Why are good manners taken to mean your horse is a plod?

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outandabout

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Just a thought really... I have heard people (in RL) almost bragging about how difficult their horse is to handle etc or how dangerous he/she is to hack - of course, the implication they can manage the horse, but no one else could. These same people indicated that my horse, for example, is a plod and generally an easy ride - they have never seen him ridden as he has been off games due to a sore back since I moved yards. They seem to have made this assumption on the basis of his behaviour on the ground!

Mine is occasionally grumpy (aren't they all!!) but otherwise a gentleman to lead and handle - he is a sharp and quirky ride however and you need to be tactful to get the best tune out him. I would be embarrassed if he was difficult to handle on the ground as I know the YO dreads bringing in the 'difficult' (ie rearing, won't/can't lead, barging) horses. Why is having a rude horse seen as a badge of pride? I realise some horses are more difficult than others, but surely having a well-mannered, obedient horse says more about your riding and horsemanship ability?

Is this your experience? What do you think about this?
 
It's more impressive to have a sharp and difficult horse behave well in my opinion than handle him trying to kill you. But I suppose if you make sure they're well behaved you dont see theyre sharp and difficult really for people to be impressed by it.

As for people who brag about bad behaviour, more fool them for creating/condoning unsellable, unhandleable monsters!!
 
Absolutely agree with you! I insist on good manners on the ground and when ridden, I would feel that it was a poor reflection on my ability if my mare was seen as difficult. She is a sharp ride and I had to smile to myself when a good local rider 'borrowed' my mare for an equitation class and on bringing her back commented about how forward going she is :D She had seen me ride her many times and was quite unaware that it often feels as if you are sitting on an uncorked, but unopened champagne bottle! :D :D I was very pleased :)
 
My young gelding is an absolute gentleman - super responsive, very attentive. I've had novices on him for hacking, always tell them to sit there and do nothing and he goes into trekking mode and looks after them. Let an experienced girl ride him the other week and she booted him to make him stride out more in the walk; he shot off like a bullet. She good rider so no problem, but I did tell her I didn't think it was fair to boot my pony when she hadn't even asked him to stride out nicely/conventionally first and she sheepishly admitted she thought he was a lazy plod because he was always "so good" ... he got a good brain. You gotta work it, not against it
 
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I've never understood why people brag about how 'nutty' their horse is or how 'naughty' they are. I brag about Andy all the time because he has such amazing manners :p :o
 
I think it is very sad that some horse owners take the attitude you describe. I find it even more sad if they have actually trained in those horse behaviours and reactions themselves. But such is life. I would feel very proud if anyone were to describe one of my horses as an easy-going steady eddy. Job done :-)
 
My 17.1hh 5yo ISH x HOL mare is an angel to handle, and she is respectful of whoever is handling her. To ride, she is sharp and quirky, but on the whole she is a chilled, laid-back young lady who came be unpredictable..... she is by no means a plod!!!!

I think that if a horse lacks manners/respect for it's handler/owner, then that is the fault owner/handler, and shows a lack of understanding
 
I agree, Red is a complete angel to handle and there have been a few at the yard who I've dreaded handling whilst helping the yard owner out, Red has only been difficult to lead a few times but soon put back in his place. I really don't understand how some horses get such horrible habits
 
My horse is a pleasure to ride, very easy and laid-back under saddle, but can be mareish from the ground. By this I mean:

- she snorts, fidgets and swishes her tail when being tacked up
- due to trust issues, she's known to kick out if you try and handle her back feet
- she gets angsty in the stable and has nipped a couple of people walking past before

That's it. She doesn't rear, buck or bolt, isn't bargy, and ALWAYS leads like an angel. She's a doddle to bring in from the field.

Despite this, most people on the yard are scared of her and have labeled her a troublemaker. There are far more sharp horses on the yard but yet my girl has a bad name.

No I don't brag about it, I actually find it quite sad.
 
Chessy Chestnuts said:
My horse is a pleasure to ride, very easy and laid-back under saddle, but can be mareish from the ground. By this I mean:

- she snorts, fidgets and swishes her tail when being tacked up
- due to trust issues, she's known to kick out if you try and handle her back feet
- she gets angsty in the stable and has nipped a couple of people walking past before

That's it. She doesn't rear, buck or bolt, isn't bargy, and ALWAYS leads like an angel. She's a doddle to bring in from the field.

Despite this, most people on the yard are scared of her and have labeled her a troublemaker. There are far more sharp horses on the yard but yet my girl has a bad name.

