After nearly five decades out of the saddle, 92-year-old Margaret Page fulfilled a lifelong birthday wish in Devon Meadows.
She climbed back on a horse, just as she did as a schoolgirl riding through the countryside.
The 92-year-old travelled from Frankston to Totoka Lodge in Devon Meadows on Thursday 29 May to celebrate her birthday. The lodge offered her a free surprise gift – a ride with the horse Alice.
“I can’t speak highly enough about Totoka Lodge,” Margaret’s son Roger said.
“Mum said it was very, very memorable, and she had a wonderful time.
“They (staff) led the horse around and were very attentive and very careful. They made sure she was safe, but also got a chance to have a bit of a trot and a fair ride around the complex. It was just fantastic.
“She stayed on the horse for about 20 minutes. She got a bit of time to get to know the horse. Groom the horse, too, which was nice. It was the most beautiful, placid, and accommodating horse, I have to say.”
When Margaret was a kid growing up, she lived on a farm. She and her twin brother, from very early on, would ride their horse to school, the only way for them to get to school.
So, the family wasn’t surprised when they found out Margaret’s 92nd birthday wish was to get a ride again.
“My wife actually said to her, what did you want to do on your birthday night? And she said, she’d been thinking about this (horse-riding) for about ten years. She wouldn’t really have to go for a gallop on a horse,” Roger recalled.
“Mom’s pretty fit. She still plays netball. We weren’t overly surprised, but I wasn’t too sure. The last time she’d been on a horse, she said fifty years, but I reckon it’d been longer than that.”
It was hard to find a venue for Margaret, given her age. But finally, some of Margaret’s friends from netball referred Totoka Lodge.
“Not only were they happy to help us out, but they also did it all for free,” Roger said.
“There was a birthday present for Mom. They had cake and decorations, and all sorts of things.
“It was quite funny. When we turned up, they said, Oh, we’ve got a beautiful horse for you. The horse’s name is Alice. And mom’s middle name is Alice.”
Margaret has a stoic characteristic, but still, she showed happiness.
“She said it’s probably one of her most memorable birthdays, and she really enjoyed a chance to be back on a horse. It was like reliving her youth,” Roger said.
“Mom often talked about growing up. And, of course, as she has kids, we would often go out and visit the family farm, but they didn’t have horses in the latter years.
“We never saw much of the horse-riding stuff. But mom would always talk about the horses they had and riding.
“It was really nice to see her actually doing it and connecting with the horse, and I guess it was bringing back all those memories of her childhood, which is nice to recapture because it’s an era that doesn’t exist anymore.”
