Snobbery within the horse world

[TGM]

I do remember a few years back at a Pony Club Rally, one mother who strutted around in her designer gear and kept bellowing things like "When we are at HOYS", "We will put him on the market after HOYS", "Will we see you at HOYS?" and every time she said the word HOYS, her volume went up several decibels just in case anyone in the surrounding vicinity hadn't already gathered they were going to HOYS!

She then looked down her nose rather scathingly at a pony who had run out at a jump and said "I do feel so sorry for those poor children whose parents don't buy them decent ponies"!

Thankfully, she is in the minority and most of the parents in our PC Branch are very different and much more down to earth.

 

[d_s]

mum used to do gymkanas...
they had an old fruit and veg lorry, with scruffy coloured ponies; and got bitched about and people looked down on them...

needless to say mum wiped the floor of them..
especially in classes where they had to untack and ride bareback; the other children had grooms and didnt know how to untack!!! again mum won, she would of joined PC and gone to prince phillip cup?? because she was good enough, but refused to join PC as it was so snobby!!

 

[LizScott]

There's lots of talk of people with "posh" horses being snobs - is it just a given that if you have a nice horse you are a snob and look down on everyone in the same competition as you and are automatically p*ssed off if someone on a less fine horse wins??

 

[charlimouse]

I had a very amusing conversation with a lady when my friend and I were out hunting a few weeks ago. This lady arrived at the meet in a brand new range rover sport. At which point she was handed her gleaming mount (which came out of a gleaming lorry). My friend and I had hacked to the meet. I was riding my TB which had cost me £100, and my friend was riding her nice, but ordinary RC horse. My friend being the nosiest person in the world immediatly went straight over to this lady (who was rather looking down her nose at us, but seeing as she didn't seem to know anyone decided speaking to us, was better than speaking to nobody). The conversation went like this:

Friend: Hi, lovely horse, I havn't seen you about, do you hunt often?
Lady: Hi, im (insert post forename and a triple barrelled surname of choice). I don't normally hunt, I event my horse.
Me: I also event, have you been to Richmond, Aske, Allerton Park etc???
Lady: I only do BE eventing, not tidily little local stuff.
Me: Oh, so which events have you been to?
Lady: This and that really, you wouldn't know about them, because they are proper events.

At this point my friend and I were a bit stunned by this lady, so made a hasty exit from her. Later in the day I happened to ride past her just after I had jumped a line of fences. My friend and I had noticed she hadn't jumped a single fence all day, not even tiny logs shetland ponies were jumping over! At this point my friend and I couldn't resist another little chat:

Friend: i'm surprised you didn't jump that last line? it rode really nicely!
Lady: The jumps are a bit rustic for my liking
Me: Oh these all ride fine, and are pretty well built. I wouldn't jump them otherwise
Lady: You wouldn't know what a well built jump was, I will only jump BE fences
Me: Well I suppose BE fences are in a different league, especially with all the new safety initiatives they have like the frangible pins.
Lady: Yes they are much better quality
Friend (asks me): Which event was it where you broke the fragible pin?

(lady begins to look a bit wary, beginning to realise I may not just do tidily little things!)

Me: At Oasby in the Open Novice. (to the lady) Have you ever been to Oasby?
Lady: No I havn't.
Me: Oh you should go it is lovely, the Novice course is really well built. They ran a 2* a couple of years ago, so they may run bigger classes again in the future for you.
Lady: Well yes, maybe if they do bigger classes I might go.
Friend: We've got to go, but if you ever need to know what any of the local BE courses are like ask Charlie (me), she knows them all pretty well, and she has ridden to FEI international level!!

At this point we ride off giggling away to ourselves, the lady looking somewhat flustered. When I got home I looked up the lady's BE record, 1 entry in a BE90, she was a Non-starter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[VioletStripe]

I had a very amusing conversation with a lady when my friend and I were out hunting a few weeks ago. This lady arrived at the meet in a brand new range rover sport. At which point she was handed her gleaming mount (which came out of a gleaming lorry). My friend and I had hacked to the meet. I was riding my TB which had cost me £100, and my friend was riding her nice, but ordinary RC horse. My friend being the nosiest person in the world immediatly went straight over to this lady (who was rather looking down her nose at us, but seeing as she didn't seem to know anyone decided speaking to us, was better than speaking to nobody). The conversation went like this:

Friend: Hi, lovely horse, I havn't seen you about, do you hunt often?
Lady: Hi, im (insert post forename and a triple barrelled surname of choice). I don't normally hunt, I event my horse.
Me: I also event, have you been to Richmond, Aske, Allerton Park etc???
Lady: I only do BE eventing, not tidily little local stuff.
Me: Oh, so which events have you been to?
Lady: This and that really, you wouldn't know about them, because they are proper events.

