Non horsey people questions

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dreambigpony

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Other day at work I got talking about what we were doing later that day. So I of course said "I'll be going to yard to see my horse and feed her etc". She said "do you have to go everyday?! Even when you work?"

Honesty couldn't believe that I was being asked this...she then said "even at Christmas?!"

Anyone else had this or other silly questions?
 
Haha i've had exactly this!!

"What?? You go down.... everyday.... twice a day?!" Some people can't understand it!

I also took a long lunch when my horse had the dentist, when I got back a colleague asked 'so how was the dentist' and I replied 'oh yeah it was fine he was really well behaved'. Cue confused look and 'well behaved...?' asked oddly. I explained the dentist was for the horse not me and they were amazed :D :D

When I mention how much his livery and shoes and food are etc I get similar responses!
 
I get this every day! I've answer the same question from the same person so many times, I would have thought she'd get it by now.

I also get 'why does your horse wear that thick rug in the middle of summer?' (Me: he's a pony, he has sweet itch. It's tops midges biting him, which he reacts badly to. And it's not thick, it's actually very thin). 'But isn't it mean? Wouldn't he just prefer to be like the others?' (Me: no, it stops him injuring himself and/or getting infected sores. No, I don't believe it'll hurt his feelings)

I also got asked if I was on my way to a hunt when I was hacking- pony had filthy legs, I had filthy boots and a gross jacket, very definitely NOT well turned out. Plus I was about 20 miles from any hunting country!
 
Why does your horse wear a blindfold? (A fly mask!)

Someobody who should know better seemed surprised that the field needed poo picking "because it was only done the other day". As if the horses would known not to go again!
 
Every day at work I get 'are you seeing your horse tonight?' every day I say yes, just as I did yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, and EVERY OTHER DAY!! Hahaha I am sure they are being nice and making conversation but it becomes VERY tedious. What do you want to know? Yes I go down every day, yes twice a day, yes he is the same colour every day, are you seeing your household pet tonight? Are you going to feed them tonight? GAH!
 
''How many times do you have to go and see them a week?'' and I've had recently ''What's the difference, aren't all saddles the same?'' in which I said ''don't even get me started!!'' :lol:
 
Oh, and having to explain that hoofs grow, so my share horse losing a big chunk of hoof didn't mean he'd need a prosthetic foot.
 
Explaining to my mum what skewbald and piebald are.. and I told her that the colours of the spots can appear to change, for example Jake's were black looking in the winter and brown looking in the summer..

After taking a few minutes.. 'So Jake is a Skew-Pie then!' :D
 
If I ever mention I have had a lesson to my mum she always says but you have been riding since you were 7 have you still not got the hang of it lol!
 
Pinkvboots said:
If I ever mention I have had a lesson to my mum she always says but you have been riding since you were 7 have you still not got the hang of it lol!
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My dad says this!

I mentioned to a work colleague that I was off to feed the horses. "Again? But you only did them last night....."

My mum still doesn't understand that my day off my paid job isn't exactly a day off when you have 2 horses to look after (vets, farriers, physio, poo picking, fence mending, cleaning stables.... & sometimes I even get to ride!).
 
Everyone always looks on in amazement when I say I clipped my horse in the winter.. They can not get it at all!
 
I had a very concerned dog walker recently when i was heading back towards home on my horse "oh thank god your back, your other horse is going mad and running round because someone had put a bag over his head and covered his eyes... he can't see and is really panicking" (as was she, bless her!)
I explained he was being an idiot because I was riding his friend and the other 3 horses don't count as friends! And that he had a fly hood on which he definitely could see out of!
She looked a bit dubious, not sure she believed me :)
 
I once had a potential sharer turn up (she had been a bit vague on the phone but I thought it was just her phone manner) who asked me, "so how often do you muck out?" When I said everyday she was visibly shocked. I'm a bit more thorough on the phone now...
Colleagues often look confused when I say I'm off for lessons, I tend to explain that Usain Bolt has a "coach" so why wouldn't a run of the mill rider like me need professional input.
I get a lot of "can you actually ride your horse then?" He's a Clydesdale so people have no idea they don't just pull drays.
I do often mistakenly say very horsey things to colleagues which produces a lot of hilarity. My recent favourite being, in response to what are you doing tonight, "it's such a nice evening I think I'll take the Big Lad for a good bareback ride up the hill and I'll see if any of the girls fancy joining me." To you lot that is pretty normal but can you imagine explaining that to a dozen builders?!
 
dreambigpony said:
Other day at work I got talking about what we were doing later that day. So I of course said "I'll be going to yard to see my horse and feed her etc". She said "do you have to go everyday?! Even when you work?"

