Pony club woes :L

Join in and ignore them :) you shouldn't feel like you can't go and do something you enjoy because of them

Some of the best ponies are cobs ! Not these stick thin animals like I currently have who can be a bit of a nutter!

I got a 13.2hh 5 year old JC pony from Ireland who had jumped the HPI's in Ireland and won 42 affiliated classes out of 47!

Took her to camp and was placed in a group of riders who were just off lead rein because I had 'only had her 3 months' whereas another girl got her stick expensive event pony on the Friday before camp (camp started Monday) off the boat from ireland and was in top group!

I was never allowed in teams
As my face didn't fit - my pony was an ID out of a cob mare, probably explains it!

She has now competed for scotland and is with paul barkers nephew now :)

Go and enjoy yourself and ignore them and you and Merl have a good time !
 
You can do one of two things - that is if you want to do anything about it - you can either report them to your DC for their bad behaviour or leave and join a friendlier club.

Bust of luck though and don't worry about those snotty nosed kids - you should just say something like "well at least I don't expect my daddy to buy me a push button pony" ;-) "its all very well when someone else has put in all the hard work and then you just come along and sit on it".
 
Where abouts in Sussex are you? Our PC is very friendly and we have all sorts of riders of all abilities riding all sorts of ponies. No one is treated any differently whether you are on a TB or a cob. We have loads going on for all abilities. PM if you would like details.:)
 
Ashleigh_ said:
I can't ever imagine being embarrassed he is a cob. Someone on here ages ago said that to ride a cob is to ride a piece of history, and it's so true. They're the ones that have pulled the ploughs and took families to church on Sundays. Knights would have thundered around the country on chunky types and took men into battle.
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that's so true!

It says more about the person being idiotic than it does your horse, who has no prejudices or judgements about anyone - I'm sure you don't want to impress or be friends with someone who thinks so poorly of horses, so go ahead and join - if you have fun, that's all that matters

and I wouldn't worry about him being fizzy either, he'll settle down and it'll probably make sure you have tons of fun :D
 
I know theres a lot of posts but felt i had to add.........

My daughters (10 & 13) are in PC and have a 13.3 chunky cob who they love dearly. They competeted at Ardingly South of England Show ground a few weeks back. He was the only cob hairly, non dainty type amongst probably 100 ponies.

It got boring watching the posh little ponies (probably schooled by adults) clearing rounds. Usher went clear and was a show man with his flowing featheres and mane. He's got some big bum/leg muscles and massives of power which makes him a joy to watch. Hell prob never win but he has a go at everything and i know would prob come highly recommended by our pc before any posh pony if we were ever to sell.

How many of those posh ponies will hack out on own, do dressage, jumping and generally let little people dress them up, stand on their backs, slide of their bums ? - to me being such an allrounder and generally a good boy means he's worth his weight in gold - prob close to half tonne!. - How many of the posh kids/ponies can say that?
 
Be careful your not usign reverse snobbery and interpreting that other people dont like your pony because you feel inadequate. It is not anyone elses fault you have a cob or that they have a 'posh' pony (why does their pony deserve to get slagged anymore than your pony?) Just go,be cheerful and have fun and I'll be tyou'll find those barriers aren't actually there..
'How many of those posh ponies will hack out on own, do dressage, jumping and generally let little people dress them up, stand on their backs, slide of their bums ? - to me being such an allrounder and generally a good boy means he's worth his weight in gold - prob close to half tonne!. - How many of the posh kids/ponies can say that? '
-most of the ones I've met at Pc..why would a posh kid/pony be any less worth than your pony/kid?
 
I'm sure you've posted a vid of you and your pony before, if it is you I thought he looked adorable. There are always one or two (usually girls) like that at stables/pony clubs. Usually the spoilt little brats, who end up having whatever they want just with dreadful personalities. There was one like that at my club, and although I am an adult and she is a teenager she could still grate on my nerves!!! She ended up leaving in the end because none of us where up to here standards so she went to a more 'upmarket' yard!!!!! If you are really miserable you should maybe visit a couple of other places and check out what they are like (if indeed any better) and then decide what you want to do. Good luck, and don't worry what others think anyway!!! You have a lovely pony!!!
 
How silly- I have a sort of similar problem at my riding school, the girls with their own ponies think they own the whole school and seem to think it's okay to practically gallop around the school and boss me around while doing it (I ride the very faithful riding school poines and have been doing so for five and a half years)
Merl sounds lovely, hope you get out and about with him a bit more. Cobs rule! :)
 
Awww hun, as hard as it is really do ignore the nasty comments.

