Pet Peeves

[Flash44]

Lunging in a crowded schooling area at a show.

At one series of rated shows I did, I noticed a woman lunging a very uptight horse in the schooling area every show while people were trying to warm up. The horse was not well behaved, and I never actually saw her show in in any classes. At the most recent indoor (B rated), she schooled him in the indoor over the jumps, but never entered any classes. Again, he was less than well behaved, and it was very very crowded in the ring before the show.

I realize that horses need to school at shows before they actually enter one, but why at a crowded rated show? Isn't that why schooling shows are held?

[Flash44]

Lunging in a crowded schooling area at a show.

At one series of rated shows I did, I noticed a woman lunging a very uptight horse in the schooling area every show while people were trying to warm up. The horse was not well behaved, and I never actually saw her show in in any classes. At the most recent indoor (B rated), she schooled him in the indoor over the jumps, but never entered any classes. Again, he was less than well behaved, and it was very very crowded in the ring before the show.

I realize that horses need to school at shows before they actually enter one, but why at a crowded rated show? Isn't that why schooling shows are held?

[Portia]

Why didn't the shows have a "no lunging in the schooling rings" rule? Or did they and it was ignored?

Around here we had -- still have -- a guy who habitually runs his poor horse around the ring on schooling day before the show starts, jumping without looking where the hell he's going or who might be in the way, running around paying no attention to where anyone else is or what they're doing. I almost slugged him one day when he charged his horse toward my then-green gelding and my poor boy had to leap out of the way. No amount of pleading with or screaming at this guy seemed to help. He's say he was sorry then do it again. His trainer refused to take him to shows, but he would go on his own. (His poor horse is a saint to put up with it and not kill him.) Finally one day, a British trainer was over here visiting a friend and just watching a local show. She saw him do the same thing, and even though she didn't know him or the horse he nearly ran into, she marched right up and let him have it both barrels, with proper English diction and very colorful language. It was wonderful to watch... And the guy is actually somewhat better behaved now.

[Tap2Tango]

I have 2 pets peeves i can think of at the moment..
One of them is when your at a local show and there are people there with their 100,000 ponies trying to rack up points in smaller circuits becuase they can. There is one girl around here who is a very good rider and has nice ponies and would do well at the "A"s but shows at the little stuff. It's not like they don't have the money either to go to the bigger shows. (Although she did do local day @ WIHS and did quite well.) I think it takes ribbons away from the people who can't go to the bigger shows.

My second one is girls that are tooooooooo big for their ponies!!! The same girl that I wrote about above is about 5'7' and still rides a medium!!!!!!!!!! She looks ridiculus on him but yet, has great equitation and its a nice pony so they always win!
Does anyone else ever see these two things?

[ShaSamour]

I'm surprised that the woman schooling the green horse could get away with that without being entered at the show. I know that most of the shows I attend will not allow anybody to be mounted on the grounds, let alone in the ring during schooling, without a back number. Show management usually cites insurance reasons for requiring that you be entered.

And yes, that's what schooling shows are for. And around here, we have some very excellent schooling shows where they build the jumps to full spec height and make them look just like what you'll see at the A3 shows. If you can jump around there, you'll have no problem at an A3. There's one schooling series where the Chapots and Kevin Babington are regulars, bringing around all their greenies.

My pet peeves regarding schooling: kids schooling ponies, completely oblivious to everybody else, and who haven't been taught the basic showring courtesies like calling "inside" or "outside", or "heads up" for the schooling jump.

Also, some trainers come into a schooling area with their students and take over. I've seen trainers come into a schooling area for a low jumper (like 2'6") division and proceed to crank the jumps up to 3'6"+. Arghhhhh. What about the rest of us who need a couple of warm-up fences at the specified height??? Why do you need to warm up your horse at 3'6" so you can jump 2'6"?

The of course, there's my favorite pet peeve: trainer as crutch, or the totally dependent rider who can't so much as breathe on the horse without a trainer present, and the trainers who make them that way. Any takers?

[wtywmn4]

Oh now Shasamour, I thought we did a number on the 'trainer as crutch' thing? We all seem to think it's ridiculous and unnecessary. But it seems to be politically correct these days, ugh! Welcome to the milennium, you don't need therapy, you need a trainer.......

[Snowbird]

As show management I can agree with the pet peeve of the perpetual schoolers who never show. We do try, but some of the tricks, save the back number from another show! Or enter and then scratch because the horse is lame.

While 98% of the exhibitors are cooperative and trying to get a job done, there are the 2% with more excuses than M&M has M&Ms. Usually these are the rude, poorly prepared on horses that won't behave. My pet peeve is the horse and rider who are incompetent but insist on showing at a higher level than they should and demolish the course, flinging rails and standrads in their wake, class after class.

The schooling problem is the most serious because it puts others at risk, and not just the equipment. I can tell you that in the half hour before the show starts lots of the horses are using the same number as the one entered. They come out all day schooling in every ring, all for the one entry fee.

That's why I have always been in favor of "no schooling". I had to throw a very well known trainer out of our ring for schooling his daughter during the schooling break on a speculation horse. When you see a packed parking area and a crowded show grounds don't be so sure that management is making the money.

Just look through these threads and see how many would be solved with the no schooling rule.

[Anne]

(Tongue firmly in cheek) Oh, no, wtywmn4, you need multiple trainers as crutches AND a therapist - haven't you seen all the sports psych ads in The Chronicle? PH even has a columnist! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Weatherford]

Yes, Anne, and the next thing you know the alternative medicine drug companies will be sporting their goods: (my fave) Celestial Seasonings Tension Tamer tea is now in pill form! ;-)

Seriously, one of my pet peeves is trainers who literally run/jump the legs off their animals during the morning before showing - whether it be in the schooling area or otherwise. Did get the Steward to check a large pony that looked like it was about to collapse once, but, you know ponies they are amazing survivors - this one had been longed, then galloped around in plus 90 degree weather for several hours - actually when I went to find the steward, she had been watching and had called the vet and was on her way to find them.

I've seen this with trainers on horses, too, and find it truly appalling.

[SWF]

In posting a reply on another thread I remembered a pet peeve of mine.

Red Ribbions in the horses tails mean stay away, not ride up closer. I have a stallion that some times kicks at my leg and gets sullen when someone rides on his tail. He does not kick at other horses put as a precaution I have put a ribbion in his tail at times. When I do it does no good. people stilll come why to close and just stay their with their horse nose in my stallions tail. And god forbid you till some one to watch out. I can fell the stallion blow up before you can see it.

I also have a peve with the people who do not share the schooling jumps. At one show we finnally got some help. the schooling supervisor came out and made sure the next horses in the ring had the jumps not the one ten out. Maybe they can give clinics in schooling ring edicate.

[LucianCephus]

Snowbird....What is the "no schooling" rule? No schooling at all? At the show? (And, yes, I do understand how appallingly thick I must sound! Just hard for me to believe this is meant literally!)

ndp

[Louise]

Gee, my pet peeves are a lot different, and much more petty than you guys.

Will the DQ's in the barn please stop parking their horses in the cross-ties, then settling down in the tack room to discuss every single social event in the county?

Will those who get to the barn early and clean stalls please put their manure buckets right side by side so those of us who come later don't have to move every bucket in the place to find room to put ours?

And, last, but most petty, why do the people who come to the barn and get their horse to take to an all day show, or to go watch someone else show, always take the parking spaces closest to the barn doors so that the majority of us who are coming and going all day have to run through the rain and/or snow to the farthest parking spaces?

All this, and I'm not even feeling cranky today!

[This message has been edited by LOUISE (edited 12-04-1999).]

[deerie]

Dogs running loose.

Annoying, annoying, annoying, annoying....

