I read something on twitter this morning, and I must say, it really hit a nerve. This person was accusing a large group of horse people, of which I am part of, of "buying their way into the sport". And it made me MAD.
Sure, there are definitely people in the group who are fortunate enough to have extremely supportive parents, the ones who get to live at the shows, the ones who get the new "in" show coat each year (month?!) and get the expensive horses (and these people still had to work hard to be successful, but that's besides the point). But, I can guarantee you that not everyone had everything handed to them, as that is certainly not the case for me.
I'll admit, I wasn't the kid who had to work in the barn every evening in hopes of getting a free lesson on someone else's horse. I was lucky enough to grow up on a farm and with my own ponies and then horses. We always had decent horses, but they always had a "catch" that made them affordable for us. We (me, my mom and my sister) had to learn to really ride to get results. We did the best we could with what we had. And, for the most part, that was pretty well.
Now here I am, trying to make my way in hunter/jumper land. I freelance. Sometimes I work 7 days a week, which is fine. Great, actually. And you know what would be easy? Or what would have been easy? If my parents had bought me a super nice horse from Europe, and sent it for training board with a BNT, so that I could step into the 1.30m/1.40m and quickly make a name for myself. But that never happened, and it likely never will. Instead, I have a half TB, homebred little mare that I am training on my own, and hoping to at least hold my own in the Baby Greens.
And you know what? That's just fine. When I get where I'm going, I know it's going to be because I earned it. And that will be a fantastic feeling.
I know there are many people in this group who are in the same boat. Just because we show, does not mean it is done so with ease. You don't know how many times that Eq rider got bucked off her horse, or that that children's hunter champion has had a summer job since she was 13 so she could show, or that that adult amateur jumper couldn't go out for dinner for six months, so she could afford board and lessons. Until you get to know someone, and really know their story, you just don't know.
So, even if you see that girl in the ring who looks like she has it all together, reserve your judgment. For all you know, she's maxed out every single credit card just to be there (coughMEcough).
3 comments:
Oh Nooner, I hear that. The horses that are REALLY good at their jobs are often REALLY difficult to ride well.
As envious as I sometimes think I am of people who have "made" horses and can just get on and do AA+, I remember quickly that I can do AA too (maybe not as nice as the $50k+ combo), but I could also handle something outside the hunter ring.
I grow every ride, and my filly is the way she is because of me. I like that responsibility, it makes me want to be better every day.
I choose to wear old clothes so that I have nice boots, I skip that (insert anything out/fun) because my new bit is going to cost $150, and my horse could use some new brushing boots, and I would love to go to that clinic...
^^ Thats me! I dunno where Alero came from. LOL!
~Alex Rowsell
I was SO MAD when I saw the same post!! I wanted to respond but the forum didn't allow for enough characters, and I figured a mature person would just ignore it (but do I HAVE to be mature?!!?)
For that dumb person's information, my parents did not pay for a single riding lesson, and we had a horse once...for about 2 years...a 4 year old Arabian mare. YEP. Anyway, my first riding lesson was literally after I graduated from college and I could afford one lesson per week. I was a barn rat who rode all the horses that everyone else was afraid to get on and that is how I got the majority of my experience. Since then I have worked so so so incredibly hard and I've somehow found a way be at an amazing barn with an awesome trainer and 2 horses of my very own, but it was never easy, and sometimes I still cry when I have a slow month (I'm in sales) and I look at my bills. It's always a struggle. I gave up eating out this year for horse shows. I keep my house at 57 degrees in the winter to have a lower heat bill so I can afford my horses. I wish I could punch that anonymous person in the face, so I totally appreciate your rant.
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