Snobbery within the horse world

[Snickers]

Have had the usual 'What is THAT?' at pony club... I will admit I like smart horses... I wanted a bay tb type, quite how I ended up with a huge, hairy, spotty thing I will never know!

 

[polopony]

fabulous post darrrlinng!
I really wish I understood snobbery, but then again myself and my cousin would have a very boring life without them.. they cause lots of laughter, (especially at the colonel! ) as we let it go over our heads.
i think I went up in their expectations when loan pony; a beautiful chestnut skewbald, cob type went back to her owners and grandad bought me a bay NZ TB, ex-polo. Can't wait to go hunting x

 

[Doncella]

took his hat off for the rosettes - where did he think he was - HOYS?! [/QUOTE]

Actually, I think he was being polite and we could do with a lot more politeness in this world.

 

[RuthnMeg]

Arriving at a hunt meet;
Its not what 'they' say, it the look of utter 'You're riding a PONY'?
And the amazed look of 'I can't believe SHE jumped that', when they are clearly struggling to follow suit.

 

[MissMistletoe]

I remember being a keen young teenager, ponyless but 'scrounging rides in return for stable duties' type of kid and being friends with a girl in the year below me at school. She had a pony brought for her who was a chunky, hairy native with all the feathers and fluff,but soon became keen to join the local PC. However, apparently this particular PC favoured TB type ponies and the fluffy pony was soon replaced with a TB type pony just so that my friend could join that PC!!.

The richest horsey folk that i have come across have been the nicest. They tend to wear old clothes and drive battered old estate cars and the horses are kept beautifully, albeit in older tack, but superbly polished with spit and elbow grease!.

I once met a lady who answered an advert id put up in a shop offering help with horses. She spoke in a very jolly but posh manner and was keen to throw me on board her 3 year olds and let me muck out and help at hunts. I cycled to her farm on my shoddy old push bike, unknowing of the area that she lived and she come bustling out of her farmhouse full of enthusiasm and thrust a mug of bovril in my hand and invited me into her house and introduced me to her horses one by one and told me of their likes and dislikes. I was just a common kid and she was obviously very wealthy indeed, but her money was held up in the property she owned as she was always hunting for bargains and was very much into the 'repair rather than replace minset!'.

She would happlily let me mingle with her posh hunt friends, even though i probably came out with stupid things sometimes, she would just laugh out loud!. She was amazing, I will never forget the time she scraped me off the floor when i fell off my push bike and patched me up with vetrap and animalintex in her kitchen! and then powerhosed the cow poo off my bike the following day!. The way that she dragged me into the back of her landy and wrapped me up in a witney blanket to 'cool down' after having one too many ciders at the local point to point!. I would spend hours sat on the bonnet of her landy on a cold winter morning waiting for her and her horse to return from the hunt, ready with the bucket and sponge to wash them down!.

Those were the days and she was a very posh rich lady indeed, and I was just a common kid, but never did I hear a word of snobbery escape from her mouth. It's a shame i have lost contact with her.

My mother used to clean the house of a local posh hunting family. They treated her like gold and brought her many gifts and treated us like part of the family. They wore old tatty clothes and loved a bargain too! You would never have known that they had money as they never showed it off.

 

[santander]

I remember being a keen young teenager, ponyless but 'scrounging rides in return for stable duties' type of kid and being friends with a girl in the year below me at school. She had a pony brought for her who was a chunky, hairy native with all the feathers and fluff,but soon became keen to join the local PC. However, apparently this particular PC favoured TB type ponies and the fluffy pony was soon replaced with a TB type pony just so that my friend could join that PC!!.

The richest horsey folk that i have come across have been the nicest. They tend to wear old clothes and drive battered old estate cars and the horses are kept beautifully, albeit in older tack, but superbly polished with spit and elbow grease!.

I once met a lady who answered an advert id put up in a shop offering help with horses. She spoke in a very jolly but posh manner and was keen to throw me on board her 3 year olds and let me muck out and help at hunts. I cycled to her farm on my shoddy old push bike, unknowing of the area that she lived and she come bustling out of her farmhouse full of enthusiasm and thrust a mug of bovril in my hand and invited me into her house and introduced me to her horses one by one and told me of their likes and dislikes. I was just a common kid and she was obviously very wealthy indeed, but her money was held up in the property she owned as she was always hunting for bargains and was very much into the 'repair rather than replace minset!'.

