Monthly Archives: August 2013

Special Toys – The Rocking Horse

I remember that when I was a small child my favourite book was “Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse” by Ursula Moray Williams. It was the magical tale of a hand crafted wooden horse which set off to find its fortune when its maker ran into hard times. How I loved that story and it was probably because of my repeated appeals to hear it again that my parents bought me a rocking horse for my bedroom. My horse was a relatively inexpensive model and it wasn’t wooden but how I enjoyed it anyway. These days you rarely see rocking horses and I think kids are missing out on a real joy. Continue reading →

Horse Riding – Just for Posh People?

There is no denying that horse riding has a bit of an image problem. It has historically been associated with very wealthy people, and this image of horse riding only being for ‘posh’ people has meant that many people from less affluent backgrounds have got into the sport, meaning that the myth that horse riding is only for the wealthy is perpetuated. Riding doesn’t have to just be for posh people, it is a good way of getting out into the countryside, keeping fit and having a lot of fun at the same time. It can be expensive though, but this should not be a barrier preventing kids or adults getting into the saddle. Continue reading →

Cutting The Costs of Riding

Since the economy crashed in spectacular style back in 2008, we’ve all had to tighten our belts and get used to trying to live a bit more frugally. Living on a tighter budget can take a lot of getting used to, especially if you have been used to having luxuries and lots of disposable income. If you have a potentially expensive hobby like horse riding, it is all too easy for an outsider to offer the simple solution of selling the horse and finding a cheaper pass time instead. It’s not that easy though, and it doesn’t have to be a straight option between ditching the horse and getting into debt. Continue reading →