Ignorance? Or do they just not know any better?

BEUnderTheInfluence

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My sister and I keep horses on two seperate yards, luckily mine has just been renovated and the schools are keeping up superbly with the winter weather :D
However, the other yard doesn't really have a proper surface and no lighting, it becomes boggy and notoriously slippy ontop and i certainly wouldn't ride in it.
To my horror, I saw today a young girl who had recently bought an eventing pony off a friend of mine jumping in it, and was told she had been ever since he arrived. Despite the fact that day in-day out jumping just isn't something you do, (and she wasn't even doing anything constructive like practicing lines or grid work....just cross to straight over and over) I'm even more astonished she thinks its acceptable to jump a) with no lighting b) on..well...basically a very dangerous surface that won't be doing her new pony any favours and c) that out of everyone on the yard including her own parents, nobody has bothered to point out how ridiculous this is.

Honestly, I can't decide whether she is just a nochelant teen who wants to jump and nothing else, but it can't all be lack of experience. You don't have to be Mark Todd to realise that jumping in a bog, over and over, every single day in pitch black isn't good. If it is just ignorance, then i'm appalled that nobody on the yard stepped in. I certainly will if this persists next time I am up, for the horses sake. Wouldn't you?
 
As you are not on that yard and have no relationship to the young girl then I don't think it's really your place to say anything - however, something does need to be said. Could your sister have a word with the YO or the girls' parents? Apart from anything else, how can she jump in the dark? Can the pony see the jumps? No doubt her parents have paid a packet for an experienced event pony and won't be wanting him ruined by their daughter's actions.
 
As you are not on that yard and have no relationship to the young girl then I don't think it's really your place to say anything - however, something does need to be said. Could your sister have a word with the YO or the girls' parents? Apart from anything else, how can she jump in the dark? Can the pony see the jumps? No doubt her parents have paid a packet for an experienced event pony and won't be wanting him ruined by their daughter's actions.

I'd been debating as you said, whether or not it was my place to say anything but I've known and dealt with the horse for years wheras he is new to everyone on that yard so i felt somehow slightly inclined to say something. Jumping in the dark....no idea, Im surprised she's been kept safe by the horse, its ridiculous. I think the parents are pretty clueless to be honest, and dare I say it so is the YO, but there are experienced liveries there, who watch and say nothing, probably because they think its none of their business, but i think its getting dangerous....
 
Sometimes it is easier for an outsider to comment on something which is happening. If the girl takes offence, you won't have to see her every day. And she might well take more notice of you than she would of her fellow liveries, after all, 'familiarity breeds contempt'.
 
Probably both.

I never cease to be amazed at how STUPID some people can be. Even when its staring them in the face, they still cannot see it. Or perhaps they do, and couldn't care less?

I think I'd be plucking up the courage to have a word with the parents and explain how the previous owners got the pony to be so competent... Then at least they can try and stop their daughter jumping him every night.
 
Probably both.

I never cease to be amazed at how STUPID some people can be. Even when its staring them in the face, they still cannot see it. Or perhaps they do, and couldn't care less?

I think I'd be plucking up the courage to have a word with the parents and explain how the previous owners got the pony to be so competent... Then at least they can try and stop their daughter jumping him every night.

I think I might, its silly, a horse only has so many jumps on their calender, wasting a good horse on bad ground is nonsense... ahh dear! lol XD
 
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