Photos of people standing on a horses back . What we think?

[Achinghips]

What are people hoping to achieve by these photos? Anyone think its cruel?

 

[*hic*]

Can't see why it's any more cruel than a person of the same weight sitting on the horse's back. If horse moved away from the pressure the person would be off far more easily than if they were sitting astride.

I'm just pretty much unmoved by it all but I suppose they are trying to show that the horse is bompbroof.

 

[snooples]

I actually hadnt thought of this before now but having someones weight over two small points in the horses back compared to distributed evenly as it would be with someone sitting down is going to be a lot of pressure and potentially might be quite sore on the horse. Obviously it depends on the weight of the rider and the horses strength in its back

 

[Goldenstar]

No it's not cruel.
If people like standing on their horses back get on with it I say, I did all the time when I was a kid used to canter standing round the garden on my Shetland using a head collar and two ropes fell off all the time when he stopped to eat it was fun.

 

[Achinghips]

Hmmm ... Perhaps I should clarify the reason for the question. I saw a pic of a grown man in a cowboy hat, standing not on the back but just a couple of inches below rump, behind saddle on one of our local fb pages today. I thought it looked quite wrong. Maybe it was just the hat ...... he was advertising his services in dealing with behaviour problems ....,

 

[Kokopelli]

For our adverts we stand on the horses back for about 5secs then jump off again (on the saddle I may add) we do it to show if the horses can put up with that they'll probably put up with a lot. Using a saddle the weight is no more or less distributed evenly then if you were sat on it and as I say what damage can you do in 4 seconds?

 

[Achinghips]

So kokopelli, are you saying it depends on where you stand on the back and for how long and the reasoning is that if you can stand on your horses back it has a calmer temperament?

 

[only_me]

What like this? I'm on the right

Lots of fun and we only stood up for a few seconds- horses didn't mind! It's no different weight to someone sitting on the saddle

 

[Marydoll]

I personally dont get it, how often do most people stand on their horses back ? Id venture to say not to often if ever. It wouldnt convey bombproof to me, if the horse was standing next to a busy road with someone waving a flag in front of it, that would show me bombproof.

 

[Achinghips]

No, onlyme,the pic I saw today was someone standing behind the saddle, not like that.

 

[*sprinkles*]

I don't think it's cruel, if people get fun from it then I say whatever, do it if you have to it's none of my business!

What really bugs me though is when people use pictures like that in sales ads. Being able to stand on it's back is not a priority when I'm looking for a new horse! I'd rather see good quality conformation shots that pics of someone mucking about. I understand it's to prove how bombproof the horse is but IMO it proves nothing. Show me a picture of it riding quietly past some enormous piece of farm machinery, or paying no attention to a waving flag or banner or something, then I'll now there's some real bombproofing going on.

 

[Megibo]

I think its a bit daft myself. Infact seeing adverts with the rider stood on the horse puts me off.

 

[ridefast]

It's good for my ego, and I never appreciated how relaxed and balanced I had to be to stand on my horses back. I've done it twice in all the 4 years I've had her, I don't see anything wrong with it, I don't think it proves anything either, but then why do we sit on horses backs? It's just another one of the strange things that humans do with horses

 

[Spring Feather]

I don't really think anything when I see this. It doesn't impress me nor irritate me, it doesn't really show me anything if I'm honest. Now if they were standing on their horse's back with a saw in hand chopping limbs off trees, with branches and twigs covering the horse's neck and back, like I do when cutting trails, then I'd be more interested. Not sure I can see much call for it in England but over here it's useful to have a horse who will stand perfectly still whilst you clear brush and fallen limbs.

 

[BBP]

It doesn't bother me either way. I know my current horse wouldn't let me do it, so I can tell they have a quieter temperament than him. When I rick rode, standing on them was routine, prior to moving up to walk, trot and canter, and the roman ride. This and vaulting aren't that different are they? Tricks like the stand are probably better for the horse than any tricks hanging off the side as they should keep the weight evenly balanced.

