Snobbery within the horse world

[Quadro]

: Came second in a Disco on Friday - the guy who came first had lots of fancy (pointless?!) kit on his horse took his hat off for the rosettes - where did he think he was - HOYS?!

This is common place in all line ups and is actually just manners and tradition regardless of it being HOYS or a 65cms class!!

 

[PaddyMonty]

Posh horses are always REALLY big and shiny! They are usually bright bay or chestnut and have veins that stick out. They also tend to have tan coloured bridles, usually with a mexican grakle. That's my definition

Big ? Check
Shiney? Check
Bay? Check
Veins sticking out? Work in progress

****toddles off to find a tan bridle****
Will this mean I win more (or even some) classes?

 

[NeedNewHorse]

Snobbery on the face of it is quite pointless really... As there is always someone somewhere looking down on the person who was looking down on you!

x

 

[itsme123]

I've had all sorts, usually "when are you going to buy her a proper pony?"

My reply?

"Why don't YOU try and ride it then?"


The local hunt is THE worst for snobbery. I hacked out with a friend the other week on her smart cob and the hunt grooms all said "hello! good morning!" to us as we passed the yard, yet when I'm out with daughter's ponies they blank me if I say hello, they know who I am. Presumably because I'm strolling along leading two ankle biters???

 

[PaddyMonty]

This is common place in all line ups and is actually just manners and tradition regardless of it being HOYS or a 65cms class!!

Agreed. I also always nod to the judges on entering the ring. Tradition and courtesy.

 

[FanyDuChamp]

but only if the person on the receiving end allows them to.

Spot on Juno, but when it is a middle aged woman talking to a young girl, and when said girl is blatantly proud of her new mare it is just spiteful, unnecessary and mean! Still it has made Elizabeth determined to get Fany into a dressage comp, believe it or not she is coming along beautifully!

 

[stencilface]

This is common place in all line ups and is actually just manners and tradition regardless of it being HOYS or a 65cms class!!

Ok, maybe more so for men - but I wouldn't take my hat off in a line up - hairnets are soo not attractive

NB and neither is my greasy, sweaty mop underneath it

 

[PaddyMonty]

Spot on Juno, but when it is a middle aged woman talking to a young girl, and when said girl is blatantly proud of her new mare it is just spiteful, unnecessary and mean!

True but then I would hazard a guess that the said person would be rude in all areas of life, not just horses.

 

[MontyandZoom]

Big ? Check
Shiney? Check
Bay? Check
Veins sticking out? Work in progress

****toddles off to find a tan bridle****
Will this mean I win more (or even some) classes?

No.....people will just take more pleasure in beating you on their hairy cobs

 

[PaddyMonty]

No.....people will just take more pleasure in beating you on their hairy cobs

Thats good. If my misery at losing can bring a little pleasure to others then the day will not have been wasted.

 

[VioletStripe]

Snobbery I've found is often from people who have a bit of spare money, but are very insecure about it. When I went with my friend to a very posh livery yard meet her new pony, everyone there very obviously had enormous amounts of money, but they didn't brag about it and were very friendly towards me wearing my battered johds and wellies. Yet, when I went to a more normal yard, with people who didn't have as much money they acted like they were better than me, and put their noses up at my regular yard clothes. It seems that people who actually do have the money that they put across, instead of exaggerating and inflating it massively, are a little more humble. I know that's not true in all cases, but it's what I have found!
Just edited to say; I do not mean offence to anyone, this is my experience! The people I ride with do not flash around the bit of spare cash they have, they are nice and ordinary people, and that's why I ride with them! xx

 

[stencilface]

This is common place in all line ups and is actually just manners and tradition regardless of it being HOYS or a 65cms class!!

Agreed. I also always nod to the judges on entering the ring. Tradition and courtesy.

Fair point, but the judge in question wasn't paying much attention to what was going on in the ring - ie not noticing that someone had missed the last fence entirely - and from what I know, its tradition and courtesy for judges to watch!!!

(luckily (or unluckily for her) the girl had 17 faults anyway, so wasn't in contention - but still annoying - you just wonder what else the judge missed!)

 

[PaddyMonty]

Fair point, but the judge in question wasn't paying much attention to what was going on in the ring - ie not noticing that someone had missed the last fence entirely - and from what I know, its tradition and courtesy for judges to watch!!!

OOooooh, dont get me started on what judges miss. I dont have time to type that much. Gotta go ride me posh pony.

 

[Luci07]

Well it made me think ...In one way you could call me a snob - I will look down my nose at someone at a show/hunt who really could not be bothered to turn themselves or their horse out properly. By turning out properly I mean a clean horse, rider and tack. If showjumping then plaiting isnt necessary (obviously). People normally make a real effort to turn themselves out and show their horses off and I dont care if its a TB/WB or cob or all of the above, but someone turning up looking mega scruffy because they can't be bothered to put a bit of elbow grease in gets my nose turning up everytime!

 

[Dubsie]

We heard a few derogtory comments about a pony daughter used to ride - it was a known personality - could be a bit naughty to catch and a bit bargey and impolite, and the concensus was why did she bother to ride it as it was no good - largely because being small it never had a consitent rider and lacked general schooling and manners. Anyhow, after much practise first time out the pair came first and third in the 2 classes SJ they entered, which somewhat shocked the detractors.

