Rude comments about your horse

[Lolo]

It doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks of our horses, because for us they fulfil the purpose they need to as well as being lovely 'people'. I think though the bitchiest thing ever said was regarding Reg when we'd just started to loan him out, said by a PC mummy from the same village who was also looking for a horse for her daughter. "I do wish we could afford a ready made schoolmaster like the Grahams have"...

The lady she said it to nearly fell over laughing, and it rapidly became our go-to giggle as at the time he had just been brought back into work having been a racehorse until he was 8, and had absolutely no re-schooling at all beyond what Al had started with him.

 

[Mongoose11]

A 'show jumper' at a yard I was at offered to jump my mare one day. He popped a pole and said it was like jumping an elephant and that he didn't think she would be capable of much more. Fast forward a year and my mare, who is a very, very unlikely jumper, is jumping 1.05 beautifully and loves it!

Meanwhile the show jumper is still trying to persevere on the local circuit with his two lame and unhappy show jumpers

People often tell me that she is very fat, despite being able to feel a rib quickly (you can't see any but I honestly think she would have to be in poor condition for them to show on her). I'd put her at 3.5 on the condition score and yet this is still 'very fat'. Vet is very happy with her weight funnily enough, she is ridden five times a week minimum, muzzled and on soaked hay when brought in. Their justification for her being very fat is her apple bum...yeh...has nothing to do with her breed at all!

 

[SHCC]

I've had to develop a thick skin when out with my horse. We do wagon rides together - she loves it, unlimited fuss and attention.
Unfortunately we seem to be a magnet for every know-it-all out there.

Your horse looks thin - mare at this point was somewhat cuddly due to spring grass.
Your horse looks hungry - errrrr???
You horse hates you - WFT??
She's a little on the large side for a Section D - she's a Comtois!
She's very pretty but what can she actually do? - Everything, ride, drive, plough, timber work.

Best comment ever - Not bad for a meat horse.

 

[MrsH1970]

Don't think I've met anyone brave enough to be rude about my horse.

Good job, I can deal with people being rude about many things, but a whole new level of crazy would occur if they insult my horse

 

[Red-1]

When I bought my horse he was considered very naughty, and I (for some unknown reason) had no hesitation in buying him. When I registered him BE I found that someone else had once registered his name, a professional.

I googled them, found the web site (very posh), and looked at the "contact us" page. I did contact them, was very polite, said I was very happy with my horse that once belonged to them, but was aware that he had been problematic. I merely asked for any information that could help me to progress.

I was told in no uncertain terms that he was too sharp to ever event, and that they had never even got him off the yard. The previous owner even laughed at me for buying him. They also laughed at the idea that I could ever event him.

Last laugh on them, shortly after buying him I injured my back (not connected to Jay), and he has since looked after me and been my personal nanny. He has done some light eventing (90 and 100) when my back permits, and has never let me down.

Today I let him down, Jay thinks he did a good dressage and a double clear, sadly I was aching when walking the course and did not walk it properly, missed walking one fence and so earned him an "E".

Jay is at home, eating, happy and content. Such a genuine and generous horse. God only knows what went wrong, but I think they got him wrong.

 

[Houndman]

There are a lot of horsey folk who think they know a lot and see it as a challenge to be ablt to find faults with horses. It's the same with hounds too. Just ignore them.

 

[showpony]

The worst comment I've ever had was someone asking if I had bought my mare from the gypsy's as she is coloured! ! HAve to admit I flipped .. She isn't a hairy cob no offence to hairy cobs but she is an ISH

 

[Fides]

The worst comment I've ever had was someone asking if I had bought my mare from the gypsy's as she is coloured! ! HAve to admit I flipped .. She isn't a hairy cob no offence to hairy cobs but she is an ISH

I've got an ISH too - she's just a mongrel. The title just means 'indeterminate breed from Ireland that may be able to jump...'

 

[Pigeon]

Borrowed a friend's cob to do PC on, and one of the mums said 'what is THAT?' extremely loudly...

What's the matter with people!!

 

[Pigeon]

lol The non-horsey people comments are the funniest, you can't get offended by them though because they're so random!!

One of my sister's friends told me my old boy 'looked diseased'.... He was an appaloosa!

 

[OwnedbyJoe]

I like the backhanded compliments that are actually quite rude:
"Oh, he's quite quiet for an Arab isn't he"
"He looks very well for an endurance horse"
I have also been on the receiving end of the comment, after the person in question watched my 2 daughters show jumping at Pony Club:
"You've been very lucky with your daughters' ponies haven't you"
Err no, we've been very busy, worked very hard, spent a LOT of hours doing the basics, and held the childrens' hands on many many occasions as said "perfect" ponies gave them a hard time! My DH dragged me away before I said something very rude...

 

[EstherYoung]

The worst comment I've ever had was someone asking if I had bought my mare from the gypsy's as she is coloured! ! HAve to admit I flipped .. She isn't a hairy cob no offence to hairy cobs but she is an ISH

I've had the same. I love splodgey cobs, but Wolf isn't one. His coloured bits are Saddlebred. Although I can see how people get confused.....Wolf is doing his best job at waistline expanding at the moment and could quite easily be mistaken for a heifer

I like the backhanded compliments that are actually quite rude:
"Oh, he's quite quiet for an Arab isn't he"
"He looks very well for an endurance horse"

Yers, have had these too.

