Furious at some of the Olympic articles...

[tasel]

I absolutely *hate* some of the "articles" that pop out by so-called "journalists" who put the equestrian sport down because of "elitism". Since I also follow German news... I don't quite see the same kind of coverage over there. Instead, the coverage makes me believe that Michael Jung is a hero of mythical proportions.

Sometimes, I wonder whether these "journalists" have the capacity to think out of the box or whether they've ever travelled to other countries, and seen how life is like outside this island. Why is it that the UK is so obsessed with its "classes"? Can anyone please enlighten me about this?

And yes, riding is an expensive sport as many of these "journalists" imply - but a LOT more expensive in this country than others. Not one of these articles mentions this. Nobody ever asks why a riding lesson here can cost up to 3x as much (if not more) as in Germany (using this as an example as I lived there for a decade). Maybe in Germany, riding clubs get help from the state, but another factor is:

Cost of land/real estate is nowhere near as much as here. And we all know that land and horses go hand in hand. A riding school is a business in the end, and if your overhead costs are high, you will need to charge higher prices, too. By comparison, in Germany, real estate prices haven't really risen (a house can cost almost as much as it did 20 years ago if adjusted for inflation) - some say it has declined. Real estate is not seen as an "investment" like stocks that go up and down in price. Buy-to-let landlords (only a small portion of Germans, i.e. 25% or so, own their own home) keep the properties for the income it generates, but not necessarily due to hopes of increasing value.

A lot of people in the UK (and I'm sure even the "journalists") seem to view increasing house prices as a good thing. Truth is, it makes everything more expensive, cancelling out that gain in price.

Then, there are the insurance premiums that have been going up due to the risk of people suing riding schools for whatever reason. It's as though people themselves can't be entrusted with taking care of themselves anymore! When has the UK turned into a nanny-state?

Reporting articles the way those "journalists" did is completely futile. As you can see, with a little bit of research... or investigative journalism (and it didn't take me long to come up with the above), you can actually find out some of the WHY's rather than deliver an article that's basically just you complaining that you didn't have it as good as Zara Phillips!!!

That said... Zara Phillips did great!!!

 

[Dab]

Yes i totally agree. Nowhere do these articles mention the hard work that these riders put in, the huge amount of hours in training, its a 7 day a week job, with few holidays, dangerous, and includes huge logistical hurdles to over come in terms of getting horses, grooms and kit to events all over the world.

Most of these journo's seem to think that the only reason these people are at the top of the table is because they have money....money helps but lets not forget first and foremost that you have to be a very talented horse trainers and riders, good with money and good with owners!

 

[Feathered]

Sailing is an "elitist" (for want of a better word) sport too, but I never see or hear the sort of comments that the equestrians get.

People are just pleased when they do well, which is how is should be. I've never heard anyone saying "well they're just sitting on a boat" which is as ridiculous as the "just sitting on a horse" comments I keep hearing.

It is very frustrating.

 

[blackislegirl]

In my experience, those of the 'just sitting on a horse' ilk would run a mile if actually asked to approach a horse, let alone actually sit on it!

 

[HashRouge]

I think it's really sad that rather than praising the eventers achievements, the reaction from the press has been pretty snarky. Eventing is the most dangerous sport in the Olympics - it takes serious guts and determination and it's sad that a lot of people don't recognise it

 

[Doogal]

I absolutely *hate* some of the "articles" that pop out by so-called "journalists" who put the equestrian sport down because of "elitism". Since I also follow German news... I don't quite see the same kind of coverage over there. Instead, the coverage makes me believe that Michael Jung is a hero of mythical proportions.

Sometimes, I wonder whether these "journalists" have the capacity to think out of the box or whether they've ever travelled to other countries, and seen how life is like outside this island. Why is it that the UK is so obsessed with its "classes"? Can anyone please enlighten me about this?

And yes, riding is an expensive sport as many of these "journalists" imply - but a LOT more expensive in this country than others. Not one of these articles mentions this. Nobody ever asks why a riding lesson here can cost up to 3x as much (if not more) as in Germany (using this as an example as I lived there for a decade). Maybe in Germany, riding clubs get help from the state, but another factor is:

Cost of land/real estate is nowhere near as much as here. And we all know that land and horses go hand in hand. A riding school is a business in the end, and if your overhead costs are high, you will need to charge higher prices, too. By comparison, in Germany, real estate prices haven't really risen (a house can cost almost as much as it did 20 years ago if adjusted for inflation) - some say it has declined. Real estate is not seen as an "investment" like stocks that go up and down in price. Buy-to-let landlords (only a small portion of Germans, i.e. 25% or so, own their own home) keep the properties for the income it generates, but not necessarily due to hopes of increasing value.

A lot of people in the UK (and I'm sure even the "journalists") seem to view increasing house prices as a good thing. Truth is, it makes everything more expensive, cancelling out that gain in price.

Then, there are the insurance premiums that have been going up due to the risk of people suing riding schools for whatever reason. It's as though people themselves can't be entrusted with taking care of themselves anymore! When has the UK turned into a nanny-state?

Reporting articles the way those "journalists" did is completely futile. As you can see, with a little bit of research... or investigative journalism (and it didn't take me long to come up with the above), you can actually find out some of the WHY's rather than deliver an article that's basically just you complaining that you didn't have it as good as Zara Phillips!!!

That said... Zara Phillips did great!!!

Agree.

I really wish we made more of our riding schools so more could offer a structured curriculum and a wider selection of horses - maybe a few decent ex-competition horses - to help you get to the next level without charging astronomical prices.

