When I started riding in the USA lessons were $2.50, and shortly before then they were $2.00 (inflation had reared its ugly head), hunt seat group lessons in a ring.
Watchung Stables had lessons for easily 20 people at a time with an instructor on a loudspeaker. I was so grateful to have bypassed and found barns with far, far smaller groups. And no loudspeakers, save for shows.
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The first tow vehicle that I personally had was a pre-owned 1979 El Camino Conquista (that was the two-tone model).
When I finally moved up to a 1985 pre-owned Ford F150 Lariat, sold the El Camino to a young mechanic who rode hours on a Greyhound bus to come get it.
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Two sons.
The first one we had was goldish/beige. The second one was two-toned silver and black and it was my fist tow vehicle too!
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Mine was brown and white, with camel interior, and extra chrome around the bed.
We looked sharp, didn’t we? 
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Oh yes we did! I had so much fun with that truck, so many good times and memories.
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Yes but only Philip seems to be involved with horses and he married a rich woman so I’m hoping they are willing to keep a second farm. They already have a beautiful farm of their own.
Announcement of Zelda the Zebra’s death:
https://patch.com/new-york/bedford/zebra-in-the-neighborhood_c27b00bb
I don’t remember the zebra at Coker, but I remember there was often a retired pony wandering loose around the property when I was there. I think maybe there were different retired loose ponies wandering around over the years.
I seem to recall a zebra who lived at Lionshare in Greenwich, although I think he was supposed to be somewhat grouchy.
Touches and Times!!!
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Many of us still dream about rust breeches. 
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One time my husband and I were driving past the farm and there was a grey pony grazing right next to the road. I got out and led him by the halter up to the barn where a girl said to me, “Don’t worry about him. He just goes where he wants.” I sputtered something about the road, but she just turned him loose again as soon as I handed him over.
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I never saw one anywhere near the road, and they do have a long driveway. But that would certainly worry me as well.
A friend of mine has a mini donkey who used to have the run of her farm, but he lost his wandering privileges after he made the neighbors nervous too many times. So now he has to stay in a stall or a paddock like everybody else on the property. Lol.
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My autumn cross country attire consisted of a turtleneck in my colors - green and blue - and a wool sweater in the same colors, a caliente with a cover in my colors (lucky find at a second hand sporting goods store), and blue or tan breeches with straight top dress boots. Horse had a thin saddle pad, I think polos, and a plain snaffle bridle. No body protectors, no fancy cross country boots, no figure 8s. Ahh memories.
I remember The Hill then it became Old Salem, then Farwest, then back to Old Salem, I think that’s the progression.
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Started riding in my 30’s.
I looked forward to the Miller’s catalog being in the mailbox.
I practically wore out my new George Morris Science of Riding and The Horse in Sport VCR tapes.
No one cared that I used the same saddle (Stubben Siiefried) and bit and bridle for eventing all three phases and in hunter shows and to fox hunt.
My best horse cost $3,000. A fellow eventer spent $20,000 to buy and import an event horse from Ireland, and we all thought that was an astronomical price to pay.
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When I was a kid in pony club a million years ago, there was another pony club kid who bought a horse, and the rumored price tag was TEN. THOUSAND. DOLLARS!!!1!1!!
We were all agog. There was another rumor that the actual price tag was not even a third of that amount. I never saw the canceled check, so I don’t know for sure what his price was. But it was a little easier to believe the <1/3 figure. Lol.
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My first boots were the narrow-strap-around-the-ankle kind. My mother got them, plus brown wool jodhpurs, from another mother as hand-me-downs.
When I was little, on Saturday mornings I’d sit in front of the television watching Fury and My Friend Flicka with my large stuffed horse Blue Boy in my lap. He had a bridle with white plastic reins, and I would “ride” him during the shows.
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Years ago, at the Santa Barbara turkey (Thanksgiving) show, my sister was presented with an offer to buy her appendix QH hunter/eq horse. She would end up with $17,500. My parents were gobsmacked, because about a decade earlier they’d paid $30,000 for the five-bedroom house we were living in.
Fortunately, my parents left the decision up to my sister, and she did not sell the horse. We both showed him for years afterwards, then retired him to be a trail horse and family pet.
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Oh YEAH.
As a kid, I remember all the whispering and awe surrounding another kid’s $10k horse. So you can imagine my shock and awe at the thread where a $75k price tag is being casually bandied about. ETA which I objectively know is nothin’ in today’s world in the big kid circles.
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