Competition Scene

Natti

Natti

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A couple of weeks ago I was up at my friends yard helping out with her horse. I started talking to another livery but when I mentioned that I'm not all that interested in competing she suddenly got very stressed and angry and told me that I obviously wasn't a 'proper' rider if I didn't do any competing. I tryed to explain to her that it had just never really interested me yet this fell on deaf ears.

Unfortunately this wasn't the first time something like this has happened. I find that they either give me the silent treatment or get very moody with me. I have never tried to force my view on other people but this sort of thing seems to be happening more and more so I'm wondering, has anybody else experienced anything like this? And if so, why?

This sort of thing is really putting me off talking to people about what I enjoy doing with horses because I have had so many people being rude to me because I don't join in with the 'Competition Scene'.
 
I try to talk to everybody at a yard. I help my friends out a lot with their horses and I am always at different yards so I just say hi to everyone. A lot of people understand (mainly older people I have to say) but it just seems that there is an increase in people who don't want to know if it's not competing.
 
What weirdos. I do compete and always have so I haven't experienced people being like this, but i completely respect people who don't - in fact, I think it's actually realloy good to have competition breaks and take the pressure off for a bit and there's nothing wrong wiht doing that indefinitely.

Having said that, my v beautiful welsh cob is bred for showing and I have had people tlell me I'm criminal for not showing him county level (I just cannot be bothered nad don't see what the point is in entering, jsut becuase he'd do well and given that i think it's the most boring thing on earth? that would jsut be pot hunting).

Anyway, ignore them, they're nutbags. It's a shame really becuase I bet it puts you off from ever trying competitions, whihc CAN sometimes be quite fun depending on what you're doing!
 
How very unkind some people are :(. I absolutely love competing BUT I am on a yard where no-one else does and we all get along very well, one of my best friends often only gets to ride once a week and just loves her hack out with me on a Sunday morning, we have a great time and usually a good chat but I would never dream of pushing her into competing as I know it's really not her thing. My thoughts have always been that as our horses are so expensive in time and money that we must enjoy them doing whatever makes us happy, be it hacking out once a week, competing and training or just brining the old boy in each day for a bit of a groom and cuddle.

So forget the ignorant and intolerant people and just carry on enjoying what you do with you horse ;).
 
People are odd when they are like that. I always wonder what insecurities they have that they are trying to make up for when they say ridiculous things. Even if you did compete there would still be someone who had an opinion on what you do or who would look down on you for whatever reason.
If I was you I'd just feel a bit sorry for them, if you are happy then what the hell do they care anyway, they should focus on their own life :p.
 
No, not had it. Used to compete but time & money since having daughter means I haven't for 7yrs. I have met idiot individuals from all walks of life, but wouldn't say I've found them all to be riders of competition horses. One springs to mind- idiot fellow livery who'd recently done her stage 2 on about the 4th attempt, & spent her life talking about 'the showjumping scene' & implying she regularly did grade a. Despite the fact in the year I knew her she rode twice, badly, thought a double meant a jump made of two poles & a groundline meant a trotting pole. However she'd constantly start conversations with lines such as 'when I competed against john (whittaker) yesterday'.
 
Maybe it's just the area I live in? I'm glad to hear nobody else has had these nasty experiences because they do bring me down sometimes and would never wish that on anybody else. Will definately try talking to nicer people but it can be hard to judge who is or isn't nice as I help out about five friends with their horses (as I am trying to get as much experience as I can for when I get my horse) and they are all at different yards! Hopefully will get to know people a bti better at all the yards and see who to talk to and who not to. :)
 
No I've never had any experiences as such, but I have heard people making comments on how some horses are "wasted" with their owners... which annoys me. Horses would be happy with a field, a shelter and some TLC... it's the owners who have ambition for their horses, not the other way around so dont let other people make you feel pressured that you should be doing one thing, or another. You do whatever makes you and your horse happy!
 
Ime the riders who look down on people for not competing are usually pretty insecure themselves,so don't take it personally, just enjoy horses however you want.
 
I too, have met these kind of people in my horsey lifetime. They are not nice and you will usually find they are like that because they have something else rather large missing from their lives so ignore them!
 
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