RAF Masirah Saddle Club
I, Dave Rose, had no idea there was ever a saddle club at Masirah until I was contacted by Kevin Schofield and then more recently by Ian Parker.
We did, of course, have the 'Lazy M' ranch where stray camels and donkeys were held after being rounded up by Air Traffic Control from the runway area. They were held there until claimed by their local owners.
We have photographs of 'Justice', a rather splendid looking horse but apparently there was another horse at the saddle club after Justice passed away.
If anyone has photographs of the saddle club please send them in to me - Dave Rose
We did, of course, have the 'Lazy M' ranch where stray camels and donkeys were held after being rounded up by Air Traffic Control from the runway area. They were held there until claimed by their local owners.
We have photographs of 'Justice', a rather splendid looking horse but apparently there was another horse at the saddle club after Justice passed away.
If anyone has photographs of the saddle club please send them in to me - Dave Rose
Photographs from Kevin Schofield - 1975
Kevin was an SEN in the Medical Centre during 1975. He also ran the Saddle Club.
A couple of years previous, a couple of the guys had been riding out and came across a dead donkey that had been run over and killed with a foal desperately nudging her and trying to get her to move. The guys took the foal back to the saddle club and all members agreed to bottle feed this foal on a rota basis and saved its life. It became a constant companion to the two horses of the saddle club. He became quite a bold character and often helped rake the paddocks as can be seen in one of these photographs.
Kevin was an SEN in the Medical Centre during 1975. He also ran the Saddle Club.
A couple of years previous, a couple of the guys had been riding out and came across a dead donkey that had been run over and killed with a foal desperately nudging her and trying to get her to move. The guys took the foal back to the saddle club and all members agreed to bottle feed this foal on a rota basis and saved its life. It became a constant companion to the two horses of the saddle club. He became quite a bold character and often helped rake the paddocks as can be seen in one of these photographs.
Photographs and text from Ian Parker - 1974
I was on Masirah from Jan to Sept 74. Worked mainly in Comcen but spent a lot of spare time looking after the horse (Justice) and the mad donkey (Donks) at the Saddle Club. Had never been near a horse before but was asked to help out when one of the guys in our room was going home and there was nobody to help feed them. Was also the Radio Op for the Masirah Desert Rescue Team and went on exercise all over the island most weekends. Any time the Radio Landrover went out I went with it. Landrover had a large whip aerial on the back and if we were down the end of the island we could talk to Cyprus clearly but not our own guys back at camp. Three Vulcans were grounded there for a while returning from a trip to the Far East but due to situation in Cyprus could not get clearance to fly over certain areas. We took the crews out for some Desert Survival training to help them pass the time.
Was young, free, single at the time and enjoyed my time there.
I was on Masirah from Jan to Sept 74. Worked mainly in Comcen but spent a lot of spare time looking after the horse (Justice) and the mad donkey (Donks) at the Saddle Club. Had never been near a horse before but was asked to help out when one of the guys in our room was going home and there was nobody to help feed them. Was also the Radio Op for the Masirah Desert Rescue Team and went on exercise all over the island most weekends. Any time the Radio Landrover went out I went with it. Landrover had a large whip aerial on the back and if we were down the end of the island we could talk to Cyprus clearly but not our own guys back at camp. Three Vulcans were grounded there for a while returning from a trip to the Far East but due to situation in Cyprus could not get clearance to fly over certain areas. We took the crews out for some Desert Survival training to help them pass the time.
Was young, free, single at the time and enjoyed my time there.