Arena hogs

[Knights_Mom]

Some trainers are VERY arrogant.

I had signed up for a multi day show and drove to the site to check out the stalls. I mapped out which stalls I wanted for my horse and then a tack stall.

I submitted my entry including stall choice. I arrived early to the show as a show team force of one - just me myself and I. I set up my tack stall and bedded my horses stall deeply.

In comes BNT who demands I switch my tack stall to my horses stall and visa versa because she wanted her stallion to have the end stall with no horse behind him.

I refused and said my gelding isn’t a fighter and things should be fine. They ended up being just fine but she was all sorts of nasty with me to get her way. I stood my ground not giving a fig about who she was or her stallion was.

That’s just the way some of them are and you have to assert yourself in their presence.

[Lusoluv]

I have also seen Rider Hogs repeatedly running through their tests, not yielding the rail when passing L to L, not using proper etiquette in warmup rings or show rings on familiarization day. I guess they think if they got to the ring early, then it’s their’s for the duration, kinda like the stories of the trainers above. There have always been jerks - but they seem more emboldened lately…

Even though I may be justified by responding in kind, I hate having to be that person 'cuz of them

[SillyHorse]

The idea of practicing an entire test in the warm-up ring is foreign to me. And expecting everyone else to stay out of the warm-up ring while you do it? That’s nuts.

[endlessclimb]

I never do this - I practice the bits and bobs to get the hang of the geometry. My arena is not the correct size, so I have to refamiliarize myself with where the letters actually are when measured out correctly instead of where they are at home!

[lorilu]

Blocking the opening? Loudly proclaim “coming in!” And squeeze through.
Students not yielding the rail/not observing L-L? Hold your whip rather perpendicular to your horse and after claiming/announcing “rail” or “inside”, just go through.
Not yielding to you working the diagonal? Cut them off.
Circling rail to rail? Cut across.
Yes. Be rude. You have the right to be there.
And yes I have been run out of the arena by rude riders and trainers. And yes sometimes I am not as brave as I should be.

[eightpondfarm]

i would made the same request had i a stallion in tow, BUT i’d have offered to pay the stall fee for you and bought you a lunch or dinner too.

[Knights_Mom]

Wasn’t going to do that work. I wanted my horse to have the end stall. I would not change.

[eightpondfarm]

Well, then that’s fine. It doesn’t hurt to ask. nicely. Last thing anyone needs on top of show jitters is having an ongoing war with neighbor. Best to keep things as friendly as possible.

[SillyHorse]

@Knights_Mom

Wasn’t going to do that work. I wanted my horse to have the end stall. I would not change.

Some people don’t understand that it would have meant tearing down your tack stall, storing all the stuff somewhere while you removed all the bedding from the horse’s stall and put it in the old tack stall, and then resetting up the tack stall. That’s an awful lot to ask someone to do at a show when the asker didn’t bother to make the desired accommodations for the stallion.

also…

Why do people think stallions all need special accommodations? Don’t they put manners on their horses?

[eightpondfarm]

@SillyHorse

Some people don’t understand that it w

Nice. Well, again, it doesn’t hurt to ask, nicely. And to offer a $ incentive.

@SillyHorse

That’s an awful lot to ask someone to do at a show when the asker didn’t bother to make the desired accommodations for the stallion.

(you know that they didn’t bother?) It could very well be that they did ask and were told there were no end stalls available. That 2nd or 3rd to end was the closest they could get.

