No we do not "blindfold" our horse...

Mad_Cow347

Mad_Cow347

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Almost every week when out riding round the village someone questions the fly mask...

Today a lady sounding very concerned whispered (loudly) to her OH "why have they blindfolded that horse".

Last week a more sensible man asked if they were sunglasses, at least he presumed he could see out of them and he asked us so we explained what it was to him.

I know it looks a bit weird but surely common sense says he can see out of it. I'm going to try to think up an elaborate reason he would be blindfolded for next time someone asks, he's trained to follow scents or it's a great way to teach them to trust their rider... Any better ideas?

What weird & wonderful questions does everyone else get asked by the general public?
 
Oh dear! If you don't feel they deserve the correct explanation you could say that your horse is too scared to come out of his stable unless his eyes are covered...
 
Tell them he's incredibly famous & doesn't like to be recognised.

I say that my boy has appeared in so many movies that he just gets recognised too much. That normally foxes them! (Helps that he's a breed that does appear in loads of movies & he's black so no one can ever really tell!)
 
Was once asked by an adult on a yard where daughter attended riding lessons if the horse I was riding was blind because he had blue eyes.
He was a bit embarrassed when I said no, and was he blind because he had blue eyes.

You should tell them he is doing surveillance, as he suspects his missus is playing away from home and the mask is there as he needed a disguise!
 
A little old lady walking past our yard when I was getting the horses in with their fly-masks and fly-rugs on asked if they were jousting horses because of their attire :D There was a jousting display on locally at Arundel castle at the time so I guess it was in her mind.
 
My horse hacks out in "shin pads and trainers" or to horsey folk knee brushing boots and hoof boots. Oh and a "muzzle" or nose net. We get some very funny looks and occasional odd comments from children.
 
Kat said:
My horse hacks out in "shin pads and trainers" or to horsey folk knee brushing boots and hoof boots. Oh and a "muzzle" or nose net. We get some very funny looks and occasional odd comments from children.
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MY mare had a few bouts of uveitis and we got many a strange look when she wore the Guardian Mask. I do get the why does he where the mask, its normally my visitors for the cats so have to be polite and explain its to keep the flies out, the other is the muzzles they wear and go through it all again with them
 
I get asked whilst hacking and tell people it is because he is too ugly to take out in public if he is not covered.

At work we told people they would jump out if we did not blindfold them.

EDITED to say - we did tell them the real reason too!!! It created a talking point. It is nice to talk, and I do hope I am enough of a "PR machine" not to offend anyone or make them feel bad.
 
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I like it when people ask questions - it's nice that they are interested. We all knew nothing at one point, so I don't take the mick out of non-horsey people who ask/comment on something they don't understand.
 
Although it might seem obvious to horse-people, I'm actually quite heartened that passers-by are interested enough to notice and ask about equipment that may look a bit strange. I will always try to stop and chat and explain - it helps that my horses are mostly friendly and like to stop for a 'gossip'.
 
minkymoo said:
Tell them he's incredibly famous & doesn't like to be recognised.

I say that my boy has appeared in so many movies that he just gets recognised too much. That normally foxes them! (Helps that he's a breed that does appear in loads of movies & he's black so no one can ever really tell!)
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This is brilliant!! I would love to see someone's face when you give that reply.
 
Not related to items of tack or horsey clothing but the other day someone at work did as me that now infamous question "Do you even have to go down to your horses on Christmas Day?" :rolleyes:
 
There was a big Harley Davidson rally on the land next door to the yard last weekend (horses all now totally densisitised to Harleys!). Some very polite bikers asked the blindfold question - then said they could do with a human flymask for biking in summer!
 
TTK said:
Quite so & well said.
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See this remark and the original one quoted really get up my nose. Just because I think it is funny that someone thinks my horse is ready for jousting doesn't mean that I laugh at them in a derisory manner nor not take the time to explain what the attire is actually for. I'm sure most people are the same.

