Rude comments about your horse

[Dumbo]

If or when anyone has said something rude about your horse, how do you react?

Thinking back, I've let quite a few nasty comments about my boy slip. He's an older tb, bad conformation, poorly educated and can be stubborn so that's the basis for this rudeness.
Today the farrier was digging out an abscess in his off hind, I can't remember the conversation exactly but YO said his legs were '****ed anyway.'
I said nothing but now feel quite offended and wish I'd asked what she meant. His legs are fine!

 

[alainax]

Had a farrier tell me to send my old couple for meat after I had retired them. Said it was daft to keep two horses as pets. He was ofc ignored

 

[Miller1979]

Oh I think I'd be overly offended in the same way I would be about my children! Think angry lioness!

 

[RunToEarth]

I recognise my horses' flaws and defects and if they aren't something I can change I'm not bothered about other people passing comment, provided it's accurate. I wouldn't be too impressed with comments on their personality and manners as they are all very nice "people" and well behaved. To be fair no one has ever been rude about them.

 

[BSL]

I own a purebred arab, so I'm used to comments of "they're all mad", " scatty", "ugly things" and all the other cliched comments, yawn, yawn I've listened to rude comments from supposedly knowledgeable people. I just smile and think "Idiot" In the end I don't care, I love all my animals, faults and all, and if someone is rude enough to say something derogatory then that's their problem not mine.

 

[Minstrel_Ted]

I have been offended about mine a few times. Mostly about Ted and him being a big stupid horse etc Which he isn't he is a surprisingly clever horse!!!! So much so we have to choose lessons carefully as he can easily work out the same exercise ie if I got down the 3/4 line he thinks leg yield to wall as this was an exercise we did a lot.

Like Miller1979 I am angry lioness, they are my babies.

 

[slumdog]

Mines 20 and still jumping BS to 110-115 so I generally get comments like "oh bless him, mine retired at 17, he just potters up the lane now" or "make sure you don't jump an old horse like that on bad ground" (I wouldn't jump a young horse on bad ground either lol) or just "oh" when I tell them his age like I force him to jump lol.

I've also been told that 14 is old for a horse and they don't live much past 20 (?!) and not to bother replacing his passport at his age because it's not worth it (basically meaning because he'll die soon anyway lol)

He's fine btw and just passed a flexion and lameness test, although it does make me feel bad sometimes.

 

[pip6]

I had rude comments in collecting ring for a hunter trials as I had dared enter my pure bred arab. Things like 'don't you know its a jumping class'. Oh yes, & I'd really brought the tone down by her wearing her synthetic bridle (white on a white grey so hardly gawdy). Then she went clear first time out................

 

[WandaMare]

It depends who says it..if its a friend or my farrier having a tease then I don't mind. If its someone pretending its just a tease but really they are being bitchy then I don't like it. My mare has a slightly dipped back and at one stage it seemed to be the main talking point in our little horse community. I didn't mind at first then I started to get a bit peeved about it...her back has never affected her work, so I got fed up when they kept going on about it. I wouldn't dream of saying something derogatory about someone's horse unless they asked my opinion on a specific issue.

I wouldn't be too pleased with the comment your YO made. I probably wouldn't say anything but I would mark her card, no more favours for her!

 

[Captain Bridget]

The father of the girl who owns my horse makes some comments about him sometimes, usually along the lines of him being stupid. One day he'll be jumping everything in the school, next day he'll stop at the first for no reason like he's forgotten what to do. We've now found out he has arthritis in his hocks which might have something to do with it. But actually I think he's annoyingly clever because he will find every possible way to get out of working properly!

 

[tiga71]

I don't care. I think my boy is lovely. He is never going to be the boldest cross country, we won't ever jump more than a round of 90 cm and we are never going to out gallop an ex-racer, but I don't care. I think he is fabulous, he is my horse of a lifetime and if other people want to make rude comments then I just ignore it. Nothing anyone could say will make me think any less of my boy.

 

[chestnut cob]

I don't really care what people say about my horse - like RTE, I know what my horse's faults are. I also know what his strengths are and that he's a lovely little horse who loves his job so people can say what they like. Thankfully I'm on a great little yard where everyone is really supportive so no one makes nasty comments, but when I took him for a XC lesson earlier in the year with a pro (international eventer), he was quite disparaging of the horse initially. Shouldn't judge a book by its cover... he might look like a rather plain native-y cobby thing with a big body and little legs, but he'd jump the moon as said trainer soon found out and changed his opinion! So I don't let other people's opinions get to me.

 

[Cowpony]

Depends what the comment is. If it's something factual then I don't mind. She's overweight at the moment because she is recovering from an injury and is on box rest, we've done all we can to reduce her food intake whilst keeping her healthy, so if somebody says she's a bit fat - yeah, she is. But I do object to people just making assumptions about her because of her looks. Had a couple of people laughing at her before a dressage test because she's coloured. We beat them, which basically said all that needed to be said. She looks out of place in WH classes but we do that for fun and ignore any comments.

 

[thewonderhorse]

Oh yes. My boy, who Is a Section D and 14.2hh. A new livery said oh he's not really a D is he, he's very small.

Poor lad had small man syndrome for at least five minutes!

 

[jinglejoys]

Heck I've got a mule...who cares LoL

 

[RunToEarth]

Actually, there is one comment which really grates on me - "you're so lucky to have horses like that". Oh yes, the luck of having to part with money, time, self preservation and plough in blood sweat and tears associated with teething problems, falls, trips, scrapes and other misdemeanours encountered to get well rounded horses - what luck I must have..!

