"Most riders aren't wealthy"

Wealthy was specifically used in OP post

Wealth is the abundance of valuable resources or material possessions.

Having disposable income to blow on ponies is not wealth per se

I would say all equestrian people are "well off", as they can spend money on luxuries - i.e. not food, heating or housing.

If you are not eating, so you can pay to feed your horse, then you are not well off!
 
I completely agree with SO1 and SpottedCat.

Just because you don't have tons left at the end of the month after you have paid for your horse does not make you poor - you have chosen to spend that money in that way, and if had not then you could have spent it on something else. Poor is not having enough income to cover food, heating and basics. That does not necessarily make you wealthy but it does depend on how one defines wealth, ie the level of abundance of possessions or resources on Jen_Cots' definition. And horses, saddles, lorries, billions of matchy kits etc are all possessions btw.
 
Hold on who here Whohad a horse said they were poor!
I said I was skint and agreed it was the horse who
Made me so, others said similar. It's what you choose to spend your money on and yes we are lucky we have some money that we can choose. That said you certainly do not need to have a lot of disposable income to choose to spend it on a horse in these parts you can keep a plod for as little as about £160 a month or as much as over £400!
It does not mean you are wealthy!
I would personally choose to live in a caravan and live on next to nothing rather than give up the horse!
 
My mother drummed into me that in order to enjoy horses, my best bet was to earn my money somewhere else and then spend it on having a horse for fun!
 
Mary King herself came from practically nothing, so I totally understand where she is coming from. Top riders get their horses etc from sponsors and owners, few actually own things themselves. I think this is the distinction that many don't understand. Obviously you get many who are brought up with horses and have been somewhat handed it on a plate but the majority of riders don't have that and work hard for what they have now.

Often those not in the professional sport have sacrificed a lot to have horses. When I was starting out I couldn't afford regular clothes shopping trips, I bought value food, had an old banger car etc etc. If I hadn't have had the horses I would have been able to go out more, spend it on a few luxuries etc like many others. I feel many horse owners and riders just decide to spend what money they do have on different things from those in the non-horsey world. And I think this is what many non-horsey people don't understand.

Its all relative and about what you spend your money on. Yes of course there are some exceptions but there are those in all sports!

Also, many people look at the professionals who granted are fairly wealthy.. but isn't this the same in all sports? Professional footballers get paid a hell of a lot more, so do athletes etc... I could go on. Its stupidly judgemental to see a professional and then assume that everyone is the same, nobody does it for any other sports.
 
hcm88 said:
Mary King herself came from practically nothing, so I totally understand where she is coming from. Top riders get their horses etc from sponsors and owners, few actually own things themselves. I think this is the distinction that many don't understand. Obviously you get many who are brought up with horses and have been somewhat handed it on a plate but the majority of riders don't have that and work hard for what they have now.

Often those not in the professional sport have sacrificed a lot to have horses. When I was starting out I couldn't afford regular clothes shopping trips, I bought value food, had an old banger car etc etc. If I hadn't have had the horses I would have been able to go out more, spend it on a few luxuries etc like many others. I feel many horse owners and riders just decide to spend what money they do have on different things from those in the non-horsey world. And I think this is what many non-horsey people don't understand.

Its all relative and about what you spend your money on. Yes of course there are some exceptions but there are those in all sports!

Also, many people look at the professionals who granted are fairly wealthy.. but isn't this the same in all sports? Professional footballers get paid a hell of a lot more, so do athletes etc... I could go on. Its stupidly judgemental to see a professional and then assume that everyone is the same, nobody does it for any other sports.
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It is all relative and it depends on your definition of wealthy, yes if take OP definition they are not. But if you take wealthy as the opposite of poor then being able to afford to keep a horse or ride at all means you have money to spend on it which does not make you poor which may not make you wealthy but it certainly makes you better off than alot of people. Mary King may have come from relatively humble beginnings compared to what she has achieved but to say she came from practically nothing is relative to what others have come from. I was brought up in a poorish household and horses/riding were things which just couldnt be done. My only activity was going to brownies at 50p a week as it was within walking distance and that was all we could afford. I was lucky to have that compared to others.