FYI The lady that I mentioned whom I didn't know from Adam happened to want to know where the bus stop was and I said as it was Sunday there might not be any buses - if there weren't to come back and I would give her a lift back to her B&B as it was about a 5 mile walk back and she looked about 80. She came back and I sat her down whilst I finished the horses then I drove her out of my way through the private Park Estate which she loved as she saw places that are not usually accessible by the public and we had a lovely chat about her life and what she does. She offered me dinner and gave me a kiss goodbye. Turns out she had written a few books on walking.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marguerite-Osborne/e/B0034ND3C2

Ironic how judgmental you are over the perceived judgement of others. Some people on this forum are in danger of getting their heads stuck up their own backsides.
 
I was on the pitch warming up for a horseball match, some lady screams as I go past.........
'How long do horses live for?'

Erm im right in the middle of warming up and throwing a ball currently and that's what I got asked?!

Madness sometimes!
 
My horse and my share horse are 16.3hh and 17hh grey IDx. We always hack out in high viz and if I had a pound for every time we get stopped and asked if they're police horses I'd be a very rich woman. Their greyness for some reason seems to prompt the question - lots have said they thought all police horses are grey.

They never ask us if we're police officers though :D
 
I really upset a couple of non-horsey family members last week. I was talking about show jumping my mare next year. They noted that I'd had her for a while and asked her age. When I said she was 15, they were horrified. They said I was cruel for riding such an old horse and that this is what gives horse riders such a bad name- they have no consideration for the animal.

They shouted at me in a restaurant :-(

Where do people get these ideas???
 
sussexbythesea said:
See this remark and the original one quoted really get up my nose. Just because I think it is funny that someone thinks my horse is ready for jousting doesn't mean that I laugh at them in a derisory manner nor not take the time to explain what the attire is actually for. I'm sure most people are the same.

FYI The lady that I mentioned whom I didn't know from Adam happened to want to know where the bus stop was and I said as it was Sunday there might not be any buses - if there weren't to come back and I would give her a lift back to her B&B as it was about a 5 mile walk back and she looked about 80. She came back and I sat her down whilst I finished the horses then I drove her out of my way through the private Park Estate which she loved as she saw places that are not usually accessible by the public and we had a lovely chat about her life and what she does. She offered me dinner and gave me a kiss goodbye. Turns out she had written a few books on walking.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marguerite-Osborne/e/B0034ND3C2

Ironic how judgmental you are over the perceived judgement of others. Some people on this forum are in danger of getting their heads stuck up their own backsides.
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I made the first comment, and I stand by it. i just don't think it's very nice to take the mick out of people for asking questions - it's part of the reason why riders are perceived as snobbish. It's just as judgemental to criticise me for not enjoying reading about non horse people being mocked, as it is judgemental of me to criticise those who mock. Different strokes for different folks.
 
LadyGascoyne said:
I really upset a couple of non-horsey family members last week. I was talking about show jumping my mare next year. They noted that I'd had her for a while and asked her age. When I said she was 15, they were horrified. They said I was cruel for riding such an old horse and that this is what gives horse riders such a bad name- they have no consideration for the animal.

They shouted at me in a restaurant :-(

Where do people get these ideas???
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this made me chuckle ^ Was out riding my girl and people asked how old she was, I told them 21 and they were shocked 'I didn't know horses could live that long' they said!

Mostly get people commenting when I clip her, something like 'why do you shave the horse when its cold? -that's so mean! Wouldn't it make more sense to shave it in the summer?'
Also had a few people say that they like her 'two tone' colour (She gets a trace clip). I have to be honest and say that it's not natural :P
 
I had to explain the average lifespan of a horse after my 8yo got sighed about and pitied as a "very old boy". :D I can also be accused about jumping a blindfolded horse.
 
Some of these posts are hilarious! A few weeks ago I was asked by one of the children of the lady who works on my yard whether my very rotund Highland pony had a muzzle on because she might bite him! A totally legit question but it was hilarious as my pony is quite frankly the most child friendly animal to handle from the ground and would not hurt a fly and is more likely to lick you to death than do anything else! I've been told by several dog walkers who frequent the footpaths around my yard, how "Cruel" I am for muzzling her and how "People like me shouldn't be allowed horses" yet refuse to listen to me when I try to politely explain why she is muzzled. I won't lose sleep over them :)
 
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