I would also agree with either looking for another PC branch or becoming a junior RC member, the aim is of course to have fun and learn which will not happen if you feel uncomfortable and eventually avoid going altogether!
Try to keep in mind that "best" is subjective when we are talking animals,the best horse for one person will be the worst possible for the next person but all horses have their worth to someone.
Enjoy your school pony :)
 
Ashleigh_ said:
I should say first that i'm not a pony/riding club member and haven't taken Ronnie to any shows as of yet but I honestly CANNOT WAIT for local shows in the summer :D

I can't ever imagine being embarrassed he is a cob. Someone on here ages ago said that to ride a cob is to ride a piece of history, and it's so true. They're the ones that have pulled the ploughs and took families to church on Sundays. Knights would have thundered around the country on chunky types and took men into battle.

I know it all sounds a bit patriotic and fanatical but I can't help gleam with pride at my boy for exactly what he is. He tries his hardest for me, and that is all I can and will ever ask of him. If people critise Ronnie I try not to let it bother me. Go out jumping, hold your head high and be friendly and polite to people even if they are rude. It will annoy them more if you demonstrate self respect and restraint. HAVE FUN AND SMILE :D :D :D

"sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself!!!"

ps. When trying to explain to my boyfriend the qualities of cobs I resorted to likening them to rugby players. Although football players are very handsome, they are utterly pathetic when they fall over their own little toe and roll around the pitch crying. Cobs are like rugby players, handsome, but in a different way, will have their ears falling off and bleeding noses and still refuse to come off the pitch. I know which one i'd want on my side in a fight ;)
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Fantastic post!

Don't take any notice of them. The people who throw comments like that around are usually very insecure or jealous. I imagine it probably feels pretty embarassing if your parents have spent a fortune on a pony for you and you still can't win!

Pony club is fantastic. You'll have a great time, and for every snobby member you may come across I bet you will make three friends. Once you're a member and having lessons the instructors will stop any silly comments like that. At our branch the ponies that are regularly on teams and winning the trophies year after year are the normal ponies not the expensive ones.

Give it another go and hold your head high. (Next time your horse plays up and you get snide comments tell them he is shying at the bad vibes coming off them!).
 
Dont worry :D at my yard (all girls/teens) everyone knows what my horse is like (: she can kick if in a mood, has the odd buck and is a total tart, also looks like she has been dragged through a hedge backwards, but all the girls love her because she Is a
Dream for me (: and one of the girls goes to pc at the local riding school(hacking distance ) and me and a friend were invited to go watch her on our horses, so me and my mammoth and my friend and her Arab went over there and I got some horrid snotty looks! But I just replied at least my
Horse hasn't got half a clip ;) ( yes her horse broke the clippers!) xx
 
marmalade76 said:
Ditto that.
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And again!

I teach for Goodwood PC (which must be in your area) and we have all sorts of horses and have never heard ANY of that going on and in fact all the kids in my ride wanted to ride the cob when I did the pony swop at the end of camp!!!!!
 
Ignore them.My daughter goes to PonyClub on a 13hh knobberpony who is possibly Welsh x with goodness knows what.She lives out,so is unclipped,and also grey,so goes to PC looking like a grubby polar bear.On her last outing she was very naughty and tried to bite the backside of the pony in front of her,and also kept throwing her head about when she got tired of waiting for her turn and yanking the reins out of my daughter's hands.[none of which she does at home].

Her instructor came up to me afterwards and said what a good rider my daughter was,and how at home she was on knobberpony,and I was SO proud.She had only had knobberpony 4 months at the time and it was her 2nd ever rally.If she'd been riding a push button pony,the instructor's comment wouldn't have meant half as much.

I agree with the other posters,it sounds like jealousy and insecurity to me.Hold your head up high and thrash them at everything.
 
There's no reason why you can't beat them. Breeding doesn't matter IMO, especially in ponies - remember some of the best JA ponies are Welsh D's! I'd work hard on his flatwork to improve that as best as you can and if he jumps well, no reason why he cant rival them. In PC, I used to ride a highland so far from a fancy job but he would jump anything and was unbeatable in jump offs ;) I love it, even now I ride scruffy horses and love turning up at BSJA amongst the really expensive jobs who often he beats ;) Take pride in your pony!
 
:D thanks everyone! Merlin has got some nice comments recently from various pc types who say hes a lovely little hunter type with a nice pop on him and at a recent hunter trials he was a lot more behaved than some of the big uns ;)
 
I can sort of empathise with you OP. I was the first person with a coloured pony at PC (Many years ago before they were 'cool'!). I had the proverbial ripped out of me until i started wiping the floor with them SJ.

Practise, practise, practise and you will get to where you want to be. :D
 
Get out there and do it!! My friend bought a 14.2 pony who i loaned last year and then took it to pony club camp. I was nervous about taking him and about what everyone might say but everyone loved him! He had a bloody fantastic jump and just because you don't have the most expensive horse doesn't mean it isn't a good horse! As everyone else has said if you really dislike it that much change branch! Sure my branch has some snobs but there are some really really nice people too and the instructors have always been really helpful. They're there to help you so get out and enjoy it! :)
 
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