items from my childhood. My parents had little money but did manage a few lessons and we went to see the National Horse Show a few times at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, now sadly no longer. ( the show, not the facility) I also remember going to a big agricultural fair called the Danbury Fair where they had lots of animals and of course lots of horses of every kind. I think it was the highlight of my childhood. Now it is a huge commercial mall called the Danbury Fair mall, progress, right? So this horsey kid reads a book called Misty of Chincoteague by Margarette Henry and she dreams of going there some day. There are wild horses on the island off the coast and each year they round them up and sell the foals at an auction to finance their fire department and to maintain the herd, for food as needed and vet care. Of course I must go there. Meanwhile, I grow up, get married, , have kids, get divorced and when my daughter is about to turn 11 she asks for riding lessons, I tell her that she can have a few but it is expensive, I am a single mom and that will be it. Fast forward about 40 years. Over that time we have owned several horses, including at this point one of those Chincoteague ponies. Somehow we managed. Even though it has changed over the years the island of Chincoteague somehow keeps it’s essence and the tradition of rounding up the horses on the last week in July and auctioning off the foals remains . This July of 2025 will be the 100th anniversary and I plan to be there!
With love from New York, Darby
What a wonderful response and tale of your love of horses and your experience of cruises. My experience of a river cruise was rather negative so consequently I prefer the larger vessels. Saga ships are built in such a way that you never feel crowded or surrounded by too many people, and you never have to queue for anything. Also everything is included so if you are careful you pay not a single penny once on board. Not many cruises are like that!
We do have some wild horses in the UK in Exmoor, Dartmoor and the New Forest (which is very old). We have encountered these horses in the New Forest and you have to be careful on certain roads as you drive though the forested area. Although they are wild and owned by no-one, such is their status that I believe they are managed and looked after to a certain extent by rangers. We are very lucky to have these wild areas still untouched in our tiny island.
Yay and three cheers for your love of horses and fulfilling your dreams through your entire life. I do admire that. Thanks as ever, Darby 🙂
What a wonderful experiences you had with horses! I immediately had to think about a tone I was riding a horse, somewhere in Wiltshire when I was 13. It felt wonderful.
They were wonderful experiences – and you have ridden a horse too! Have a great weekend, it’s not so hot now here, thankfully. Thanks Nancy 😊
OMG, I love how you were just out on your own for the second trip, and you learned, right? Talk about fabulous.
XOOX
Jodie
Thank you so much Jodie – all three holidays were amazing experiences. But the second one just going off like that with no experience – phew what a learning curve.
Thanks again 😀
Now this was a surprise Penny , I didn’t peg you as a horsey child. Your horse travels with your nursing friends as confronting as it was must have been quite an adventure and a lot of fun. Health and safety was an unkown concept wasn’t it.
Your family horse caravan must have been so wonderful for your children , such wonderful memories.
There was obviously no health and safety whatsoever, not until the third experience which was far better managed than the other two.
I forwarded this blog to both my children and they both said that they were initially very scared of touching the horse and being near it, but as you can see from the photos after a couple of days they were fine. It was memorable – actually all three were standout holidays.
And yes, I was horsey as far as I could be!! Thanks Jill 🙂
WOW! I never even knew that you could hire a caravan and a horse! What amazing experiences they must have been. Personally, I would have been absolutely terrified LOL!
In my 48 years, I’ve been on a horse once. When I was about 10 or 11, I was staying with a friend and she frequently had lessons so I went along with her and had a short lesson myself. But, apparently when I got off, they all laughed at me because I did it wrong. I still can’t quite work out how, LOL! But I’m not sure if I’ll ever try again!!
Hugs
Suzy xx
Oh Suzy I remember how awful it was to be laughed at when one was young. The thing is as well as reading loads of books about horses I had a lot of friends who were ‘horsey’ and had riding lessons and talked about their horses. I was just one of a crowd of horsey girls! I’m glad I kind of fulfilled my dreams but I’ve never sat on a horse since the 3rd holiday. Too busy with life and other stuff.
Thanks Suzy – wasn’t it a great theme though! 😀
Oh Penny I loved your stories. Life has moved on so much and it’s easy to forget the fun times of yesteryear!
