Why lie?!

[Sarah1]

I was just pondering something - I know there are liars in all walks of life but why are there so many amongst horsey folks?

People lie about how good they are, what they can do, what they've got, how much they ride, how much they paid for things, to name but a few, & I just wonder why?

I don't see whwre the shame is in being honest about things?! Maybe I'm just naive!

 

[Firewell]

I don't know! I never lie, I'm a terrible liar lol and always take people at face value. Much to my detriment in the past!

 

[pricklyflower]

Not a lie (well maybe it is, not sure) but people around me seem to have this thing about how big their horse is!! It's like no-one likes to own a little horse so their horse is at least 16.3hh when quite clearly it isn't! Drives me nuts. What's wrong with having a 16hh?

 

[Sarah1]

Pricklyflower - exactly! I've heard that one too!!!!! If people want a huge horse just buy one in the 1st place eh?!
Firewell - Been there, done that! It's such a shame that people have to be like that tho isn't it? At the end of the day we're all in the same boat with big animals with minds of their own, tho I appreciate ability varies greatly, shouldn't there be more support & camaraderie rather than lying & one-up-man-ship?
I don't think I'll ever really 'get' it to be honest.

 

[Farma]

I often wonder this aswell - the amount of people that brag about what they do and what they plan to do and yet the reality of their ability is so far from what they are saying.
Like when they have managed one 4foot fence after 10 attempts and utter exhaustion suddenly they regularly jump 4ft - my god jumping 1 jump and a course of 4ft jumps are 2 very seperate things.
Also the amount of horses i see that are barely 16hh that people call 16'2 is ridiculous - never understood it.

 

[Hels_Bells]

I think it all boils down to psychology etc... People on an ego trip etc and also people are often quite happy to tell little white lies that are difficult to prove than great big whoppers that will get found out. The repurcussions of "little white lies" etc are often minimal or non-existent so people seem happy to say whatever. And with horses it's incredibly difficult to prove if it can/can't do this or that!??

But totally agree. why lie!? It's wierd.

 

[muddy_grey]

Well Said. When I sold my old horse I put on the add 16hh which is exactly what she measured at. Everyone who saw her said she was at least 16hh2. I think people are so used to oversized horses they can't recognise a proper 16hh.
As for peoples abilities it's crazy. No one is prepared to be average. They are either amazing or a novice. I am in the middle and happy to shout about it!

 

[Sarah1]

Perhaps also some of it is to cover up a bout of nerves when the person feels that being nervous would be a sign of inexperience and/or poor ability?

Which is totally ridiculous as we all get nervous of something at some point, it's called self preservation & there's no rationality to it half of the time!

Maybe people wish they had the experience/courage/ability etc to ride bigger/faster/sharper horses and therefore they tell the little white lie that their horse is bigger/faster/stronger/sharper than it is to make themselves sound & feel more capable?

One thing I always have to chuckle at really is when people like to suggest their horse is very difficult to ride and/or handle (when it isn't) as they feel it will make them sound like a better horseperson/rider etc. What can make you more proud or appear more capable than a horse that is well behaved & mannerly to ride and handle?!

It is fascinating even tho I don't understand it!

 

[Sarah1]

As for peoples abilities it's crazy. No one is prepared to be average. They are either amazing or a novice. I am in the middle and happy to shout about it!

Good for you! It's refreshing to be honest! I mean I'm not a great rider etc but I do ok with my boy & I enjoy him so that's good enough for me! I wouldn't feel comfortable pretending I could do this that or the other as it always gets found out in the end!!!!!!!!

 

[NeilM]

I was just pondering something - I know there are liars in all walks of life but why are there so many amongst horsey folks?

People lie about how good they are, what they can do, what they've got, how much they ride, how much they paid for things, to name but a few, & I just wonder why?

I don't see whwre the shame is in being honest about things?! Maybe I'm just naive!