 

[PaddyMonty]

but someone turning up looking mega scruffy because they can't be bothered to put a bit of elbow grease in gets my nose turning up everytime!

But surely thats the grooms job? People with horses do have grooms dont they?

 

[Maesfen]

Reminds me of when friends were at a big swanky hunt ball and their table was a scratch one in that it was those that didn't have a 'gang' so individual couples. They knew most of them including the boss of a large horse abbatoir who is a great joker. One of the ladies was saying in a very upper voice, 'oh I don't hunt, I dressage, my horse is too valuable to hunt'. She turns to said meat man and asks seriously 'and what do you do with your horses, do you hunt?' 'Oh no daaarling, I do saussarge with mine' Cue friends nearly falling over with laughter but poor posh lady just didn't get it!

 

[stencilface]

It doesn't really bother me if people look a bit scruffy - I don't like it when people turn up with a lorry full of horses who all look a bit poor (as in malnourished!!) though - that makes me sad. I couldn't give two hoots if people cleaned their tack. I'm more bothered about watching what lines they take around the course than how long they spent cleaning.

I also love watching what some showjumpers so to their horses manes - some look like they've been done with shears

I do like being clean and presentable, but my horse is grey and out 24/7 so for me, turning up in time is more important than bathing him for ages (and p*ssing him off in the process)

 

[Kenzo]

But surely thats the grooms job? People with horses do have grooms dont they?

why of course darling, what would make you wonder otherwise, did they not teach you anything at PC!

Surely everyone went to PC didnt they?

 

[Kat]

Ahh snobbery if you really want to see snobbery try competing on a riding school horse!

Nevermind that Ian Stark wants to buy one of them, a couple have been to HOYS, another couple have BD points and a couple more BSJA winnings, they are scruffy rubbish ploddy riding school horses and people with "proper horses" get mighty miffed if you beat them

 

[smudge99]

I was in a tack shop the other day which had a rather nice second hand synthetic dressage saddle for sale. Rather posh lady passed me and said "you wont get far in that" rolling her eyes as she went past. My OH didn't understand so I had to explain about the synthetic snobs of the world.

Liz

 

[Biscuit]

I think the tack related snobbery is really annoying, and the worst is that the big organisations in the horse world support it. In my ideal world it should be possible to buy 1 set of clean, safe tack and 1 clean safe outfit for the rider and feel welcome in activities across the board on a local/regional level, whether it be dressage competitions, sj, showing or hunting. This would make it less daunting to start out and and less costly to get involved. For example, who cares whether your helmet is black velvet or a skull cap, as long as it meets the safety standard for helmets?

 

[Kenzo]

I was in a tack shop the other day which had a rather nice second hand synthetic dressage saddle for sale. Rather posh lady passed me and said "you wont get far in that" rolling her eyes as she went past. My OH didn't understand so I had to explain about the synthetic snobs of the world.

Liz

that's brilliant

 

[skeptik]

If you want snobbery, go to France ! The Frenchies are fine but the number of Brits who go there, buy a few hectares and establish an 'equestrian centre' and proudly boast of their experience - which is usually nothing more than having a pony on a rented field in England !
To cap it all, there are so many who have self acclaimed 'instructor', 'breeder', 'yard manager' status, it is small wonder there are any left in the United Kingdom.

 

[VioletStripe]

Ahh snobbery if you really want to see snobbery try competing on a riding school horse!

Nevermind that Ian Stark wants to buy one of them, a couple have been to HOYS, another couple have BD points and a couple more BSJA winnings, they are scruffy rubbish ploddy riding school horses and people with "proper horses" get mighty miffed if you beat them

So, so true!! xx

 

[cloudandmatrix]

pfft when i went to a show- my mare was stained- ecven though i had spent all day cleaning her!!! cant be helped sometimes- especially with a part hippo grey
snobbery really hacks me off, its not about the breeding and looks, its about the horse itself! and yes, i got the smae mark on my heinz 57 grey cob as a fellow on a £10,000 irish sport horse
funny how my extremly well bred welsh mountain pony with stunning looks and presticous bolldlines is the one no one wants to own because of his difficult temperament and glass legs!!

 

[Foxglove]

Handsome is as Handsome does!

 

[PurplePickle]

It was there 20 years ago, its there now. Im older now so I get great pleasure of looking down my nose at them with some one off comment which I can now think up after years of practice lol

 

[*hic*]

I've had it both ways. We used to turn up in Delilah d'lorry who was 30 years old and looked so terrible people would try not to park next to her. Delilah was safe and reliable but she really did look dreadful, people very much looked down on us and her. One child with no transport refused a lift because she wouldn't be seen in a grotty old vehicle like that

After my mother died I achieved a 40 year ambition and bought an Oakley, ok it's an older Oakley but it scrubs up nicely (Delilah didn't, she was painted with faded household gloss) and people now think we are dreadful snobs.

We're still the same people, the same horses still come out of it but attitudes have totally changed. It's infuriating.

 

[zefragile]

I think its funny when at shows, all the snobs on their expensive horses. Henry was a cheaop old nag, but he looks as expensive of any of them, and its always good to see the expensive ones playing up, but henry behaving. Just a shame he never wins anything!

How do you know they were expensive? and were they actually snobs?
I'm very lucky in that I've never really experienced much snobbery in the horse world- although when I was at a riding school the liveries tended to act like they were above me because I didn't have my own pony.