DANGEROUS, DANGEROUS, DANGEROUS, DANGEROUS, DANGEROUS, DANGEROUS, DANGEROUS, DANGEROUS!!!!

[Jumphigh83]

My pet peeve..The slaves for the "Snooty Tooty" barns sitting on the schooling jumps when you need one and they are "saving" the jump..perhaps for some future show?? When you ask for the jump , if you get it, you get it with attitude..or they pretend they don't hear you..No Habla Anglais..Yeah right..@#*!*# you too!.

[deerie]

Oh, screw them and their attitudes........how's that for holiday spirit?

[buryinghill2]

Palm Beach peeves.... Too many golf carts and too many loose dogs! Why are these two problems so hard to solve? Does every single person on the show grounds need their own golf cart? I know the grounds are huge, and those who are stabled far away need some transportation, but the golf carts are an accident waiting to happen. Actually there have already been numerous accidents caused by loose dogs and golf carts. A few years ago a horse died right in front of our tent, after being spooked by a dog nipping at it's heels, it ran straight into a tree. The next day, that same dog was still loose! Amazing but true....

[Anne]

Not to mention the loose dogs getting run over by the golf carts. . . .

[tess]

GOLFCARTS,GOLFCARTS,GOLFCARTS,GOLFCARTS,GOLFC

[Pat]

Pet peeves? I could go for days....

People who leave gates open!! Ring gates, paddocks, whatever.

Once, I went to get on the baby, Beemer after confirming all 4 gates to the indoor were shut. He dumped me as I was getting on and promptly left the ring thru the gate that someone else's student didn't bother to shut behind her. Picture it, green TB running thru the barn with ponies on cross ties. Then there was the time a horse got loose bringing him in, and the vet left the farm gate open. I love ya Don, but I nearly lost a customer horse that day!

DQ's in general. I may be younger than you, but I AM perfectly qualified to take care of your ugly, untalented horse that you're afraid of anyway. (I know that was mean, but you didn't have to deal with these women!)

Oh, here's some goofy ones, people who ask "can I ride your horse" while you're on a trail ride. My last barn was in a small public park and I lost count how may times I heard that one. That and small children RUNNING after you to get a closer look at the caballo (sp?). UURGH, quick way to get unseated. And when you tell them to stop, they dont understand or are too facsinated to here you. We would give them the occaisonal thrill and hand gallop up the one short hill, that usually got chears even for the slooow school horses.

[Coreene]

Golf Cart Revenge: our barn is part of a city park and we have a REAL big pet peeve about the under-16s driving them (especially the snotty ones that come in for the shows and think our trail system is the National Offroad Racing Circuit). A young friend from our barn becomes an official city Park Ranger in a fortnight and will go around busting them all at the shows ... aaah, I can't wait! Then he can go on to attack the dog problem (no doggies on stable property).

Here's another pet peeve: a gal at our barn buys a lovely ex-jumper two years ago. He's a gorgeous 18.2 hh Argie thoroughbred, jumped internationally, bla bla bla. The vet told the former owners it was time to retire him due to extreme navicular changes. The doc who did the vet check said there was NO WAY she should buy the horse.

But she pays Way Too Much for the lame horse, farts around with him for a year and has fun. Then the New Zealand TB she buys her daughter turns out to be too much horse for the little girl. Guess what? Argie is nerved and is now going off to three and five day shows and doing the jr jumpers and medal classes. Poor guy comes home so beat that he's flat out in his stall for hours at a time and struggles to get up.

And - and I am not exaggerating - when I asked how long she was going to keep this up, the owner said "Well, until he breaks down. Then we'll get my daughter another horse."

Gets my blood boiling just thinking about it.

[wtywmn4]

Have to agree with deerie..loose dogs and people who HAVE to bring their dogs to the barn, so all of us can enjoy them, NOT!

Children driving golf carts at shows, HELLO...does the word liability mean anything to you?

Schooling rings, where some idiot is flying around out of control, and people are scattering for self preservation...

[JrLeagueGoddess]

That golf cart thing makes me sick. I am pretty much over it, and agree with everyone else here.

I see NO reason for 13 yr olds...or even 16 yr olds to be driving around on these things.

Someone is going to get hurt...especially at Palm Beach. (one golf cart per exhibitor, and spectator must be the rule there) And I just pray it isnt me!

My husband and I were there over Thanks- giving...watching a show...there were MORE golf carts than spectators.

We have no DQ's at my barn...but in our area it seems they all go to "their" barns and the rest of us to to "ours!"

[Snowbird]

Well, I guess most of you are not old enough to remember when there was No Schooling in any ring once the show started. You could school if you got there before 7:30 AM, and then that was never in the jumper ring or the equitation ring.

Yep! those old horses who "weren't as good" as the hunters today went cold turkey. The kids in the Medal Classes all went cold turkey! And, can you imagine such a thing you didn't get to show at an A Show unless your horse "if you had a horse" could jump 3'6". No pre-green baby hunters, no puddle jumpers
and occasionally a "local" hunter which was really local.

Horrors! what a primitive concept.

All the damage to the horses that is being used as the excuse for all the ridiculous rules happens in schooling. So why screw up the show and competition, let's just stop the schooling. Maybe that's why in those days the horses didn't need drugs as much as they do today. And, maybe the work was done at home to condition and train because there was no schooling. I'm not sure what the reason is, but I'd be willing to give it a try. We don't permit schooling for the Medal Classes at our shows after 7:30AM. They live!

[This message has been edited by Snowbird (edited 12-05-1999).]

[MCKENZE]

Okay Yall want to know my pet peeves?
1.I hate.. absolutly HATE when people when a simple ribbion and then show it off to everyone who will listen!
2. People who are "trainers pets". I know a girl who has sleep overs at her trainers house, gives her massages and even brushes her hair. Its pathetic really but it drives me nuts!
3. SHOW MOMS drive me patheticly crazy... the brag and Brag and Brag. There daughter is the top of the world and then they put down everyone else in their daughters class. they think they know everything and then takes the trainers possition and schools her daughter while in the ring.. WHILE THE TRAINERS THERE! I once saw my trainer ask a mom to remove herself from the ring because she was upseting the exibators. Im sorry but SOME show moms make me CRINGE when I think of them.
About the golf carts.. when I was yonger show in Chicago we drove around the golf carts and honestly if a child is a good responsible kid you shouldnt judge them on there age.

[Jumphigh83]

Another one: Those barns that just leave their ribbons in the disgusting pile of garbage that WAS their tackroom. If you want to toss them, at least take them home and toss them..What an insult to the horse show and those who are trying to get just one brown ribbon that they would cherish forever. That is SO classless and arrogant.

[deerie]

Has anyone noticed that today's younger folks are really - and I mean REALLY - functionally illiterate as far as spelling goes.........?

I was told that it was a national crisis, I see now for myself that it is true.

I guess that is a pet peeve of mine of sorts....

[Pam]

>>>Does anyone else ever see these two things?<<<
I see it when a kid is schooling another kid's pony for them, and when they don't have a large pony or horse to ride. There's a girl where I ride that school's short stirrup kids' ponies; she's 5'6" and the ponies are mediums...


My pet peeves are people who pull (on the reins -to stop for example), and people who bounce rather than going in modified 3-point to save the horse's sensitive back until they can sit to the gait. (Also people who throw tack onto the horse and generally aren't sensitive to the horse -tighten the girth way too fast, etc. -mostly beginners and camp kids; makes riding school horses a pain).
People who ignore you because A they're ignoring you or B they don't know what you mean, when you call "outside" or "inside" in a warmup ring.

