Riding Stables My Story

This story belongs to Chloe and her Granny Gill.

It's a tiny tale about Granny Gill's life

and the things she used to do and still does today.

Now it's time for Granny Gill to share her memories

and take Chloe on a journey of discovery.

Granny Gill runs a riding school.

And here it is.

What are they doing? Let's find out.

Ah, they're in the tack room.

This is a special room where horses' saddles are kept.

Chloe, you're making a really good job of cleaning that saddle.

-Granny?

-Yes.

Why does this one have a handle and that one doesn't?

Ah, well, Chloe, you know how a saddle sits on a pony's back

so that the rider can stay on the pony?

Yes.

Long ago, this was one of the first special saddles

that we bought because sometimes our riders need special care

because some of them find it difficult to sit upright on the pony.

The riding school is very special

because it allows everyone to ride on a pony.

-Can you see how it makes it easier to hold on to the handle?

-Yes.

Well, that's why we have that special saddle.

And then they went for a ride to talk some more.

Granny Gill told Chloe stories all about when she was younger.

Look, there she is as a baby.

And that's Granny Gill with her big sister and grandpa.

Nice jodhpurs!

These are special trousers to wear when horse riding.

When I was little I used to ride ponies sometimes

and I enjoyed it very much, but my sister was better at it,

and she was braver than I was and so she had her own horse.

I used to help her with her horse and I used to ride.

Granny Gill got married and moved to the family farm.

It was there that the idea of a riding school began.

The main reason why it was good here was we've got lots of space.

We can ride down through the woods

and at the beginning that's what

we did all the time,

we rode outside because we didn't have a roof over our heads,

so we only rode when the weather was good enough.

Granny Gill decided the riding school needed indoor space

for people to enjoy her ponies all year round, no matter the weather.

With a lot of help from friends of the school,

they raised money to build an indoor centre,

and look, here it is.

And you know what? A real princess opened the new indoor centre.

Here's Princess Anne, she's the Queen's daughter,

sitting right beside Granny Gill.

Do you like Smarty?

Yeah, I like Smarty.

This is fun.

What a nice way to catch up with your granny.

Oh, yeah, no wind.

No wind, so no windmill, oh, no.

Now it's time to meet some of the ponies.

Shall we go and see if the ponies are ready for RDA?

-Yes.

-OK.

Who's in here?

BOTH: This is Bryony!

BOTH: This is Kishmul!

Granny Gill, what's this thing up on his forehead?

-That's a long service medal, Chloe. He's been here for 19 years.

-Wow.

-How old is he?

-He's 26 years old now.

-He is lovely, isn't he?

-Yes.

Don't dribble on my fingers.

-Have you got it?

-It's in his mouth.

Now it's time to meet one of the riders.

Good boy, Hjarrandi.

Kirsten has been enjoying riding ponies

at Granny Gill's riding school for a long time.

Chloe, this is Kirsten. Kirsten, this is Chloe.

Hello, Chloe.

Hello, Kirsten.

How long have you been riding here?

I've been riding 20 years.

Wow.

Which is your favourite horse?

My favourite horse is Hjarrandi.

My favourite horse is Hjarrandi, too.

And here's Hjarrandi.

He's a gentle pony that everyone loves.

So, where are Granny Gill and Chloe off to now?

They're meeting a man who makes special shoes for horses.

He's called a farrier.

Now, Chloe, another very important part of running a riding school

is looking after the horses' feet

and so we have to put new shoes on every eight weeks.

That is a horse's shoe.

We'll ask Alistair to put new shoes on your horse. All right?

OK.

Farriers have been a part of farm life for years and years.

Ponies have worn shoes on their feet for a long time,

for the same reason that we wear shoes.

They protect the pony's feet from the ground.

The pony's hoof is just like the nails on our hands and toes,

except it's bigger and thicker.

Although the farrier uses a fire to make the shoes into shape

and has some very big hammers and nails,

the ponies are happy to get their new shoes.

It doesn't hurt them at all.

Horses and ponies have been used to help people for years and years.

They used to help farmers in the fields and pull carriages

and take folk wherever they wanted to go before there were cars.

Ponies and horses were used because they were strong.

Nowadays most people ride for fun.

Granny Gill's ponies are used for another reason.

They help children and adults who find it hard to sit or stand up

to get stronger, and of course, to have lots of fun.

Granny Gill and Chloe are getting Hjarrandi ready

for children coming for pony rides.

You pass me the saddle, thanks.

Ooh, it's a bit heavy, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Well done.

Up we go. Ooh!

The saddle makes it nice and comfy to sit on the pony's back.

It also helps you stay on the pony, so you don't fall off.

The bridle goes over the pony's head and is used

so that the person riding the pony can tell the pony which way to go.

Well done, Chloe. So our horse is ready for the lesson.

Some ponies and horses get scared if they hear noises,

-or if somebody waves their arms about.

-Yes.

These ponies of ours are special and they have to stay relaxed and calm.

Would you say that he was a very well-behaved pony?

Yes. Very well.

Well, in that case, I think he's the right pony for us,

-and he'll be very good to use in our lesson.

-Yes.

There you are, round the corner. Off we go!

It's now time for Chloe to help her granny with her pony class.

Granny Gill has lots of people to help her in her riding class.

They're called volunteers.

A volunteer is someone who gives up their time to help others.

Granny Gill has a great way to teach pony riders to keep their balance.

One, two, three. Everybody walk on.

Who's catching the raindrops for me?

Ooh! OK.

Guess what's happening...

Hands in the air, everyone!

Heather's going to do the bear hunt.

We're going on a bear hunt!

And Chloe is joining in the fun.

We're going to catch a big one!

I'm not scared!

It's a beautiful day!

Granny Gill's riding school gives everyone the chance to have a

wonderful time riding a pony.

The birds are singing!

The lesson is over. But there's still one job to do, Chloe.

Can you guess what it is?

Do you know it was in this field that the horse riding school

started all those years ago, and we had eight riders then?

Guess how many riders we have now?

20.

We have nearly 200.

No way!

Oh, look, there's the indoor school where the pony lessons take place.

But the ponies still get to graze in the fields

and where there's ponies, there is something else.

But we still use this field. What do you think we use it for?

-Looking after horses?

-Exactly.

We have to look after the ponies and keep the field clean.

-It doesn't look very clean, does it?

-No.

Will you help me to poo-pick?

Pongy!

-OK. Let's go.

-OK.

Wow, that's a lot of poo.

Good work, Chloe.

Well done!

Yes!

Whoops, you dropped some.

Well done, that girl.

Well done, Chloe.

Now you are a professional poo-picker.

You must be hungry, Hjarrandi.

You've had a busy day.

And so have Chloe and her Granny Gill.

Let's take the saddle off.

Chloe found out all about Granny Gill's life running a riding school.

Chloe got the chance to go on a pony ride with her granny.

She was a big help cleaning the saddles

and met the farrier who makes shoes for her favourite pony, Hjarrandi.

-Have you enjoyed hearing my story?

-Yes.

What were your favourite parts?

Meeting Alistair, the farrier and meeting Kirsten.

-And were there any bits that you didn't enjoy?

-Doing the poo-picking.

I thought so. Thank you for being my volunteer.

-Will you come back?

-Of course.

Good, that would be lovely.

What a fabulous heap of fun.

That was Chloe and Granny Gill's tiny tale about the things

Granny Gill used to do and the fun she still has.

And why she has a special saddle.

Granny Gill shared her story with Chloe

and now Chloe is starting her own story.

Do you know someone who has a story to share?

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd