If you guys really want to have some fun, you should come with me to a crowded airport/Fedex counter when I am delivering/picking up/trying to find a lost Equitainer! If they really want to know, I will tell them in a loud voice. 
Some attendants even have fun when their co-workers start asking questions.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by devildog20:
Q: What breed is your horse?
A: Thoroughbred.
Q: Yeah, but what breed? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Or how about when somone actually knows what a thoroughbred is: “they run that thar race they show on TV in May, right?” and you stupidly tell them you have an Oldenburg.
This is SOOOO funny - and true! I have a TB too and when asked what he is and I explainb I have had some people ask me why I don’t race him. Try to explain he’s not that kind of TB…talk about pointless.
The worst question I ever got was right after I had to have my first horse put down. One of my co-workers came in and wanted to know why I looked upset. I explained that my horse had to be put down.
“Oooh,” she says all interested, “What did they do?”
Me - “They gave a her a shot. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Her - “What kind of shot?”
Me - just glaring at her…
Her - “Don’t they take them away and chop them up,” etc etc.
By this time, I’m interrupting every few words going, “I don’t want to talk about this, please stop …” but she continues on, each question more gruesome than the last, til I finally had to shout at her, “Will you please stop?!”
She was terribly offended and could not understand why I did not want to talk about this in great detail. Oh, gee, I don’t know - go figure…some people…sheesh
Magnolia - I think you have come up with the definitive answer that gets rid of annoying people. I may have to use it.
You think that is bad? You should try telling them you race motorcycles.
And yeah, they all rode their uncle’s Harley once, and it THREW them, too. “It just spit me off for no reason.” (The relationship between a Harley and a roadracer is about like the relationship between a Shire and a TB).
Oh, how about a few related things, like:
-
If you are an adult (or at least over 10 years of age) and FEMALE (don’t know about guys in this regard), if you tell anyone that you have a horse you are instantly regarded as immature and never having escaped childhood. But if a guy golfs and talks about it obsessively, that’s normal.
-
Women - how about the looks, and “Oh, you ride horses… do you ride… BAREBACK?” (Leer)
-
“Oh yes, I rode once - the horse (deliberately) tried to scrape me off on/under a tree.” I’ve NEVER heard of a horse actually doing this, and yet it has happened to so many people! G
-
You’re out for a trail ride, and someone pulls up along side you in a car and asks where you RENTED your horse. I am dumbfounded. Rent horses are much put upon animals, and I sympathize with their “fate” such as it is, but I never can quite grasp that anyone would think MY horse looks like something you could RENT! Aaargh!
-
My absolute favorite: “You still take lessons? Haven’t you learned to ride YET???” (A particularly painful/aggravating comment for aspiring dressage riders. One then has to explain the levels and related concepts… the mind boggles.)
Well, DD, I will admit that there are MANY Appaloosas on rent strings. In fact, it is a threat I often make to Erik: “If you don’t behave, you can join your relatives at Western Trail Ride Adventures…”, but the kind of App you find on a rent string and my little darling - all 16.1+ of TB conformation wrapped in a lovely chestnut and white coat… to say he looks like a rent horse! Heaven forfend!!!
Until 7th grade (now in 9th), I would tell everyone that I rode. Their responses were:
T=them, m=me
T “Oh, did you win your race?”
M “No, I don’t ride race horses, I ride show horses.”
T “Oh, you mean like that jumping stuff.”
M “Yes I show pony hunter/jumper/medal”
T “You ride ponies? Aren’t they baby horses?”
M “No ponies are always ponies and horses are always horses.”
T “How high are the fences?”
M “Around three feet.”
T “I can jump that high.”
M “doing it on a horse is much more difficult”
T “I though you rode ponies.”
M “I do”
T “do you own one”
M “No, I ride horses and ponies for other people.”
T “Do you take lessons?”
M “Yes.”
T “man you’re lucky, you get to ride other people’s horses for them even if you still take lessons.”
M “Other sports athletes take training.”
T “Yeah but that’s different. Have you ever had an orgasm from riding a horse when you do that ‘up and down thing with your hips’.” SOrry, I was really asked that once.
M “No, that’s not what it is for.”
T “Then what is it for”
M- I take out a lunge whip and make the moron do twenty meter circles till they drop (I wish), then I just walk away.
Even if I don’t say a word, this is what happens:
“OH, look how T I N Y you are!!! Are you a jockey??!!!”
If I mention that I ride, they say “OH, are you a JOCKEY??!!!”
Guess I could not hide it if I wanted to!! LOL
PS, I have never ridden on the track in my LIFE!
I’ve been asked all of the above, I think my co-workers now get the grasp of hunter and jumper - although they still ask if I won lots of money, I’m excited when I win $30 but they don’t seem to grasp it, always ask … and how much did you spend at the show???
We also show sporthorse babies on the line, try explaining that one! no we don’t ride them, we just lead them around a ring and make them trot, and then stand there!
My good friend, while at work in an ER in Kentucky, happens to look up at a nearby TV to catch Christine Traurig’s ride-of-her-life on Etienne at the Olympics. We both met Christine last year. My friend is in awe, she has tears flowing watching this beautiful ride. Suddenly she finds herself surrounded by, as she so kindly says, A BUNCH OF REDNECKS.