[Becca]

LOL- You guys crack me up. And who ever made the spelling comment (memory- not my strong point) Its not chronic- I happen to be a very very good speller. In my opinion, its something your born with, or not. Its merely an ability. You can learn to spell words correctly, but you are born with an almost gut instinct of the appropriate spellings. Often my problem is my brain works too fast for my hands, so I get hazardous typo's all over /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

And- ARGH!! Golf carts with 10 year olds are even at the shows!! Sure, there are rules that you need to be a liscensed driver, but its not inforced. Bugs me too /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

But I don't really have any huge pet peeves. Stupid people in schooling rings, or people who don't use common sense in potentially dangerous situations- boy do I have a woosey of a story about stupid people at horse shows.. But don't have the time just now /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

But more than anything else, it makes me want to cry when I see people pounding their horses into the ground, or doing 6 divisions a day, or pumping them with Bute, and other misc. drugs- Just so we can clinch the championship in out 10th division of the week!!

Cruelty is so unnacceptable, yet its common practice. Makes me sick. And to each his own- but personally, if you abuse animals, you are, and never will be a friend of mine.

Personally, it takes away all qualifications of yours to be classified as a human- or your right to any respect or dignity.

Ok, I have babbled plenty.
Becca

[wtywmn4]

Snowbird, I remember those days very well. And feel the horses were brighter and we had more fun showing /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Ashleigh]

My reply has to do with schooling... One of the most terrifying show ordeals in my LIFE happened to me about a month ago at the local circuit's year-end show. I was schooling my nice, sane Childrens' hunter over a 3' line and adding the first time through to warm him up. Being the good schooling ring rider I am (hehehe) I called "heads up-outside line", etc. etc. But of COURSE, here comes a trainer who jacks the oxer up to 3'6" while I'm landing off the vertical. Of course. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif So here I am, on an adding 3' pace, fast approaching a 3'6" oxer that wasn't there 30 seconds ago. ::sigh:: Luckily McCartney's such a saint... I just supported him and up we went over the very traumatic oxer, only to be run into by this psycho lady who thinks she runs the schooling ring. (This woman should be expelled from the show circuit until she understands and can apply "Heads up", "Left hand to Left hand", and the like) Ohhh, local show schooling is just TOO much fun. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Ashleigh

[Weatherford]

Me, too, Snowbird.

And I really don't understand why schooling is such a necessity these days (except at the big shows where it brings in big bucks). Schooling should be done at home...(Oh, that's right, no one stays home any more!)

[ShaSamour]

What?? School at home?? Like we did yesterday?? Without a professional present?? Heresey!!! ;-)

I have to agree, what's the fascination / obsession with schooling? You're not allowed to school at C/T events, or for jumpers. I'm not even sure you should be allowed to hack around in a jumper ring. Once heard a trainer advise his kids "you'd better show them all the jumps, or you won't get over any of them". Some jumpers.

Could you imagine how much time we'd save at shows if all the riders were allowed to do was walk the course? Not to mention how many wrecks could be avoided?

Golf carts, loose dogs, uncontrollable horses in schooling areas, oblivious riders... And we still manage to have fun despite all these, uh, diversions.

[Portia]

Worse than golf carts -- three-wheeler off road bikes or whatever they're called. We have some trainers in our area who use them instead of golf carts, and who let the kids drive them. At least the golf carts are relatively quiet!

Whatever happened to the old practice (at least in CT) of just packing a bicycle to get from one distant spot to another?

[This message has been edited by Portia (edited 12-06-1999).]

[Philly]

I wholeheartedly agree with all of these pet peeves, and I have plenty more....But my biggest pet peeve is CELL PHONES. I understand if a parent needs one for business purposes or someone is expecting an important call but what is up with these riders/trainer all wearing them attached to their breeches even when they ride. I have a cell phone in case the van breaks down or to call home and check in with the barn, but I don't do it at the in-gate!

[Weatherford]

Well, Portia, I have a problem with oversized, out of shape, over 40 bicyclers who really need training wheels and who never ride except at that one or two very big shows where, once they find their precarious balance, realize that speed is really fun and go flying around slightly out of control...
(Now maybe there is only one of these types out there... she promises to practice riding her bike at least once before the big shows this year....<g> )

But, seriously, bikes beat mopeds and golfcarts and the like any day! ( I even plan to get baskets and carying cases this year, and I promise to get my brakes checked, too. <g> )

[VA]

I helped out at a polo barn last summer and what drove me crazy were the people who expected you to pick-up after them, didn't think it was their responsibility to clean tack or roll the leg wraps they used.

Even worse are those who put their horses' comfort second to their own. One kid would complain he was hot and tired after his chukka so he'd throw the heaving, dripping pony in the stall and plop himself in front of the fan. You had to yell at him to take care of the pony. He talked back to the owner about it once and now he's banned from our club /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif Everyone is happier, the lost money was worth it! You really don't have to put up with that crap.

[Portia]

Weatherford - LOLOL!

[Heather]

Not only do we CT'ers not "school" but we have limitations on warmup times--most places won't let you into the official warm-up rinf until a half-hour before your ride time. Frankly, with most of the event horses I have ridden you couldn't PAY ME ENOUGH to "school"--we are constantly trying to get away from the other horses--not go into a ring packed to the eyeballs with them--and you all jump in every direction too--that was a stunner (our warmup jumps can be jumped one way and one way only--you jump something the wrong way and an official sees you you are eliminated). I went to one hunter show with a greenie--and that was the last time--I take enough risks on cross-country I don't need to be killed in a damn ring!

[tbhunter36]

My biggest pet peeve is poorly run horse shows with disorganized people running it! This is mostly teh schooling shows i go to not the rated ones, but i must admit that people that think back to back trips are a bad idea or that posting an order of go is not important are dead wrong...i hate waiting around just to take my second course, and i hate it when im in line and people try to "cut" me in line (and have the time it is adults or pros) how annoying is it, they dont even say excuse me or give an excuse as to why they have to go first, they just barge in like they own the place, how disrespectful! Also!! Once i went to a show with a very green pony and every time i went into the ring to jump my course, they would go to the ingate and staple the "Real" course over the one they posted and they would call for me to stop and exit the ring and learn the new course...how confusing and unfair for the ponies first show experience!! I was so angry, i love to go first and i was punished at that one, it happened to me like 4 times!! Oh well...I also hate it when horse show grounds dont provide enough stabling or promise stabling then overbook, and im left hanging on to the 3 horses im showing allllll day until my classes, then my unexperienced parents get to take over! While im involved in this heated discussion, let me add one more time that kids my age that show ponies or horses in my divisions and have parents and grooms doing everything for them! My question is where are they in between their classes? what do they do while im watching my friends and cheering on fellow competitors and taking care of my mounts, and getting ready for my classes by myself? What do they do with themselves? ide be bored to death /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif Ok most of this doesn make sense to anyone probably ill stop beating this one to death!

[Portia]

Oh, Heather, you're so right about having flagged warm up fences! If there's one thing I would pray be adopted from CT in the jumper ring, it's having flagged fences that can only be jumped with "red on right," and have a TD there to enforce it. (I still remember the ONE time I jumped a fence the wrong direction in the warm-up ring at a horse trials. I wasn't eliminated because I was obviously green, but boy did I have to apologize and beg forgiveness from the TD and my trainer!)

[Jumphigh83]

What's with all the radios/cell phones on the belts in the ring???????????? It can't wait 90 seconds 'till the round is over or is it a statement about just how IMPORTANT these people are??

[Becca]

Oh, I have to admit I am pro the walky talky thing, and cell phones. My mom always has her phone with her, and a bunch of us cary a connecting walky talky with us, its saved me so many times. Calling dad to have him grab something before he leaves the hotel, calling back to the stables and havign someone run a forgotten number up to the ringside, or the necessary crop that we left, or something to that variation, it makes life 100 times easier. So I am very pro cell phones, and walky-talky's. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[wtywmn4]

Jumphigh, another agreement /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif Hate to see those ribbons thrown on the ground!!! You're right, many would be ecstatic over an 8th. If it means that little, then they should just stay home!