[Djones]

The ‘dumbest’ hogging I personally encountered was at a horse fair. Everyone was hauling in and unloading, and the aisles between barns would accommodate one way truck and trailer traffic. The norm is to unload the horse and essentials, then move out of the way to the very convenient parking and unload the rest. The folks across the aisle from me had completely unloaded everything while parked in the aisle and were done except for cleaning out their horse trailer of manure. I was in my truck, had turned onto this aisle but my GN was now blocking the ‘main lane’ of other rigs pulling in and dispersing among the barns. I politely asked her if she was through unloading (she was) and would she mind pulling up to the end of the aisle to let me in and then I would free up the main lane in the complex so others can get in? She said ‘when I’m through cleaning out the trailer’ - Y’all. The walk to dispose of the manure was going to be SHORTER FOR HER had she pulled up and gotten out of the way. Instead, I swear she removed every sliver of manure and studied every flake. She dumped no less than 3 muck tubs, all at a leisurely pace. Meanwhile, still more drivers stuck in the main lane are now walking up and glaring at me, I’m pointing them to her, and she’s blowing them off as well. Just a real bitch, and she carried that lovely attitude all through the weekend. I COATED her in sugar and lightness and sweetness, it was such gross fun to pretend she wasn’t On Every Nerve so she couldn’t get her kicks.

[BrendaJane]

@lorilu

Hold your whip rather perpendicular to your horse and after claiming/announcing “rail” or “inside”, just go through.

[BrendaJane]

In that case they need to get up earier and make the reservations earlier.

the old saying: Don’t make your problem my emergency.

[Knights_Mom]

@eightpondfarm

@SillyHorse

Some people don’t understand that it w

Nice. Well, again, it doesn’t hurt to ask, nicely. And to offer a $ incentive.

@SillyHorse

That’s an awful lot to ask someone to do at a show when the asker didn’t bother to make the desired accommodations for the stallion.

(you know that they didn’t bother?) It could very well be that they did ask and were told there were no end stalls available. That 2nd or 3rd to end was the closest they could get.

Could very well be. Except we both had end stalls. Our stalls were back to back. They wanted my tack stall to be the end stall. You know, the one that might get damp if it rained. The one I’d be changing in.

I would think stallion folks travel with a stall curtain for such circumstances.

Also do remember that when I showed I was a force of one. I drove, trained, ride, fed, cleaned stalls, groomed, studied my tests, packed, unpacked, hooked up, unhooked etc. There was no friend with me, no groom, no staff, no trainer. And there’s only so much a person can physically do.

I planned, packed and arrived early for a reason.

It wasn’t that I’m a wench, it’s just that the answer was NO.

[SillyHorse]

@eightpondfarm

@SillyHorse

That’s an awful lot to ask someone to do at a show when the asker didn’t bother to make the desired accommodations for the stallion.

(you know that they didn’t bother?) It could very well be that they did ask and were told there were no end stalls available. That 2nd or 3rd to end was the closest they could get.

If Knights_Mom was able to get her desired stall, BNT could have entered early enough to get an end stall, too. You just can’t wait if you have a special need for your horse. Knights_Mom understands and did her due diligence. BNT was likely relying on BNT status to get his or her way. I’ve seen it enough times to know it happens.

[eightpondfarm]

Who said emergency. Not an emergency. ALLLLL i was trying to say is there is a NICE way to make a request. And suggested what that could have been…what i would have offered had it been me.

It never hurts to ask for a favor. And it never hurts to decline. When done NICELY.

[Knights_Mom]

We both had end stalls. She had that row. Our stalls were back to back.

[sascha]

@Knights_Mom

We both had end stalls. She had that row. Our stalls were back to back.

So even having you move over one stall, the horses could still touch noses at the corner if they were going to get stupid, right?

[BrendaJane]

true, not an ‘emergency’ in that sense.
There are the 6 (or so) Ps: Propper planning prevents pi$$ poor performance.

In this case, you know you might want a special stall, you don’t roll up and make others ‘pay’ for your lack of planning.
General you, of course.

And yes, honey catches more flies.

But in the end you can’t get mad at people who got their first and you forgot to plan ahead.

[Knights_Mom]

@sascha

@Knights_Mom

We both had end stalls. She had that row. Our stalls were back to back.

So even having you move over one stall, the horses could still touch noses at the corner if they were going to get stupid, right?

Yes.