She would happlily let me mingle with her posh hunt friends, even though i probably came out with stupid things sometimes, she would just laugh out loud!. She was amazing, I will never forget the time she scraped me off the floor when i fell off my push bike and patched me up with vetrap and animalintex in her kitchen! and then powerhosed the cow poo off my bike the following day!. The way that she dragged me into the back of her landy and wrapped me up in a witney blanket to 'cool down' after having one too many ciders at the local point to point!. I would spend hours sat on the bonnet of her landy on a cold winter morning waiting for her and her horse to return from the hunt, ready with the bucket and sponge to wash them down!.

Those were the days and she was a very posh rich lady indeed, and I was just a common kid, but never did I hear a word of snobbery escape from her mouth. It's a shame i have lost contact with her.

My mother used to clean the house of a local posh hunting family. They treated her like gold and brought her many gifts and treated us like part of the family. They wore old tatty clothes and loved a bargain too! You would never have known that they had money as they never showed it off.

Now THAT is true class! I'm a counsellor and one of the fundamental things that we learned (by experience) in training for the profession is that people judge what they most fear they are themselves. That is why the aristocracy get on better with the working classes. They are both certain of who they are and can therefore get along and enjoy life. The 'middle' classes are frequently VERY uncertain of their own 'status' in life having often come from indeterminate breeding themselves. This leads to constant one upmanship because they have a totally distorted view of what it is to be very high on the social scale. Your hunting lady is a perfect example of the 'landed gentry'. Cash poor and with manners to burn, just the same as you


I had a conversation with Henrietta Knight a few months ago about a connemara she had for sale. I ACTUALLY said ' I can't believe I'm having a conversation with the great Henrietta Knight!' She spluttered in genuine embarassment and said 'Oh god I'm just the same as everyone else!! We live very simply here! Come and see us and have a cup of tea and a look around!'

If she hadn't have been in the south east I would've been there hanging round her racehorses like a lovesick groupie....

A classy lady...

 

[Indy]

Originally Posted by MiJodsR2BlinkinTite
Try taking a coloured cob (with lots of feather) to a dressage "do" and you'll know what snobbery is all about.


Aargh we used to get our backsides whopped by a little coloured cob with lots of feather at our local dressage centre. And it beat us in the novice championship - it wasn't you was it?

I've got shiny bay thoroughbred with poppy uppy veins. However he's a shiny bay thoroughbred who was going to be be shot so I've got nowt to be snobby about!

 

[palomino_pony]

We used to do some society showing with my palomino and there was a very swanky hgv horsebox - colour coordinated violet with the pony's rugs etc (13.2hh!!) They came to ask my dad if he knew where the catering vans were sited. Dad commented after they'd walked off "In a lorry like that you'd think there'd be a bloody kettle!" It still makes me giggle now, as does swanky lorries holding 1 12.2hh / 13.2hh pony

 

[eahotson]

My lovely instructor has ridden to and trained to 4 star standards.Think Badminton for one.She has also competed very successfully in affiliated dressage and show jumping.A livery on my last yard (I am a BHS stage 2 you know!) laughed at her because she had a battered old trailer.When I was into with and owned a very good show jumping pony some years ago and went to shows, you would see lots of ponies in flash boxes/trailers etc. with all the latest gear.Round the back some pony would shuffle off an old van with rugs held together with bailer twine.That would be your international JA who would then go on to clean up.

 

[jsr]

Best one some silly ta*t said to me at a fun ride 'oh what possessed you to buy a boring brown cob?'

1 hour later I gallopped my 'boring brown' cob past her as she stood holding her 16.3hh chestnut TB waiting to be picked up, because she couldn't control her and had to pull out of the ride. Of course I had to shout 'THAT'S why I bought a boring brown cob'.

 

[Laura1234]

I know someone who events to a very high level, has their own yard and competes other top horses for their owners, and she is very well to do and so is her family, but, she is so down to earth and would never talk someone down or bitch about them. I think it is the people that THINK they are better than someone else that give horsey people a bad name. The real good riders etc have no need to brag about what they paid for a horse etc, or tack, as their riding says it all!

 

[Fuzznugget]

I know someone who events to a very high level, has their own yard and competes other top horses for their owners, and she is very well to do and so is her family, but, she is so down to earth and would never talk someone down or bitch about them. I think it is the people that THINK they are better than someone else that give horsey people a bad name. The real good riders etc have no need to brag about what they paid for a horse etc, or tack, as their riding says it all!

This is so true! Have noticed this with the riders/trainers who are very good at what they do vs the ones who think they're all that but wouldn't know an ass from a mule.

