They say never meet your childhood hero....

[[59668]]

Went to watch a clinic yesterday with a well known eventer who was a childhood hero of mine. I had posters of her on my wall.
I was shocked and disappointed by the quality of the clinic, but even more so to hear this person call the participants "a bunch of s*astics" and say to one "if I had a dunce hat you'd be wearing it"
Also, upon asking for someone to go and tackle a jump exercise "no, not you, someone who will do it properly"
So disappointed.

 

[AmyMay]

Sounds really disappointing all round

 

[poiuytrewq]

I can’t believe anyone would think they can get away with saying stuff like that! ?
That’s really awful. How did the other participants take it?

 

[[59668]]

I can’t believe anyone would think they can get away with saying stuff like that! ?
That’s really awful. How did the other participants take it?

There seemed to be general confusion to be honest. I think people will say it was good just because of who this person is. But IMO the instruction was vague and poor, the participants hardly did anything, there was a lot of suddenly jumping and cantering having stood about for 15 mins and I think I would have walked out to be honest once she used that word.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Intrigued as to who it was but assume you don’t want to say?

 

[[59668]]

Intrigued as to who it was but assume you don’t want to say?

I'll PM you.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Oh no.

Feel free to post the name of this person, this really needs to be known.

Belittling participants in front of others is bad enough, but calling them s*astics is totally offensive and appalling .

From wiki

Disabled people in the United Kingdom often consider "s*astic" to be one of the most offensive terms related to disability.

 

[meleeka]

?

 

[[59668]]

OK here goes.
Sadly it was Lucinda Green.
I'm sure she would say she meant no offence etc etc. But I took offence. As I'm sure others must have. It's not OK.
I was overall just really disappointed with the whole thing.

 

[ycbm]

I wouldn't normally say this, but if there is more than one witness to this (to protect yourself) then I think the trainer needs naming, that's appalling.

ETA I see you just have and I'm very disappointed. Like you she was a childhood hero of mine.
.

 

[millikins]

At one of my daughter's PC camps a well known SJ, husband of a well known eventer was the star guest to give them a talk. He was late, uninterested and almost dozed off blaming it on jet lag. Poor kids

 

[poiuytrewq]

No offence and S*astic just do not go together.
I think 99.9% of people would have been offended.

 

[Bellaboo18]

This is sad to read. Sorry you had this experience. I'd definitely be complaining..

 

[ycbm]

a well known SJ, husband of a well known eventer

That narrows it down ?

I've had show jumping lessons from two GP riders, one was just useless, the other said of a participant "she's a nice woman but she's so ****** thick" in clear earshot.

 

[[59668]]

This is sad to read. Sorry you had this experience. I'd definitely be complaining..

I thought about this but I don't know who to? She is so popular....does no one just talk about their real experiences and think they must have had a marvellous time because of who she is? Or blank out or make excuses for the language like that?

 

[teapot]

That surprises me tbh.

May not be everyone's cup of tea (especially when it comes to being allowed to do stuff in clinics, basics first and all that) but have never ever heard a bad word in that respect, and I know a number of people who train/have trained with them.

 

[[59668]]

That surprises me tbh.

May not be everyone's cup of tea (especially when it comes to being allowed to do stuff in clinics, basics first and all that) but have never ever heard a bad word in that respect, and I know a number of people who train/have trained with them.

I was as surprised as you. I knew she is marmite and can be blunt but I was not prepared for words like that.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I’m disgusted frankly.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I would have called her out on it tbh-dont care who it is.

 

[Rowreach]

That surprises me tbh.

May not be everyone's cup of tea (especially when it comes to being allowed to do stuff in clinics, basics first and all that) but have never ever heard a bad word in that respect, and I know a number of people who train/have trained with them.

Doesn't surprise me, from my own experience many years ago.

 

[[59668]]

I would have called her out on it tbh-dont care who it is.

You know when you are just so shocked you don't react. ...that's where I was.
I'm now wishing I had gone over to the arena fence and told her why I was leaving. And had actually left. But I didn't.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

You know when you are just so shocked you don't react. ...that's where I was.
I'm now wishing I had gone over to the arena fence and told her why I was leaving. And had actually left. But I didn't.

Write and tell her, politely. I find it hard to believe that anyone thinks its an acceptable phrase since the 80s but maybe she lives in such a bubble that it still is to her. If you tell her, then she'll know-its up to her what she does with the info.

 

[[59668]]

Write and tell her, politely. I find it hard to believe that anyone thinks its an acceptable phrase since the 80s but maybe she lives in such a bubble that it still is to her. If you tell her, then she'll know-its up to her what she does with the info.

This is a good idea and I think I will. She might not give two hoots. But at least I will have stood up for what I think.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

My OH stopped playing for his Saturday league team because the manager called them a bunch of spa*tics at half time, so even in a place you would expect to be dark humour and lad culture it's not acceptable. I would be disgusted, everyone can have off days but that is beyond that.

 

[teapot]

I was as surprised as you. I knew she is marmite and can be blunt but I was not prepared for words like that.

Well, no. There's a line.

 

[ihatework]

She’s a rather eccentric lady and you can get different versions of her. Very disappointing and really not acceptable, ever, but especially so in recent times where we have a whole new level of awareness.

Im still ashamed of a nickname I used to call an old horse of mine a number of years back. Didn’t think anything of it at the time, but I’m embarrassed now!

 

[cauda equina]

That's really sad.
She stabled a horse at a friend's yard some years ago while competing at a local BE event, and was very helpful when asked for advice about one of the liveries' horses

It's all very well being 'old school' or 'plain speaking' or whatever people want to call it, but you'd have to live under a rock not to know that there are some things you just don't say any more

 

[Mule]

That's very disappointing I hate that kind of language. I get the impression that people who use that type of language don't know any disabled people personally and that's why they can depersonalise disabled people.
Of course there are lots of people who don't know disabled people and are respectful.

I was wondering about something recently, I've had too many encounters with very difficult horse owners since I started renting out stables. Having talked to my farrier and other people with livery yards it seems it's pretty common among horse people.

It got me thinking about how so many riders have fallen off and had concussions. I have started to wonder if head injuries may be something to do with it. They can completely change a person's personality after all.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

It's all very well being 'old school' or 'plain speaking' or whatever people want to call it, but you'd have to live under a rock not to know that there are some things you just don't say any more

Agreed - If we could teach my 92 year old with failing memory, daughter of a pub landlord, life long Liverpool supporter Grandmother that jovial racial banter isn't acceptable when conversing with her visiting carer's, Lucinda has no excuse for any language of that manner, not even being 'old school'.

(Caveat: my point was football, not Liverpool specifically )

 

[EventingMum]

I watched a clinic/demo by her a number of years ago and was underwhelmed by it but talking to people like that is appalling.

As to the sj husband of an event rider, I'm pretty certain I know who is being referred to here. My son had a lesson with him once and it was dire. We saw him teach the same lesson for three different groups, no adjustments made for different levels of ability, comments just constantly repeated with no explanations and just a complete lack of enthusiasm. His wife was doing flatwork lessons the same day and was much more engaged with the riders.

On the other hand, some big names have been absolutely fantastic, lovely people that were really encouraging and helpful. Ones that particularly stick out were Blyth Tait and Christopher Bartle who even took time out when we saw him at an event to ask how things were going and offer further advice.