eahotson
Well-Known Member
Many years ago, longer than I care to think actually, I had a very good show jumping pony and a rider.I used to go to watch him jump at shows and I learned a lot about horse sport and horse sport and children.
Things I saw and were done VERY openly. One girl, a top junior in her day and still in 13.2s at the time made a mistake in the ring. She froze then finished her round.She came out the ring and got off her pony.Daddy drew back his hand and hit her so hard across the face that she nearly fell over.The explanation I was given was that he had paid a lot of money for her ponies.He had, to be fair.Not something that I liked though.Many parents lived out their fantasies through their kids.
It was common to see either children being hit or ponies hit or kicked.
These ponies were not pets.They were bought and sold as necessary like groceries in Tescos.
We were at one show and the trainer reduced all the kids to tears.I robustly defended mine,told her her to go in the ring and enjoy herself,I didn't care if she knocked every fence down.I really didn't and they didn't.The other parents said not a word.I think they may have been frightened.
One judge writing in the Horse and hound said that she was judging a childs show class and one child was clearly over horsed and frightened.She heard the mother hiss at her to "Put a smile" on her face or she would slap it on.
The point being that even if Charlottes parents weren't like that and they may well not have been,she will have grown up in that atmosphere.Winning is all.Ponies are the tools you use.In another world it would be called grooming.
I don't like what Charlotte did.I wouldn't like any horse of mine to be treated like that.If you ask me though it is common in all branches of horsemanship and worse.See some of Buck Brannamans videos as one example.The system is rotten to the core.
Things I saw and were done VERY openly. One girl, a top junior in her day and still in 13.2s at the time made a mistake in the ring. She froze then finished her round.She came out the ring and got off her pony.Daddy drew back his hand and hit her so hard across the face that she nearly fell over.The explanation I was given was that he had paid a lot of money for her ponies.He had, to be fair.Not something that I liked though.Many parents lived out their fantasies through their kids.
It was common to see either children being hit or ponies hit or kicked.
These ponies were not pets.They were bought and sold as necessary like groceries in Tescos.
We were at one show and the trainer reduced all the kids to tears.I robustly defended mine,told her her to go in the ring and enjoy herself,I didn't care if she knocked every fence down.I really didn't and they didn't.The other parents said not a word.I think they may have been frightened.
One judge writing in the Horse and hound said that she was judging a childs show class and one child was clearly over horsed and frightened.She heard the mother hiss at her to "Put a smile" on her face or she would slap it on.
The point being that even if Charlottes parents weren't like that and they may well not have been,she will have grown up in that atmosphere.Winning is all.Ponies are the tools you use.In another world it would be called grooming.
I don't like what Charlotte did.I wouldn't like any horse of mine to be treated like that.If you ask me though it is common in all branches of horsemanship and worse.See some of Buck Brannamans videos as one example.The system is rotten to the core.