 

[Lolo]

We used to do some society showing with my palomino and there was a very swanky hgv horsebox - colour coordinated violet with the pony's rugs etc (13.2hh!!) They came to ask my dad if he knew where the catering vans were sited. Dad commented after they'd walked off "In a lorry like that you'd think there'd be a bloody kettle!" It still makes me giggle now, as does swanky lorries holding 1 12.2hh / 13.2hh pony

I love at our PC junior/mini rallies when the lorries rock up with one 11.2hh hairy pony on- lots of the mum's event full-time, and normally the 'proper' horses use the lorry. Makes me chuckle when the fat, hairy little grey rolls off the huge great Oakley!!

 

[arizonahoney]

Not really encountered any, would you believe? But perhaps I am not looking for it - am an adult after all, riding is my funtime and if you look for kn*bheads, then you'll find them everywhere.

Incidentally, my horse is a coloured hairy cob and everyone wants to pet him, regardless of what their own horses or prejudices may be.

 

[Cedars]

We fall in to the "bit of money but not enough to be genuinely rich" category. However, we only surround ourselves with friends who have the same outlook as us, and I am incredibly support of all my friends, as they are of me.

For example, when I took my gypsy cob showing, to a novelty class, for the first ever time, and she came 4th in the only class we did, a friend sent me a text saying "Hannah! Congratulations! I'm SO proud of you with your showing. Well done you". The same day, he'd won something like 4 1sts in huge show jump classes, but it didn't matter because we were proud of each other.

Best to just ignore all the other w*****rs.

 

[TBxID]

This is a great thread which is so true.

Many people have added the comment that those people in our world who have made it to the highest levels are very level headed and down to earth, however saw this comment on a social networking site and its an apsolute classic.

There has just been the last grassroots level BE event of the season in this area, however one of our local pony clubs had their autumn hunter trial yesterday.

This individual who competed at the BE event on the Saturday (BE90 or 100 -not sure) had been asked on the social network site whether they were attending the local hunter trial on the sunday to which they replied;

'Wouldn't be seen dead there'

This is the funniest thing I had seen for a long time - in fact the local XC is about £10 per round and is as high if not higher (Intermediate/Open level) and as technical in many instances as the XC at BE90/100 level!!

Now I am all for Grassroots eventing specifically for young/novice horses looking to build experience and confidence to move through the levels but would many of the people competing would find themselves better off sticking to local/PC events??? - the trouble is it has become abit of a status thing!!

Anyway rant over!!

Would welcome your thoughts!

TBxID

 

[SusannaF]

I love at our PC junior/mini rallies when the lorries rock up with one 11.2hh hairy pony on- lots of the mum's event full-time, and normally the 'proper' horses use the lorry. Makes me chuckle when the fat, hairy little grey rolls off the huge great Oakley!!

My mum worked at Rossdales in Newmarket in the sixties, and she said that every spring an enormous racehorse box would roll into the yard and deliver one very small, very fat pony, come to wait out the laminitis season...

 

[Bessieboo]

One of the funniest comments I have ever had about my pony is from my non horsey mum when I first took her to meet her.

On looking at my beautiful 14.1 Dales x Fell x Gypsy Cob mare, whom I had just bought at the age of 45 after wanting my own horse since I was 9, she said "well that's just a cart horse I thought you would have bought a proper horse!'.

I didn't know if to laugh or cry!

Have to say though everyone at the yard I am at thinks my little mare is marvelous and I never find any of them being snobby at all (well not to my face anyway!). I treat her like a Princess because she is my dream come true.

 

[Cop-Pop]

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 u know theyre expensive - do u ask? When i take my TBx mare to competitions my oh often hears mutters about people swanning around with their posh horses beating hard working down to earth people. It took aged before we realised they meant me! She cost 400 as 2 yr old and ive worked blooming hard with her. Its amazing what misconceptions ppl have. I dont dress in posh clothes either. The last time this happened my oh asked the woman how much hers cost (her daughter was competing it in my class) and she said 2500!!
On the otherside of it when ppl find out my pony is off the mountains people often turn their noses up as if being born on a stud farm makes theirs better?

This is my 1st post from my phone hope it works ok!

 

[Cop-Pop]

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 u know theyre expensive - do u ask? When i take my TBx mare to competitions my oh often hears mutters about people swanning around with their posh horses beating hard working down to earth people. It took aged before we realised they meant me! She cost 400 as 2 yr old and ive worked blooming hard with her. Its amazing what misconceptions ppl have. I dont dress in posh clothes either. The last time this happened my oh asked the woman how much hers cost (her daughter was competing it in my class) and she said 2500!!
On the otherside of it when ppl find out my pony is off the mountains people often turn their noses up as if being born on a stud farm makes theirs better?

