parents.. anti horses

horsecrazyfreak

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Jan 4, 2005
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ya.. i posted before about my horse..lol that was my friend who has a horse..
Ok my problem is my passion is riding and being around horses right. But my parents dont like horses!! I pay for lessons.. and i get a ride there and back..but im stil not allowed to go sometimes! my mom heard of christopher reads accident... and she is so afraid of them now!! she thinks this is a passing faze.. this "horse thing" as she calls it.. but its not!! any advice??
 
My mum absolutley hates horses! I'm lucky though in that my dad likes them and always took me riding when I was younger. Maybe you could ask your mum to come and watch you ride to let her see that riding isn't as dangerous as she thinks it is (as long as you aren't doing cross country or something!) You could also let her walk around the yard and stroke some of the horses, or even just look at them in their stables to see if this makes her feel more comfortable around them.
Good luck!
 
Do you do any other sports? if so tell your mom you could get hurt just as easily doing that! I have had more injuries do to icehockey and Biking then horseback riding.

maybe you could have your instructer talk to your mom and try to reassure her, or you can as someone else suggested, bring your mom to the stables to meet the horses and maybe some really nice sweet horse will change her mind about horses.
 
wow good luck! luckily, i never had that problem as both of my parents love horses, though they don't ride like i do. But some people are naturally afraid of horses. I got two of my good friends semi-over their fears last year...by saddling up my pony and having them "ride" (basically, they held onto a VERY loose reign while i led her around). You could try this. Show her how very gentle the horses can be. See if the managers at the yard will allow her to "have a lesson" on a lead reign or something!

I agree with jumpingislife...I haven't *yet* seriously injured myself on/with a horse...but I've:

*broken an ankle playing football (american football)
*tore every ligament in the same foot playing baseball
*tore my ACL playing softball had to have surgery
*tore miniscus in same knee not even a year later cheerleading (surgery again)
*have very weak ankles from twisting/hurting them while dancing/gymnastics as a youngster and again from ice skating/ playing hockey
*broke my wrist roller blading


hehehehe...as you see...any sport is dangerous...NOT just horses!! Worst I've yet to do on horses was fall off and knock myself out for a few minutes...much less painful and less healing time so far as anything i've yet done!;)

then again...if you tell your mom all of this...she'll probly keep you in a box wrapped in bubble tape! :eek: ;) :D
 
Have your parents ever seen you ride? I don't know what level you are in riding, but if they see you in a lesson and it's pretty tame, they may feel better about it. Maybe you could talk to them about how horses all have their individual personalities and tell them some stories about the horses where you ride.

I'm 54 years old and my mother, who lives in another state, brought up Christopher Reeve to me also when I told her that I was jumping cross poles. She said she was very worried about me. I took a video of us trotting around the arena and jumping a couple off cross poles and now she feels better about it.

She also thinks cats are "sneaky" and my sisters and I never had any pets when we were growing up!

They may not start liking horses but they may feel better about you riding if they watch a lesson! Good luck
 
thanks for all your advice!! But about the getting my mom on a horse.. ya not gonna happen :( but she hasnt ever watched me so I'll take her with me! lol keep the advice coming
 
thanks

thanks for all your advice!! But about the getting my mom on a horse.. ya not gonna happen :( but she hasnt ever watched me so I'll take her with me! lol keep the advice coming
 
Originally posted by horsecrazyfreak
my mom heard of christopher reads accident... and she is so afraid of them now!! she thinks this is a passing faze.. this "horse thing" as she calls it.. but its not!! any advice??

Unfortunately everyone brings up Christopher Reeves accident. I explain to them that I will not be riding to the same level as that and, at the riding school, would be riding far less forward going horses.

Every time I fall off my mum freaks out (and I'm a LOT older than you). When I wrecked my ankle last week I didn't tell her until I got back (when it was obvious that I couldn't walk).

All you can do is be sensible and show that you are committed to being around horses and that you won't take unneccessary risks and will adhere to any safety rules or guidelines.

Thankfully my mum is good about Saffy and says things like "you can't take her away (on holiday) just yet, she's not been there long, she's had too many upheavals in her little life already".

