Showing my age here but ...

Tarragon

Tarragon

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There is a young person who always rides past my house with one hand on the reins on a well turned out horse, and her other hand holding her phone with either her thumb furiously typing away or holding a conversation.
In one sense I admire her dexterity, I admire the saint of the horse and I am amazed she can ride without gloves as I wear gloves all year round.
On the other hand, I feel that she is missing all the things I love when I am out riding; quality time with my pony and enjoying seeing the world from horseback.
I also ride past dog walkers, head down and looking at their phone, or runners with headphones in, neither of which are seemingly aware I am close by.
It is the way of the world now, I feel, sadly.
A rather pointless post, and I do appreciate that I am doing a classic generation gap thing. I do own a smart phone and an iPad, so I am not a complete luddite, but there is a time and a place for them, and riding isn't one!
 
I'm in my thirties and often feel the same, so don't think it's just a generation thing.

People get quite cross with me when I regularly turn my phone onto emergency contacts only ... I just think, why do I need to be able to read and respond to everything immediately? Especially when trying to purposefully have quiet time at the yard with my pony. I've stopped wearing smart watches etc too - there's a lot to be said for simplicity IMHO.

Although, I must confess i do often wear headphones when doing jobs if the yard is busy to avoid yard politics - I love being blissfully unaware of the majority of it!
 
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Oh I'm with you 100% on this one @Tarragon

Everyone seems to have their head buried in their phones these days - both adults and children.

I took my youngest child to a weekly group not long back. There were around 8 other parents waiting - and every single one was glued to their phone. Me? I got out a crossword book and did that. Even a staff member commented (very tactfully) on me doing this.

Children seem more focused on their phones too, rather that watching where they are going.

I just think it is really sad how much they are missing out on. The world is such a beautiful place - all you need to do is look around you.
 
MidChristmasCrisis said:
Totally agree with the above…and pity the poor toddlers in pushchairs as they get no interaction either….
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My friend and I went to lunch with her toddler last year and a couple of ladies actually came over to say how lovely it was we talked to the child instead of being buried in our phones.

I see a dad most mornings pushing his kid (pre school but not a baby) with dog. He has headphones on. Zero.interaction.
 
I 100% agree with the 'people are too much on their screen now' idea, but i'd be a typical example of what you mention in two cases so I'm just gently pushing back on it.

To put forward the other side, I'm self-employed and work from home, I sneak out to hack the horses when I can, but I always get caught on calls or replying to messages that need a decision made urgently. when you look at a random person on their phone you don't know what someone is replying to. my dad has carers and I always need to reply to them immediately if they contact me. people have sick kids, or people in hospital so they often are compelled to look at their phones more often. I have to hack different horses as part of rehab, so a hack isn't a pleasure thing for me a lot of the time. another friend who has a ton of kids, her hack is the only time she gets to catch up with friends on calls and she loves doing both at the same time.

as regards running, headphones are amazing and I actually wouldn't run without them. in our running group everyone uses them and we all have different reasons
- I listen to music as it helps me keep my pace and motivates me
- a friend listens to audiobooks as she has a young baby and never gets time to read
- another listens to foreign audiobooks as shes studies languages and found its brilliant for unconsciously letting the language seep into her brain
- a lot have them in to avoid having to interact with the many random men who feel the need to comment or draw you into conversation.

just being devils advocate on this, I think people have different time constraints and people who are retired or have a gentler pace of life and have the luxury of taking more time. for a lot of people they have to try and fit in running/exercise when they can, and often have to multitask and it's sometimes not for the usual reasons people assume of 'oh they are just addicted to their screens'
 
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I am old and puritan about riding but my old share lived on a yard near to a polo ground and the young women grooms frequently exercised polo ponies (sometimes riding and leading another) on the tracks where I rode, on their way to a meadow where one could have a good canter, one hand on the reins and their phone in the other.
Only mitigation might be that polo ponies are ridden one handed as the player has the stick in their other hand.

catkin said:
They will, quite rightly in my opinion, only give you 100% of their attention if you reciprocate
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This is what Mark Rashid taught. But the lovely mare I ride now has her own way. She must inspect her territory and looks around to check what is happening. She loves to hack and we pay relatively little attention to each other. I dont get my phone out as I can't read it in my riding glasses.
 
And the annoying people who can take an entire shopping trolley through the checkout, phone clamped to their shoulder, pay the bill, and never once acknowledge the cashier. Not to mention the mums who give the child the phone and proudly announce that he knows how to put his favourite programme on. Grrrr.
 
catkin said:
The answer to this conundrum is to ride a native pony. They will, quite rightly in my opinion, only give you 100% of their attention if you reciprocate - if your mind wanders or is concentrated on your phone they will check out the nearest hedge for edibles. 😁
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As soon as my hand drifts even slightly towards my pocket, pony nose drifts to the verge. Like magic.

