The Queen riding a rather fat pony...

M

minigal

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 August 2007
Messages
231
Visit site
And who would be the brave HHO'er to broach the subject of her ponies welfare and the health and safety of not wearing a hat with HRH? :D

I love pics like these. I love how she chooses natives, and I love that she is still riding at 86. She IS an example - and I think an EXCELLENT one!!
 
H

Hedgewitch13

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 January 2007
Messages
5,166
Location
Hants
Visit site
I see the usual 'fat pony' bashers are rather quiet - is it because it's the Queen riding? And yes I think it is fat, shamefully so!

If she did come off while not wearing a hat the dangers of not wearing one would be publicised far more than they are now!
 
HollyB66

HollyB66

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 October 2009
Messages
1,411
Location
Kent
Visit site
I hope I'm still riding at 86 :)

I can see it now though, all the kids will be throwing away their hats and buying head scarves ;)
 
S

Sologirl

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 March 2012
Messages
433
Visit site
My issue isn't with the pony's size - What's the difference between the Queen not wearing a hat and any other 86 year old? Granted, she's been riding most likely before she could walk, but it doesn't remove the fact that all horses are unpredictable animals - she should have a hat on, end of! Imagine the pony spooking/tripping, the Queen comes off, hits her head. So much better to be safe than sorry - and she could wrap her headscarf round the hat :D
 
AdorableAlice

AdorableAlice

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 October 2011
Messages
13,103
Visit site
HM The Queen has forgotten more about horses than the majority of people on this forum know about horses.

We are all free to ride without hats if we wish to. She knows the risks, she makes a choice.

The picture would have been taken on private land and at the age of 86 years she is an inspiration to all older riders.

I hope she is able to enjoy many more hours riding her homebred horses and before she passes away I hope she finds that elusive derby winner.
 
Flame_

Flame_

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 November 2007
Messages
8,144
Location
Merseyside
Visit site
Sologirl said:
My issue isn't with the pony's size - What's the difference between the Queen not wearing a hat and any other 86 year old?
Click to expand...

Well she's the Queen, she doesn't have to wear a hat because its the rules as she pretty much makes the rules.

She won't be riding problematic horses.

If her horse is fresh a crash test dummy will get on first.

She'll have a team of tag-alongs to catch her and sort her out if she ever did come off.

She's at constant risk of assassination, she probably thinks there are bigger things for her to be at risk from than her riding.

She's riding in her own parkland.

Quite a few differences between the Queen and other 86 year olds!
 
Capriole

Capriole

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 May 2006
Messages
7,824
Visit site
Cliff-diving.jpg


Everyone still here? :D
 
Ladyinred

Ladyinred

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 November 2007
Messages
7,384
Location
Here
Visit site
Capriole I entirely see the point you are making and I am as sick as everyone else of all the Elfin Safety carp we have to endure. But the young man in your stunning picture ain't the Queen!! He is not held up to be a model of behaviour/fashion/whatever to entire nations of people.

For myself I am not particularly bothered if HRH wears a hat or not. Her decision. And if she hurts herself... well.. shame.. but her decision. What bothers me is she and the rest of her family should set a better example. I sincerely doubt the riders of today are, as we speak, panic buying trendy (?) headscarves to wear in favour of their patented safety helmets.. but even if only one were to follow her example it would be one too many.
 
L

lachlanandmarcus

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 November 2007
Messages
5,762
Location
Cairngorms!
Visit site
I really really really dont see people seeing an 86 year old lady as their riding role model other than to hope that at 86 they might be able to do the same....

if she were riding on the roads with traffic on or she were a child where its compulsory then yes there is an element of bad example but this .....no, seriously....:-(
 
The_snoopster

The_snoopster

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 September 2009
Messages
3,969
Location
shropshire
Visit site
I think the queen comes from a generation where you only wore hats when competing, theres an old guy (family friend) who lives near me who has never owned an hat let alone wore one. We occasionally ride out together and he asked me was my "hoss a bit dodgy" as I always wear a hat, he recently bought himself a freshly backed 3 year old and off he went riding without his hat.
He maynot be as old as the as the queen he is 72 so a mere youngster compared to her, but he goes off for 3 hours at a time. And his cob as become a real favorite with me, he rarely offers anyone to sit on it but I did get a ride one day :D And he has asked me to have him when he becomes too old to ride, but tbh he has more get up and go than me I fear I shall retire from riding before him ;)
 
Z

zoelouisem

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 August 2010
Messages
1,790
Location
Windsor
Visit site
I think the thing is with the older generation and hats is when she learnt to ride the hats were practically cardboard with an elastic strap round the chin, they were that useless that it really didn't make much difference wether you had one on or not!!
I know things move on but people often don't and get stuck in there ways!!!
I've got pics of me doing xc in a dodgy hat and no body protecter!! They weren't really about then. And even now I would only wear a bp if I was doing xc as its compulsory! Yet my daughter has to wear one for any shows she's jumping at!!
 
H

Hedgewitch13

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 January 2007
Messages
5,166
Location
Hants
Visit site
I did a dive like that last year whilst coasteering (and got a round of applause!) but I was wearing a helmet and a life jacket thingy :)
 
J

JFTDWS

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 November 2010
Messages
21,280
Visit site
Whilst the pony looks a bit lardy, I think the angle of the photo and the Highland conformation makes it looks massively worse - I have similar angled photos of Fergs, who is in no way fat, but can appear it in pics. One of the Queen's highland younstock pictured being shown in hand in H&H the other week was more concerningly obese though. I doubt she personally has much say in how they're kept, but I think the producers and grooms should be held accountable for their condition :cool:

Otherwise, I think it's great to see the Queen still riding, and I hope I can still scramble aboard a pony at over 80! :)
 
Last edited:
Slinkyunicorn

Slinkyunicorn

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 January 2009
Messages
45,409
Location
Should be working.....
www.rutlandhorseextras.co.uk
On one of the programmes about the Queen that was on recently they were talking to chap in charge of the horses and the Queens riding etc and the subject of her not riding a hat was braoshed with him. the reply was along the lines of 'Would you tell Her Maj to wear a hat?':eek::eek::D:D:D

FWIW she take the safety of the rest very seriously - when Zara hada fall at Burghley one year (horse and rider were both fine) she sent her helicopter to take her to be checked over despite protests from Princess and Anne and Zara that she was fine:D How cool is the Queen?:confused::D:D:D
 
V

Vero

New User
Joined
20 May 2012
Messages
5
Visit site
I think the hat is a generation thing. I saw a picture of Klaus Balkenhol the other day(trainer of US dressage team) promoting his training material, and he is riding without a hat. I think he is in his 70 ies, very fit man! I took more issue with him not wearing a hat than the Queen.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top