Park Stables in the 1960s

zoom

Mr Christopher on Miss Fabian, Mrs Christopher to the right being 'played with' by their German Shepherd dog Prince. Door to the long stable and the alleyway past the feed room visible in the background.

Jill Pakenham

zoom

This photo was taken and published by the Herts Advertiser on 19th March 1963 as we rode up the Common, Walkers Road behind us.

Herts Advertiser

Although coming to the Park Stable pages rather late, it’s great to see them.

I also became part of the ‘gaggle’, having been taught to ride by Mrs Mogridge, then continuing my involvement with the Stables when the Christophers took over. I was one of the very lucky ones to eventually have my own pony (Nutcracker, then Merrimans Magic) at the yard, but we spent a huge amount of time helping out with all the horses.

My Pony Club Diary for 1963 (!) records the start of the year with that big winter freeze. The Christophers were living at Boxmoor then, and found it very hard to travel to Harpenden. I think Mr Christopher had broken his leg too. Us girls would be virtually running the stables during this time, carrying buckets of water from the only unfrozen supply trough at the bottom of the yard, feeding, mucking out and exercising all the horses and ponies, which we did in one or other of the manèges every day. Hard work but such happy times!

I do have more horses’ names to add to your list! I know some had nicknames, so perhaps the pony I recorded as ‘Spotty’ might be ‘Plum Duff’?

• Copper
• Nazling (renamed from Blue Ribbon)
• Crusoe
• Fifi
• Blue Silk
• Lightfoot
• Glen Parva
• Brandy
• Bambi

Ed – we are adding these to the original list.