 

[Capriole]

It's not something I would do on mine, as an adult. Messed about as a kid, but that was then, no stunt riding ambitions now, lol.

If I see if in an advert I roll my eyes and move on. Not what I want to see in an ad, I want to see good conformation shots and the horse doing what it can do, ie jumping/dressage/whatever. Someone standing on it's back, no point for me. If people want to stand on their horses' backs, great, whatever they like, but I don't so it's not a selling point for me.

 

[Mince Pie]

I've stood on a horse's back plenty of times - as a kid when my RS got an ex vaulting horse and decided to teach us how to vault to make lessons more interesting....

I really don't see the issue with it, as long as you are standing in the right place what's the problem?

 

[ester]

Sort of here instead then OP?

I do think it looks a bit crass in adverts tbh, I come across the ones koko does fairly often . am obviously just an advert snob

 

[Meowy Catkin]

As I'm not likely to want a vaulting or stunt horse - it's irrelevant to me. So pretty much a waste of a photo in the ad.

 

[Kokopelli]

I personally dont get it, how often do most people stand on their horses back ? Id venture to say not to often if ever. It wouldnt convey bombproof to me, if the horse was standing next to a busy road with someone waving a flag in front of it, that would show me bombproof.

We also do this thankfully we are by a quarry so meet lots of lorries

Sort of here instead then OP?

I do think it looks a bit crass in adverts tbh, I come across the ones koko does fairly often . am obviously just an advert snob

Must admit we don't put the standing up pic on the add, they're normally included in the video of the horse as that's where we can put lots of photos and clips.

Not saying it shows our horses are bombproof it just shows that they are tolerant and not idiotic.

 

[Achinghips]

Sort of here instead then OP?

I do think it looks a bit crass in adverts tbh, I come across the ones koko does fairly often . am obviously just an advert snob

No not like that either, that's two horses with the weight spread between them and by the looks of it, that would take a bit of balance and skill, commanding many horses. I mean, exactly as i said, with one man stood on one horse, behind where the cantle would be. Is that bit more sensitive and thus harder on the horse, than one man sitting in one saddle,would you say? I can't think of a way to be clearer.

 

[Janah]

Bit pointless really to do such a thing. People seem to think shows a placid horse/pony and will put up with anything.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Well there is one thing for sure if I tried at that with my Welshie he would throw me off!!

 

[Ibblebibble]

if i saw it in an advert i would avoid that horse for the following reason, standing on the back is putting your body weight through the surface area of your feet rather than the larger surface area of your bum, that equals more pressure, if you do not know where the right place to stand is you could be doing a lot of damage, i would always err on the side of caution and if I saw an ad with someone stood on the horses back i would be inclined to think they have probably got it wrong as many times as got it right and there could be back issues.
plus if i'm totally honest I'd think it was a bit silly and wonder what other silly stunts they had tried and screwed up, it wouldn't make me think 'bombproof horse' more daft owner

 

[jodie3]

I must be an advert snob too as I hate to see it in adverts, to me it smacks of low-end dealers.

 

[Kokopelli]

I must be an advert snob too as I hate to see it in adverts, to me it smacks of low-end dealers.

Not sure if this is a dig at me?

 

[Spring Feather]

I must be an advert snob too as I hate to see it in adverts, to me it smacks of low-end dealers.

Not sure if this is a dig at me?

Are you a low end dealer? If you are then assume yes, if not then assume no. Surely?

 

[Kokopelli]

Are you a low end dealer? If you are then assume yes, if not then assume no. Surely?

Nope, we pride ourselves in offering a different service to most dealers. Not sure if she was implying if you stand on backs it makes you a low end dealer which we are not.

 

[Spring Feather]

Nope, we pride ourselves in offering a different service to most dealers. Not sure if she was implying if you stand on backs it makes you a low end dealer which we are not.

Well then don't worry about it :smile3:

 

[Capriole]

It makes me think low end dealer too, sorry. Not a dig at you at all Kokopelli as I have no knowledge at all of you or what you sell, so not aiming that at you.