At the end of the day your parents are like this because they care about you and worry about you. Are there any courses that you can do at your school? Stable management? Riding? Anything that will show that you're being responsible and learning how to do things properly rather than just 'haring around' on a horse :D

Good luck

x
 
My mum is kinda scared of horses and has never understood why I spend so much time and money on them, it was my grandad who got me started and used to take me for lessons and stuff. Like the others said see if she will come and watch you ride but make sure its going to be on a super easy lesson, if anything did happen it could make things worse. Also how about talking with your parents about buying a back protector (if you don't already have one) just say 'I think it would be better to be safe than sorry' or something, this might show that you are being responsible about your riding and help them to relax a bit about it.
Good luck
J
 
I was lucky, my mother came from a farming background in Ireland and used (and showed) Shire horses. My father was an animal lover and often helped out with my mare, even tho he knew very little about them. My bother?...he was terrified. Not animal minded!:p
 
My parents aren't into horses at all!

It was my sister that decided she wanted to try horse riding when we were a lot younger and being a little sister I wanted to aswell (little follower!!)
My sister did it for a little while and lost interest but I carried on and rode/helped out every weekend at the local riding school.

After a few years of that I started to part loan my best friends pony as she'd got a new pony, I had her for quite a while and did PC and had loads of fun.
I ended up outgrowing her and lack of funds meant I couldnt afford lessons so had a bit of a break (had gcse's etc aswell)

I then went on at my parents for ages saying I wanted to get my own horse, I did everything I could to try and persuade them but they said I didnt realise the full work I'd have to do having my own and they thought it was a phase.

They realised I was serious the day I told them I'd gone to see a horse and decided to get her, I'd saved up (and borrowed) the money and that was that! By that time I had a proper job so I could afford to keep her and also drove so I could get to the yard.

I wouldnt reccomend the above but I think most parents think its a phase and it happens to a lot of people, they get a horse and loose interest.

Agree - you should ask your mum to go and watch you ride, she'll see how much you enjoy it and that its not that dangerous.

Surely its better to have a nice hobby that hang around on the streets doing nothing and getting in trouble?!

Just hang on in there and show her its what you love!
My parents think I'm mad when I spend all my pennies on them and come in soaking wet and cold from the yard - 'do you really enjoy it?' YES!!!
 
For years when I was a kid I was denied riding lessons by my parents, as it was too expensive. My mum also thought it was "just a phase" and "I'll grow out of it".

My mum is now resigned to the fact that it's not if I get a horse, just when I get one :D (However we don't live in the same country, and I'm an adult now so what I say goes lol)

However she still digs in occasionally "it's a very expensive hobby, you know" and "it's a terrible responsibility, you know" And I go "yes mum, but this 'hobby' keeps me sane when I have to work long, hard hours, and I'd much prefer the responsibility of looking after a horse and a couple of dogs than a child." And those who know me, know I have no maternal streak (towards humans) at all, and I would never ever have kids.

So basically... you may have to wait until your an adult (which can seem very hard), but you will get your own way in the end :D
 
You're a lady after my own heart Casey.! Told ma when I was 10 years old that I'd never want kids. I dont have any kids!!! she was most disappointed. My animals are not replacement kids - I prefer them to humans, so it was only natural that I would never ever want anything other than my pets!!!! My husband never wanted any either. My brother has 3 (and I am also Godmother to my best friend's daughter). So, the "family line" has been carried on via my brother.:eek:
 
about the parents thing ... im 25 and my parents havent got a clue i have a horse :D (they think im sharing one ...). they like horses per se BUT think theyre only for VERY VERY rich people ie. not me :rolleyes:

julia
x
 
I had my 1st horse 6 months before I told my parents. But they had kinda guessed (u know what parents are like) by me coming home a lot later from work than I used to when I was horseless and my clothes smelling of the beast!!!
 
Obviously a theme here! My brother doesn't know that I have a horse (not because of him, because his girlfriend would use it to kick up a stink .... long story). Mind you, I'm sure that he must suspect as I had orded some polyjumps to be delivered to the farm .... OF COURSE the ****** idiots sent them to my home address (I'm staying with my brother at the moment), not only that but the carriers left them BEHIND HIS CAR!!!!
 
No advice I'm afraid as I'm lucky to come from a horsey family.
However, when they bring up the Christopher Reeves thing, point out that his injuries were as bad as they were because he wasn't wearing a riding hat....
 
about the parents thing ... im 25 and my parents havent got a clue i have a horse

I am 32 and have had my horse for over two years. I only admitted it to my parents last Christmas. I told them about Ray's horse first so they think Ray got me a horse for Christmas.
It's easy for me to 'hide' my horse though because I live in a different country/continent than my parents...
 
@ karinUS: yep, so do my parents :D i have a great and cunning plan to tell them though (wont go into details, it would take days!). once i found my first teaching job that is :D oh and when i 'buy' my pony eventually, she will be VERY cheap :D

julia
x
 
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