an 'honest' horse, pet hate

NeverSayNever

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 July 2008
Messages
4,437
Location
uk
Visit site
it's become a pet hate of mine. It seems a term that is banided about on forums whenever someone shows a picture of their horse, you will get replies saying "oh he looks an honest sort".

How the heck can you tell a thing from pictures of a horse standing in a stable:confused::rolleyes: Fair enough, it may have a kind eye or gentle looking expression but to say he looks an 'honest sort" ? Who the heck knows.

I know it can be a throw away comment but so many novices get caught out buying horses, Ive ridden so many with a so called 'honest face' that have turned out to be complete sneaky toerags!

random venting but have just read several threads like this.
 
I sometimes think it when watching sj warm up - you see the rider repeatedly stove the horse into the fence, and the horse keeps on jumping them out of the s***! That is an honest horse!!

Sometimes a horse does have a face that looks honest or kind, often bears no relationship to what they are like to deal with though!

Maybe people post it because they would like to make a positive comment but are at a loss what to say!
 
I dunno, I think some horses can look honest, much like the angelic looking children you get sometimes, then they open their mouths and language I wouldn't even use comes out of a 4 year old when they weren't allowed something. I find these most often screaming down a supermarket!

What you see is not always what you get. :)
 
well what are you offering? :p jaffa cakes may sweeten me?

The HairyOne I think thats what Im getting at, as i said random vent, but so many people seem so naive and DO base judgements on first appearances.

I will send you a couple of Jaffa Cakes. I know what you mean though. AS you rightly say kind eye isn't the same thing. My last one had a wonderful kind eye but he wasn't honest when it came to jumping :rolleyes:
 
it's become a pet hate of mine. It seems a term that is banided about on forums whenever someone shows a picture of their horse, you will get replies saying "oh he looks an honest sort".

How the heck can you tell a thing from pictures of a horse standing in a stable:confused::rolleyes: Fair enough, it may have a kind eye or gentle looking expression but to say he looks an 'honest sort" ? Who the heck knows.

I know it can be a throw away comment but so many novices get caught out buying horses, Ive ridden so many with a so called 'honest face' that have turned out to be complete sneaky toerags!

random venting but have just read several threads like this.

It's right up there with "stunning" when used for any old horse where people can't think of something original to say.
 
I will send you a couple of Jaffa Cakes. I know what you mean though. AS you rightly say kind eye isn't the same thing. My last one had a wonderful kind eye but he wasn't honest when it came to jumping :rolleyes:

exactly - show a vid, as there have been wonderful examples on here recently, of fabulously honest horses, carrying on doing their jobs over fences while riders lose stirrups and balance etc and THERE is an honest horse!

It's right up there with "stunning" when used for any old horse where people can't think of something original to say.

oh yes, i noticed that to, every ad at the moment is a 'stunning' beast of some sort:D

jaffa cakes, nomnom :cool:
 
It's a sort of "Well, he's not that pretty, talented or special looking, so I'll say summat nice because saying the above will get me hung, drawn and quartered"!

I say it, I think. Reg has a really honest (read dim!) look going on, and lives up to it. He's had no reason for him not to be honest though- he's kind and friendly, and I reckon a lot of that is because he's never been given a reason not to be...
 
So how would you describe this??

I'd said honest, stunning horse, dodgy rider

5373_154072222094_532297094_4021835_4536310_n.jpg
 
So how would you describe this??

I'd said honest, stunning horse, dodgy rider

5373_154072222094_532297094_4021835_4536310_n.jpg

I'd say it was a real "Oh S!!T" moment, and the riders doing their level best to stay out of the way of a lovely, honest horse? Love the dapples- have a real soft spot for a dappled grey!
 
I'd say it was a real "Oh S!!T" moment, and the riders doing their level best to stay out of the way of a lovely, honest horse? Love the dapples- have a real soft spot for a dappled grey!

No I totally stuffed up the approach, did a panic freeze at 4ft 6" not one of my better moments!! :D:D

This is the start of that jump:
IMG_1782%20%28Medium%29.jpg
 
Last edited:
Beautiful horse! And not only honest but generous :)

You can tell if a horse is an honest, generous type if you ride it I think but not from just looking. Yes it might look kind and the type to get you out of trouble but you don't know until you try it.

I'm not one for believing without seeing though so maybe that's just how I feel :)
 
Top