Back in the saddle - jennifer saunders programme....

Super program I do not think 2 episodes will be anough. Though I wonder how next weeks will go as there was no Badminton this year. Was the grass roots run elsewhere?
 
About not learning through your mistakes as all the h&s being ample up. Years ago you learnt to go with the flow is horse makes a mistake, now all the striding is set etc......she also said that is true is of everything now.

It is also true that horses have the
Potential to kill us but so does walking down stairs, walking home from school going out in the car it's up to the parents and people to weigh up the pros and cons .
 
I think Jennifer and her daughter hunt and also they were in a programme with Dawn French I think riding their own horses a few years back
 
Guido at the start she did say that that the grassroots was a competition for the 'elite amateur rider'....which I think explained that you can't just go & enter normally but in a way without boring the pants of the non horsey viewer!
 
I watched it and loved it! I like her, she is inspiring but agree it does look like two sessions with the experts and she is good to go to badminton:rolleyes: there was no mention of the graft that the amateur riders endure to get there.

Love the pony club mum at somerford:D
 
hobo said:
Super program I do not think 2 episodes will be anough. Though I wonder how next weeks will go as there was no Badminton this year. Was the grass roots run elsewhere?
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No it wasn't, but the 2012 competitors will be there next year as well as the 2013 competitors. If that makes any sense :)
 
philamena said:
She's so right about Pony Club - when I first saw a rally in action after my break of around 13 years I was amaaaaazed at what the kids are allowed to wear these days! :)
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Have to strongly disagree - ours have to be smart at all times. No change from when I went 25 years ago in general.

Broke_But_Happy said:
Does anyone else WANT that 2 y-o?? He's gorgeous!
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He was really nice.

PolarSkye said:
How lovely is Jack . . . ?

P
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Wasn't he. He looked like he could go round the regular Badminton with her sat on him backwards.


imr said:
making it look like its easy, she has been given a saint of a horse and watching it you are left with the impression she has had 2 lessons and she's good to go! Kind of wish the amount of work that's needed was coming across a bit more!
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We thought that - nobody is going to think its hard work or takes much skill from watching that. In reality that horse wouldn't be allowed in grass roots...

Other than that, it was enjoyable. I wish they'd shown it before the Olympics, was hard to watch people so hopeful about getting to the Olympics that we know didn't make it... especially Piggy French..
 
Honey08 said:
Have to strongly disagree - ours have to be smart at all times. No change from when I went 25 years ago in general.

Other than that, it was enjoyable. I wish they'd shown it before the Olympics, was hard to watch people so hopeful about getting to the Olympics that we know didn't make it... especially Piggy French..
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Interesting: agree or disagree, there are obviously some branches more strict than others. At ours (the yard I just moved from hosts loads of rallies) the older children are still very neat, but anyone under about ten is all in pink, sparkles and pom poms! (Not the boys, obviously...)

And agree re the scheduling. On the one hand, more will watch it now because of the profile of the horse sports in the past few weeks which is great. But on the other it's really sad to hear the hope in their voices when they talk about London... (and - to be boring - it's just bad scheduling practice to have something transmit when time references date it so clunkily...)

Looking forward to next week - the preview at the end signposted the 'climactic' comp as something other than Grassroots (I think she said Grand Prix but I wasn't listening properly)...
 
Doesnt show the true graft and hard work it takes to school horses to this level shes basically turned up at a Xc lesson with Piggy with a ready made horse and entered into grass routes with out qualifying. Slightly annoying making it look to easy.

BTW who was the american rider she was speaking with who was qualified for Olympics? I didnt catch her surname
 
I think to show all the work and training required would bore the hell out of non horse viewers and have them turning off in 5 minutes. We would love it, but the aim of the programme is to promote interest within the general population. I think Jennifer may just pull that off with her humour and "one of us" style. It's not the intended platform for the serious stuff.
 
guido16 said:
Loving it, but very pissed off.

How much does it annoy me that she can enter grass roots. Just like that!!!!

The months, money, time and effort it takes to qualify for badminton grass roots is unreal, and Jennifer can just enter 4 months before!!!!

No dig at her, but I have had a horse doing grass roots and blood, sweat and tears does not come close!!
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Can a programme not just be enjoyed for what it is??

Yes, JS might be a celebrity BUT she's gotten over a life threatening disease, AND obviously wants to accomplish something she dreamt about since childhood....I'm guessing her fight against cancer has made her sit up and notice how precious life is, and no matter how much money or fame you have, nature can still take it's course.

I'm enjoying it because as a 'horsy person' I can relate to what she is saying, the nerves needed to compete, and simple things like the smells associated with horses...
 
The programme is clearly aimed at non horsey types who, if they saw all the preparation and training that goes into entering something like Badminton at Grassroots level, would baulk at the idea of letting their kids anywhere near a pony. I think touching on the pony club commitment required from parents by towing child and pony around to competitions every weekend all summer was enough of an insight into the dedication required from a pony mad childs parent to be getting on with for those perhaps not as clued in as those of us who have been doing it for years and know how much work it takes.
 
Loved it.
I thought it was an incredibly clever piece of broadcasting, which will hopefully bring equestrian sports back onto TV more, as it used to be, and as Jennifer pointed out, when I was a child and the whole family were watching Harvey Smith and David Broome. It's perfect timing, after team GB's Olympic equestrian success.
Jennifer's personality really will help the point come across. She is delightfully engaging. I smiled throughout at her love of the smells of saddle soap, the horse, a brand new body brush, and ..of course...horsey shopping! I also really loved her wonderfully soft hands. Also well done Princess Anne for mentioning hunting!
I'm looking forward to next week.
 
From my point of view it wasn't about competing as such. It was about the love for horses and riding that never really leaves you - I thought the idea of the competition was there just to give the idea of working towards and achieving something at the end if the programme. So the brief wasn't to show how hard it could be but how fun it could be - if that makes sense! Too early for eloquence x
 
guido16 said:
How much does it annoy me that she can enter grass roots. Just like that!!!!

The months, money, time and effort it takes to qualify for badminton grass roots is unreal, and Jennifer can just enter 4 months before!!!!

No dig at her, but I have had a horse doing grass roots and blood, sweat and tears does not come close!!
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I suspect her 'entry' was not competitive, and she would have been allowed to run only on that basis.
 
Thought it was a fabulous programme and bought back all my memories of when i was a child convinced i would be off to the Olympics! Just what is needed to keep the sport in the public eye. JS came across as warm and friendly with a genuine affinity and love for horses. I also think it did show the hard work and dedication the professionals put in but without boring the viewer. Everyone knows horses are hard work, people i work with who have no clue about horses always mention the time and dedication. I can't wait for next weeks! Well done ITV.

Loved Jack! Thought he was a real find of a horse.

I think it also helped people realise it isn't an elitist sport. Tim Stockdale is very down to earth and people can take to him he explains things in simple terms and makes it interesting. Even my non horsey husband is a big fan of Tims!
 
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