 

[Gloi]

A random woman stopped me the other day and said she saw me all over the place on my pony and that I ride it too much.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

If I listened to the comments I've heard (directly to my face so goodness knows what they say behind my back), my mare is ugly, has a big head, is lazy and slow and would be better off going for meat.

My gelding is unsound and will never come right (apparently this was the reason he was sold, which is strange because I had a lengthy discussion before and after the sale with the seller who has remained in touch with advice on how to train him), throws his races, is a dog and has no heart. He was also allegedly a charity case when I bought him.

The joys of racing! Stuff them, I know my horses better than anyone and all of the above is codswallop!

 

[Carlosmum]

Horse back lady first assumed she was working on a mare then accused my gelding of being gay!
He probably is but I thought it wasn't the best way to get herself a return invitation to to his back again!

 

[niagaraduval]

I haven't had anyone make comments as such (except really jealous girl) but I have had someone turn their nose up at me whilst looking for a livery yard when they asked the breed of my horse (French Trotter).

 

[LittleMonster]

I part/half loaned a coloured cob,
He did have a big head but that's something me and the owners used to say NOT other people lol!

I used to go up after school in the winter and jump on in my uniform (hi-viz ect too) and ride out a few people gave me dirty looks and called us ******, others would just have horrible jibes! but truth was i was trying to ride before it got dark! The worst was someone speeding past us and then when he started to get annoyed as horse jumped into his path (we were on a private lane!) he said that because he is a trotter so why is he scared of traffic?? Errmmm ok??

Had a few comments about him as he threw me off a few times (bad back but we didn't know at the time) and people would say ''oh that hairy thing! he couldn't lift his foot 2 inches off the floor'' haha! ok you get on him i assure you he can fly!

But again we loved him and that's all that mattered!

 

[LittleRooketRider]

Well when I was a little girl (always very small for my age and absolutely tiny) myself and the old girl were called 'The Little Girl on the Mad Pony'. for starters Lulu was just very fast and like to give the jumps a lot of clearance, both of which i loved and second of which she always took care of me. At the time I took it as a compliment....

Now I ride her daughter...Lulu is by Catherston Nightsafe and we put her to Bernwode Brokat. Last year at a PC rally for 'team selection' we completed a footperfect round over a testing course. The instructor's comments...

"yes that was fine. shes a bit like one of my youngsters except I don't think she moves anything like as well, probably because she isn't that well bred"

Kits is complimented everywhere for a beautiful movement. now i never suffer fools gladly and usually i can hold my tongue..but on this occasion i had had enough (not an instructor i would go to by choice but 'PC politics' dictate) plus it was shortly after the events with Peggy so I was feeling a bit raw and whipped staright back

"actually she is by Bernowde Brokat out of a mare by Catherston Nightsafe. Bernwode Brokat is a regular member of the Great British Pony Dressage team and in the top 20 list of elite stallions (etc etc.)

safe to say she had nothing o say in response

 

[windand rain]

One insult too many was when the dentist condition scored my very wide but slim Highland (Feel her ribs) higher than a grossly obese pony with pads of fat hanging off it and a gutter three inches deep along its back

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

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!

I had one farrier said "oh that is the horse that is bad to shoe" grr she had never been bad to shoe, had a few other sarky comments specially when my mare was ill i justr let it wash over me but will stick up for them if a un called for comment is said

 

[moana]

I have had horrible things said to me about horses I have owned in the past. I may smart inside but I do not respond and let it go, they are the ones missing out on my beauties.

 

[DragonSlayer]

I've just recalled something from the far distant past!

My first pony was bought when I was 20. A stocky 13.2 pony whom I adored, she was called Poppy.

I went to the riding club camp and the head instructor walked past and said 'You're not riding that are you? You'll break it's back poor thing!'.....

This was back in the days when I was skinny and weighed not much, and before I found my voice to retaliate to such comments!

I cried in her stable and was about to call the current OH to come and pick her up.

However, we stayed and at the end of the weekend we won the best pair, as my amazing pony did everything that was asked of her and put all the 'posh' horses to shame!

The instructor publicly apologised though and said he would never prejudge anyone like that again!

 

[fattylumpkin]

I remember a few from when I was a kid! Just days before we were due to jump at a local show my pony's saddle broke so I had to resort to a leather shetland pad. When it was our turn to jump we bounced in and went clear, but on the way around I kept catching bits of a very loud conversation between two women who thought it was disgusting the way some people turn out for a show and how my pony looked like frankenstein's monster! I got so upset after we finished jumping I stormed out of the ring in tears and rode home instead of waiting for everyone else at the lorry. So at the yard I got told off too for worrying everyone sick when they couldn't find us.

 

[paisley]

Being rude about other peoples horses is just the curse of some people- the misguided idea that they know what they're talking about, and that you need to be told it. Still, try owning a whippet, and walking it in public. I'm might just get " ooh, isn't it skinny" put on a t-shirt!