We could invoke the FEI rule, no electronic devices allowed in the ring....

Have always wanted to run a little electrical charge thru the cells,pagers etc when people are wearing them in the ring /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif.If they want them that badly, then they too should find another hobbie.

[SillyRider]

Whine, Whine, Whine. . . . . /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

You guys crack me up.

[This message has been edited by SillyRider (edited 12-06-1999).]

[Jumphigh83]

Converse converse converse..what is with you silly rider? Can't vent alittle without being labeled?

[Nipsy6969]

Silly probably leaves her ribbons and garbage because with all the electronics on her she can't bend over to pick it all up, or maybe shes busy longing "Tornado" in the schooling area on her golfcart loaded with 6 unleashed jackrats and can't make it to the payphones to make her calls.

[SillyRider]

No, not exactly.

I will admit some of the "pet peeves" are good safety issues/points more than they are "pet peeves".

Jump I know you are venting and if it makes everyone feel better keep on venting /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif (but, I never labeled).

Again, you guys crack me up. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif. . . Keep on venting. . .

[This message has been edited by SillyRider (edited 12-07-1999).]

[CoffeeBreak]

Have to agree with TbHunter as to poorly run shows being one of my pet peeves. Recently went to a show where the one ring didn't start until 9am (was supposed to start at 8am) and then they spent a hour (not exaggerating - I actually timed it) schooling a handful of small/med childrens hunter ponies. It's no wonder they couldn't finish before we lost daylight.

[Becca]

LOL- You guys are so bad- I think Silly was just kidding around a bit *G*

And anyhow.. I am enjoying this post thoroughly!

[Kahuna]

I also have a problem with people riding with a cell phone attached to their belt. All it takes is one trip, stumble, or spook and that phone could become a permanent part of your spine.

On a lighter note, I heard that someone's phone started ringing during the jump off in a grand prix! What was he going to do, answer it??? If he had, he would have had a lot of time faults!!!

[Jumphigh83]

Kevin Babington...he told them he was "busy"..I think it was during the pinning of the GP of NY

[Flash44]

When i go to a show, it is to relax (ha ha) and enjoy myself. the last thing I want is to be attached to a cell phone or beeper.

[Becca]

LOl- OK, my pro cell phone meant having it somewhere nearby, I don't ride w/ it on!! I meant like having mom have one, or somethignt o that extent /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[MPME]

OK - My biggest Pet Peeve is TRAINER CONFLICTS. How many hours have you waited for the under saddle because one or two riders need to finish up their jumping round - and their trainer is no where to be found. I know that a trainer can not be at different places at the same time, but something needs to be done about it, for the sake of the trainers and the riders waiting around.

Another Pet Peeve, that is not as big, is when riders do not want to go first in the show ring. Have you ever seen three or four horses, riders, and trainers waiting around to go second? Why won't they go first? After the first rider goes in the ring, then everyone else want to go. I can not even count how many times I have gone first. I actually enjoy it, because I can put my horse away before the undersaddle (waiting around for the riders who have trainer conflicts).

Maybe going first will take care of the trainer conflict problem?????

[Skipper]

I know one occassion when I was "on-call" for work and didn't want to stay home from a show on the 1-2% chance of getting called. And since I had such a perfect gentleman steed, I NEVER had a groom with me, so I did have to wear my beeper into the ring. And I did leave it on audible because I was afraid I'd miss the vibrate signal. But I did wait until I was out of the ring to call in.

And my big petpeeve also are the riders who can not do anything without their trainers....

[Flash44]

Ohmigod, that would be so funny if you had your beeper on and you were in an eq class and had to back and your beeper went off just as you started backing. Would you get extra points for sound effects?

[Coreene]

Another one is people who don't show up when their number is called ... and called ... and called. I had a trainer nearly punch me a few years ago when I got roped in as the announcer at an unrated show at our barn (never a good idea to give me a mike as I wil start hamming it up). Anyhow, when one of the kids didn't show up despite having her number/name called several times, plus trainer's name, I gave her a two minute call. They were taking their time warming up over and over. Kid had just been in the class prior, so they were really belaboring the point. At the one minute call, I said I'd scratch her if she didn't turn up. 30 second call. Half a minute later I scratched her.

Five minutes after that, when her highness the trainer deigned to grace us with her presence, she proceeded to give a wonderful demonstration of her command of the Not For Publication English language. I'm sure she pulls the same stunt over and over to this day, but it felt REALLY good.

[Bascule]

Flash!! That is too funny. I just about fell out of my chair with the imagery!

I have more pet peeves than it is physically possible to list. But it is nice to know there are others with similar viewpoints.

[BigEqRls]

I must agree that people who refuse to go first bug me. I'm always the first one to jump in and say I'll go first just to get things moving, the only time I won't do it is if I havn't warmed up or I'm worried about a line or the course. The phone thing just makes me laugh. What I really hate about horse shows is when the ring master tells you to be there in 45 mins ready to go, and you sit there for an hour and a half. URGH> Nothing agrivates me more then the rude, pushy trainers who take over the schooling ring, taking down fences your using and letting their kids run all over everyone else. Manners people. But I do think some of the stuff you guys are posting is hilarious, but true.

[pwynnnorman]

Primo-expensive ponies cleaning up in backwoods A shows, year after year, same rider, same shows, same results. I just don't get why they bother.

Primo-expensive ponies who are so mechanical and nasty that they actually pin their ears and bite at you should you get too close--oh, and have to be ridden in two sets of spurs.

Trainers who don't train, but merely jump, jump, jump (including during schooling at shows) because a decent hunter-type can learn to its job through sheer repetition.

"Trainers" whose horses WIN even though all they've done is jump, jump, jump.

"Trainers" who can't tell a shoulder-in from a leg-yield and can't explain anything more complicated than "keep your heels down."

Non-functional--but pretty--riders.

Non-functional--but pretty--trainers, especially the guys. (I mean, heck, I could put up with the non-functional part figuratively, but literally? Such a disappointment!)

[Jumphigh83]

AMEN and ALLELUHA (where's that spell check???)

[Pat]

One more from me!

Some one said something about poorly run shows... On Memorial Day this year I took some of my customers and a schoolie for me to a Combined Test. It was possibly the worst show I have EVER been to! At 11:30, I asked someone at the secretary stand when the first division of clear round jumping would start, and she said "what ever it said in the program", and when I pointed out that that was 11:00 and that there were still 20 people walking the course, all I got was a blank stare! They also lost at least 2 dressage tests between the judges and the secretary, there were 2 #196's, I missed a whole division of clear round due to the complete lack of announcing, there's more but you get the idea. Yeesh, the whole thing nearly put me off CT's in general. I'll stick to h/j shows for now.

[wtywmn4]

Ya mean like a garbage truck Flash44? /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Skipper]

Flash, now that would've been toooo funny!!!

