Stupid things your yard "bully" has said to you.

[skihorse]

It seems to me that we all have "one" at the yard who thinks she's a mix between Dr. Doolittle and Mary King.

I'll get the ball rolling with the gems I've had - bear in mind I'm pregnant:

1. 8 months ago: "Your horse is so easy to ride, you're so lucky". 4 months ago: "Your horse is a monster and so dangerous - why don't you ride her?" (um... you want me as a pregnant woman to ride a "dangerous" horse? Yep, I did ride her and no, she wasn't difficult ).
   
   
2. Have a fag - it calms the baby's nerves.
   
   
3. Thursday: "oh my god, look at the size of you - how much weight have you put on? I can see how fat and swollen your hands and feet are". (until this point I thought I was all bump and prided myself on my non-puffy limbs )
   
   
4. "Your horse is soooo lame". erm... your horse is lame in all 4 feet with fucking navicular which is why it doesn't appear to favour one leg more.
   
   So come on ladies (and chaps) - what bollocks do you get to hear?

[LisaD1]

Skihorse: you really MUST develop yourself a look that smiles sweetly but at the same time says "fuck off or I will kill you!"

I have it down to a fine art and nobody spouts that kind of shit at me.

Seriously, wtf is wrong with people to make those kind of comments?

There are some proper nutjobs on the equestrian circuit.

[Southwestwhippet]

Oooh, we had one of those at my yard...

Me (friendly) - wow, isn't your horse good about having her tailed pulled, mine hates it

Her (bitch) - yes, well I wouldn't tollerate anything else from my horse.

but my favourite quote of all time wasn't bitchy at all, just plain stoopid.

Me (helpful) - hi, did you know that your hanging cheek snaffle is in upside down? (i.e. reins were attached to the smaller ring)

Her - yes, I did this on purpose as it gets my horse onto the bridle.

Ha ha, the best part was that, bless her, this woman was no rider and could barely canter let alone get a horse into an outline... and her horse was a lovely placid heavy-weight cob who only ever worked 100% on the forehand (you know the type, lovely nature but basically a carthorse). I just smiled and left her to it. She ws a lovely woman but barmy as a fruit cake!

[abr1de]

'Have a fag - it calms the baby's nerves.'

[Pixel]

well I'm a nervous rider. I have a lovely instructor who is encouraging me but also schools dhorse for me so that my nerves don't let him learn bad habits and I'm very pleased at how he is coming on despite me! There is this woman who likes to belittle my efforts saying things like "you have to face your fears" if I mention that my instructor has been on dhorse (bear in mind that I have never seen this woman on her pony).

But the priceless one was "you can't have lessons forever" as though it is some kind of failure on my part!

[abr1de]

These women seem to develop very young in age. I can clearly remember being told by another rider on a riding course, aged 14, that I wasn't up to being on a certain level of ride because the pony I'd ridden that day had done something or other, and it had never happened to anyone else.

Two days later I won a rosette for best rider on the course.

[skihorse]

Aarrrrgh - just back from the stables and my OH is so proud of me because for the FIRST time I snapped back at her.

First thing she said today was:

"Her hooves need trimming"

Me: I know, but as she's lame right now I can't ask her to stand for 15 minutes on her bad foot.

Her: Well I would - my horse can stand on two legs.

Me: I am NOT going to discuss this AT ALL!

She walked off muttering something about christ knows what and I found myself yelling : YES WELL YOUR HORSE HAS NAVICULAR!



abr1de I think you're right - this one clearly bosses everyone in her life around - hubby and 2 teenagers. The hubby is a broken man it's obvious for all to see. Of course she's been riding now for 4 years so knows everything...

[abr1de]

I suppose we should be grateful that they generally restrict themselves to the world of horses (poor critters) and don't take up world politics.

[MrFibble]

Can I add something? Please?? Not a yard bully but just interfering...

• You really should shoe your horses you know. You're going to make them lame.

• Well, I don't think so, I've had both of my mares for over 10 years and they've been bare foot nearly the whole time. We hardly ever ride on the road and they are better off barefoot.

• But they will go lame. And why don't you put over reach and tendon boots on them when they are turned out?

• Because I don't need to. The fact that they don't wear shoes helps avoid / minimise kicking injuries.

• You really should shoe your horses you know....

Repeat, ad infinitum blah blah blah

Why do some people think that they can tell you what to do all the time? Very irritating and the horseworld seems to be full of them.

And breathe...

[skihorse]

MrFibble - yep, had all those arguments. It does seem a shame that logic cannot pervail wrt overreach boots. My mare has a nasty overreach scar on her off-fore from years ago - of course she's had nothing since her shoes came off... Oh and road are FINE for barefoot - in fact nothing better than 10 miles of asphalt a day - but who has the time? Barefeet can trot and canter on tarmac without causing stress damage/fractures.