Honesty couldn't believe that I was being asked this...she then said "even at Christmas?!"

Anyone else had this or other silly questions?
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That's the most popular question I get from non-horsey people. I wonder if they think there's a Xmas horsey care fairy :)
 
I love when people at work say "are you going for a nice ride on your horse this afternoon?"- I imagine they think its like a scene from Black Beauty- me cantering bareback across a field with my hair blowing in the breeze.

The reality is that by the time I get off, I'm puce, knackered, have sweaty armpits and my hair is stuck to my head...
 
scats said:
I love when people at work say "are you going for a nice ride on your horse this afternoon?".
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My boss always asks me if I'm going jumping on the weekend.
Haven't had the heart to explain that there are no jumpies in dressage. :o
 
So my colleagues have grasped the idea that I have a dressage lesson each Wednesday (I have to use the word 'training' so as not to confuse!) but it's taking time to sink in that I still ride every other day of the week, too...

"Are you doing anything this evening?"

"Just going to go ride."

"What? Again? What day is it? It's not Wednesday!?"

Every other week, at least :)
 
scats said:
I love when people at work say "are you going for a nice ride on your horse this afternoon?"- I imagine they think its like a scene from Black Beauty- me cantering bareback across a field with my hair blowing in the breeze.

The reality is that by the time I get off, I'm puce, knackered, have sweaty armpits and my hair is stuck to my head...
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hahahhaaha!!! so true.
 
scats said:
I love when people at work say "are you going for a nice ride on your horse this afternoon?"- I imagine they think its like a scene from Black Beauty- me cantering bareback across a field with my hair blowing in the breeze.

The reality is that by the time I get off, I'm puce, knackered, have sweaty armpits and my hair is stuck to my head...
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I did manage a rare Black Beauty moment the other night - glorious evening, cantering share horse (who is black and handsome) across the field in the sunshine, singing the theme tune to myself :p

But yes, 99.9% of the time it is nothing like people imagine!
 
I remember trying to explain to someone why shoes have to be replaced on a regular basis. They seemed to think that once they were on that was it for the lifetime of the horse.

I've had the 'How much more will she grow?' question asked about my Shetland... Errr she's 10, she won't grow any more! Same with a pony I used to ride as a teenager. He was only 12.2hh but was turned out in a field with horses all considerably bigger than him. His field had a public footpath alongside it and I remember a couple being adamant that I had got it wrong and that he was a baby because he was smaller than the others. He was actually in his early 20s at the time.

Trying to explain why the equine leg is not the same as the human leg in relation to breaking it etc. That can often be a challenging one.

And someone quite recently could not understand why there is horse racing through the winter- Don't they get muddy? :D Why isn't it held indoors? Interestingly enough if you stood outside said person's house and threw a stone it would practically land on the Knavesmire so it's not like they don't know the size of the places, surely they could have considered the logistics of putting a roof on somewhere that big.
 
My absolute favourite has to be one my mum came out with one of the first times she came to an ODE with me (it's usually my dad), she was very intrigued by the stud girth I was using (I don't tend to use one at home so she'd never seen it before), and asked me "What does that do? Is it like spanx for horses? To hold the fat in while you're galloping and jumping?" :D
 
Yes, have had most of these, but the 'so how often do you have to go see them then' being the most common.

My favourite was probably when an elderly gentleman stopped me while out hacking to tell me with grave concern that my horse's shoes had all fallen off.....
 
iknowmyvalue said:
My absolute favourite has to be one my mum came out with one of the first times she came to an ODE with me (it's usually my dad), she was very intrigued by the stud girth I was using (I don't tend to use one at home so she'd never seen it before), and asked me "What does that do? Is it like spanx for horses? To hold the fat in while you're galloping and jumping?" :D
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Hahahaha.....that's amazing, almost too good a fact not to be true
 
My colleague was very surprised to hear horses lived for as long as they did - as he was adamant they had a similar lifespan to that of a small house pet.

On regular occasion, my partner is often very confused by the terminology used. Breaking in a horse does sound extremely painful!

I've also been asked why my mare isn't pregnant as she shares a field with male horses - geldings, might I add.
 
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