Tee-hee - as I alluded to in my previous post, it is a very authoritative language. I have friends in Germany that were/are quite dear to me and I love how straight-forward and no-nonsense they are - they do not beat around the bush! Also, one of my very best friends here was raised by her German-born mother, so I totally get it. My friend and I always laugh when she “acts German” (as she puts it.) 
That’s true. We are straight forward. Not, because we’re rude, but because we like to be efficent 
Time is gold, so no wasting time by being overly polite. Just getting facts across is our main goal. So short, precise commands; including a bitte (please) and danke (thanks) and that’ll be enough Or as we say “Nichts gesagt ist gelobt genug!” (Saying nothing is enough praise!)
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Years and years ago, before the advent of the internet at large, my family went on a trip through Europe. We had this little book of country by country customs that told us how to get along (it was a neat book). About Germany they said that being on time was of utmost importance (e.g. don’t ever ask a shopkeeper to stay late to accommodate you), and never to smile at anyone on the street as it was seen as being a come-on.
Cultural differences are fascinating!
The smiling part is weird I was told to smile at strangers passing by and I do this quite often. But it depends on the context your in. And maybe your gender as well I was raised in the country side and it’s completly normal to greet people with “Guten Tag” “Hallo” or something similar or at least give them a slight smile and a nod. I know it’s uncommon in bigger cities and I don’t do it there. People are minding their own business so not interrupting them is polite. Whereas when you’re out hacking and you meet people in the woods or fields it’s unpolite to not greet them
As I try to explain it I realize how complex it is
I’m always on the friendly side, so I say hello and bye to cashiers and wish them a nice week/day/weekend and may talk to them a bit. But this isn’t common, I would say it’s more a 50/50 thing. So cashiers won’t start talking to you, if you don’t stark talking to them, because germans will feel “interrupted” or “harrassed” if somebody just starts a conversation while you’re busy minding our own stuff. We feel REALLY uncomfortable if some stranger just starts a conversation. Like shop assistants will ONLY ask, if you need help, if you seem to be searching something specific or if you ask them. This might seem as bad customer service, but we germans like to be left alone. We ask, when we need something and as long as we don’t ask, we’re fine doing on our own and asking us if we need help is “insulting” and “annoying”.
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And seems peculiar to sporthorses in this country (USA).
I’m old enough to recall when Hunters were pretty exclusively TBs - mostly OTTB.
There was even a division for Non-TB.
Then, sometime in the mid-80s, the WBs showed up.
Now, do I understand there’s a Division for TBs?
Concurrently, Dressage leaned to Friesians & PRE, the Vanner started commanding riddick prices (Irish laughing all the way to the bank…) & here came the DHH.
The only Breed/Disciplines I’ve seen this country stick to is QH.
And within the breed, standards have stayed pretty close to the Halter standard of overmuscled barbiehorses & WP frankengaits.
HUS has shown improvement, but - IMHO - could use more.
I have an annual running “discussion” (1-sided as my opponent has 1 note w/o room for argument) about why the unnatural gaits - jog & lope - are desired.
I’m told how hard they are to train, but no good response as to WHY 
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It must be my German blood but I hate it when I go into a store and some salesperson immediately shows up and starts trying to help me. I usually respond with “I’m just looking at the moment” but some of them still won’t leave me alone. I guess I look like a shoplifter or something.
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I can confirm, this must be your german blood
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I saw a couple pieces in this thread about Gypsy horses…
Funny story- I grew up riding hunter jumpers and basically anything else people would let me ride. And my husband decided he wanted a short fat hairy horse haha…he only wanted a gypsy (he saw one in a calendar haha). So I’m like what the hell are we going to do with one of those useless things…
So a 11 years ago we bought our first Gypsy as an unstarted 2 year old. Well now we have 3 of them. And I’ve had about a dozen others come through our little program. They are the BEST minded, funniest, easiest to train horses I’ve ever owned (not that there aren’t bad ones or over priced ones out there- there definitely are!). My husband has shown his gelding in lower level dressage- he unfortunately doesn’t ride anymore due to 2 unrelated back surgeries and fear of further harming his back but he’ll own that little fat hairy horse till the day he dies.
And then I ended up getting one of my own too- he literally will do anything we ask. He’s done ranch riding, parades, he started learning to jump and started learning his changes this past year. And he’s been a breed ambassador at Equine Affaire for the last 7 years. There is something absolutely captivating and so engaging about these little horses. I wouldn’t now trade them for the world. But it did take me a long time not to be semi-embarrassed to own a “barbie” or “fake horse” haha.
I certainly think there’s something to be said for a useful cob type. I’m in my late 30s, my husband and I both work full time demanding careers. And these little fluffy nuggets fit seamlessly into our lives. I do still drool over the fancy warmbloods and stuff but it’s just not a reality for my wallet or life at this time.
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Uh-oh - I did not know they came in palomino colors! I have had a lifelong secret obsession with gold horses! I’m not sold on the hairy legs (all those feathers look like a PIA to care for), but your little gold nugget makes me smile.
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“Gypsy cobs” tend to come in patchy colours because that is what is valued in the Traveller Community. Colour and lots of hair.
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Jaysus - that blonde cob with chrome is gorgeous! 
I would happily own a barbie horse if it looked like yours and had the same temperment!
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He lives in a run in 24/7/365 like a regular old horse. He’s such a happy, kind fella!
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My father was very harsh sounding, english or dutch if annoyed, my mother I only heard speak in a harsh tone rarely.
As opposed to the oh so natural gaits exhibited in Dressage lately. 
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Yes! I love supporting a small business, but there is nothing my awkward when you go into a small shop or boutique and you are the ONLY customer in there and they devote 100% of their attention to you. There definitely is a fine line between being attentive and having good customer service when needed vs. chatty Cathy following you around the store describing every item on the shelf.
I’m also the person who does not want to get into long conversations with the people seated next to me on airplanes or to my uber/lyft driver. Nothing personal, I just want to be in my invisible bubble of quiet and solitude. FWIW my Grandpa was born in Bremen, so I am fine exhibiting these German traits LOL.
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No argument there.
Any gait not occurring naturally in any discipline is Fugly to me.
I’ve seen horses at liberty levade, passage, piaffe & even capriole.
I’ve never seen one do the jog or lope that gets pinned.
Maybe if they’re laminitic?
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Driving Club friend bought a paint Vanner 2yo.
She rides Dressage & had him trained to drive.
He’s now 6 & could be The.Best.Driver.
Problem is she’s new to Driving & a tad bit afraid of him.
The few times I’ve gone out with her she kept handing me the lines.
Which I take… For a few minutes, asking him for trot (she won’t 
) then hand them back telling her “He’s yours! You drive!”
She’s also lent him to a couple 4H kids for a neighbor who’s a Leader.
Jr. Kids have shown him Ground Driving, U/S, Halter & Showmanship.
Her friend took 2nd of 21 in our County Fair Ranch class last year.
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I’m not German… at all… but I 100% relate to this remark. I really don’t like shopping - except for grocery shopping (I’m weird) - and it adds another layer of agony if a sales person tries to “help” me.
I literally have to work VERY hard to keep a halfway kind expression on my face, and not get snappy at them when I inevitably say, “I’m just looking, thanks though.” I try and remind myself they are just doing their job. It’s so irritating to me though… it’s hard.
I don’t think I look like a shoplifter? But I guess I look like I’m wandering confused, or maybe I’m easily persuaded into spending more? I don’t know. I do get downright icy when the salesperson doesn’t take “no thanks” for an answer, and tries to persuade me to buy something I totally don’t want though. Not gonna happen.
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