I am unusual in the world of horse riding, first because I did not start riding properly until I was 48 and second because I am male.

I have to say that having spent all my adult life doing 'bloke' type stuff, Martial Arts, shooting, fishing, a bit of motor racing etc, I thought I had met some ego's and heard some bullsh*t until I entered 'horsey world'. Men a rank amateurs at spinning a tale in comparison to many of the folk I have met since I started riding.

The reason people lie is pure and simple, to massage their own ego's.

 

[E_Lister]

Not a lie (well maybe it is, not sure) but people around me seem to have this thing about how big their horse is!! It's like no-one likes to own a little horse so their horse is at least 16.3hh when quite clearly it isn't! Drives me nuts. What's wrong with having a 16hh?

My horse is actually 18.3hh! The reason she looks like 14hh to everyone else is because I am actually 9 feet tall!

I abhor people who lie about their horsey life. It makes me wonder if the people who I ride with rarely are telling the truth!?

My closest friends are unable to really lie to me about their horses because they are all on the same yard as me etc etc and we share as much as we can in our experiences, enjoying them together and working through the challenges together... for me, that is what my hobby is about!

 

[4faults]

I am a terrible liar!! I go red and tongue tied, so I don't even bother.
I agree people say they are either excellent riders or novices, I am happy to be average, not the prettiest rider but quite effective.
All my horses are 16.3 or 17h(although I think the 4 year old will end up bigger) except one who is 16h and she is the most difficult ride
I don't know why people would lie about their horses height to impress because the most difficult horse I have ridden lately is a 14h palomino who tried his hardest to deck me, I always find ponies are the most difficult haha

 

[Sarah1]

my horse is actually 18.3hh! The reason she looks like 14hh to everyone else is because i am actually 9 feet tall!

Ha ha!

 

[Sarah1]

I think maybe it bothers me as the people telling the lies obviously don't credit me with much intelligence & that does tend to p me off quite a bit!!!!!

Like for instance, I once was on a yard with a crazy person who told me that when she was younger & had her pony he'd taken off with her down the back of the terrace block in the village and was galloping along the cobbled lane and she was hanging under his tummy watching the sparks fly off his hooves!

Really?????????????? I've had a horse take off with me & the last place I would want to be is under it's tummy & I doubt very much I'd have stayed there long enough to watch for sparks!!!!!!!!

 

[Fransurrey]

My horse is actually 18.3hh! The reason she looks like 14hh to everyone else is because I am actually 9 feet tall!

I shall remember this the next time someone comments on my little horse (12hh exmoor!). I am actually 10ft tall, that's why he looks so little. Durr!!

 

[PaddyMonty]

I would question whether people are knowingly lying or actually believe the codswallop that comes out concerning size of horse, rider ability, how difficult horse is to ride etc etc etc.
May I refer the learned jury to the threads often appearing on here entitled "Do you let other people ride your horse?" and to the number of responses that go along the lines of "No, my horse can be very difficult so I wont risk anyone getting hurt" or "Its taken so long to get my sesitive horse to work properly I wouldn't risk someone else uspetting him/her" etc etc etc.
The implication being only they are capable of riding said horse

PS I'm very average and so is my 19.3 horse that can jump 7' high, 8' wide oxer from trot. Honest

 

[Sarah1]

ps i'm very average and so is my 19.3 horse that can jump 7' high, 8' wide oxer from trot. Honest

PMSL! That made me snort my water!

 

[Snowysadude]

I totally agree. Its so difficult and it makes buying/selling horses awful! People will lie through their teeth to make them/the horse sound amazing.... can you tell im currently going through something involving this?!

 

[hollyandivy123]

the best thing when people lie..............................is catching them out and reminding them (nicely), just small things like one friends horse has been 14yr for about 5yrs! or when they say that they use to compete at medium affiliated and you happen to mention that they should contact british dressage because that hasn't been put on the results website (yep that was fun watching some one come down a peg or to and yep they still aren't talking to me which i have to confess is great!)

