People you meet who claim they're incredible riders

squidsin

Well-Known Member
Feb 16, 2013
5,146
2,126
113
I've been wondering if this is just me, but I can guarantee when I meet someone who used to ride but doesn't any more, they'll tell me they used to showjump to a high level/were almost picked for the British dressage team/rode round Badminton/won the Horse of the Year show. It's got to the point where it's become one of my acid tests of whether or not I decide someone's a wally. They say, 'I hear you have a horse,' I say 'yes,' and wait, then (as happened just yesterday), they respond with one of the above comments. I can tell they're not really horsey people either, as they never ask what I do with my horse, and don't have anything else to say about horses, whereas if it's a proper horsey person, you can settle in for a massive long chat about all things horsey and it's a pleasure.

My husband says this happens in football too, and if you mention you play (as my son does), the other person responds with how they once had a try-out for the Spurs youth team or whatever.

Anyone else find this? Or do I just keeping meeting the same type of person at parties for some random inexplicable reason?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
I don't know about at parties but I find it amazing how many people 'don't ride any more' because they have a bad back or don't have time etc, but they used to event/hunt/compete/whatever to a very high standard :rolleyes: It must have been a great loss to the competition circuit when all these folk retired from it.
 
I don't know about at parties but I find it amazing how many people 'don't ride any more' because they have a bad back or don't have time etc, but they used to event/hunt/compete/whatever to a very high standard :rolleyes: It must have been a great loss to the competition circuit when all these folk retired from it.
Hahahaha yes! Exactly!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bodshi
Lol, i get this with horsey people! But slightly different reconthey are going to compete here and there and do this ride and that ride.... They never actually do it! Anyone i meet who used to have anything to do with horses will give me tons of advice and tell me what i need to do but wont actually get on my horse or even pick a hoof up! Or tell me i should do this ride, jump, show etc.... Noooooo i dont want tooooo! Lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lissie and squidsin
I hear ya :rolleyes: especially @Prjsmk comment. So many horsey people I know seem to talk the talk but not walk the walk. They talk about doing x show or whatever but then never actually ride. Also seem to not like anyone who does actually do what they want to do. The amount of people who can't even look at someone let alone speak after they've been out somewhere is unbelievable!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Prjsmk and squidsin
The folk I seem to bump into all the time at my livery are "ground" riders:p They come and they go but they all seem to be the same in that they all have a reason as to why they can't ride that day that week that year:rolleyes: I don't mind people owning a sound horse they don't ride but it bores me to hear their "reasons"
 
I guess I am lucky as people I know are mostly out there doing it. They are an inspiration to me and the reason I have finally found the courage and motivation to get out there and do it too - albeit at a far lower level than them. One friend I am going to jump camp with next week is in her 70s and still eventing. So I know I unlikely to fall into the 'I'm too old to x,y,z..." mind set either.
 
  • Like
Reactions: squidsin
I find people say they've been to lots of competions but when you actually get to know them well, you realise that they have only actually done about 2 comps in there life. When you first meet them they indicate they are amazing.
It's a bit like those that say they hack out all the time. But actually they hack once in a blue moon. Most of the time the horse is stood in the field.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lissie and squidsin
Yep. I was introduced to someone on the basis that they had a horse aswell and we’d get on well. I mentioned it early on, ‘oh I hear you’ve got a horse too, what do you have?’ The response was ‘well his name is spotty and he’s black and white’. Suspicious that they even owned a horse now with that sort of response, I dug a little deeper and found out that their mother was really the owner and I returned to my corner dissatisfied with the level of horse chat!! Now I sound like a snob dont i, but seriously, you give breed height and technical ability (eg I have a 15.2 blonde belgian tank which would rather be a lawnmower than do all the gentle happy hacking I aspire to). You don’t lead with name and colour.
That’s like saying ‘oh yes, I’m into cars.’ Oh really, what do you have? ‘It’s blue and runs on diesel’.
 
Interestingly it’s not just us who experiences it, I remember when I had to do my test ride with the blue cross, I had told them exactly what experience I had, they told me that they thought I had down played my abilities, as usually most people say they are great riders and have done this and that yet when it comes to actually riding they are not as great as they think they are.
 
The riders with more mouth than trousers I have handed them my hat and her reins. Nobody to date has got on to 'sort her out'
She's interesting and I know full well there are plenty of riders who could hope on and get her going really well.
Then there are those who claim to be fantastic that she would see through in seconds and ditch.

I don't think it matters how often you ride. What you ride or where. I think it comes down to being honest.
Why would I say I'm amazing and on the up, if I'm average and more likely to go down with the pull of gravity!! :D

I also think people form an opinion of you by what you ride. I have had people come on the yard and ask where the real horses are- standing next to mine.
Then I have had people ask what we do, do you hunt, can she jump. Though I have been asked can you actually get on and ride her- do they do saddles that huge. :p

When it comes to explaining what I have @Flipo's Mum I have tweaked it so the lay person gets it. We meet more of these.
Cart horse with short legs has been used if they can't get their heads around dad's a Shire x, like the budweisers horses and mum looks like what Queen rides.
Then there are people who are horsey that we've chatted about what showing class we might look ok in. They get Irish Cob.
If I want to have fun I tell them she's coloured.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Flipo's Mum
Yes I have met a lot of them over the years - almost all usually fade off into the sunset when the threat of any 'real' riding seems imminent. :D I am not a great rider, I never have been to be honest but I have a few years experience in almost every area of horses and horse riding over the years and I have to say I am always very slightly miffed (read that as mightily peed off lol!) when other horse types who know very little about me or my horse riding history, immediately write me off as the batty OAP who shuffles around happy hacking on her equally batty old horse and knows jack s***e about anything much horse riding or horse care related. Oh dear - how sad is an old horse person's pride when all the young bloods dismiss us as pretty damn useless, but the satisfaction of observing and chuckling quietly at them riding in a very less than expert or experienced way does so much to soothe the old ruffled feathers! ;) :D
 
write me off as the batty OAP who shuffles around happy hacking on her equally batty old horse and knows jack s***e about anything much horse riding or horse care related. Oh dear - how sad is an old horse person's pride when all the young bloods dismiss us as pretty damn useless,

I'd love to be a happy hacker even though I'm not often called a 'young blood' much anymore:D

ETA: & I sometimes wish I had 'a batty old horse' to shuffle around on:p:D:cool:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cortrasna
I think the reason why my yard thinks it's hilarious I fell off, was because they have never seen mine move so bloody fast or me come to that!
It's one of those I fell off, yeah right, how she's too lazy to do anything.

I can claim the batty badge if you don't want it @Cortrasna .

I'm not looking to be great I'm looking to be happy. If I am happy that's great.
 
I hear ya :rolleyes: especially @Prjsmk comment. So many horsey people I know seem to talk the talk but not walk the walk. They talk about doing x show or whatever but then never actually ride. Also seem to not like anyone who does actually do what they want to do. The amount of people who can't even look at someone let alone speak after they've been out somewhere is unbelievable!
The best riders are usually the ones who never talk about how good they are.
So true. There's a lady I know who's riding at Badminton on Weds in the 100. She never even mentioned it until yesterday!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Prjsmk
newrider.com