At this point my friend and I were a bit stunned by this lady, so made a hasty exit from her. Later in the day I happened to ride past her just after I had jumped a line of fences. My friend and I had noticed she hadn't jumped a single fence all day, not even tiny logs shetland ponies were jumping over! At this point my friend and I couldn't resist another little chat:

Friend: i'm surprised you didn't jump that last line? it rode really nicely!
Lady: The jumps are a bit rustic for my liking
Me: Oh these all ride fine, and are pretty well built. I wouldn't jump them otherwise
Lady: You wouldn't know what a well built jump was, I will only jump BE fences
Me: Well I suppose BE fences are in a different league, especially with all the new safety initiatives they have like the frangible pins.
Lady: Yes they are much better quality
Friend (asks me): Which event was it where you broke the fragible pin?

(lady begins to look a bit wary, beginning to realise I may not just do tidily little things!)

Me: At Oasby in the Open Novice. (to the lady) Have you ever been to Oasby?
Lady: No I havn't.
Me: Oh you should go it is lovely, the Novice course is really well built. They ran a 2* a couple of years ago, so they may run bigger classes again in the future for you.
Lady: Well yes, maybe if they do bigger classes I might go.
Friend: We've got to go, but if you ever need to know what any of the local BE courses are like ask Charlie (me), she knows them all pretty well, and she has ridden to FEI international level!!

At this point we ride off giggling away to ourselves, the lady looking somewhat flustered. When I got home I looked up the lady's BE record, 1 entry in a BE90, she was a Non-starter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haha, well done you!! It's people like that lady that really really get me annoyed!! xx

 

[Clannad48]

Just after we purchased my daughter's horse she was asked to make up the numbers for a PC Area competition - well I must admit she looks a bit flashy when groomed and several people who thought they knew us thought we had bought her because of her breeding ( we hadn't we just fell in love with her in the stable in the half dark). Before she had even done one round we were asked if she was for sale so felt quite pleased at the choice we had made. However.............., after demolishing every jump apart from the bogey jump which she jumped perfectly the admiring crowd melted away. We have since discovered that she doesn't like to jump anything she considers small ( she apparently thinks it is beneath her) and would rather ride through the jumps than over them.
My daughter also competed at the Chiltern and Thames dressage competition a couple of years ago on our old pony- we also arrived in a very tatty lorry and parked next to a huge thing with five ponies (and grooms) on it, all for one small child. I felt really sorry for her as her mother could be heard screaming at her after she had failed to be placed "why do you think I spent all that money - for you to make me look a fool"

 

[Toffee44]

OH yes I have a groom for my wait for it..

on full turn out cobs!!!

My groom responds to mum

 

[RSL]

Silly people, with silly money!

 

[Luci07]

I do remember a few years back at a Pony Club Rally, one mother who strutted around in her designer gear and kept bellowing things like "When we are at HOYS", "We will put him on the market after HOYS", "Will we see you at HOYS?" and every time she said the word HOYS, her volume went up several decibels just in case anyone in the surrounding vicinity hadn't already gathered they were going to HOYS!

She then looked down her nose rather scathingly at a pony who had run out at a jump and said "I do feel so sorry for those poor children whose parents don't buy them decent ponies"!

Thankfully, she is in the minority and most of the parents in our PC Branch are very different and much more down to earth.

think yourself VERY lucky - uptill very recently I worked with someone like that and she always had to discuss HER deals at the top of her voice..... yeuch!

but stand by what I said - no excuse for being scruffy and I do have a gray with a permanent leaning towards skewbald - and no groom to clean him up! and yes I do work full time!. However whether its affiliated or local show, I would say the vast majority of people do look smart. Dont agree either about needing different hats/jackets etc. If you are really starting off and going to local shows, then you do just need your hat (which you have) and yes, fork out for a jacket or just borrow one!. No need to start investing in different outfits till you are going somewhere on the affiliated trail and know its worth it!


but am loving the stories of people who try to look down their noses. You should have know the "lady" discussed earlier wasn't an eventer - they are more down to earth! And haven't you lot woken up to the fact that the horsey people who like to discuss how much better they are a: dont do it or b: are fondly recounting (fake) memories from the side of the wrong. Not actually riding and doing it!!