 

[MagicMelon]

It's like no-one likes to own a little horse so their horse is at least 16.3hh when quite clearly it isn't! Drives me nuts. What's wrong with having a 16hh?

Do they lie about that?! I've got a 16hh, not sure why I'd bother to say he's bigger - who cares?!

 

[xRobyn]

I agree.

I've never said owning my horse was a good thing. He is now a green 10 year old and it's all my fault. I wouldn't lie about that. He'd be a thousand times better off with someone else, but I'm far too selfish to sell him

 

[Kellys Heroes]

Totally totally agreed!!
I have a 14.2hh mare, who is 15 years old and still acts like a 4 year old. Yes she's a diva, yes we don't get placed in shows (but we still have a good day out), no she won't jump ANYTHING away from home and sometimes she can do some totally embarrassing things, but hey I love her and we have an amazing time!
When I was at uni (I'm studying Biovet Science) the equine students weren't interested in anything unless it was a 4-7year old, 17.2hh BSJA standard horse and you were jumping 1.3m quite reguarly! There is nothing wrong with this at all (in fact, good on anyone who has this talent!) but the fact that they sometimes lied and had to big themselves up constantly (as said before, one jump doesn't make a course) really irritated me.
It seems nobody is interested in the smaller horses anymore...yay for 15hh and under!!
(by the way...I have nothing against big horses, in fact I quite enjoy riding them...it's just people who have to lie about their height and what they can do!)

 

[SillySausage]

I think that’s a bit harsh K!

Most of us ‘Equine Students’ have smaller horses at home but have outgrown them or they can’t be ridden, due to age, injury etc.

Although some of us jump courses of 1.20m whilst schooling at uni, nobody currently competes at any bigger than 1m.

Nobody on the yard has a ‘17.2hh BSJA standard horse’ that I can think of!

I don’t think anybody I consider myself to be friends with ‘bigs themselves up constantly’ at all.

Sorry, but I think it’s quite unfair to pass such comment when I don’t think you have really seen any of our horses 'in the flesh' ... or the hard work that gets put into them EVERY day around our degree work to get them to their current standards

 

[nat wood]

well this post has attracted a fair few comments ay?
i have just found my very potential horse and i am not an experienced rider to say the least but im confident and egar. the best advice i was given was to tell the truth. and thats what i did.
i am the same as most of you guys i dont see the point in lying as it all comes out in the end and no one will get wat they truly want if they lie


smile and the world will smile with you x

 

[Spit That Out]

Envy, Jealousy, Shame, Bragging, Nerves, Lack of Confidence.

There are people who haven't got what what you have or can't do what you can do and some who feel they would look stupid.

We all tell white lies...mine mainly when it comes to my age or weight and as long as the lies don't hurt anyone, who cares?

But when someone lies about their abilities or experience and are put in to situations which become dangerous then it becomes an issue.

Liars always get caught out in the end.

 

[Weezy]

Liars do always get caught out in the end

Jump heights always make me laugh. I know someone who has a photo on FB (no one on here LOL ) saying the fence is 3ft8...it isn't even 3ft - WHY LIE? Time and again people fib about jumping heights, I can never understand why one cannot be content with what they have.

 

[Donkeymad]

I don't think horse people lie any more than other people. Plenty do lie, but I suspect many are just ignorant/oblivious to the truth.

 

[SillySausage]

I don't think horse people lie any more than other people. Plenty do lie, but I suspect many are just ignorant/oblivious to the truth.

Think you may be right there!!

 

[eoe]

I posted this on another forum, it was most interesting the replies that i got.

http://www.your-horse.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8267

 

[dibbin]

As for peoples abilities it's crazy. No one is prepared to be average. They are either amazing or a novice. I am in the middle and happy to shout about it!

Yay, well said I am average and proud!

We should start a "We are average riders" clique ...