[barngirl]

Portia...your comments about flagging jumps would be a great idea to borrow from the event world. But come on do you really think it would do any good??? If riders are having trouble riding left stirrup-to-left stirrup what makes you think that these same riders will be able to figure out a flagged jump!!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
My biggest pet peeve is stupid trainers!!! We could all be trainers if all it took was sitting on a fence and saying "heels down."
And I really hate trainers who yell at there riders. Show a little class, your in public.
I also want to ad and Anti-pet peeve... I give tanks and much respect for my trainer who will school later than normal with us before a show to avoid the rush hour... or better yet politely call another trainer out for not sharing the ring. My trainer can do it with such grace and finesse the ring hogs never know what hit them.
I think a lot of school ring rpoblems would be solved by having more people learn about proper ring proceedures. The confusion of calling "outside" and "inside" is quickly eliminated when everyone agrees to pass left to left. I also think it would help if more people learned to ride in a group. I love a private lesson... but there is nothing worse than a rider who is so scared and in experienced at group riding that they have to hog the arena for their personal comfort. I never understood why people can ride in a big flat class at the walk trot and canter without killing others. But ask them to do it in a schooling ring and they forget everything.
Last may I went to a hunter trial....there was a hunt class..which many of you know tests you on your knowledge of hunt ettiquetee (Sp). maybe there needs to be a schooling ring class. It would certainly not be a dull class... might break up the monotony of all those flat classes!!!!
/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Becca]

LOL- Thats kinda funny /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif Just how smaller coined phrases differ from farm to farm. Like you called it left stirrup to left stirrup. I've always said Left Should-to -Left Shoulder.. Funny little things like that... and yes.,. Iam suffering from severe sleep deperevation ( AND have to take my SSAT's tommorow Am- augh!) so I am being salightly off the wall.

[Kim]

Okay, here goes

My Pet Peeves, in no particular order:

- People who buy million-dollar horses/ponies and show them in smaller divisions where they will easily clean up (e.g., showing a successful 3'6 horse in the 2'6 divisions)

- 3'6 riders who use the 3' divisions "as their warm up" and thus leave no placings for the actual 3' riders

- People who exchange their horses like people trade in cars

- People who blame their mounts and/or make excuses for their lack of show ring success

- People who just "sit there" - passive riders who could not ride anything that isn't a packer (and sometimes cannot even handle those LOL)

- People who brag, especially those who aren't even any good

- Parents who tell their kids how great they are when they aren't and thus give them unrealistic expectations.

- People who ride that don't really love horses

- People who freak out anytime their horse does anything short of perfection

- People who won't "own" their mistakes and shortcomings

- People at tiny schooling shows who think they are Olympic level

- People who need constant hand-holding

[stephanie]

Hi everyone. I'm new here, and have been enjoying perusing the forums since I discovered them on Christmas. I don't want my first post to peg me as a grinch, but it's too appealing to pass up an opportunity to air some pet peeves...

like, little kids with custom tall boots and chaps; riders who get on and don't let their horses stretch out before yanking them into "frame"; juniors with numerous fancy horses who don't even like to ride ...

[SillyRider]

Now, Stephanie that is a good one. There are tons of juniors who have three or more horses and they HATE to ride. . . What is up w/ that, they could always save mommy and daddy a couple of bucks if they would dismount and sale the horses.

[AAJumper]

Stephanie, your pet peeve about the little kids in custom tall boots is shared by George Morris...did you catch his latest Jumping Clinic column where he says "The recent trend of sticking small children into tiny, custom-made tall boots just smacks of nouveau riche snobbery." So true!

I also agree with those of you who hate it when barns leave their ribbons in a pile in the tack room. When I was at a show over Memorial Day, I had a great overall show, but only ended up with one of those brown ribbons, but was happy to have it. After the grand prix was over and the showgrounds were pretty much deserted, we went back to the barns to load up our horses, and on the ground, in the barn next to ours was a huge pile of ribbons...all colors. They didn't even bother to throw them into the tack room, they were just in the aisle. I mean, geez...there was a trash can nearby that they could have easily thrown them in, but no, they threw them right in the aisle.

Also, like most of you, I was wondering what is up with the cell phones? Sheesh...more than once I've been warming up in the warm-up arena, and some trainer has been on their horse, walking around and talking on the cell phone! It's like they want to portray some image that they are working on closing some critical horse deal or something.

Finally, my biggest pet peeve is people who whine about their horse and blame the horse for everything, especially kids whose parents pay the bills. I bet they'd appreciate their horse and their lessons a whole lot more if they had to fork over the bucks to pay for it all. I'm not talking about all kids, just the ones who do nothing but complain. If you don't enjoy riding, then QUIT and save your parents a lot of money!

Michelle

[Jumphigh83]

My "little kid" in off the rack tall boots is 10 and he had to go to the taller boot because his legs were getting nasty sores from abrasion on them. Sometimes there is a reason for what appears to be affected behavior. Sorry George, if you care to peel the jodphers off taking with them a layer of skin while listening to your child howl and complain, then you might consider tall boots too.

[Flash44]

You can wear elastics under your breeches/jodphurs to prevent rubs.

[Jumphigh83]

But you don't have the grip you have with boots.

[Snowbird]

You know that a lot is individual need. One daughter with very long skinny legs and large feet couldn't find a pair of jodphurs that would even fit. They were so baggy that they did give blisters. My other daughter had a nice normal leg and she never rode in ponies, but I do remember when she was in maiden people saying "that girl, the one without the custom boots".

Some of this is our fault.

[Ben and Me]

On the subject of tall boots...

I wear an 8 slim in boots and they dont fit at all in the calf, they hang off! Like my parents are goin to get me customs...Haha yeah right! Its so dumb, they say that long, thin legs are the best for riding and yet THEY MAKE NO EQUIPMENT THAT FITS ME! I wear a 26L in Tailored Sportsmen and they're almost too short! I have the exact same problem w/ chaps, right now I'm riding in a kids 16 that fit me great in the legs but my jeans hang down about 2 1/2 inches below them! I'm probably going to get some custom chaps for my birthday because the off-the-rack chaps that fit me length-wise are HUGE in the leg!

Also, the kids (and adults) w/ their custom clothes and million dollar horses who couldnt get my horse over a jump much less to do a flyin change! And yet, they think they're "God's gift to horses!"

[Bethe Mounce]

My pet peeve is at dressage shows when horse/rider combination hasn't done well in the test, they go back to the warmup area and proceed to just school the h*** out of the horse. By then it is pointless.....I see it so much at the upper levels....so sad....... :-(

[Weatherford]

Bethe - we see it in the hunters, too. Round and round jumping their horses to death. shudder....

[Bethe Mounce]

Weatherford------trying to remember when I last competed at a hunter/jumper affair. I go and watch but stay away from the collecting ring.

If horse/rider combination is not ready to ride that particular dressage test or jump that particular course of fences, then why are they there? Especially if it's a sanctioned show by AHSA or USDF or both? Schooling the horse to death "t'ain't" going to improve the performance before or after the class. The homework (schooling) should have been done at home. I know there are times when the green horse and green rider has to make their debut and that can be quite traumatic for both horse and rider, but can't one use schooling shows for that?

Oh well, live and learn I guess. ;-)

[Snowbird]

That's why one of my pet revisions is to if not eliminate then restrict schooling at hunter/jumper shows.

I think all those people who have imposed the multi-day division on us to "save" the horse should rethink the process.

We competed in Canada a few years ago and there was a schooling steward who actually kept track of fences jumped. For an entire week, you were permitted exactly 30 fences to school. That was where you rode a horse drawn out of a fish bowl. In other words a horse you had never ridden before.

[Smiles]

1# Oh i've got one. We have a rich D/Q at my barn, and you know what she did to out do everyone that gave my trainer a Xmas gift. She gave her a plane ticket to anywhere she wanted to go. I mean pleasssssssse.

2# huge kids or trainers on tiny ponies. Sometimes they need to be schooled, but you don't need to put your humpity dumpity trainer one the pooor things back.

3# posted orders of go should be listened to, and if your not at the gate then you don't go at all.

4# Waiting, waiting, waiting, for that hack class to start.

5# Why is that short stirrup kid schooling in the jumper warmup area? We don't need little kid road kill in the warmup rings.

6# dogs peeing and crapping on everything. Tack trucks, tack rooms, barn aisels, you name it. It's just a big old toilet for the dogs.

