"Riding is not a sport"

rkjohnson

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It always infuriates me when people say riding isn't a sport but today I was definitely more than angry. Today I had a conversation with a few people (both of which were teen boys) where they basically continued to tell me how riding was easy and how horses served no purpose and are useless. I continued telling them how you don't just sit there and they should jump on a crazy warm blood and try to jump a 1.10 course! However, they continued with their arrogance and rudeness and then went on to my instagram and began playing a video of me jumping my pony in the newcomers (100cm) at POYS saying how they could do it and it was easy! I was so angry but I just gave up trying to explain it to them in the end! Anyone know how to react in these situations or what to say :mad:
 

wkiwi

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It's not a sport.

It's half art form half strategy!

Too right!
Don't let them wind you up. Just give a superior smile and then say (or type) "well, I really look forward to watching you at Badminton then, as you think its so easy" and ask them for THEIR latest jumping video.
 

Schollym

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It always infuriates me when people say riding isn't a sport but today I was definitely more than angry. Today I had a conversation with a few people (both of which were teen boys) where they basically continued to tell me how riding was easy and how horses served no purpose and are useless. I continued telling them how you don't just sit there and they should jump on a crazy warm blood and try to jump a 1.10 course! However, they continued with their arrogance and rudeness and then went on to my instagram and began playing a video of me jumping my pony in the newcomers (100cm) at POYS saying how they could do it and it was easy! I was so angry but I just gave up trying to explain it to them in the end! Anyone know how to react in these situations or what to say :mad:
Teenage boys will find anything to cause a reaction, horse riders have been nominated and won bbc sports personality of the year. Jumping over a metre is impressive in most other people’s books.Ask dressage riders. Smile sweetly and suggest the name of a local riding school if they want to try it.
 

Hack4fun

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I agree with all the previous comments, but personallydont care whether it is seen as a sport or not.

Such a pity it is not safe to put them on a forward going horse in an arena and invite them to just trot or canter around. However, it is probably not worth one's breath worrying about it.
 

Ambers Echo

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My non horsey son says that to my horse mad daughters all the time. He's just trying to wind them up. I happen to know he is secretly terrified of horses!
 

case895

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Arguing with an idiot is like playing chess with a pigeon. It'll just knock over all the pieces, **** on the board, and strut about like it's won anyway.
 

cobsarefab

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When people at school do this to wind me up I usually invite them to have a go riding cobbus bareback over a course of jumps. They usually back down about then.
 

OrangeAndLemon

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Big orange horse decided the hosepipe was out to kill him at the weekend so I spent about an hour doing advanced aerobics; with your left arm, bend down to the bucket on your right, fill sponge with water then up from the knees and stretch your arm high to the left and squeeze the sponge, keeping those tummy muscles tight, repeat for 20 mins then apply shampoo and massage. Switch sides and do the other side of the horse. I used the hosepipe to rinse, much to his disgust.

So sore today.
 
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mytwofriends

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Ignore them. Lots of sports aren’t perceived as being sports in the eyes of those people who don’t understand/follow them. Not sure it’s worth getting angry about.
 

Maesto's Girl

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I think it's just a lack of understanding....
I do dressage and the aim of the game is to look as though you are doing as little as possible. To the untrained eye, it probably does look like I am 'just sitting there'...however there's legs, hands, signals, bodyweight shifts, changing of balance, pre planning...and thats all just to change the rein! Sometimes I am as shattered after an hour lesson as I am after running - so yes, it is definitely a sport!
 

madlady

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Just ignore them - easier said than done I know, but if they know they are getting a rise out of you they will carry on.

We know how difficult it is but if we are making it look easy to bystanders then we are doing it right ;)
 
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