This is my 1st post from my phone hope it works ok!

 

[prosefullstop]

I went to my first show yesterday in sixteen years. I was nervous as hell--even though I was only doing equitation on the flat and the 2'3 hunter class --but everyone there couldn't have been nicer. When a number of teenagers rocked up on their 17hh warmbloods, my heart about sank. I ride a 23-year-old TB who's all but blind in one eye. No, we didn't place, as my horse can't do auto changes, which are crucial in US hunter classes, even at a lower level, but not one person looked down on me. I had a tremendous time, and will attempt the lofty heights of 2'6 SJ next time

 

[brucea]

I had a woman call me a p*k*y becuase I was riding our coloured cob (the kids were on their ponies) - I was riding in the saddle pad and wearing wellies so probably looked a bit "rustic"

Cheeky b.....

 

[Tinks81]

oh i like this thread !!! but here i am and im sure you all think i have a very posh pony who goes to all the shows wins a lot is in H&H reports qualifies for major shows etc etc but actually he cost me lets say less than most of you spent on your horses !! Hard work determination got me where i am today !! so when i get the sniggers at me i laugh back as you dont ever know the truth !!

 

[jsr]

On looking at my beautiful 14.1 Dales x Fell x Gypsy Cob mare, whom I had just bought at the age of 45 after wanting my own horse since I was 9, she said "well that's just a cart horse I thought you would have bought a proper horse!'.

I didn't know if to laugh or cry!

When I told my mum the other month I was looking to buy a foal she said 'oh are you going to buy a proper horse this time or another clod hopper!!' If I didn't know how much she loved Kane I'd have been offended!! (And I'm buying another clod hopper x 'proper' horse...a shire x tb hopefully )

 

[marmalade76]

I know someone who events to a very high level, has their own yard and competes other top horses for their owners, and she is very well to do and so is her family, but, she is so down to earth and would never talk someone down or bitch about them. I think it is the people that THINK they are better than someone else that give horsey people a bad name. The real good riders etc have no need to brag about what they paid for a horse etc, or tack, as their riding says it all!

Totally agree!

 

[kizzywiz]

I got my first changes last night on my 5 year old, I bought her in March with no flatwork at all, she had previously hunted & been ridden by some little girls. I've worked really hard, mostly alone, & very much want to show jump, on returning from the school all chuffed because I had achieved a good enough canter & a couple of clean changes each way with no help from my coach, the comment I got was "Oh, show jumpers changes..." WTF, no love I don't lean in & do that wiggly thing to get her to change, I have taught her a balanced change, quite an achievement I thought. But no, because I have stopped doing "dressage" clearly means I am crap. Oh, & for all the show jumpers, actually if you do lean in & do that wiggly thing, fair play as long as the poles stay up!!

 

[juventino]

I'm lucky enough not to have seen any real snobbery - I've not hunted but occasionally help out at the local hunt events (OSBWK) and people have tended to be really down to earth. Generally in my experience people who are overtly snobby to others are just nouveau riche bankers or similar and I will usually treat them with the disdain they deserve.

Having said that, it's hard not to be snobby to chavscum and that sort.

 

[jinglejoys]

I do Parelli and Drive a pony mule in a Saddlechariot so I get it from all sides...who cares!?We're happy

 

[Cadfael&Coffee]

I used to tell people at PC in a snooty voice when asked my horses breeding (something I cannot see the obsession with if your horse is a gelding!) an Irish TB bought from a dealer he was 'Out of Ireland by Boat' you could almost hear the cogs going in their heads working that one out

I love snobbery, it keeps me going.

I love it when a swanky wagon turns up at a show and a herd of scruffy gymkhana ponies comes out - just tickles me, I don't know why

love it!!!

and i just love to see proper thelwell looking scruffy (VERY obviously) pony club ponies with a little jockey on top- i think they're fab!!

 

[Esmerelda]

I used to get this a lot when I was a teenager. My pony was a scruffy Welsh D who just used to pull a cart before I was given her, and I was a weird-looking punk girl. We used to pull up with a rented trailer that was pulled by my dad's builders van. The looks we got! I had absolutely NO friends in the horse scene. And, of course, we wiped the floor with the rich kids in nearly every showjumping class we entered. Which made them hate us more