7# could you adleast get my name right just once mister annoucer?

8# Can't these parents find a babysitter for the herd of brats?

9# Is there a groom out there that can speak a word of english?

10# I'm still waiting for the trailer to pick my horse up from the show!!!

[Flash44]

Smiles - in response to #8: when you get a little older and have "brats" of your own, you will understand how difficult and expensive it is to hire a babysitter for all day on a weekend, especially since you need to leave the house at a very early hour.

[buryinghill2]

Smiles-
My pet peeve, people who are negative about everything. (Ironic screen name...)

[MsHunter]

OK, this is really my one and only pet peeve. For those of you in NJ: Why in the world would you give your hard earned money to a young adult trainer who says" I need money to buy ANOTHER GRAND PRIX HORSE" people who have grand prix horses always have more than one, they have a string of them. This same trainer says good bye to all her clients and leaves for Florida because George Morris tells her too. But, remember this is the trainer who cares about
her customers oh so much! And, she probably makes more than all of us, as the same primadonna does NO BARN WORK only rides and teaches. So, at $50 a head, over 20 clients, WHy did she need a Fundraiser?????
SO, My PET PEEVE::::: SELF ABSORBED YOUNG TRAINERS WHO HAVEN"T WORKED A DAY OF THEIR LIVES FOR ANYTHING.
Now why can't I get donations to breed nice horses???

[Smiles]

FLASH maybe we should have a kid leash law. I now it's hard to find a babysitter, but you don't need to let them wander and do whatever they please.

[Smiles]

ABBEY I like my screen name. Though I don't always smile, but it fits. Plus the fact is I don't want to use a horsey name or my plan old boring name so here it is. Yah I do have to agree that people who complan get old, but if you don't do it your voice won't be heard. I like to think of it as more like nagging then complanning. OH I thought of another one. How about you have your lesson at 6 and the trainer doesn't get to you until 6:30 or later. Hey this is why I scheduled my lesson at that time.

[Pat]

Smiles my dear, there are plenty of grooms who speak English, I was one of them.

[jch]

My pet peeve is the pony who spent all day out playing and pees as soon as he enters the stall for the night!

[Smiles]

JCN, Alot of horses and ponies do that. They would rather hold it then go outside. I see it more in mare's then I do in geldings. Oh Pat we have a ton of spanish speaking grooms out here. They are cheaper to pay, and thats why everyone uses them.

We had a groom in my barn who was French when I was a junior. If it wasn't for him, I would still be a senior in high school trying to pass the "Profenciency in a Second Language" requirement. I won't even get into my first French exam in college...

If not for the Mexican grooms I've had the priveledge of working with, I would not be able to translate all of the instructions in various ATM machines and train stations in New York City. Nor would I be able to negotiate the San Juan International Airport, where not a single plane leaves on time or isn't overbooked!

Thanks to Jean-Luc, Juan, and Salvadore("Sallie")!

[Sara123]

MY PET PEEVES:

People who sit on their horses/ponies hours before they show...not even riding, just sitting on their backs by the ring

People who NEVER pat their horse when they come out of the ring, no matter what

People who blame their horse for their obvious mistakes

Trainers who scream and yell at their students, just trying to hurt their self esteem, instead of helping them improve

People who obliviously ride in the school area (Cut in front of jumps, dont call where they are going, work in a small circle RIGHT infront of the jump your jumping...)

[Ben and Me]

On the subject of horses' peeing habits...

My pony never used to pee if anybody was looking at him! I would be grooming him in his stall and I could tell that he would have to pee but he wouldn't go until I had left to go and get my saddle and bridle! I guess he was just kinda bashful! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[buryinghill2]

Alexandra-
How wonderful to hear from someone with such respect and kind words for the people who worked so hard for you! As someone who does speak English, and groomed for over twenty years, it warms my heart to hear of your gratitude and appreciation for these hard working people.
All over the horse shows, there are Jean-lucs and Juans and Abby's. Without them there would be no shows. I like to think that I also taught the juniors I worked for about more than just horses....

[Portia]

Yep, I still have very fond memories of the grooms at Bradley's Bonita Valley Farm [saddlebreds, lessons, and rentals] in Bonita, CA. They were fine horsemen in their own rights, and loved their charges, even down to the "lowliest" rent string horse. (The head groom there was a Salvador also.) And at our barn, we recently had a hysterical foal run straight through a fence when a cow got loose from next door and stuck its head through the gate next to her. She literally broke her face (she'll be fine, no scars or anything, but it was horribly ugly at the time). One of our grooms cradled the baby in his arms for an hour until the vet got there, getting her blood all over himself but keeping her calm, and he was the only one who could get her loaded on the trailer with her mom.

Abby, thank you for your kind remarks. I was going to post this on a new thread, then I realized it is a pet peeve of mine that grooms do not generally receive the same amount of respect as the other participants in this industry. Riders, trainers, horses, and owners are all given the respect and acknowledgement (sp?) that they deserve. Considering they work equally as hard, if not harder, than the afforementioned, I find it offensive when people make snide remarks about language skills or belittle the profession on the whole. You are absolutely correct that without grooms there would be no shows.

I've learned so much from grooms over the years, regardless of what language they spoke. It angers me to see that people will assume that if a person is a groom, particularly a Mexican groom, they are ignorant about horses and not worthy of respect. Personally, I have learned an enormous amount horse-wise and in other ways from the various grooms I've had the pleasure of knowing over the years.

[This message has been edited by Alexandra (edited 01-10-2000).]

[Pat]

Alexandra and Abbey -- BINGO

There are plenty of English speaking grooms out there, but there's no reason to be rough on the Spanish guys. I could be the first one to speak against them, I've have had to compete for jobs with 'em. But they work hard to earn the pittance that ALL grooms take home. They are cheap to hire because NO grooms are paid well. OK, some really wealthy amateurs out there pay well, but the barns with gobs of horses and grooms don't. Many of the guys I know send most of what they make HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES.

The other reason some people hire Spanish guys is because they can't/won't interact with the customers. Jose can't tell you your horse is being overmedicated because he doesn't speak the language. No, I'm not paranoid, I've been told that one more than once.

Of course, there are the guys who know more then they let on. Once, one of my customers commented on how dirty her horse's stall window was and that she would clean it before she went home. While she was riding, Augustin cleaned the glass and the frame. he heard every word she said and decided to suprise her. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[ErinR]

I board at a small family run barn and have never been on the show circuit, so I personally have never met a groom, but from what I have read on this BB it sounds like they are an essential part of the industry. I have an adopted standardbred and used to get Hoofbeats, the USTA magazine, and they had at least one issue that was sort of a tribute to the role grooms play with profiles of various grooms.
It is really ironic that the people who belittle and mistreat grooms (or others in similar postions) are inevitably insecure peole who are trying to impress people with their importance but in reality are advertising to everyone in the vacinity that they have adsolutely no class.
Alexandra - on the issue of shows and groom recognition, I am pretty sure that the Capital Challege (October - Upper Marlboro, MD) has at least one class, or division or whatever, where the groom of the winning horse is presented with a nice jacket. That really should be standard in hunters, where turnout is so important.

[Pat]

Not sure, but I think that particular award only goes to the groom of the big hunter champ. Kind of icing for the cake rather than something thought through. I do think it's nice though.

I forget which farm it was, but one does occaisionally putin a full page ad in the Chronicle thanking thier grooms for thier hard work. Complete with a picture of them, without the personal backpatting.

