Disgusted By Behavior at BSJA show

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randira

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I am planning to get my mare out sjing this winter and doing a few pre-novice events next year, so I thought I'd toddle on down to a local BSJA event last Sunday and have a look with my OH, I have ridden there before but it was about a year ago so I wanted just to have a look really as it is a venue I was wanting to take Tam to. I have never seen such bad riding/manners in a very long time. There were people blatantly hogging practice fences, swearing and threatning eachother, cutting people up, it was horrible and then there was the riding, there were horses jumping through fences they had no hope of getting over because of their tight draw reins and then they were getting whipped for it.. Shocking, nobody smiled, I dont know why they bother doing it if it makes them all so miserable. I will just say that this was bottom level bsja and the rider were generally young. I am dreading taking my mare, so I think that I will avoid this venue - a shame because I was really looking forward to it, there were a lot of 'blind eyes' being turned too. grrr...
 
I don't think you can blame the venue for the actions of the people participating in an event there
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I see you are in Kent, we are in East Sussex, and, apart from the occasional piece of poor horsemanship (which you will see anywhere imo), I have to say BSJA shows are generally friendly and the standards of riding are reasonable.

I'm sorry you had a poor experience, but please don't be tarring all BSJA shows with the same brush
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ETS: Compared to the local RC show I went to at the weekend, where people were jumping practice fences in both directions, and cutting each other left, right and centre, etiquette is usually pretty reasonable too.
 
Ooh where abouts was that then, PM me??? Im in Kent, would love to hear what place that was, although I have my suspicions lol...

Sorry to hear u didnt have a good experience that time, but I have to say, I have just got in to bsja and i've found it all to ok, no problems and everyone pretty chilled, taking there time
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I can echo others on here and say that I've been to plenty of BSJA shows and have never really seen what your describing (although there will always be some bright spark riding incredibly poorly at any show you go to).
 
I am in Kent too, what Venue was it if you dont mind me asking?? You can PM me if you prefer.

I know exactly where you are coming from on that one as you do get the odd few that are like that but we're not all like it
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Fortunately, I can also vouch for BSJA shows and say that you have been unlucky to have had such a bad experience. As others have said though, its not fair to blame the venue as bad riding and bad attitudes can happen anywhere.

Good luck when you do go out.

Karen
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hmm..i too was at a bsja show in kent on sunday, and was appalled by the standard of riding! Enough gadgets to sink a battle ship. Not only in the warm up, but a local 'rider' who has a..erm..tarnished reputation was jumping in the ring, his horse refused and boy did he hit it. 3 times, as hard as possible, surprised whip didnt break tbh, and the look of anger and venom on said persons face was enough to make me quiver! Dont know why people bother riding if they obviously despise their horses so much. Also, I think behaving like that in public is disgusting, god knows what they get up to at home.
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Obviously, im not saying all sj in kent are like this before i get attacked!!
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Wouldn't be that certain one in Staplehurst as they do not start their shows til September.

So you don't need to keep walking and whistling, unless you like it that is
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I agree with others... i have been competing BSJA for a few years now and although i have seen the odd rider miss behaving i have never seen anything like you have decribed!

and i also agree that its not the venues fault
 
Perhaps the message is come to East Sussex if you are near enough! We have had nothing but positive experiences at all the ES venues that we have competed at; I can remember the bliss when we went to our first affiliated show and there were no Pony Club mums shrieking at their kids, no bitching, and everyone very friendly and chilled ...
I wouldn't entirely agree about it not being venues fault - one of the ES venues manages the warm-up and practice jump areas carefully (max no of horses in at any once time, etc) and that seems to work really well. And I do think that judges need to get MUCH tougher on the use of the whip. Do hope you have a better experience if you choose another venue! Good luck!
 
Most venues are well organised & incidents of this nature are isolated. You will however see things like this occasionally. The horsey world has its fair share of thugs who bully in the warm up ring & bully their horses aswell. Invariably they are the ones that beat their horse when they refuse. Everything is the horses fault according to these riders when it is invariably bad riding by them. Too much whip abuse & yanking in the mouth is tolerated and should be penalised. Thankfully only a few are like this. But having said this it also happend at local shows. By enlarge though you will have an enjoyable experience & I hope this has not deterred you too much.
 
If you break the rules at a BSJA show by treating your horse badly you will be pulled up for it. That has never happened at any RC I have been to. Competing under BSJA has given my family more fun than I can say. On the junior circuit you meet families week after week and you build relationships with them. many families suffer considerable hardships for their children to jump. In seniors we have met with support and incouragement. Yes you see riders behaving badly in the collecting ring but I feel this is mainly BN and DC and some of this may be due to many riders in the collecting ring. These same riders probably also go to a riding club. As you move up the grades the collecting ring becomes less crowded probably because more experienced riders don't need to jump the practice fence 100 times! I remeber a steward at a junior show spending time with youngsters new to the bsja to ensure they knew what to do. Polite and qualified judges and qualified course builders and a great day out. I can honestly say that some of our best times have been spent showjumping. I'm sorry that you did not enjoy your time at the show and maybe you can take away how not to treat a horse. That said I firmly believe that this is a minority and if you feel strongly you should take it up with the judges.
 
i have to say i was very nervous about going BSJA with my previous horse 3yrs ago as i didn't think we were good enough and we would make a fool out ourselfs (he wasn't the best showjumper bless him ) but we were really suprised how frendly it all was and so much nicer than our un-affiliated shows, so its ashame you feel like that, maybe you should try a different venue
good luck
Hx
 
Hmm I mainly compete in East Sussex and Kent and i've never experienced any problems, the atmosphere has always been friendly, and yes more 'professional' but theres always someoen around who will offer to help if you need it.
 
Must have been purely where you were or they were all having a very bad day!

I complain about the BSJA all the time (mainly about people hogging pratice fences and wacking them RIGHT up), but at the same time I havent noticed any genuine nastiness or beating up of horses. Obviously you get the odd bugger but most of them seem ok. Just dont jump at that venue, try somewhere else?
 
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