No I don't brag about it, I actually find it quite sad.
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That is genuinely sad :(

FWIW, that sort of stuff wouldn't bother my YO - I think it's the ones that are a pain in the bum to bring in from the field/tie up etc that she finds most annoying as that is basic manners rather than underlying issues if you see what I mean.
 
I must be lucky as I dont know of anyone who would brag about having a difficult horse. My horse is probably the sharpest (and stupidest) horse on the yard and this is thanks to the way she has been handled in the past. However, I pride myself on the fact that she is now fantastic to ride school and hack and that she is FINALLY getting some manners on the ground.

I think it is quiet sad if someone thinks its big and clever to have a dangerous horse, and I find it a case of total ignorance to assume that any horse with manners is a plod.. total rubbish and a mis-conception.

Lou x
 
I am proud of my pony's manners when he first came he was led with a leadrope round his nose at all times and now he follows with me holding the end of the rope and he will tie up on the yard and not make any fuss. He can be a bit fidgety about his feet but not very often at all any more. People that didnt see him when he first came dont have a clue what he used to be like and I am very proud of the way he is now (YO commented on it earlier and it has made my day). He also suprised a friend that came to ride him as she wasnt expecting him to be forward going because he is a connie and he followed me in from the field like a dog.
 
I have noticed this too. Mine is great to handle etc but he can be quite excitable and cheeky so needs a confident handler. To ride (he's still settling so given the exception) he is quite sharp at the moment and sensitive to the leg... So by no means a plod. Certain people I know constantly go on about how naughty their horse can be, bolting, rearing etc, and how they'll be thrown off. :rolleyes: It baffles me too! I wouldn't want a horse that (unless there was good reason) would behave that way. I wouldn't find it a pleasure to own, more a heavy, difficult chore.
 
I have recently had my arm in plaster and been unable to ride. I asked someone else to ride my mare. Her comment made me chuckle when she got on. "oh she's very forward isn't she, she always looks such a plod".

There are a couple of people on our yard who have horses who "take off" that they can't stop. Funny how when you are behind them you can see the horses being kicked on. Odd that!
 
My little cob is considered the yard steady eddy etc. but just that.A nice kind but useless little plod.Come the small yard show though, and he cleaned up! There were one or two people not happy.
 
Drives me Nuts!

I think it is supposed to make you a better more experienced rider if you have to handle a "monster"

My rising 6 year old is a total delight, has beautiful manners, leads so lightly that the new groom on the yard stopped me next time I was down there to say "your horse is the lightest I have ever led and so polite" receives comments from the Vet, Farrier and Back Lady on what a delight he is to deal with.

To be honest I get far more pride out of the fact that I have obviously done a pretty good job of making him a well rounded, well behaved horse than I would of any "wow you are so brave" comments
 
After owning a cob that was very rude, bargy, pulled away, wouldn't load etc and spun when he was ridden ( he actually got better with me ) having a laid back pony that I can lead with my little finger, jump on him while he is eating, loads himself and will hack out in the heaviest, busiest traffic is HEAVEN!!

He is a little ploddy though, but can step up a gear when he wants :D I'd rather have him like that than a coiled spring!

I think people brag about having difficult horses to make them out to be better riders, when they probably have wound the horse up themselves
 
I can understand the ego kick from someone being able to ride a sharp horse, but do not understand why anyone would be pleased to have over half a tonne of lunatic on the end of a lead rope.

Our horses were 'interesting' on the ground when we first got them, apart from LC. All for various reasons as they all have different backgrounds and all histories. Now they will catch easily (they stick their heads in the head collars lol), LC follows D1 without a head collar or rope, and lead any where nicely. The two big ones occasionally need a little reminder, but nothing drastic.

Under saddle the littlest, whilst now a star to handle is a g!t and is retired because of it; LC tends to make his rider laugh as he can be so on-ward bound but not in a problem sort of way; Dizz used to be a fruit loop, but was actually really easy to sit to as she was never trying to get rid of her rider, just being an argumentative bat; and Grey Mare is sharp, but we have learnt that if the rider relaxes totally then so does she (otherwise she can get quite spectacular with 180* leaps).
 
You know, some of the most sensitive and sharpest horses, think Totillas for instance, when ridden by a really good experienced rider, often look totally push button.They are very far from it but can very easily appear so.
 