[AAJumper]

We have a Mexican groom and a Mexican stall cleaner, and those guys work SO HARD and are still so friendly and helpful. On the other hand, we once needed to hire someone to clean stalls (a guy quit), and the first new guy was white, out of high school, going to school part time, etc. On his first day, he didn't even finish cleaning the stalls before he left for the day. The next day he called in sick, and I think he never showed up after that. Ditto for a white girl who insisted that she could handle the job. Not to say either race is better or harder working, but that's just an example of my experiences w/grooms and stall muckers of different races. Anyway, I am always very appreciative of all the hard work the guys do, and I always try to let them know. It's the least we can do. Sometimes I feel bad thinking how they must think we are so wasteful spending money on the horses, when they slave away 6 days a week to send money to their families in Mexico.

[CarrieK]

An above post mentioned self-absorbed trainers. My pet peeve is similar, although I had no idea it *was* my peeve until I read this thread. And I do so apologize if this is construed as a personal attack, but really, it's just a peeve, just a little something which annoys, and doesn't reflect any judgment rendered. My pet peeve is self-
absorbed riders: speak *my* language as you take care of *my* horse; get your brats out of *my* way; pronounce *my* name properly; pick up *my* horse now.

[LucianCephus]

As usual, the thread has segued a bit (!), but I love this "groom recognition" theme. I really admire these guys--and women!--who can handle the incredible physical parts of this work and still be sensitive to the needs of the ponies. By the way, Pat, I know in California some shows do indeed offer groom awards. Our groom won at an Orange County show, and his ribbon was the nicest of all!

[ponykid]

My pet peeve is what my barn friends and I like to call "procrasitraining". You know what I am talking about- people who, with their trainers, decide that on Saturday during the children's hunters they are going to learn a new skill in the warm-up ring and hog all of the jumps from people who are actually riding in a class at that time! My children's hunter and I were trying to school for a class and jump warm-up jumps with my trainer when another trainer, practicing procrasitraining, decided it was a great time to teach some adults (no offense to most on this board- I was just describing them) after they hacked their class and had unbraided and undressed from show clothes (etc) how to modify their distance by opening their stride. Hello! It was nearly impossible for everyone in the children's to school with these four and their trainer hogging the jumps. And if their trainer felt they needed to know that information, why didn't she teach it to them BEFORE they came to the show! (what a novel idea!?!) After all, shows are where you are supposed to APPLY your knowledge in new and challenge environments. Another pet peeve is when people are blatantly (sorry-spell.) in the way of others without their consideration. Just three weeks ago I was at an A show, schooling my large pony over a warm-up fence for the AHSA pony medal. Lo-and-behold, just as I was attempting to do a rollback turn to another warm-up jump (and my trainer and I were yelling heads-up too, no one was in the way as of yet) some woman (excuse my brash rudeness) was allowing her horse in standing wraps to sniff the jump! My poor pony had to come to a screeching halt (although maybe this was good practice for the halt test) to miss hitting the horse. This was on a Saturday morning with many ponies flying around the warm-up ring in order to get ready for the medal. The woman stood there for several minutes with the horse and finally left, only when several trainers had alerted the steward of the problem. This past weekend I tried a new equitation horse for the coming year- a lease (yeah!) and I am seriously considering him (I have tried many) for one main reason: he doesn't need any jump prep, only a flat before a class!

[ponykid]

I know this is kind of off the subject, so excuse me, but my schooling ring pet peeve is what my barn friends and I like to call "procrasitraining". You know what I am talking about- people who, with their trainers, decide that on Saturday during the children's hunters they are going to learn a new skill in the warm-up ring and hog all of the jumps from people who are actually riding in a class at that time! My children's hunter and I were trying to school for a class and jump warm-up jumps with my trainer when another trainer, practicing procrasitraining, decided it was a great time to teach some adults (no offense to most on this board- I was just describing them) after they hacked their class and had unbraided and undressed from show clothes (etc) how to modify their distance by opening their stride. Hello! It was nearly impossible for everyone in the children's to school with these four and their trainer hogging the jumps. And if their trainer felt they needed to know that information, why didn't she teach it to them BEFORE they came to the show! (what a novel idea!?!) After all, shows are where you are supposed to APPLY your knowledge in new and challenge environments. Another pet peeve is when people are blatantly (sorry-spell.) in the way of others without their consideration. Just three weeks ago I was at an A show, schooling my large pony over a warm-up fence for the AHSA pony medal. Lo-and-behold, just as I was attempting to do a rollback turn to another warm-up jump (and my trainer and I were yelling heads-up too, no one was in the way as of yet) some woman (excuse my brash rudeness) was allowing her horse in standing wraps to sniff the jump! My poor pony had to come to a screeching halt (although maybe this was good practice for the halt test) to miss hitting the horse. This was on a Saturday morning with many ponies flying around the warm-up ring in order to get ready for the medal. The woman stood there for several minutes with the horse and finally left, only when several trainers had alerted the steward of the problem. This past weekend I tried a new equitation horse for the coming year- a lease (yeah!) and I am seriously considering him (I have tried many) for one main reason: he doesn't need any jump prep, only a flat before a class!

[Smiles]

Three out of ten isn't bad when they are my thoughts. I find this to be not to self obsorbed. Some otheres have express themselves with these terms also, so I guess there are lot of us out there. Interesting that you feel this way. The question now posed upon you is Why?

[CarrieK]

Why? Ethnocentrism. There's very rarely a good, acceptable reason for it, and those expressing it undermine their own acceptance.

[MsHunter]

OK, I did the self absorbed comment and I am a trainer. I guess my thoughts are if we as trainers are to produce better riders and horses, than we owe it to our clients to do as much as we can to help them get there. I for one, am running a sponsorship program (new thought, in the preliminary stages) \, and what it is designed for, is those without a big budget to horseshow/lesson/train/board. So, I am willing to take 2 riders who are dedicated and have a positive attitude,want to be horseman and learn it all. These 2 people will get everything for only the board price. I will train, coach, and ship them to shows. I will do it for 1 year and then add more onto their rate each year if they stay in the program. I have no idea if it will work, if anyone would be interested or not, but, I think it is important that money isn't the limiting factor in a good riders career. Now, I find this in direct opposition to some of our new trainers that are promoting their own riding career and want to be funded all the while making a very good wage. Choose, be a rider and a student, or be a trainer. I think having GrandPriz aspirations is noteworthy, but, something has to give, and it can't be the customers.

[deerie]

Jane, I think you are on the right track, and I hope your "social experiment" works.

I think it was Snowbird who made a comment in reference to "trainers who want to live on the same scale as the customers....". If it was not you, Snowbird, I apologize.

One of my pet peeves is just that.... that some trainers now are totally absorbed by their grand "lifestyle" aspirations. I had one trainer long ago, who started off being very diligent - but after a while, most of his attention was spent on which clients could fly him where (unrelated to horse shows....i.e. a skiing trip to clients place in Vail or wherever).

Although on his own earning power he could not have lived in such luxury, he became obsessed with la dolce vita!

It didn't take me long to get out of there! It was not up to me to provide him and his little group of "hang-ons" with their ongoing social fix!

But some folks, mainly the nouveaux, ate it up......

[OlmosHeaven]

Ponykid -- good spelling, good thoughts and a wonderful coinage -- procrasitraining. I rode with one of those once. At a show, she would dress me down about my equitation and get me so rattled that I would be unable to negotiate a crossrail. It's not that the comments were undeserving, but I rode with her five days a week. And I was too green or too timid to straighten both of us out.

