No I'm not thick skinned !

[bigmrg74]

I would invite you to move to our barn here, but I kind of doubt that you would want to move to Michigan when you're all set up in Florida.

A couple of years ago, we had a pair of boarders who were neighbors and were keeping their horses with us until one of their dear hubbies got a barn and pasture all set up at their place. They were good boarders other than the fact that it was pretty clear that the mothers didn't really much of a clue about horses. Anyways, they go to move their horses out and then they start peppering Mom with all sorts of questions, and wanting a break down of the costs of everything that they would need per horse. Mom never kept that good of records here, and just told them just what she usually paid for whatever whenever she got it, Hay, sawdust, oats, ect. Anyways, they got all sorts of pissy about it, but the girls were cool about it. Somebody had already told them that Horses are really holes in the pasture that you pour money into. Guess the mom's didn't really get that yet, or were afraid that the girl's horse hobby was going to cut into their wine hobby budget.

 

[Peaches Lee]

I hear where you are coming from, here in Aus we call it ' tall poppy syndrome ' . Can't have anyone getting their head up in the clouds, so you knock down a few pegs. Our daughter has had a target on her back since she was 11 years old.

Awesome picture! Yep, doesn't matter how young you are, if you're talented you will be a target.

 

[theoldchick]

Riding a gaited horse myself I know you'll hear all kinds of ways to get the 'gait.' Thing is, like any other horse, the gaited horse has a unique conformation that a rider will have to work with.

I carry a whip when I ride. Just a barrel racing bat. I get a lot of flack for it. Folks often ask me if I beat my horse.

"I do lot a ground work with my horse," I tell them. "So when I finally start riding the horse has a thorough understanding of my request. The whip is not for the horse's discomfort. The whip is for my benefit. And it comes in handy to use on people who ask the wrong questions."


And for people who do want to judge me for carrying a whip while riding, I use it for many things. Pushing branches out of my way. Flicking flies of my horse. Whacking a two-legged predator who thought he could jerk me off my horse and do who knows what.

 

[seminolewind]

Riding a gaited horse myself I know you'll hear all kinds of ways to get the 'gait.' Thing is, like any other horse, the gaited horse has a unique conformation that a rider will have to work with.

I carry a whip when I ride. Just a barrel racing bat. I get a lot of flack for it. Folks often ask me if I beat my horse.

"I do lot a ground work with my horse," I tell them. "So when I finally start riding the horse has a thorough understanding of my request. The whip is not for the horse's discomfort. The whip is for my benefit. And it comes in handy to use on people who ask the wrong questions."


And for people who do want to judge me for carrying a whip while riding, I use it for many things. Pushing branches out of my way. Flicking flies of my horse. Whacking a two-legged predator who thought he could jerk me off my horse and do who knows what.

Dressage whip or crop, I refuse to kick a horse harder when it darn well knows what I want. The whip is to back up my leg, but I've never personally owned a horse that needed more than a kiss kiss.

How many times have you been told your horse is lame (gait)?

Yea, a gaited horse is different . Stiff horses don't gait or they get pacey. When her ears flop and her bottom lip flops, she is a gaitin fool. And whatever I'm doing is the right thing.

I would invite you to move to our barn here, but I kind of doubt that you would want to move to Michigan when you're all set up in Florida.

A couple of years ago, we had a pair of boarders who were neighbors and were keeping their horses with us until one of their dear hubbies got a barn and pasture all set up at their place. They were good boarders other than the fact that it was pretty clear that the mothers didn't really much of a clue about horses. Anyways, they go to move their horses out and then they start peppering Mom with all sorts of questions, and wanting a break down of the costs of everything that they would need per horse. Mom never kept that good of records here, and just told them just what she usually paid for whatever whenever she got it, Hay, sawdust, oats, ect. Anyways, they got all sorts of pissy about it, but the girls were cool about it. Somebody had already told them that Horses are really holes in the pasture that you pour money into. Guess the mom's didn't really get that yet, or were afraid that the girl's horse hobby was going to cut into their wine hobby budget.

Other than barn politics, Florida is very horse friendly. All parks have riding trials, some have paddocks for overnight campers who ride, and the water company, I think, or electric, allows riding on all their properties.

 

[cafarmgirl]

My last horse passed away 6 years ago and it's been even longer then that since I boarded at a barn. But this brought it all rushing right back! That is one aspect of the horse world that I do NOT miss lol! We had a stuffy, know-it-all woman at our barn (because there always is at least one right?!) who would constantly offer unsolicited "advice". I didn't want to get into with her since we saw each other a lot but I was really fed up so I finally just started cutting her off the moment she'd start in by saying "Thanks but we're doing fine here" then turn my back and go about my business or move away if I was riding. At first she would try to persist in unloading all of her knowledge on me but after a while she finally got the hint and stayed away.

 

[Peaches Lee]

Riding a gaited horse myself I know you'll hear all kinds of ways to get the 'gait.' Thing is, like any other horse, the gaited horse has a unique conformation that a rider will have to work with.

I carry a whip when I ride. Just a barrel racing bat. I get a lot of flack for it. Folks often ask me if I beat my horse.

"I do lot a ground work with my horse," I tell them. "So when I finally start riding the horse has a thorough understanding of my request. The whip is not for the horse's discomfort. The whip is for my benefit. And it comes in handy to use on people who ask the wrong questions."


And for people who do want to judge me for carrying a whip while riding, I use it for many things. Pushing branches out of my way. Flicking flies of my horse. Whacking a two-legged predator who thought he could jerk me off my horse and do who knows what.

Holy creepy!!