The riding schools I attended seemed to be able to get you to a proficient novice level but then the learning curve plateaued out. I looked a couple of times at taking lessons on proper dressage schoolmasters but at £40 for the lesson plus £20 to hire the horse. I'd only have been able to afford to ride once every 3 weeks.

I also hate the fact that residential property is seen as an 'investment'. It just seems wrong in my eyes.

 

[Daffodil]

Have you seen the rubbish and downright nasty comments in the Daily Mail?

It would appear that these journalists actually revel in the sheer ignorance they display, mainly it has to be said, about poor Zara. The captions to the photographs were an insult.

I wrote a long "defence" of eventing in response but the computer lost it when I pressed the Send button, and my blood pressure couldn't cope with re-writing it.

 

[ClobellsandBaubles]

Maybe in times gone by it was more elitist but come on move with the times Everyone has more disposable income these days!

Plus equestrian sports used to be much more popular in the general public (I'm thinking of yorkshire showjumpers in particular) maybe that was because people had more horse-sense/experience and understood the dedication hard work and heartache that competing involves??

I think it's great that Michael Yung is getting the that sort of reception in his home country as what he did was phenomenal.

Maybe it is the british public, everyone seems to have a chip on their shoulder and think that the world owes them.

I don't think people really appreciate how much work professional eventer put in every day at all levels, training, cultivating potential, putting themselves in danger, sponsorship, dealing with owners, buying and selling and we all know how fragile horses can be it's not just the riders that can get career jeopardising injuring- throwing horses into the mix makes everything more complicated!

 

[tasel]

Sailing is an "elitist" (for want of a better word) sport too, but I never see or hear the sort of comments that the equestrians get.

People are just pleased when they do well, which is how is should be. I've never heard anyone saying "well they're just sitting on a boat" which is as ridiculous as the "just sitting on a horse" comments I keep hearing.

It is very frustrating.

Exactly!!!

And knowing people who do have sailing boats (expected to see a dinghy when they told me about their boats, and was surprised by the sizes when I actually saw them)... it is definitely more expensive to keep one of those when compared to a horse! I keep mine on grass livery. Enough said. But if I could, I wouldn't mind shelling out the bucks to turn her into a great Olympic horse (she'd roll her eyes at this, lol).. so don't mind seeing wealthier people do so.

I have nothing against sailing, but it is not fair how our sport gets treated like this when others who could be stereotyped in the same manner don't. It makes me really mad. So happy no one can see my face right now. Downright scary!!!

 

[tasel]

Most of these journo's seem to think that the only reason these people are at the top of the table is because they have money....money helps but lets not forget first and foremost that you have to be a very talented horse trainers and riders, good with money and good with owners!

I personally think that if I was rich, and my kids were at risk of being spoiled little brats (not likely to happen), I'd push them into riding because of the fact that horses - unlike people - are not impressed by bling and anything else that money can buy. They don't treat you any better because you have great clothes or the newest car. Plus, no other sport teaches you the discipline of literally shovelling s**t each day.

 

[Dab]

I personally think that if I was rich, and my kids were at risk of being spoiled little brats (not likely to happen), I'd push them into riding because of the fact that horses - unlike people - are not impressed by bling and anything else that money can buy. They don't treat you any better because you have great clothes or the newest car. Plus, no other sport teaches you the discipline of literally shovelling s**t each day.

Yep agree. However, the equestrian bodies do nothing to make the sport more appealing to the gp and do nothing to help promote the sport and dispel the myth that riding is only for rich kids.

 

[lilyoftheincas]

Agree.

I really wish we made more of our riding schools so more could offer a structured curriculum and a wider selection of horses - maybe a few decent ex-competition horses - to help you get to the next level without charging astronomical prices.

The riding schools I attended seemed to be able to get you to a proficient novice level but then the learning curve plateaued out. I looked a couple of times at taking lessons on proper dressage schoolmasters but at £40 for the lesson plus £20 to hire the horse. I'd only have been able to afford to ride once every 3 weeks.

I also hate the fact that residential property is seen as an 'investment'. It just seems wrong in my eyes.

So right, I have been riding at a riding school for six years and am not in the position to loan/share/own. It's pretty fustrating not being able to ride some more 'able' horses at a higher level of riding, which I think I'm ready for now

 

[tasel]

So right, I have been riding at a riding school for six years and am not in the position to loan/share/own. It's pretty fustrating not being able to ride some more 'able' horses at a higher level of riding, which I think I'm ready for now

Just as a recommendation - maybe you should look for an instructor with their own private horse on which they can teach you? As previously mentioned, I don't have a great opinion of average riding schools in the UK. I know it's difficult to find such instructors... before I had my own horse, I didn't know they were around! But when my horse got injured, I had to look for one... and having a horse pulls you further into the horsey community, so you are better equipped to find one. My previous instructor had an ex-eventer that was a Young Riders contender, though he (the horse) now does dressage up to advanced medium (I think). My current instructor/yard owner teaches me on her horses who also do amazing things (one of them does piaffe and passage, etc.). All until I can bring my horse up to speed which hopefully will be next year.

 

[dibbin]

The "journalism" I have seen so far has been disgusting, particularly about the equestrian events. Being in Scotland doesn't help, as the newsreaders up here seem to only be remotely interested in the Scottish athletes. Not necessarily a bad thing, but introducing the Olympic news coverage with "Let's take a look at the day's disappointments" the day that we won team silver in the eventing was bl**dy ridiculous.

And don't even get me STARTED on the Daily Fail's write up of the opening ceremony. It wasn't even bordering on racist, it was just racist.