[middkid]

I agree with almost all of these peeves, but one of my biggest ones is the kids who have to have there trainers around for every school, hack and even jog. There was one day when the juniors were held up for I kid you not, an hour at least, because a trainer had three larges to go in the pony ring, then had to watch their hack, then was standing around waiting for them to pin the class(it was 25% confromation) until the announcer called her over to the other ring. Her junior then proceeded to take their time in the schooling ring now that their trainer had arrived. FINALLY they were ready to go in the ring. It was ridiculous

[stephanie]

Jane--I'm interested to hear about your sponsorship program; please keep us posted on how it develops. I wish that when I was a junior, my trainer had come up with such a scheme. She was helpful, found me breaks where she could (still does--I groom and help out with the younger riders in exchange for coaching fees) but there was no such thing as a thought out program to help financially strapped riders.It seems like it might avoid problems of jealousy and feelings of unfairness among riders if the deal was set out very clearly. (avoiding issues that were raised on another thread about hard feelings resulting from a trainer charging one client less for the same services than another). Anyway, I for one am very interested to see how your project turns out.

[Shivaree]

Everyone who said that their pet peeve is poorly run horse shows...I agree! I can't stand them. Along with terrible lines! Plus, when the lines aren't "fit" for the indoor or ring. I can name a few more, too! But my biggest pet peeve is when I get cut off for no apparent reason. I don't care if I was b/c the horse was acting stupid or something happend that it was not the person's (or horse's) fault at all. My horse is afraid of head-ons or if another horse comes near her. It's so hard in schooling b/c she is afraid. & if someone cuts me off or stands in the middle of the line or something stupid like that, it's not fun!

[Moesha]

In response to the portrayal of hispanic slaves in the schooling ring if you are going to make stereotypical racist comments at least learn how to spell correctly when making a blanket statement. Being of hispanic origin, I am greatly offended. A perfectly reasonable soultion to this problem would be speaking to the show management about such schooling area problems.


Vaya con Dios

[Joker]

deerie - I couldn't agree more with the dog pet peeve - I was at many shows where dogs were loose and making it very difficult to concentrate and ride - my horse was the recipient of a lab chasing him in circle's while he tried to eat my horse's tail! VERY ANNOYING!!! VERY DANGEROUS!!!

[salsalito]

JRLeagueGoddess- about "someone getting hurt in those golf carts/scooters"...people do! When one of my friends was younger and doing the circuts all over the east coast, she was driving a scooter, not looking where she was going, etc...she ended up in the dentists office with 4 teeth knocked totally out of her mouth, and 3 root canals to follow! I hate those things! Whats the problem with walking?! We all have legs for that purpose!

My pet peeves?! Definately the "giants on a pony" thing! My old barn is still taking 5 ponies to about every show there is, for the 15 year-old daughter to ride! A 5'5" girl on medium ponies! It is SO ridiculous!

[Bumpkin]

How did the sponsorship program work Jane?
Have you started it yet? /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Showhorse]

1) people who practically beat their horses in the line up just so the judge will notice that they are patting them.

2) people who don't know/ignore the passing rule

3) dirty horses at horse show

4) kids that are bought everything just because their parents "can"

5) white feet painted BLACK /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif OH THE HORROR

[Rosie]

One that I don't think has been listed:
In an U/S class there always seems to be at least one clueless rider who is in minimal control of her horse - runs up on everyone's butt, cuts people off, canters madly about (on the wrong lead) etc. Reins too long, stirrups too long, doesn't seem to remember anything about diagonals. Usually manages to mess up at least one other person's hack. Of course they have no chance at all of pinning. Sometimes I think trainers send them in on "search and destroy" missions.

[Janet]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> 2) people who don't know/ignore the passing rule <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Could you explain what you mean by "the passing rule"?

[JumpTheMoon]

Left shoulder to left shoulder! Atleast I think thats what she's talking about. I can't stand it when people don't know that. I know alot of barns teach it at home but some just can't seem to put it into action when they get to a show! I hate having to yell "OUTISDEEEE" to every person i'm heading towards!

[Chicago]

My pet peeve is a little more personal...

I haven't had much show experience, and I only go to schooling shows. I am usually riding greenies, getting them used to the sights and sounds.

While I appreciate helpful comments, there are always those who will look down at me because I am not impeccably attired in full hunter style, and I don't know every idiosyncrasy of how shows work. I try to be polite and stay out of the way of others, but snide comments are never appropriate.

That much said, it seems like another thread ought to be started on the subject of "What You Love About Shows." There's a lot to be said there, too.

[Merry]

Along the same lines as DF Duplication: I, too, am often at smaller shows on greenies. I mean, "just out of the western saddle and pretty much knows its leads" greenies.

Here's a little pet peeve of mine: Being on that greenie at a small show, and having Mr. or Ms. Judge (usually wearing a cowboy hat) come up to me in the line-up and tell me something like, "Your horse is nice but it's not in a frame," or "You need to get your horse to bend in its corners better," or "Your horse needs to step right into its canter."

Like, HELLO! This is so totally a work in progress and I'm just here to get it in the show ring. I am NOT trying to win the illustrious bottle of fly spray to first place. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

*sigh* Feel much better now...

[LMH]

My pet peeve in addition to about every one here is not meeting people like those who listed the pet peeves!!

I seem to only meet the ones everyone here is complaining about!!

Now if I could meet someone who didn't drive their golf cart like a lunatic with the unleashed dog behind the cart herding all the horses, with the sniffling brat in custom boots and 7 butet saddles, traveling to meet the trainer to see if she can use the bathroom after which asking when the groom will have her horse prepared only so she can show up after many gates call to scratch because rain is predicted for 3 counties over, deciding to show, sit on her six figure horse while he tries like the champ he is to dig out of that distance she shoved him to ONLY leaving the ring to hop off toss the reins to former mentioned groom and annouce to former mentioned trainer that he MUST find her a suitable horse, money is no option, after which aforementioned trainer gets on now pitifully exhausted hunter to slap on some draw reins and school the snot out of him so he doesn't lose a client ONLY to be informed that she has left him for the new trainer du jour.... shall I go on????

Anyway if I could meet someone NOT like that person I may be inclined to show again one day!!!
(OK I lied, just waiting on my little greenie to grow up).

Life is too short to dance with ugly men

[TB4me2000]

Oh my god...I cant stand half of the world when I go to shows...haha

Mr personal pet peeves...
-dogs running loose
-gates left open
-people cantering behind you without giving you any clue that their coming
-people who cut you off
-cell phones
-golf carts, bikes and motor bikes
-little kids running around screaming
-people who should have moved up a division a long time ago, but keep on doing it for the points...
-people who ignore you when you call out 'Heads Up vertical!'

i could go on and on...but I'll spare ya!

thank you for listening...hehe

byebye

[brilyntrip]

Here are my pet peeves
Schooling a young horse in schooling area and waddya know there is always at least one lil kid (always on a white pony) carreenin in and out of schooling area.Always cutting you off as you have turned to jumps and young horse spooks at kid!!I REALLY HATE THAT!
pros with cell phones two way radios etc tec beepers yad yad on th eir belt loops .Christ do you really think you are that special???
Horse show offices that try to over charge you and then after you show them the mistakes they have made do not apologize
clients who say they want one thing but once they see how much time is involved in achieving that goal,aren't prepared to commit the time to achieve it.
Riders who immediately blame their horse or pony for every difficulty they encounter
shows that don't caare if they put on a good show even though they do know what the term "good show"means

[Claiborne]

WOW!!! sorry guys im one of those crazy kids in the golfcart(but i can drive well just not with 30 people packed in) and i also carry my walky talky around with me and i also barely ever do work for myself at shows(i need to work on that one..but my mom honestly loves helping out...she will do anything for any of the girls at our barn)

~**Sarah**~

[Dementia 13]

This is not really directly horse show related pet peeve but what about those obnoxious people who have an opinion on everything horse or horseshow related (usually negative, too) but don't actually compete. Of course they usually have a perfectly "reasonable" excuse as to why they don't compete.

Oh yeah, and what about people who write snide-little passive-agressive-disguised-as-clever posts. How pathetic is that?