 

[Spot On]

My horse is an appy 17hh cob. We get underestimated and the odd rude comment the meanest being in an eventing clinic from an international eventer. But then he starts jumping and shuts everyone up even got an offer to buy him off said international jumper after 3 day clinic.

 

[slumdog]

Actually, there is one comment which really grates on me - "you're so lucky to have horses like that". Oh yes, the luck of having to part with money, time, self preservation and plough in blood sweat and tears associated with teething problems, falls, trips, scrapes and other misdemeanours encountered to get well rounded horses - what luck I must have..!

That's the other comment I get! If I'm not being told he's ancient, I'm being told how easy he is and how he does it for me! Grade A does not mean schoolmaster!

 

[tiga71]

Actually, there is one comment which really grates on me - "you're so lucky to have horses like that". Oh yes, the luck of having to part with money, time, self preservation and plough in blood sweat and tears associated with teething problems, falls, trips, scrapes and other misdemeanours encountered to get well rounded horses - what luck I must have..!

That's very true. My trainer gets more cross than me when people say this about my horse. She says 'the only reason he is so good is because you put a lot of hard work in and plenty of hours. It has nothing to do with luck.'

 

[MotherOfChickens]

See, I could say a horse's legs were ****** and not mean it as an insult to the horse-its not the horse's fault after all! And I've worked on a few horses I have thought that about but not attributed it to horse or owner. Saying it's legs are ****** anyway I can understand as being insensitive.

I keep Exmoors, I've had plenty of people tell me they're fit for nothing, those people are wrong

 

[lottiepony]

Just before I moved my pony and horse to new field the next door neighbors asked when I would be moving my pony and donkey! made me chuckle as she is a bit stubborn lol

 

[dogatemysalad]

Having recently acquired a farrier phobic horse, I spend the next shoeing interval working with her to overcome her fear. When my farrier came for her second shoeing, I asked him just to give her a moment to be reassured. He replied, 'I ain't doing nothing for that bitch', yanked her lead rope and pushed her over to stand square.

It was the last time he ever came near any horse of mine. With a more sympathetic farrier, she overcame her extreme fear and is so good, she'll stand untied and offers each foot to be done.

You can't expect a horse to be polite if it is treated with rudeness. Idiot man.

 

[Shantara]

I had so many rude comments about Ned when I first met him. He was skinny, dull and a bit ugly! Though it really upset me when people laughed at him and made hurtful comments about him, he had been through more than any of them, so it was understandable that he wasn't going to be the most attractive beasty.


However, now look at him!!! I only get comments about how beautiful he is!
With a 1st rosette

 

[Pinkvboots]

I own a purebred arab, so I'm used to comments of "they're all mad", " scatty", "ugly things" and all the other cliched comments, yawn, yawn I've listened to rude comments from supposedly knowledgeable people. I just smile and think "Idiot" In the end I don't care, I love all my animals, faults and all, and if someone is rude enough to say something derogatory then that's their problem not mine.

I have purebred too and also get the normal stupid things people say about Arabs, but I love my Arab and really couldnt care what anyone thought.

 

[STRIKER]

My reply is usually down the lines of, He wasnt born with knackered legs thats from hard work, you on the other hand are ugly and will remain ugly. Yes i know he is fat but can go on diet, you on the other hand are ugly which wont change without surgery. No wonder there is so much upset in this world when people cant think first before opening their mouths

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

My usual retort (if its to do with looks etc) is 'just as well he/she cant speak back eh? '

Most of the time I shrug things off, occasionally I do bite tho

 

[mirage]

I've had plenty of negative comments about knobberpony.To be fair,she is grumpy,opinionated and can't be stabled and has a dirty stop in her,but other than that,she is a dream,will do anything you ask her too.My eldest taught her barrel racing this week which she loved.The YO where we used to keep her used to tell me that she wasn't any good and to get rid of her,however since then,my eldest won 1st ridden at a big show with her,she won loads of games at every gymkhana we have been too,took both girls hunting out all day with no lead rein when they were only 8 and has never,ever let us down.We have a queue of people wanting her on loan when my youngest outgrows her,so I just smile sweetly and point these things out to her detractors.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

Actually, there is one comment which really grates on me - "you're so lucky to have horses like that". Oh yes, the luck of having to part with money, time, self preservation and plough in blood sweat and tears associated with teething problems, falls, trips, scrapes and other misdemeanours encountered to get well rounded horses - what luck I must have..!

yes! or how lucky we are to have clean tidy horses(er all the hours that go in to clipping, trimming,bathing, cleaning tack etc) or how lucky we are to have nice things(all the hard work and 2 jobs that go in to making the money)........people dont half talk tripe sometimes!

 

[Ibblebibble]

there is nobody ruder about my horses than me so it would take some doing for someone to insult them enough to upset me lol. seems to work well as i insult them and everyone else defends them and tells me how lovely they are ( i always whisper to the horse that i love her really when no ones looking )

 

[LadyGascoyne]

My worst is "couldn't you afford a warmblood?"

I like my psychotic, midget Thoroughbred, thank you very much. I have had quite a few warmbloods and frankly, small and sharp suits me far better!

My grey Arab gets "You're lucky he's such a clean horse." We wash him. Regularly. It takes hours!