It's all silly if that is how people think. My lad is lovely, has perfect manners on the ground and is a very nice lad to ride. Yes he is still young and gets very excited so I take things slowly with him but too me perfect manners does not mean a plod at all! It just means what it says
 
Ive worked on a couple of very good yards with eventers ( upto 4*) and show jumpers upto top level and all have manners. They have to I am only 5 ft 3 and if a 17 hh doesn't behave on the floor Iam stuffed!
All very different types of horses some incredibly nutty to ride some I would trust with a fairly novice rider. We once had a girl come to the event yard I worked on for work experience from a equine college and she complained that we kept putting her on the same horse and that he was a plod. The fact that the horse had been round Badminton didnt seem to matter she wanted to be on something with more fire. I think all horses should have good manners most of us have horses for fun what fun is it being dragged, kicked or bit!
 
eahotson said:
My little cob is considered the yard steady eddy etc. but just that.A nice kind but useless little plod.Come the small yard show though, and he cleaned up! There were one or two people not happy.
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Yes-sterotypes! I was in the saddlery yesterday asking if they knew of any confidence givers for sale. She immediately turned to her collegue and said do you know of any steady old plods for sale? I stepped in to correct her as I don't want a plod at all! I'm wanting a sensible,calm horse to sj. But why does a calm horse with manners mean an old ploddy horse to people!!
 
KVH said:
Yes-sterotypes! I was in the saddlery yesterday asking if they knew of any confidence givers for sale. She immediately turned to her collegue and said do you know of any steady old plods for sale? I stepped in to correct her as I don't want a plod at all! I'm wanting a sensible,calm horse to sj. But why does a calm horse with manners mean an old ploddy horse to people!!
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I would have been appalled if someone did this to me! I want a safe and senisble horse but one that can also event! Unfortunatly they are few and far between but if you say you want something safe people automatically think you just want to hack.
 
Even as a beginner you don't really want a plod.You want something responsive to the aids when asked correctly, but also sensible, steady and not the sort to worry if/when you make a mistake or loose your balance a bit.The sort that can help you and is usually worth its weight in gold.I had a superb jumper once, mainly TB who was also literally anyones ride.
 
You could call two of my three 'plods' I guess, although I would call them safe but responsive. A plod to me is something completely bombproof that is not responsive in any way.

Both my geldings are super safe hackers, Merlin is a real schoolmaster and can literally be ridden by anyone and is a real confidence giver, he can be a bit quirky to handle but this has really improved since I've had him.

Fudge hadn't had much handling when I first got him but is now pretty much perfect, he is suitable for a confident novice upwards although he can be quirky to school as he has an opinion about what he should be doing. He can be ridden by a complete novice out hacking with supervision.

My semi-retired rescue pony, is an angel to handle and a safe hack but she does nap and buck and she is forwards going so wouldn't be considered a plod I guess even though she has good manners.
 
My brown horse is a bit of a pain from the floor and I find it constantly embarrassing frankly. Plus it limits who I can ask to help me, although he is getting much better and people are starting to realise he is a nice person really.

My filly is very polite to do and I am quite proud of that as she is all my own work. I would certainly be ashamed if I had two monsters as that would imply something very wrong in my training I think.

BH is a lovely ride though so we let him off being a pain on the ground (he was let to get away with murder when young sadly) anyone can ride him and he's safe as houses. I love the fact that I can offer anyone a ride. Again, makes me happy I have brought up such a nice gent (most of his ridden work has been done by me, unlike his inhand work as a 2yo)

People are just idiots who value the wrong things :(
 
OP I am totally with you on this, there are so many people now who love to run their horses down, "he's mad" etc. etc., it horrifies me. I cannot bear to see people too either hacking out/on the hunting field with a jogging horse, I'm sure many of them think it makes them look cool and as though they're riding something really "hot", I just look at them and think, why are you letting that do that, and not RIDING the thing? I find it so flipping annoying. I don't know why the riders/owners don't see we can all see it's a mug's ride, the kind you can let prance and dance and it won't get out of hand.
 
I'd much rather have something that's sane and sensible than something that is flashy, spoilt and hot.

I think it says something about a riders/owners ability if they have a badly behaved horse and it shouldn't be something to be proud of and it certainly doesn't show how competant you are.
 
OP, I'm completely with you. My horse is very easy to handle and lead. he wouldn't dream of kicking, biting or being a problem. The person who used to deal with him on my old yard called him (not to my face) "boring". Why would she say something like that about a horse whose only fault is that he's an absolute gentleman on the ground? I was offended.
 
Kokopelli said:
I would have been appalled if someone did this to me! I want a safe and senisble horse but one that can also event! Unfortunatly they are few and far between but if you say you want something safe people automatically think you just want to hack.
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Yes I was quite offended! Exactly though, in people's eyes there are 2 types of horses, one at either end of the spectrum- an old plod or a complete 'nutter', forgetting those priceless sane,sensible allrounders which god forbid might have manners,but isn't 'shock horror' an old cob! Now someone please send one my way!
 
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