All they could do was ask “stupid” questions.
“My he’s a big 'un ain’t he?”
“How much does it cost to feed one that big?”
“How do they teach them to do those tricks?”
Nowhere in sight was anyone that could “share” the moment.
Those of you in the wilds of Texas and Fla probably hear all of this BS from the “real experts”: your horse doesn’t need worming/vaccinations/feed/a stall/blankets because horses don’t have them in “the wild”.
(Floridians please don’t jump on me. I’m originally from Crystal River and about 9/10 of the cowboys I’ve danced with at the Painted Horse in Ocala have told me the above!)
I tell them that the last relative of my horse to be “in the wild” was born a thousand years ago, and that my horse’s natural environment is an oak-paneled stall in a climate-controlled barn.
My two favorite horse coversations with non-horsey people:
#1
her: “Oh, you ride horses? I hate horses.”
me: “Oh really?” (thinking to myself, what kind of moron hates horses?!)
her: “Yea, I rode one once and it stepped on my foot.”
me thinking to myself: “gee, that’s a perfectly rational answer…”
#2
my ex-boyfriend: “Can you take me riding sometime”
me: “Well…maybe?” (I’m invisioning a nice trailride in a State Park somewhere - mildly amused with his interest)
“You can come out to the barn with me over break” (thinking I could let him feed and pet the horses, and somehow get out of actualy putting him ON one)
him: “Cool. I’ve riden horses a few times. Can you teach me how to gallop? I want to learn to gallop through a field waving my hat, like John Wayne”
me: “Ummm…we’ll see…” (thinking, to myself “yes, a h/j barn with nice show horses is a perfect place to teach you how to ride like John Wayne”)…Oy!
My favorite is
You just kick it and it goes…
Being that I ride English that’s like the epitome of “the classic non horsey person”
lol
OR THAT HORSEBACK RIDING ISN’T A SPORT… CMON. IT TAKES SOME SPECIAL PEOPLE TO GET THESE HUGE ANIMALS TO RESPOND TO US. HMPH! NOT A SPORT?! I DON’T THINK SO
Oh, oh, I almost forgot the most humiliating question of all.
“Oh, so you won at your horse show? Do you win money doing that?”
Then I humbly have to say, “No but I got this really nice ribbon?”
I can see them doing the math, $X per month to keep the horse, and they pay money to go to the horse show. Just for a ribbon?
Don’t EVEN go there!
[This message has been edited by Cactuskate (edited 10-18-2000).]
Hey, ponyperson, what is your name? Just curious since I’m from FL and I think I might know who you are.
Ah yes, explaining the concept of “leasing” a horse.
So is that like leasing a car? Why don’t you just buy your own? You have to pay for it’s vet bils and shoes? Why would you do that if it is someone else’s horse? So it is kind of like renting?
I give up.
How about:
-
“So, how much does it cost to buy a horse?” I have found that most people flinch if the price tag is 4 figures or more. (Does anybody REALLY think they can buy a horse for $500???!!!)
-
“How much does a saddle cost?” Tell 'em you got a deal for $1200 & they have a heart attack!!
-
And the #1 DREADED TOPIC: Slaughterhouses & horsemeat. I find that this usually comes up in context of the conversation (I work for a food company & we own some cattle & hog operations), then either somebody points out the fact that I have horses, or they think to ask – must be the look of pain on my face.
This in fact happened yesterday as I was having lunch with a major supplier of cardboard boxes. I learned that during WWII, horsemeat came packed in folding cartons instead of cans. “Do you raise horses?” Me: “Yes. Yes, in fact, I do.” Thankfully the conversation was tactfully turned in a different direction. Naturally, first I had to hear about so-and-so from such-and-such who raised horses as well – did I know him?? 
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Fairview Horse Center:
If you guys really want to have some fun, you should come with me to a crowded airport/Fedex counter when I am delivering/picking up/trying to find a lost Equitainer!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
LOL! But, Fairview, how often to you get the question, “but how did you, um, get it, um, out, um, so you could put it in the container?” 
[This message has been edited by Portia (edited 10-19-2000).]
Ok, sorry to drag up this topic, but it made me feel 10 X better after the awful day I had, and I hope it can do the same to someone else.
How about the kids that MUST point out that your Bryer (sp?) horse has all the “stuff”. Or that, really, riding isn’t a sport…
How about all those people that can jump 3’0? You know- the ones that rode at Uncle bill’s farm 10 years ago?
I loved my speech I gave on my horse. I got a million “Do you ride western?”
EVERYONE seems to think that I ride western. Yep, thats me, in my dressage saddle ropin’ those cows!
Let’s not get into horsemeat. People like to point out that it is wonderful!
Or the ppl that gallop around the room.
Them- What sports do you do?
Me- I ride
Them- Horses?
me- Yep
The conversation goes something like this…
You: “I ride hunter/jumpers for my sport”
Other Person:confused look
You: “You know I jump things on horses”
Other Person: “Oh, I rode a horse once at _______ (usually uncle’s grandma’s etc house) and this horse he like ran away as fast as he could run (you know trotting)and I fell off and got ______(usually thrown into fence stepped on kicked etc). I’ve never gotten on a horse again.”
You: if I hear one more I rode a horse once story again, I might shoot myself
LOL
