Why is the horse world so bitchy?

[turkana]

I work as a nurse in prisons and the male officers are absolutely the worst for gossiping and back biting. Talk about Chinese whispers!! The yard I'm on is pretty calm most of the time - my only gripes are with people that leave their horses for a long time without any food or with scarcely any bedding but I turn my two fatsos out without rugs which some folk seem to think is a welfare issue.

So true, I'm a woman who works in a male prison, I agree nobody gossips & bitches like a male prison officer!

 

[The Trooper]

Having thought about this thread I don't think the horse world is anymore bitchy than others but people are typically confined to smaller spaces and made to be in contact with each other.

This in turn turns to gossip, bitching, bullying etc.

People like some people and don't like others, cliques form with the people you get on with, the ones you don't get on with are left out and thus the cycle continues. Bitchiness it just part of everyday life unfortunately.

I would be very surprised if anyone can stand up and honestly say they have NEVER spoken about another person behind their back, be it at the yard, at the pub, whilst riding, at work, at home etc. Everyone has a little bit of bitchiness in them, and that includes men, I'm testament to that.

 

[luckyoldme]

This^ IMO, the people who are nice to your face and then bitch behind your back are actually the worse! Just ignore people who do thigs which you do't like, unless it's a welfare issue then take appropriate action.

Only got so far with this thread and was so relieved to read this.
Lolos post made me feel very sad.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

I work on a construction site as a site sec/doc controller contractor and luckily I'm the only woman who is around full time. I have never had any problems working in a male environment apart from the odd Project Manager who thinks they can talk to me like something on the bottom of their shoe, but sadly that comes with the territory at times even in this equal opportunities world that we now live in. Funny set up where I am now, working in close proximity (six foot away from 2 men) who constantly ignore me when I speak to them, never respond and say goodbye in the evening, and never bother talking to me about anything outside work. Never come across that before, so maybe they are being bitchy in their own way.

On one of the sites I worked at was a female Quantity Surveyor and she was a total bitch. We worked in close proximity to each other (in one cabin as they were constantly counting pennies) and everything I said/did seemed to irritate her. She was vile and said some really nasty things. Typical work place bully type. Anyway her and another chap (who she fancied) decided between them to out the Project Manager and after I left (they ran out of money for me) I found out from one of the subbies who worked at the next project I ended up at, that they had outed the Project Manager. She left not long after - I assume she was sacked and with good reason too. Whilst I was there she and another guy who was a design manager were working on a project they were trying to win which had nothing to do with the firm they were working for at the time, it was a foreigner. They spent hours working on this foreigner together in work time!

I've also worked in an all female and all mixed environment hundred and hundreds of times at probably close to 300 different companies/organisations (been a temp for 30 plus years) and got on fine with everyone. But I never seem to get on when there is just one other woman in close proximity, especially if they are younger than me and start laying down the law and treating me like a trainee or something lol.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I would far far rather have something said to my face than behind my back. I am glad you and your sister aren't on my yard - you would be kicked off instantly.
If you cant say anything nice, dont say anything. Most certainly dont say stuff behind peoples backs. That is the height of rudeness.

The "problem" is that I am a direct person or a person that doesn't talk to somone that is fake. This makes me the bitch. I just don't want to take up conversation with someone that is going to talk behind my back about it later or just lie to my face. One livery notices I don't talk to her much at all, but she lies to everyone and is extremely superficial. I have nothing nice to say, nor am I interested in her fabrications.

If someone says something to my face, maybe it hurts for a sec, but I appreciate it being said to my face. I cannot stand passive agressive behavior. Just come out and say what the issue is. I cannot guess what you're thinking as I am no mind reader! I rather know what someone thinks of me rather than play guessing games about their odd behavior.

Fortunately, aside from the one individual, the yard is quite pleasant, relaxed, and we all get along quite well.



I do think horse people are passionate people, and conflict can develop from this. My mum was not horsey at all, just an outside observer that attended my competitions or visits to the stable, she said to me one day, "horse people have poor social skills" Sometimes, I cannot say that she's wrong

 

[tallyho!]

I've stuck to it for decades and it's served me very well no matter where I've gone for whatever situation... the girls told me never to get hung up about stuff and never dwell on anything. I was mucking out a pony and the manager told me off for not doing the bed properly and I started to cry. The big girls next to me looked over and told me the above... then they helped me with the bed and I did the waters for them and the next time the manager walked past she gave me a big well done and said I could ride. I was only about 8/9... it stuck with me. Always help each other out then you'll always have friends.

 

[Stuart10]

The solution: stable on your own! I keep mine at my parents, its bitch free, I do things my way and don't hear anything about it, I enjoy my horses my way and bitchyness free!!