Riding in Ooty

A chance black and white picture I came across , of a group of riders during the British Raj, reminded me of my days in boarding school in Ooty (now Udhagamandalam).  We could choose riding as one of our extra curricular activities.  As I loved anything to do with animals, my parents agreed to riding as one of my activities. 
We had an Englishwoman as our riding instructor (one of those who chose to stay back after Indian Independence).  She had a lovely big, black horse.  We learned to ride on the Ooty ponies.  As I was just a little over 8 years old at that time and the others with me were all around that age, the ponies were much better for us. 
After the initial days going round and round the paddock, we were taken out to ride on grasslands called the Ooty Downs at that time.  I wonder how much of the Downs remains now.  I loved riding over the Downs.  Once I took a toss into some bushes.  But that did not dim my enthusiasm.
Our instructor also insisted that each of us learn to take off the saddles at the end of the ride and brush down our ponies.  How I loved that bit!  We were given carrots to feed our ponies too, at the end of the ride.
Once, the instructor allowed me to ride her big horse, as a special treat for doing well, but of course just around the paddock.  That was thrilling for me.
Ah well, that was 58 years ago.   I have had only a chance or two after that to ride and that too, not to ride off on my own, and I guess I may no longer be able to control a horse. 
But of the two years I was in boarding school, riding was one of the nicest bits.