Toby on horseback, poses for the camera. Incongruously he seems to be wearing a sailor shirt and a straw hat. However, riding gear was by no means uniform or essential at this time.

Ownership of a pony brought with it certain responsibilities: feeding, grooming, regular exercise and cleaning of the saddle and bridle. Did Toby have to do this or was there a groom to do these tasks for him if his family was comfortably off? Perhaps the horse was a practical option and Toby rode it to school.

In the next generation, when it was less common for the family to have a horse and the family car had become more usual, many young children, girls in particular, dreamed of owning a horse.

Pony clubs were established in South Australia just over 50 years ago and aimed to help children manage their horses. Toby and his horse, however, lived before this period and so practical assistance would have come from his family.

Clarke, M. I. Care of the Australian horse and pony, Adelaide: Rigby, 1982, c1966

The endless playground: celebrating Australian childhood, compiled and edited by Paul Cliff; with introductory essays by Robert Holden and features by Jack Bedson ... [et al.], Canberra: National Library of Australia, 2000

Huntington, P. J. Horse sense: the guide to horse care in Australia and New Zealand, Melbourne: Landlinks Press, 2004

Pony Club Association of South Australia

Victoria and Albert Museum: Museum of Childhood. Children's lives: Edwardian lives