professional/famous riders

[clairefeekerry1]

just wondering really... do you think they all practice what they preech or do you think behind closed doors they are totally different with their horses? now i understand they do this for a living so need to be ultra competitve etc, but have heard a few stories of famous horse peole being totally different at home, i.e alot harder on there horses than when the cameras etc are about.

 

[Gingerwitch]

Yep ive heard a few things that would make your hair curl. My ex intermediate eventer that went through some pretty good hands - is testamant to what they do or will do. A horse cannot lie, and when you read what they are telling you - you really do sometimes feel ashamed at being in the horse world.

18 months on and he is still coming out of his shell - he still is not confident in being relaxed- although it is coming - he is finally putting on weight - he has finally stopped stressing over food - but he is still a stress monster in the school sometimes - especialy when the jumps are out. Wish they could tell us what when wrong and what scared them.

 

[CalllyH]

Do people still rap the horses legs to make them jump higher? Im geussing they still do

 

[PinkFairy]

[ QUOTE ]
Do people still rap the horses legs to make them jump higher? Im geussing they still do

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a competing novice - what does wrapping their legs do in terms of making them jump higher?

 

[CalllyH]

rapping not wrapping

When a horse goes to jump they lift the pole on purpose and hit its legs so the next time it jumps higher

 

[charlimouse]

Yes they do. I have a friend who used to work for a dealer, if a horse knocked a fence down it was rapped!!!!!!!!!!! My friend didn't work there long as the horses were sold on within a week of being there, with a large price tag attatched, and she did not agree with the methods used to make the horses saleable in this short space of time, so made a swift exit.

 

[Ladybird]

Yes they do, I know someone that does it although obv can't name unfortunately...

 

[livetoride]

This is a good question. In my experience top riders look after their horses very well and treat them almost like royalty in terms of how they vet and feed and look after them. That said, they do expect them to perform to the best of their ability and do not take any nonsense if their horses misbehave or show any laziness. We have some aspiring young event riders at our yard as well as some older pros and also show jumpers. They are all highly ambitious and driven to succeed and do the best for their horses, which can make them seem a bit strict to those of a more fluffy disposition.

I sometimes help put up the jumps for some of them during schooling sessions and I would say that they are generally much more free with the whip than they would be at a show. I quite often see refusals punished by hidings that would definitely result in a call to the stewards box at a show.

Last week I saw one young horse trying to take the p*** during a schooling session with one of the experienced event riders, but she wasn't having any of it and he ended up being disciplined with several seriously hard whacks, justifiably in my view! Anyway, it had the desired effect and he settled down and worked well afterwards. I've also seen some of the riders work their horses hard for a long time on the lunge to fitten them up for competition.

So to answer to original questions, yes I do think most top riders are rather harder on their horses when the cameras are not about, at least for the 5% of their lives spent under the saddle, but generally not excessively so. They get results, take their horses' welfare incredibly seriously and are popular with their owners. I personally think that we should be consistent in the way we discipline our horses, but riders are wary of not getting into trouble at shows with the authorities, who seem to think that the sensibilities of the "public" are of more important than the training of the horse, whereas in fact the public are mostly horsey folk who fully understand the occasional need for discipline.

Finally, I'm not sure whether this means that the riders don't "practice what they preach" - I've never heard any of them say that you should be soft on your horses and let them get away misbehaviour.

Sarah

 

[Mithras]

[ QUOTE ]
This is a good question. In my experience top riders look after their horses very well and treat them almost like royalty in terms of how they vet and feed and look after them. That said, they do expect them to perform to the best of their ability and do not take any nonsense if their horses misbehave or show any laziness. We have some aspiring young event riders at our yard as well as some older pros and also show jumpers. They are all highly ambitious and driven to succeed and do the best for their horses, which can make them seem a bit strict to those of a more fluffy disposition.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is also my experience. I showjump regularly and have quite a lot of dealings with professionals, and I've never seen anything that bad. I often heard it advocated to jump without boots and use wooden poles to sharpen up a careless horse. And they will smack a horse that is nappy or taking the **ss. Which IMHO is better than letting a horse misbehave and thinking it can get away with it.

Its more of a professional attitude - being consistent, being in charge and being certain. Its fashionable amongst some sectors to criticise professionals for being excessively hard on their horses but my experience is that they pay far more attention to detail about their horse's welfare and are just generally more clued up. And a horse would pretty soon get sour and throw in the towel if constantly subjected to ill treatment.