Peter is a long-term member of the Park Lane family, but his connection to the Teddington stables goes back much further than Natalie’s, right back to the 1970s! This is his story (so far)

I started riding at Park Lane Stables in the early to mid-1970s, when I was about 13. I was taught by John Quinn and remember being on a pony which he led whilst he was mounted on his own horse. Sometimes he led two beginners at the same time – one on either side. After a few weeks, he just took the lead rope away and I was on my own.

Hacks comprised about 5 to 6 horses, plus Mr Quinn – we would all ride in a long line. The horses must have been quite fit, as hour-long rides went out back-to-back. The hacks always went along Park Lane to Queens Road, to the Teddington Gate and did a circuit of the park. This was usually down Chestnut Avenue, with a long canter, around the Diana fountain, another canter towards the Stockyard then over the river bridge with a final canter alongside the Plantation before returning via Park Road. All canters were done one rider at a time. The horses were normally well behaved but I do recall one twilight evening most of the horses spooking on the last canter and Mr Quinn was really cross at the riders for screaming their heads off.

When the park was too wet, we’d ride in the ring opposite the stables where the flats now stand. I remember spending ages riding - walk, trot and canter - with no saddle on these occasions. After a while I would turn up at the stables to help out.

When I was 17, I was kicked by a pony – not at Park Lane – and spent 6 weeks in hospital and another 5 months recuperating - and I had nothing more to do with horses until about 8 years ago.

My daughter Lucy had asked if she could try horse riding. I brought her to Park Lane for some trial lead rein sessions. She really enjoyed them and I signed her up for further sessions.

I was at the stables to pick up Lucy towards the end of 2017. It was nearly dark and Natalie was bedding down what was then number 1 stable. I mentioned that I used to ride at Park Lane in my teens and Natalie immediately suggested that I come and volunteer – “…as you know your way around a horse”. I had enjoyed being back at Park Lane again and readily agreed. What had I done?

Within a couple of weeks I was helping with Sunday morning lessons at Old Farm, where we had access to an arena. This involved helping with getting the arena ready, grooming and tacking up the first horse for the morning – normally Jack, who’s still part of the team. I began to help out with Green Card training too.

Natalie asked if I could help run RDA and Pony Club sessions with Verity at Park Lane on Saturday mornings. I became an accredited Pony Club coach and since then have qualified as a Pony Club examiner as well. I now help with the initial training of our new aspiring RDA coaches, as I know how challenging it must feel to see so many steps needed to qualify.

Then in Spring 2020 lockdown happened. Natalie asked me to think about how we could carry on with Pony Club activities with our Pony Club members. We set up a new website Park Lane Stables Pony Club – so that our members could continue to earn challenge badges, get news of what was happening at the stables and show off their own artwork efforts.

During lockdown I would help out with walking the horses who could not be turned out, and with Pony at My Window visits around Teddington and the surrounding area – walking Wizz in hand around the streets or taking a horse further afield in the trailer.

Natalie asked me to help fathom out what the various changes during lockdown meant for the stables. There was so much sometimes contradictory (and ever-changing) information as to what could or couldn’t be done – from the Government, RDA, Pony Club, Sport England…and with additional guidance for disability dispensations and activities in an outdoor setting it was a real challenge! 

As we came out of lockdown, we needed to do training for parents/carers, and videos on how to mount and adjust stirrups and girth, so that riders could be independent of staff. When lockdown measures were more relaxed, we needed to put in place new volunteer consent forms, staff consent forms, Covid risk assessments, and Trustee checklists – along with assessing which participants could return to riding before all measures were lifted.

Towards the end of 2021, Natalie asked if I could become a carriage driving coach. I started carriage driving in January 2022, and became a qualified carriage driving coach in 2024. Since our return to Teddington, I have started to drive award-winning Sam in Bushy Park.

I really enjoy driving our horses in the trailer or the lorry, a weekly event as horses are rotated between Teddington and our fields in Surrey. But I especially enjoy taking them to other venues, where they get to enjoy activities with our RDA and Pony Club riders – dressage competitions, jumping clear rounds, polework clinics, one-day eventing, rallies or camps. Giving our horses variety is really important for their welfare, and they love it!

I also enjoy working with heavy horses – such as Abella – and recently went on a week’s logging in Wales – using horses to pull felled timber out of woodland – although it was raining all week and I got plastered with mud.

Best moments? The smallest steps made by our most disabled riders, when they make a connection between the rider and the horse – because it’s all about what our riders can do. But teaching someone their first canter is always a great moment too. I also really enjoy coaching dressage tests – enabling some of our riders to compete in the RDA National Championships this year. I’m not sure who was most proud, them or me.

Here’s to the next idea that Natalie has for me!

Peter’s story really shows the variety of activities we’re able to provide, due to the generosity of our supporters as we rely entirely on donations. If you’ve enjoyed reading about Peter and would like to donate, it’s easy to do so on our Donate page. And every little really does help.