I dont have an abundance of cash at the end of the month because i choose to spend my surplus earnings (after bills) on my horse. I could say i am not wealthy because i cant afford luxuries like takeaways and holidays but really i am.
 
BBH said:
Why is it that equestrian sports always have to fend off the elite rich stamp, what about other sports eg power boat racing, Formula One etc etc they're not for those on a budget either but I don't see them fending off stereotypical tags.
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Because none of those mentioned are Olympic disciplines and therefore not goverment funded in any way.
 
SpottedCat said:
I think anyone who owns a horse, never mind competes it is, relatively speaking, well off, since they have enough disposable income to choose to spend it on a horse. That's not to say they can afford to do everything they want to, just that they have a reasonable amount of disposable income. I don't really understand the argument that one is poor because one has a horse - because it would be exceptionally easy to not spend all your disposable income on one, and then you would be able to choose to spend it on other things.

Like anything in life, it's a choice, and horses are an expensive, luxury hobby for most people. There is a reason why BE has the demographic stats it does on it's website to roll out to sponsors after all!

I think pro-riders are a different kettle of fish as many are not backed by family money and just scrape by - but again, it's a choice. I chose to set up my business, I am not backed by family money. It's the same thing when you look at the pure economics of it.
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I agree with this ^^^^^^^.
 
What an awful sensationalist interview. I think she answered really well. Did you watch the second clip about riding while she was pregnant? Really disappointing BBC.
I reckon to pay for horse, horses keep, equipment, training, transport and a full season eventing would be in the region of £10,000 per year. So it terms of general levels of wealth people with horses have a significant chunk of 'spare' change. The vast majority of Eventers are at grass roots level and work very hard to fund this expensive hobby, they also, for the most part have a significantly reduced lifestyle compared to those on similar incomes who do not have the same hobby (stuff like cars, clothes holidays etc that's been mentioned in this thread). That's totally their choice, they shouldn't have to justify themselves as to how they choose to spend their disposable income and TBH it's no one else's bloody business, however nor should they then complain about the stuff they are missing out on since it is a lifestyle choice.
Professional Riders are a mixed bag IMO, some are obviously well healed however most earn a modest wage for themselves by teach/selling/livery etc. Very few own their own properties and yards and all most all horses/lorries etc belong to owners and sponsorship deals. I think most of them have had support or backing somewhere along the way. They've also worked blinking hard, think of JB who spent about a decade as a working slave learning her trade and then was just really lucky to find a good horse in Over to You who helped her make her name.
I do however think that the prominence of the Junior/Young riders programme trickling through into Senior teams will make a difference. When there are children getting consistent form at international competitions the skills they learn from such a young age make them untouchable. Your average owner/rider who may have started aff. competing in their 20's is never going to catch up. These youngster must have family money and support as good team ponies changes hands for extortionate amounts of money, they are travelling internationally, training etc etc. I'm sure there are exceptions here too but I think generally speaking IME of meeting JRN/Young Rider/Pony team people they are more in that 'wealthy' sector than either your one horse working rider or today's pros. I don't think there can be many on the pony teams at their age who have a home produced pony and are doing it on their own with out a horsey background and a relatively 'wealthy' family.
 
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i think that there is a fundamental difference between "having a horse and therefore not poor" and being "wealthy"...yes to have a horse you have disposable income to spend on one- but 'wealthy' i think entails being able to have what you want, pretty much when you want....bet very few are in this lucky position

think ajn makes a good point about the juniors and young riders...not taking anything away from them- they certainly still have to work hard to get where they are- but it does seem that a lot are funded by family money as opposed to people working up from the bottom like in the past. i think its true across disciplines as well- just look at the prices of the BS jumping ponies.... i think it would be very hard to 'make it' as a top pro nowadays without some sort of serious funding from the family- more so than in the past?
 
I don't think you can say that everyone who owns a horse is wealthy, I always use the 20 cigarettes a day analogy. would you say someone who smoked 20 a day was wealthy? Not necessarily, but I bet you I can keep a horse on livery for more or less the cost of a 20 a day habit (packet of 20 cigs =£7 7 x£7=£49 a week) I could actually keep an average horse on livery for that where I live. Yes shows would cost more but then how much does a night on the town cost? It's all relative, and yes there are times when I don't have lunch for a whole week because I have just spent my last £10 on a bag of feed for my dogs or horses.
 