I, too, loved horses as a child but, apart from seaside donkeys, the nearest I got to one was having a “friend” from school who invited me to see her riding hers!! That’s friendship!! Mind you my youngest daughter inherited the gene and turned out to be a very capable horsewoman. How times and opportunities have changed in a generation!
Pamela
http://www.style-yourself-confident.com
Hi Pamela I’m so glad you liked the stories of those 3 holidays. I mean the whole concept of adventure holidays has changed and there would have to risk assessments and licences to be got. Can’t imagine that the first two had done a risk assessment! But what adventures they were – never to be forgotten. Glad your daughter has taken it up properly though. I think that one holiday was enough for my children! Both have never been near a horse since!
Yes indeed how times have changed!
Thanks Pamela 😊
What a lovely and unusual adventure for a holiday! I would love to do something like that, but I also should not be trusted to be in charge of a horse and caravan!
It was an amazing adventure and I rather wondered if this kind of holiday was still running what with all the health and safety that is around nowadays – actually very necessary with horses. I mean the Irish holiday was a disgrace really as far as the health of the horses was concerned. And they do still do this type of holiday! I googled and here is a link for a UK based holiday firm that does do this type of holiday – and they seem very caring and responsible – good for them!
https://whitehorsegypsycaravans.co.uk/about
Thanks Kym – honestly properly run I highly recommend 😀
What a grand romance you have had with horses. When you first mentioned ‘caravan’ I wasn’t sure if that was just a British word for an RV, like an Airstream, or if you were talking real caravan. Clearly, it is the latter. Would love to see inside one. Followed the link you shared about to White Horse Gypsy Caravans but there aren’t any photos really from inside. But gosh, those white horses are spectacular creatures. When I was a little girl, we ‘stamped’ white horses when we saw them – which was rarely.
The only times I rode horses was in Colorado, when my family went to a ranch for a week’s summer vacation several times in my teen years. I had a similar experience with a horse taking off with me. Only in my case, the horse saw the stable, and I guess was done for the day. He ran – galloped? – as fast as he could straight into the fence that encircled the stables and I about went flying.
Sure enjoyed reading your memories of some very special holidays.
These holidays were great adventures and yes, we call gypsy caravans caravans and the larger modern ones too! We don’t have your wonderful iconic Airstreams here in the UK. I don’t have any more photos of the interior but four 20-yr-olds managed to sleep inside and sit at a table and cook a meal! Oh wow, what a ride you had! My experience of horses was mainly very positive and yet I never took it further. Too busy being a parent and working! And too expensive.
Thanks Leslie 😊
Oh my Penny this was hilarious! The whole being in charge of a horse and caravan without any experience defies logic but you survived!! I really enjoyed your travels and horsey stories and can just imagine the two huge horses hurtling towards you. Another great post for Tell Us About.
Oh wow, Debbie, so glad you found the account funny – because looking back the first two and especially the first horse and caravan holiday was completely nuts, but at the time it was quite scary too. OMG those horses – but what happened I think was that for amount I was frozen as I couldn’t believe it was happening! Fortunately I moved out of the way in time!
Thanks Debbie 😊
P.S. I see I keep coming up as Anonymous when I comment on your blog – must add my name next time! I was the one that did a bike ride with my kids when they were young. Another great adventure!
We had a scary experience in the New Forest we thought a group of horses were chasing us but they were heading for the water trough!!
Enjoyed reading your horse encounters Penny xx
My oh my, that’s quite the adventure in Cork when you were inexperienced with horses and had a heavy (but beautiful) caravan! I take my hat off to you and Mr Frugal for coping when you went down the slope!
It was fun hearing about your horse adventures. I had a couple of riding lessons when I was young, having saved up some pocket money. I haven’t ridden since except on 1 holiday in Corfu where I went on a short trek. I’d love to ride in Epping Forest but it’s extremely expensive just for an hour.
I think having a horse was on every young girl’s wish list once upon a time. I certainly wanted one. Luckily, my grandpa had a couple of ponies so we could hitch them up to the pony cart and ride away on many weekends. I really disliked putting the bit in their mouths as it seemed so inhumane.
I am always amazed when I read your posts, Penny. You have led such a charmed and magical life…vastly different from mine, chock full of experiences and memories. Thanks for this wonderful trip down the pony lanes!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/