which discipline is the nicest?

diggerbez

diggerbez

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 March 2008
Messages
8,052
Visit site
which would you say is the nicest discipline to compete in? my friend once told me that eventers are generally friendly and helpful, show jumpers cut throat and dressage riders snobby and up themselves.... clearly this is a crass generalisation but is there any truth to it? :p
 
I have dabbled in all three and have met lovely people in all three but must say currently eventing people do seem that bit friendlier overall. Love having random conversations with random people during a quiet period at events, meeting some very lovely people that way :D
 
I compete in all three disciplines and from my experiences eventers are nicest as a sweeping generalisation. However I have met both lovely people and not lovely at all people :( in all the disciplines.

Eventers seem to be the bunch of people that will genuinely pass on advice about how jumps are riding, how tight the time is, what studs etc etc etc :)
 
i agree with LJR, of the 3 i've done, eventers, there's a real camaraderie and willingness to help/advise which is just great. i clearly remember my shock at my first CCI when those who had carefully wheeled the course were totally happy to divulge their timing markers to everyone else, i'd kind of expected them to want to keep it to themselves after all that effort! and at the 3* i did, the Polish guys saw a route (jumping through a tiny gap between christmas trees, but over the middle fence and between the flags) at a really difficult combination, a route that nobody else had noticed, and shared it happily, and lots of us (including me) rushed back to the fence to look at it, realised it was on, and did it! i just cannot imagine that in show-jumping. Also, top riders are so happy to advise, and also think nothing of asking how the course is riding etc, there's no pride/arrogance even where you might expect there to be.
the warm-up shenanigans at pure dressage that i've witnessed and once or twice been victim of (being ridden into walls, schooling whip slapped across my horse's face) almost put me off completely. some very nasty people out there who don't mind hurting/intimidating other people's horses... and this was just at Elem/Medium. I hope it's better higher up the levels! :( :(
 
Western riders by far!!! I don't know why they are all just LOVELY!!! I don't know whether it's coz the horses ect are all so relaxed that it makes the riders relaxed (or vica versa!!!)

I personally don't ride western but my aunty does and I also take my horse over to a western place to school him/hire the school (although it's a 'club day' so you get lots of riders mainly western come and school all together in their massive arenas, it's fantastic for getting horses used to going out with out the stress of competition!!!)

But everyone talks to you, every rider to ride past smiles and says 'good morning' and asking questions about your horse and whether you can just watch then for a second and say whether the horse is straight or what ever!!! everyone is trading tips and hoping on each others horses

it's a fantastic atmosphere and have learnt a few 'tricks' for the western riders for my english horses!!! and everyone ALWAYS has a smile on their face and enjoying what they do!!!


I have a friend who show jumps and personally dislike going to shows with her coz everyone is cocky and up themselves, no one looks like they are enjoying it and they are all arrogant!!! no one smiles back, no one says good morning, and everyone is judging in my honest opinion!!!

never been eventing, although the odd eventer that I see SJ'ing when I groom for my friend is generally always smiling and pleasant and you can see all the sj'er looking them up and down!!! they jump a nice round if they have one down they still come out smiling patting the horse!!!

I have been to the odd dressage which has always been nice, never really had any bad experiences with dressage riders, you get the odd stuck up one but generally everyone is pleasant, and you can talk to them quite easily!!! :)

I do showing and personally hate most county shows having to be round all the little kids on ponies with horrible stuck up parents screaming at their kids!!!

I love the arab lot, and going to arab shows, everyone knows everyone and it's like a big family!!! You get the odd inhand people that are just horrible HAHA but the ridden lot are lovely <3

xxxx
 
Out of BD, BE and BS I would say BE. Generally I've found eventers friendly and helpful. A lots of dressagers I've met have been snobby and think they are much better than they are.

The nicest bunch I've met are trec/endurance people.
 
Last edited:
Haven't done much dressage or eventing.. mainly BSJA... but the few eventing/hunter trial stuff and dressage stuff i've done, comparing the lot i think there is a definite order of niceness:

Eventers seem the nicest, friendly and helpful
then i'd say showjumpers and dressage equal
and lastly all the showing people.

don't get me wrong, i have met people in all disciplines who are so lovely, and also some not so nice people in all disciplines. but these are silly stereotypes that all us HHOers have a laugh with. :D :D
 
I do agree that there are stereotypes in all disclplines - for example my Financial Advisor has a daughter who show jumps for her country and his comment is that event riders are snobby, stuck up little girls with rich mummies and daddies - as he knows my finances inside out he should realis that is not true, plus those that know her know Mini TX is not a snob!