Baggybreeches said:
I don't think you can say that everyone who owns a horse is wealthy, I always use the 20 cigarettes a day analogy. would you say someone who smoked 20 a day was wealthy? Not necessarily, but I bet you I can keep a horse on livery for more or less the cost of a 20 a day habit (packet of 20 cigs =£7 7 x£7=£49 a week) I could actually keep an average horse on livery for that where I live. Yes shows would cost more but then how much does a night on the town cost? It's all relative, and yes there are times when I don't have lunch for a whole week because I have just spent my last £10 on a bag of feed for my dogs or horses.
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Do you know... I have, on occasion wished I smoked so I could give up and have lots of money!!! I sometimes try to remember a time PRE horses when I thought I was skint if I had less than £200 in my bank account at the end of the month!!!!!! How things change!!!!! :p
 
The packet of fags is a good one long time ago a old farmer said a packet of fags would buy a square yard of England and as I wanted to own land another good incentive not to smoke, now own my own farm., but not income rich only asset!.
 
ajn1610 said:
What an awful sensationalist interview. I think she answered really well. Did you watch the second clip about riding while she was pregnant? Really disappointing BBC.
I reckon to pay for horse, horses keep, equipment, training, transport and a full season eventing would be in the region of £10,000 per year. So it terms of general levels of wealth people with horses have a significant chunk of 'spare' change. The vast majority of Eventers are at grass roots level and work very hard to fund this expensive hobby, they also, for the most part have a significantly reduced lifestyle compared to those on similar incomes who do not have the same hobby (stuff like cars, clothes holidays etc that's been mentioned in this thread). That's totally their choice, they shouldn't have to justify themselves as to how they choose to spend their disposable income and TBH it's no one else's bloody business, however nor should they then complain about the stuff they are missing out on since it is a lifestyle choice.
Professional Riders are a mixed bag IMO, some are obviously well healed however most earn a modest wage for themselves by teach/selling/livery etc. Very few own their own properties and yards and all most all horses/lorries etc belong to owners and sponsorship deals. I think most of them have had support or backing somewhere along the way. They've also worked blinking hard, think of JB who spent about a decade as a working slave learning her trade and then was just really lucky to find a good horse in Over to You who helped her make her name.
I do however think that the prominence of the Junior/Young riders programme trickling through into Senior teams will make a difference. When there are children getting consistent form at international competitions the skills they learn from such a young age make them untouchable. Your average owner/rider who may have started aff. competing in their 20's is never going to catch up. These youngster must have family money and support as good team ponies changes hands for extortionate amounts of money, they are travelling internationally, training etc etc. I'm sure there are exceptions here too but I think generally speaking IME of meeting JRN/Young Rider/Pony team people they are more in that 'wealthy' sector than either your one horse working rider or today's pros. I don't think there can be many on the pony teams at their age who have a home produced pony and are doing it on their own with out a horsey background and a relatively 'wealthy' family.
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I agree! I absolutely LOVED mary king in those interviews. What a horrible interviewer from the BBC! she answered his questions very well and more politely than I probably would have been able to. In my opinion she is the ultimate ambassador for equestrian sport in general - So happy, friendly and polite :D
 
I don't know what it is that makes some label riding as a rich man's sport - maybe there's something about riding that is all mixed up with nobility! - but really, there is little money in horses for most people, professionals included. I know many bright people who are excellent riders and could make a career out of riding and maybe teaching. They generally don't, opting to get good jobs that allow them to keep horse for pleasure. Those who commit to eventing, like Mary King, are very driven and often have a struggle to set themselves up. They have to be very successful to attract sponsors and owners and generally the owners pay for the horse's expenses, including training. This is where the riders make their living and it's not a fat one.

They have to be competitive and successful to keep their owners happy - prize money in riding is nowhere near what it is in many other sports at the top level. MK has had a dream year and has picked up $150,000 dollars for being the best eventer in the world for 2011. Compare that with what a golfer may pick up, or a tennis player.

I have two horses and I can promise you I am not rich, and would not be rich even without them! I juggle my money around to ensure I can keep them in shoes - and that usually means I do without new shoes! I rarely go on holiday and am more Tesco value than Tesco finest!
 
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