 

[reindeerlover]

Ha ha, loving this! I have to admit to having a couple of rather smart looking horses (although cheap or free) but even at RC level, people always seem faintly disapproving of me. I do fall off a lot in fairness but I am usually riding young/mental horses so at least I have an excuse!

The worst is when people ask me what I do (with my horses) and I tell them I play Polocrosse- they immediately just to one of 2 conclusions- I am very rich and actually play Polo or that I am indeed some kind of numpty who can't ride and likes to play rugby on horseback. One of which is fairly true.......

 

[dibbin]

There are some (not many, they're generally a great bunch of people) on our yard who seem to think that because you don't compete your horse must be useless. Dylan's pretty flashy looking when he's cleaned up, has nice paces when he chooses to use them, and can jump like a stag, but we're happy hackers and probably always will be

 

[Pedantic]

I had a crappy old box on loan for a while. It was common for people to actually point and laugh when we arrived at sponsored rides and competitions

Love the reg plate, MFD, Made For Dickheads, cool

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Try taking a coloured cob (with lots of feather) to a dressage "do" and you'll know what snobbery is all about.

 

[Shysmum]

I'm ignoring all snide glances at my webbing bridle and synthetic saddle - I don't have a stable lad to clean my tack for me (unfortunately ).

 

[FanyDuChamp]

I am looking forward to taking an Ardennes to the dressage day at our RC that should get some looks!

 

[Renvers]

Try taking a coloured cob (with lots of feather) to a dressage "do" and you'll know what snobbery is all about.

A couple of years ago I went to our local Regionals with a friend who had qualified on her well bred but cheap horse (we arrived in a G reg box and I was groom, caller, drink purchaser, paid in bacon butties etc) so not a slick outfit by any stretch.

A beautiful coloured cob with spotless white bits, flowing mane and the most lovely action was warming up and a few of us stopped and watched and oohed and aahed as it warmed up and during its test .

It looked lovely and stood out next to the Bay/Brown WB brigade. It really showed that a horse can do dressage well if it has worked in the right way with the right muscles and gained the right level of obedience.

Unfortunately it didnt meet the judges approval and my friends bay wb and some others all beat it

 

[TinselRider]

I find there can be quite a bit of snobbery TOWARDS those who own / ride WB's aswell, comments such as "oh wouldn't it be nice to be bought a posh ready made horse" and "err they only have that foreign thing because they want to look good"

What makes me laugh is when people have a snipe at Ban when we go jumping because he is seen to be too cobby to jump to a good level....needless to say he goes in and usually jumps rather well

 

[TheoryX1]

Am loving this post. As a cob owner and happy hacker, tell me all about snobbery. However, the funniest thing we had happen to us is was at a very posh dressage competition centre, not very far from Cheltenham ....... Anyway, eventer daughter and I rock up in our trusty Ifor Williams to be told to 'park with the trailers, we dont mix trailers and lorries'. It was full of dressage darlings on whopping big 'posh' warmbloods, prancing around. She mounted in the car park and we were told you couldnt walk horses on there, you could only ride in certain parts of the warm up. OK, we have a very smart skewbald wb/tb cross, but she is an eventer darling, and said daughter did turn up in an HS1 hat and a tweed jacket, which in a crowd of dark blue pikeur and pateys stood out like a sore thumb, and she had scowls and put downs, till she won her first class....... Laugh, I couldnt stop. We wont be going back there, but for sheer entertainment value it was priceless.

 

[Queenbee87]

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.

I do hope your new lorry has an amusing name too.....

 

[vam]

I find there can be quite a bit of snobbery TOWARDS those who own / ride WB's aswell, comments such as "oh wouldn't it be nice to be bought a posh ready made horse" and "err they only have that foreign thing because they want to look good"

What makes me laugh is when people have a snipe at Ban when we go jumping because he is seen to be too cobby to jump to a good level....needless to say he goes in and usually jumps rather well

Im finding this and i've only been a WB owner for a couple of weeks! The funny thing is its my friend with a cob who is taking the mick out of my dumb blood!
I've been on the other side of it as my last horse was a cob, a lightweight but still a cob. I made the effort to make her look uncob like, cliped legs all year, fully clipped in the winter and pulled mane etc. Unfortunately her butt gave her away!
I did get looked down upon when i rode her but i learnt to ignore it in the end, she always pulled out all the stops and did well. She was 14.3 so got 'that pony' quite alot
I now have the problem that my nice new flashy WB i have to 'live up' to it so to speak, its not going to go well i think!