Having done dressage and showing I would admit I only did them because my horse is not a great showjumper, and I have lost my nerve a bit after a crashing fall from a youngster into a showjump, but has the looks and movement to do showing and dressage, despite him being a cob. Did not like showing people at all, too 'Facey' by half. Dressage I quite enjoyed, but I used to beat people on posh warmbloods on my 14.3hh irish cob, and used to get some nasty comments -mainly along the lines of 'Thats now a proper dressage horse'. Every BD I have taken Mini TX to I havent really enjoyed and nor has she. Some show centres are very snobby lets just say.

I do enjoy taking Mini TX eventing very much. The people are friendly, helpful and mostly nothing is too much trouble for most of them. We've met a few people who are lets just say up themselves, but they are few and far between. She also enjoys it by far the best as well.

Although I dont compete
 
Showing is far too "facey" but saying that it does give for a nice day out if you go county level - usually a brilliant tea tent (WI cake anyone), entertainment for the non-horsey members of the family and decent shopping too! (can we tell I'm not really at the "Competition Riders" level yet?!) :D
 
I have to say out of the 3 main disciplines I have found eventers by far the most friendly, however my experience of BD and BS is limited (in fact I have never done BD, but I have groomed a few times)! The last time I was at a BS show my horse over reached, twisting his shoe, and puncturing his sole with one of the nails. Obviously main priority was getting the shoe off, so we could see the damage, and get him home (horse was on 3 legs). Not one person offered to help, when I was struggling to get the shoe off (I was on my own). In the end I had to go ask a strong looking man (who was happy to help once asked) to pull the shoe off. But I was surprised that not one single person checked me and my horse were OK, or offered help.

In my limited experiance of BD, the people are not great (generalisation I know, but this is what I have come across!). I was once grooming for my old boss, when she realised she didn't have a copy of the test, and she didn't know it. So I was given the task to locate a copy of the test. Well you would have thought I was asking people to give me a kidney!!!! Luckily I eventually managed to find a fellow eventer, and they lent me a copy of the test.

Compare these experiences to eventing (which i have far more experience of). The people (barring a couple of exceptions) are lovely, and willing to help. Even so far as at an event last year when I managed to forget my horse's bridle, breastplate, girth and saddle cloths (luckily the one thing I had remembered was the saddle!). The lovely lady parked next to us had overheard my exclamation of annoyance at my own ineptitude, and came over and told us to help ourselves to all the spare tack and bits she had in her lorry. We quickly managed to locate pretty much the exact same tack as I normally rode my horse in and we had a successful event!
 
diggerbez said:
which would you say is the nicest discipline to compete in? my friend once told me that eventers are generally friendly and helpful, show jumpers cut throat and dressage riders snobby and up themselves.... clearly this is a crass generalisation but is there any truth to it? :p
Click to expand...

That's about right ;) I cant really advise on dressage people as we dont do much of it if we can help it, but they seem snobby but then they're likely just concentrating since dressage is so darn stressful! My main issue with dressage and that includes BE dressage is people do NOT keep control of their schooling whips! Seriously people, watch where you're flicking it. My poor horse has leapt sideways numerous times because of it. It not so bad at BE as generally you have a field to get away from them, but pure dressage can be awful.

Eventers I find are by far the most friendly and helpful. I have often had to borrow the odd bit of equipment from the next door lorry and always been helped - including the time last year when I forgot my girth and a stranger lent me a beautiful, very expensive looking one! I wouldnt dream of asking help from showjumpers. Pro showjumpers I find think they own the ring and couldnt care less if their horse is misbehaving so badly it reverses into your own horse. I am also most horrified at BSJA by some riders behaviour (again, often the male pro's) who think nothing of being horrid to their horses in front of everyone, they're often late, wack the practice jumps up to about a foot higher than the class and couldnt care less if holding the whole class up because they have arrived late and entered 5 horses. You just don't get that at BE, people are so much more polite and normal!
 
Last edited:
There's always going to be stuck up/arrogant/snobby people....so there will always be those sort of people existing in any riding sphere. Unfortunately.

Having done showing, SJ and DR..... I'd say that SJ is the least judgemental, less importance placed upon turnout (if you jump clear and fast you win etc). Showing of course is about pretty pretty....probably where I get my OCD level of turnout from which makes for a slightly bitchy atmosphere....