I did get caught out recently, was letting her have a fully sanctioned snack break and was checking my phone for the time, started replying to a message and suddenly we had had enough grass and it was home time. Phone falls out of my hand into the hedge, had to dismount, fish it out and get back on from a gate. She's an excellent teacher, this creature.
 
I'm going to have a rare rant.

When I was a kid, for years, almost incessantly, I longed for, dreamed of and begged to have a pony. One day, when my mum could afford it, I got one. I loved and cherished every moment I sat on him and every pony and horse I have had since. I learned from them, grew a partnership with them was/am so grateful to have them. It really saddens me today to see children and teenagers sat on their pony, glued to their phone. I honestly don't think they realise how lucky they are. You can sit on your sofa glued to your phone. Give your pony the respect it deserves.

Just to be clear, I do ride with my phone in my pocket in case of my own or family emergencies, and understand that some people need to be contactable at all times due to family or work,. I'm talking specifically those using their phone socially.
 
I’m in my 30’s but my phone only comes out when I’m riding if I’m taking pictures, which is probably at least once a ride. 😂 I wouldn’t manage to type anything with one hand without dropping my phone I don’t think. I also don’t get messages worth reading straight away anyway.

I do listen to music when running or all I’d hear is my very laboured breathing but I was surprised so many folk do when riding. I see a lot of folk walking their dogs with headphones in too and it feels a bit detached from their animals.
 
I've also been guilty of answering emails/phone calls (and a zoom meeting on one occasion!)- I try to do so off road, but unfortunately having too many time constraints does mean that sometimes you need to multitask, or the horses just wouldn't get exercised (or the other commitments would fall by the wayside, which is possibly more of an issue if they're work/organising vet/doctors appts etc).
 
I once got stuck driving behind the girl opposite who was on her phone while riding. We were on a narrow country lane and she was totally oblivious to the fact I was behind her. Luckily I wasn’t an impatient driver who probably would have tooted her in the end.
 
humblepie said:
The highway code says that you should keep both hands on the reins unless you are signalling and keep both feet in the stirrups.

I like to listen to what is around me or chat with my horse.
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Yup, I enjoy my hacking, the ever changing scenery, the rare birds, the dew drops twinkling in the sunshine, the frost on the gorse.

I treat my hacking as if I was at work - never answer my phone (which goes on vibrate when in the office) unless it repeatedly goes off (family are told to keep trying in an extreme emergency.).
On very rare occasions I might fish phone out to take a snap of something interesting or beautiful. Otherwise, it's on vibrate from the minute I go to get on, till I've untacked.
 
smolmaus said:
As soon as my hand drifts even slightly towards my pocket, pony nose drifts to the verge. Like magic.
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As soon as my hand drifts even slightly towards my pocket, pony slams on the brakes, turns his head , and stares at me expectantly. ....and then is miffed as I get out my hanky and blow my nose.
 
I find it very sad and frustrating that so many people are addicted to their phone these days.
I have been guilty of riding and using my phone at the same time (incoming calls) same when dog walking, I try to hang up fast if not an emergency. Otherwise, I do my best to be present with my horse or dogs when I'm with them. But then I'm also the same with photos. I've been lucky enough to go on several safaris in Africa and make a conscious decision to not snap away on my camera all the time. I find it strange that lots of people only experience their holiday though the lens of their camera. Again, I do take photos, I just make sure that's not the only thing I do.
My fifteen month old nephew shrieks if he wants a phone and no one will give him one and knows to hold his mum's finger to the phone to unlock it. All this despite his parents saying before he was born that they didn't want their child addicted to technology. Unfortunately, his parents are quite addicted to technology and my BIL has had to be reminded a few times that it's no phones at the table in my family.
 
Gloi said:
As soon as my hand drifts even slightly towards my pocket, pony slams on the brakes, turns his head , and stares at me expectantly. ....and then is miffed as I get out my hanky and blow my nose.
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I remember accidentally teaching Little Yellow, a riding school pony, to emergency stop when my hand went to my pocket. I had to warn everyone who rode him to not put their hand near their pocket if they were going at speed, because he would stop dead.
 
paddi22 said:
I 100% agree with the 'people are too much on their screen now' idea, but i'd be a typical example of what you mention in two cases so I'm just gently pushing back on it.

