Brats!!

J

Janetterose

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I used to be the event photographer at a major showground and it never ceased to amaze me at how much the kids used to beat their horses in the showjumping classes. They did it before, during and after the jumps and screamed their heads off AND were encouraged by their parent. I heard one bloke onmce shout - "beat the s*** out of her". I couldn't say anything because I was working for the owners, but otherwise - GGGRRR
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And then another thing that annoyed me - there was a lady riding quite a fine thoroughbred and she was very large. She jumped the 1st round ok and then for the next 2 hours walked around on the horse without giving him a break. the next round she knocked all the fences down - evry one- the poor horse couldn't get his legs off the ground. Even normal size riders would normally jump off their horses between classes so why couldn't she?
 
People riding round on their horses all day is one of my pet hates. It is usually children at our local shows but there are some adults who are guilty of this. My daughters instructor used to be very keen on her resting her pony between classes, and many years later she still gets off as soon as she comes out of the ring, and loosens girth etc.
 
Couldn't agree more. Doubt it will ever change though as only requirement is to leave the fences up. How you do it makes no difference in the final result.
I use the brat riders to emphasis to my daughter that the first time I see her riding (I use the term lightly) like that will be the last time she ever rides her pony.
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I use the brat riders to emphasis to my daughter that the first time I see her riding (I use the term lightly) like that will be the last time she ever rides her pony.
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[/ QUOTE ] Ooh - I do that too! One of the best ways to educate young riders is to show them examples of how NOT to do it - sinks in much better than any words ever would!
 
I said exactly the same to my daughter once when I saw a child come out of the ring and beat s**t out of her pony because it had knocked a fence down. Glad to say in this instance a ring steward intervened.
 
I've seem some serious offenders eventing as well.

Have watched in horror as brat kid brutalises very expensive pony while warming up for the dressage kitted out in the very best gear-name it, she had it on....its when she started to blub that really got me.....enough to make me want to go over, shake said child and scream "do you know how lucky you are...." Pony was just being ridden very very badly. The phrase 'all the gear, but no idea' springs to mind!
 
i only takemy ponio to the local charity show and because its a 3 hour hack to get there i dont do the jumping (not that i like jumping anyway) but i plan which classes i am going to enter to make sure she doesn't have to work contantly and when she is waiting for her next class the tack goes in the car and i lead her round the show ground so she can see whats going on. I have seen so many people working there horses into a heavy sweat then hack them home the same distance as we do!
 
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Show jumping is such an evil sport.

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Huh??
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I think the standard of riding is the worse out of all the disciplines.

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Possibly, although I'm rather offended by the comment!
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Kids here don't behave like they do (from what I've just read) in the UK. OK, I can think of one girl who regularly takes it out on her horse if she doesn't go clear, but no one else. The adults are FAR worse!!
 
I have to agree with PF - i'm rather offended by some of those comments! Don't tar all show Jumpers with the same brush!

I am the first person that hate bratty spoilt kids that blame the pony for their mistakes but you make it sound like its everyone and only in showjumping! I have seen some of the worst kids at PC/RC level and in showing classes, once you get out of the lower ranks of show jumping alot of the kids we see are very professional. My junior rider, if she makes a mistake she very rarely says its the pony, she usually comes out and says I got the wrong stride or I tried to turn too tight or I could have cut in and I didn't because I didn't want to upset the pony (on lesser experienced ponies). The only time i've seen her have a bratty moment in the last 3 years, I packed the ponies up in the wagon and said she couldn't ride them again! Never happened again!
 
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I use the brat riders to emphasis to my daughter that the first time I see her riding (I use the term lightly) like that will be the last time she ever rides her pony.
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Yep, me too!

I am however, proud to say that more than once the commentator has announced MD's clear round & then VERY pointedly added (with a pause for effect! lol)........"and very well/nicely/beautifully ridden!"
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I certainly dont think everyone is like this and the adults I've seen are better. A great example of how a horse responds so much better to gentleness is a 27 year old TB X ridden by a 50 year old woman who didn't touch him with the whip and who was obviously enjoying every minute. Isn't that what its all about?
 
Same here! I was at quite a big horse trials the other day, and this girl on this REALLY posh pony (flashy black wb type, all kitted out with about three tonnes of bit and martingale ect) comes into the dressage arena. The pony's pretty lame, but it's obvious the girl hasn't realised, so the judge politely breaks it to her and asks her to exit the ring. She yells at the judge (he's not lame, how is he lame?!) and then storms out of the ring in a trot, and then trots around the warmup ring for about 10 minutes, whacking the ponio whenever he tries to walk!
 
I was asked to commentate on the SJ at a local ODE some years ago and ordered one young lady out of the ring, having refused 3 times she insisted on having another bash and continued to bully her pony until I embarassed her over the tannoy!!

They never asked me again oddly enough but I think I was in the right to be honest
 
Arggggh dont get me started on people that ride around on their horses all day without getting off!! This weekend was at a ODE that was also running a hunter trial - and i witnessed one person go around the pairs on her pony, then walk around on it for an hour, then go round again as a single on the hunter trial....then walk her horse around for another hour afterwards. Poor thing could barely breath. Makes me fume!!
 
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