For years the Colchester Garrison Saddle Club was a permanent feature on the stretch of open land on the western edge of Abbey Field, between Circular Road and the mid-19th century Cavalry Barracks.

Ponies and horses rode over ground where once military horses had been exercised.

It is also just yards from where, in 2004 it was discovered horses had 1,800 years earlier pulled chariots as they raced around the only circus or stadium in Roman Britain.

But with the decision to dispose of Colchester’s historic barracks and to replace them with the modern Merville Barracks, the very existence of the Garrison Saddle Club was at risk.

What role did it have, after all, in the British Army of the 21st century?

Today, several blocks of flats have been built on the site of the former home of the saddle club. Fortunately, the case was made the club should continue – a partnership between the military and enthusiastic civilians under the ultimate control of the commander of Colchester Garrison.

Colchester Garrison Saddle Club was established many years ago for those associated with the garrison, but in due course it allowed civilians to join and without this partnership, the club would almost certainly have shut many years ago.

It is yet another example of the close links between the garrison and the civilian population, an association which many serving military personnel have told me over the years makes a posting to Colchester so much more attractive than to many other garrison towns.

Having decided the saddle club would continue despite the redevelopment of the garrison, enquiries were made as to where it could relocate. In due course, agreement was reached for it to be based on a farm in Fordham where it moved in November 2004.

The club has a membership of about 250, aged from five to late Seventies. About a quarter are Army families and serving military personnel.

It is also where the two mascots of the Parachute Regiment – Shetland ponies Pegasus and Bruneval – are stabled.

They are looked after by Private Antoni Boyer, who joined the Army in 2011 and until taking up his current job last year was a machine gunner in the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment.

Pegasus, who is 12, often leads major parades, the most significant being the one to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday after which both he and Private Boyer were presented to Her Majesty.

Ten-year-old Bruneval is usually nearby to get experience of the big occasions in readiness for when he takes over after Pegasus retires in perhaps two or three years.

The Garrison Saddle Club is a self-funding operation. It has ten paid staff, a mixture of full and part-time, under the leadership of Helen Hill who has worked for the club for seven years with the last year in the role as manager.

However, her first association with the Club was when she was at primary school and her mother took her to riding lessons at Abbey Field.

Volunteers help with children’s riding and for those with disabilities.

The club has five horses and ten ponies which are available for riding.

There are also scheduled times each week for private and group lessons named as cadets and various other ranks from the garrison, Pony Club, Riding for the Disabled Association and school contracts. There is a tots club on Saturday mornings for infants as young as three.

For further details about membership, contact the club on 01206 242210 or visit colchestergarrisonsc.co.uk Colchester Garrison Saddle Club is a living example of how the town’s long association with the Army continues - a combination of pageantry with the regimental mascot leading big military parades in the modern era alongside a flourishing riding school serving both the garrison and civilian population.

In this small way, it also reflects 160 years after Cavalry Barracks was built there is still a place in the modern British Army for horses and ponies.

SIR BOB RUSSELL