To put forward the other side, I'm self-employed and work from home, I sneak out to hack the horses when I can, but I always get caught on calls or replying to messages that need a decision made urgently. when you look at a random person on their phone you don't know what someone is replying to. my dad has carers and I always need to reply to them immediately if they contact me. people have sick kids, or people in hospital so they often are compelled to look at their phones more often. I have to hack different horses as part of rehab, so a hack isn't a pleasure thing for me a lot of the time. another friend who has a ton of kids, her hack is the only time she gets to catch up with friends on calls and she loves doing both at the same time.

as regards running, headphones are amazing and I actually wouldn't run without them. in our running group everyone uses them and we all have different reasons
- I listen to music as it helps me keep my pace and motivates me
- a friend listens to audiobooks as she has a young baby and never gets time to read
- another listens to foreign audiobooks as shes studies languages and found its brilliant for unconsciously letting the language seep into her brain
- a lot have them in to avoid having to interact with the many random men who feel the need to comment or draw you into conversation.

just being devils advocate on this, I think people have different time constraints and people who are retired or have a gentler pace of life and have the luxury of taking more time. for a lot of people they have to try and fit in running/exercise when they can, and often have to multitask and it's sometimes not for the usual reasons people assume of 'oh they are just addicted to their screens'
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Absolutely with you here, Paddi22. All valid reasons.
I did have a friend who had a nifty device where she could answer her phone verbally without touching her phone, so the phone remained in her pocket and she must have had an ear plug and a microphone somewhere on her for that to work. She ran three holiday cottages and had to be available to guests. I think motorbike users must have something similar?
 
catkin said:
The answer to this conundrum is to ride a native pony. They will, quite rightly in my opinion, only give you 100% of their attention if you reciprocate - if your mind wanders or is concentrated on your phone they will check out the nearest hedge for edibles. 😁
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Or decide to drop their shoulder and bog off up the bridleway home! That'll teach me to take a work call on the "bombproof" native 😂
 
Tarragon said:
There is a young person who always rides past my house with one hand on the reins on a well turned out horse, and her other hand holding her phone with either her thumb furiously typing away or holding a conversation.
In one sense I admire her dexterity, I admire the saint of the horse and I am amazed she can ride without gloves as I wear gloves all year round.
On the other hand, I feel that she is missing all the things I love when I am out riding; quality time with my pony and enjoying seeing the world from horseback.
I also ride past dog walkers, head down and looking at their phone, or runners with headphones in, neither of which are seemingly aware I am close by.
It is the way of the world now, I feel, sadly.
A rather pointless post, and I do appreciate that I am doing a classic generation gap thing. I do own a smart phone and an iPad, so I am not a complete luddite, but there is a time and a place for them, and riding isn't one!
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The last few years when my 3 old bitches still lived, they were happy doing their dog stuff out on walks, walking nicely on their leads without needing much input from me most of the time, so it happened that I took up my phone on some walks, and did some stuff on it, and it almost never failed, when I did do something on the phone for e.g. maybe 10-20 minutes out of an 1 hour walk, guess during which minutes I didn't meet/walked by anyone, and during which minutes I was most likely to walk past/meet tons of people...
 
Gloi said:
As soon as my hand drifts even slightly towards my pocket, pony slams on the brakes, turns his head , and stares at me expectantly. ....and then is miffed as I get out my hanky and blow my nose.
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There is a definite upside to this though. If I put my hand in my pocket absolutely anything can be happening around him and he takes no notice, only cares what may be in the pocket.
 
I've got ADHD, without my phone I struggle. I tend to have an audiobook playing almost all the time, but sometimes that on its own isn't enough to keep the gremlins in my head satisfied, so I will doom scroll or message people or play a game. I think its hard for neurotypicals to understand that I can do both of those things yet be aware of every single thing around me. Ironically with no phone to distract me, I zone out into my own little world and have no idea whats going on.
 
catkin said:
The answer to this conundrum is to ride a native pony. They will, quite rightly in my opinion, only give you 100% of their attention if you reciprocate - if your mind wanders or is concentrated on your phone they will check out the nearest hedge for edibles. 😁
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My cob is like this 😊 learnt some cheeky habbits from previous owner/trekking centre so she requires my full attention. I'm 19 and grew up without phones, can quite happily ignore it for several days and only take it hacking incase of an emergency. Its really frustrating when I go riding out with friends, theyd rather be on call with their bf or messaging than chatting to me
 
Highmileagecob said:
And the annoying people who can take an entire shopping trolley through the checkout, phone clamped to their shoulder, pay the bill, and never once acknowledge the cashier. Not to mention the mums who give the child the phone and proudly announce that he knows how to put his favourite programme on. Grrrr.
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That behavior in the Supermarket is disgraceful bad manners, absolutely awful show of disrespect to the cashier. I despair. How did people cope before we had phones.
 
I'm Dun said:
I've got ADHD, without my phone I struggle. I tend to have an audiobook playing almost all the time, but sometimes that on its own isn't enough to keep the gremlins in my head satisfied, so I will doom scroll or message people or play a game. I think its hard for neurotypicals to understand that I can do both of those things yet be aware of every single thing around me. Ironically with no phone to distract me, I zone out into my own little world and have no idea whats going on.
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I am the same, I like my brain to switch off when I am riding so I can just enjoy being with my horse - and to do that I need background noise, which sounds incredibly counterintuitive I realise, so I often have music or a podcast on. I also have to put a podcast on to be able to read my book which blows anyones mind who sees me doing it, ditto to sleep. I will also put headphones in with very loud DnB music on if I need to focus on something at work
 
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