IT does this, ITS doing that rant!!

steph21

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 September 2006
Messages
971
Location
Pasty Landy ;)
Visit site
Why do some people call horses "IT" personally it really annoys me!!

I know some poeple ride for 3 or 4 different owners so have a lot to ride but just dont understand the need to call a horse IT!

Why not he or she??

Im not being soppy as I only have one horse and dont call her Stormy Warmy or anything but it just really winds me up!!

"Well ITS going pre-novice next week so lets see how IT copes"

Gerrrrrrrrr

Sorry rant over!!
 
I call mine 'it' and a lot of other horses, i also call her 'she'...and a lot better and worse!! Going to duck and run now :D
 
I call my own horse it but in a light hearted way, same with friends horses but again in a humour sort of way, same with friends, ''its useless can I shoot it'' :D but say for example if I was ringing to enquire about a horse, in a serious converstaion, I wouldn't make reference to their horse saying it, that wouldn't be polite but I wouldn't really get my knickers in a twist if they did it to me, probably wouldn't notice to honest.
 
Mine and those I know are he or she. If I don't know the horse then its an it!

I don't like calling them its but rather do that than offend someones handsome gelding saying its a pretty mare!
 
Do you know what? Mine don't give a stuff what I call them, it's all down to the tone of voice and by their positive reactions to my voice I know they love and respect me whether I'm calling them by their proper names, it, or any of the number of nicknames they are known by.

But then I call my children it too - as in "Can you bring me the baby please. It needs it's nappy changing."

Of course technically two of my five ARE "it", being geldings.
 
I agree with you Kenzo if its in a funny way then I do as well but when people talk about horses they are riding for other people and refer to them as "it" thats when it annoys me as I to think that a bit rude!
 
I call mine much worse than it.......

lol, should of heard what the farrier called Macker last night

''this horse is a ******* idle ****** why does he always have to lean on you, get the *****off me me you ***** I'm not your 5th leg! :D:D

then he stood on his toe :o:D

farriers eh, don't you love em :rolleyes:
 
I'm with you on this.. "it" annoys me too. I have a friend who always calls her horses and those she rides for others "it",, dunno, just sounds disrespectful to me,, and I'm no fluffy ponio type;)
 
I don't even notice I'm doing it...

It's just a way of referring to horses round here - in exactly the same way as I refer to my "pony" (who is 17.2hh)

To be honest, I don't think it minds being called it!

*runs away for fear of being called a bad owner*
 
I confess I'm an itter, for horse and for children! :o

I think it may be a relic of my German background: both horses and children are gender-neutral (das Pferd, das Pony, das Baby, das Kind), and I think it's more normal when talking about a horse to refer to it as "that horse" rather than e.g. "that mare", unless the gender is important for distinction in some way.

P.S. I didn't even notice I used "to refer to it" in the previous paragraph before posting, that's how engrained it is!
 
I use "it" especially if I'm referring to other horses not as well known etc. With mine I don't tend to call him it unless I'm annoyed. I (and others) do call him "The Fell" though. Doesn't really bother me to be honest. Probably wouldn't like a stranger calling my boy it but hey ho - there's worse!
 
But then I call my children it too - as in "Can you bring me the baby please. It needs it's nappy changing."

Of course technically two of my five ARE "it", being geldings.

OK, double take as I try to process the information that jemima_too has five children and two of them are geldings .... ;)
 
I sometimes refer to L as it in a jokey way.
I told one of the other liveries yesterday "it's doing it's first ode in a couple of weeks if you want to come along for a laugh".

She's been called much worse that it before ;)
 
G gets called a variety of things.... I had someone asking me why I needed a tweed jacket for showing and I said 'because I show it in M&M classes', and when she's being an arse I quite often say to people 'it's Welsh'.

It's personal preference really. I don't mind what people call their horses.
 
I do some times joking call her it, but I really dont like it when people refer to other peoples horses as well as my horse as it, either say she or even him rather that it!
 
I call my horses what I like. I call my friends what I like too :D Quite a few of them go by 'It' (and know who I'm talking to, or about, amazingly! xD) I call thinks It in a nice way though :p
I also frequently call them things that I wouldn't be allowed to say on the forum, but I love them really :D
 
dont get my wrong im not being a plonker and thinking that it upsets the horse, I no they dont give a dam what we call them, I also call my horse things that would get me kick off her quick smart! C
Comment like "Its just not understanding, its a friends horse, I wouldnt have it" (this was said about one of my friends horses) thats just rude!
 
Well as I've said before, mine is an IT. He/she is hermaphrodite and having had a full hysterectomy and been gelded there is not much else you can call him/her

But I do refer to it as her mostly, cos she is definitely that way inclined ;)
 
'It' doesn't bother me, and I probably use the expression myself quite regularly, in spite of that all mine are much loved and individuals, so it doesn't imply any lack of care or feeling.
 
I call horses "it". I think it started as just a generalisation so as not to have to ask "is the horse a mare or a gelding" all the time. Maybe its an age thing too, I am 50 and to call a horse "it" was usual. What I personally cannot abide is when people describe a horse as "a nice person". I dont know where this started or why. Horses are not people,they are horses,if they mean he/she/it is nice to be around and has a good temperament them just say that. People they are not!
 
Well as I've said before, mine is an IT. He/she is hermaphrodite and having had a full hysterectomy and been gelded there is not much else you can call him/her

But I do refer to it as her mostly, cos she is definitely that way inclined ;)

:eek: 'she' had full working parts of both - never heard of it in horses although we had a sheep that was a bit that way inclined!!
 
OK, double take as I try to process the information that jemima_too has five children and two of them are geldings .... ;)

*sniggers*

I was waiting for someone to spot that!

Actually I have two surviving female children - both are called it on occasion! I have just had a long conversation with my sister about our teenage nephew who is currently staying with me along the lines of "What on earth do you feed it when it stays with you? It's currently eating me out of house and home".
 
Top