 

[Mavis Cluttergusset]

I can't honestly say I've particularly noticed any snobbery relating to the type of horse I ride or whatever transport I arrive in! Perhaps Im just oblivious to these things, Im usually too preoccupied by what people might be thinking about my shocking riding to notice what they say about my horse (which is just as well by the sound of it, since she's a large bay WB with a reddy brown grakle bridle and sticking out veins a lot of the time!)

 

[zefragile]

This isn't really aimed at anyone in particular in this thread, but I doubt everyone on their "posh" horses are going to cry into their horses manes because a cob beat them. Snobbery goes both ways.

 

[LadyRascasse]

snobbery isn't something i understand at all!! imo i own the most stunning and brilliant horses in the world and either though i know they both have there faults i always see the postive points to. i am always pleased when i do well with my horses and equal if i do badly i have something to take away and learn from. i and always happy when people tell me they do well regardless of horse. i may own TB but i don't think that makes me better than say someone who owns a welsh cob!! its only chance that i happen to end up with 2 tb.

people need to be happy with there lot in life, if they aren't happy they only they have the power to change it. money isn't everything. aslong as you nag does what you want and is fit and healthy where is the problem????

 

[fireflymac]

Ha - snobbery! If you want to experience snobbery, try telling people you don't compete at all. You hack. Then watch them look down their noses as if you are a lower life form entirely.
Never mind that I've many, many years experience of many types of horse. Never mind that I broke my own youngster and she is coming on very nicely indeed. Never mind that I keep an elderly retiree in good nick enjoying her old age. Never mind that my other horse arrived as a narky, insecure, suspicious loner and is now a friendly, affectionate (albeit slightly quirky) useful riding horse. Don't compete? Clearly I'm rubbish!

 

[indiat]

My daughter also competed at the Chiltern and Thames dressage competition a couple of years ago on our old pony- we also arrived in a very tatty lorry and parked next to a huge thing with five ponies (and grooms) on it, all for one small child. I felt really sorry for her as her mother could be heard screaming at her after she had failed to be placed "why do you think I spent all that money - for you to make me look a fool"

That's awful! Its one thing to be a snob but to verbally abuse your child because they don't shore up your pathetic self image?! Child abuse, I'm afraid, poor little rich girl.

 

[BayJosie]

snobbery isn't something i understand at all!! imo i own the most stunning and brilliant horses in the world and either though i know they both have there faults i always see the postive points to. i am always pleased when i do well with my horses and equal if i do badly i have something to take away and learn from. i and always happy when people tell me they do well regardless of horse. i may own TB but i don't think that makes me better than say someone who owns a welsh cob!! its only chance that i happen to end up with 2 tb.

people need to be happy with there lot in life, if they aren't happy they only they have the power to change it. money isn't everything. aslong as you nag does what you want and is fit and healthy where is the problem????

my thoughts exactly.

 

[Rosehip]

The woman I work for turns her colt out in Eskadron Bell boots and Brushing boots - the ones with the fur in them at £30+ a poop - as the rubber ones arent good enough for him.... hmmmmmm

 

[Queenbee87]

The woman I work for turns her colt out in Eskadron Bell boots and Brushing boots - the ones with the fur in them at £30+ a poop - as the rubber ones arent good enough for him.... hmmmmmm

...........because colts are well known for taking care of boots they are turned out it. It was money well spent

 

[Dubsie]

That's awful! Its one thing to be a snob but to verbally abuse your child because they don't shore up your pathetic self image?! Child abuse, I'm afraid, poor little rich girl.

Happens a lot, daughter competed her loan pony in a showing class, would never do well because the pony wasn't 'pretty' enough, but she wanted to do it, and really executed herself well, pony was foot perfect. A child of sim ilar age was whinging she didn't want to do it whine whine whine and was shoved into the ring with firm orders/threats barked by parent, poor kid sobbed her eyes out flustered her way round cantered on wrong leg, pony was ill mannered in the line barging and spinning, yet she still got a 3rd (out of about 20), because pony looked pretty perfect (and I think was known to the judge from the way judge spoke to her), and was immaculately turned out in what looked like a brand new saddle and bridle...poor child was still sobbing as she rode out.

 

[cloptonpartridge]

a frend owns a a tradional cob most places she goes to people realize who it is and a poilite they know the horse is actuaaly really good but the other week she went somewere new and one of the other competators asked if they could let her know when she was leaving the warm up area as her horse had never seen anything like that before and it was freeking her horse out

Needless to say hairy cob won both classes