I must add that the *people* involved with DR generally seem to be much happier and courteous than those in showing; and are genuinely pleased for you if you better them as opposed to playing snide behind your back.
 
I have worked at a sj yard and the people there were really friendly! was a really good atmosphere, though my experience of actually sj isnt great though was only at little shows in tiny classes where u get the really really competitive kids which is a bit scary :O
Spent a day at a dressage yard and it was a bit stressy like everything had to be complete perfection. At unaf shows i have found people quite nice and smiley though! may be different at aff.
Work currently at small eventing yard and whilst they are very very friendly and nice to ur face, have to admit there is a LOT of behind ur back b******* but may be like that at all yards or maybe just this one. Havent had that much experience of actually competing in eventing so may be different.
 
Think Dressage gets lots of stick sometimes - have met some of the best best people through that sport

but agree that on the day perhaps eventers can be friendlier, perhaps because the knocks and risk so much greater
 
not had much experience with all the disiplines but from my experience at high school the show jumpers were always up themselves bitchy and arrogant ha yeah look at her horse too good for her she can't ride, yes this horse is been covered by **** ********* stallion......:mad: What really annoyed me was some of them didn't even own their horses whereas I did and thought myself lucky to have what I did.
I'm into showing and I have found it to be another very competitive sphere also quite backstabbing and judgemental (but hey its showing thats what it is)
Also someone else said in the Arab world everyone is friendly and knows each other, like a big family, thats true, I shall be going onto Arabs when I 'retire' from whatever I decide to do with horses. Arabs are my passion :D
 
Eventing, point to pointing & team chasing are all very friendly, personally, the worst encounter of unfriendliness was at riding club, I was a member for about 4 years, & in that time about 4 people spoke to me, probably my own fault for joining, then rocking up with 2 horses & winning both the classes I'd entered, but goodness, i've never come across such a cliquey group of people.

Personally, anything with a bit of risk, & the people are really nice!!
 
I was amazed at how friendly everyone was on my return to eventing after a 20yr break. I think its because most people are nervous before their turn!

The worst are showing folk, in my opinion.
 
Tried all 3 and here in Gloucestershire BS, BE, BD (and showing) seem to be very cliquey - you either need oodles or money, to "be someone" or to be so good looking you cannot be ignored

Minority sports are very friendly and I have met some fabulous people in tentpegging and polocrosse.

The only downside is you have to travel a bit further
 
I haven't personally competed in the top 3. Use to show and found it became very *ithcy, so gave it up and tried my hand at Endurance. I can honestly say I've never met a nicer bunch of people! Did quite a few rides (lower distances) without crew and the number of people who check your alright and offer you drink is amazing!! :D:D
 
definately agree that eventers are by far the friendliest. I went to my first BSJA at the weekend and must say the people i did try to speak to were most unfriendly and rude. Dressage people seem to be full of their own self importance and have no consideration for anyone else in warm ups.
 
I find BE so much less clique-y than the others. Everyone helps everyone whereas if you are new to BD/BS/PC it feels like you are a complete outsider
 
Can I say PC events? Our PC at least, anyway! Last year, my sister managed to forget her breastplate/ martingale and was ina complete flap about going without it. Within half an hour, she had about 4 offers of borrowing one. Everyone wants everyone to do well and teams are fun. Overall, the mums are lovely (of the older teams children anyway) because they get how terrifying it is to watch siblings/ children compete and the older children all look out for each other. I know Al has some amazing friends from her years competing with the PC and at comps they always cheer each other on- they know on the whole that one person's terrible day could just as well be their terrible day next time out!
 
I think NH racing is a great sport - the jockeys seem to have a great camaraderie by and large and all the ones I've met have been A+. Polo is a good sport too - playing in a good team is a great experience. Like all sports, it's the people who make it what it is.
 
Well showjumping seems OK but what has shocked me most is the dressage people!

I went to a big affiliated dressage festival last year and was absolutely gobsmacked at the behaviour of some of the professional riders in the warm up- sending my horse crashing/flying into the walls, sticking out the whip deliberately and generally trying to ride me off at every opportunity.
I was well shocked. Never encountered this anywhere, ever, pure nastiness?

Eventers are lovely, and always seem to go out of their way to help and be friendly- wether be it at a competition at home or abroad. I remember my first cci* when I was 16 years old and completly clueless and people like Jeanette Brakweall, the secrectary , just everyone went out of their way to help and advise me.

Not much experience of BSJA but I'm sure its the same with everything else you get groups of lovely people and groups of people that prefer to keep themselves to themselves!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top