[QUOTE=IPEsq;8643151]
Grand Prix sizes are UK sizes I think? I wear the same size in Barbour.[/QUOTE]
Grand Prix is a Canadian company and Canadian sizes are generally one size larger number than US sizes (US 10 is Cdn 12) but not three (US 10 is GP 16). UK is two sizes larger than US. It’s not really specific to Grand Prix but any manufacturers that don’t use normal current sizing for whatever country they’re from.
I really agree with what Cascades is saying. Body shame goes both ways. I’ve been made to feel bad about my body being the aesthetic people want to see IRL and in the eq ring. They come across as joking ‘fun’ comments. I’d hear a lot of “Those long thin legs sure help get the eq ribbons” or “Clothes shopping is easy when everything looks good on you.”
I try not to take it personally, but I put effort and thought into how I eat and work out. To me, these comments discount my riding ability, my horse, my effort to purchase clothes that compliment my body, my efforts to avoid fatty, sugary foods (pretty hard with the prevalence of fast food and the Western diet), etc.
I agree eating disorders are a huge problem, but I don’t appreciate the curvier women telling me a ‘real woman’ has a butt and boobs. That’s pretty damaging as well.
I get the back lash from larger women (or ‘healthy sized women’ or whatever it’s being called today) and why they want to feel more comfortable in a world where beauty = thin, but I’m 5’6" and 115 pounds. Hardly unhealthy. I really dislike the new fad term ‘life size women’. What does that make me? A non life size woman?
For a while, I really struggled with my body image due to some of these comments. I had a friend suggest I listen to Cameron Russel’s TED talk. She is a model and discusses how people who won the ‘genetic lottery’ are perceived. Now, I’m no where near a model body, but I can relate to what she’s saying. I got lucky. My whole family has the same build as me. We all have fast metabolisms and no curves. But I think making someone feel bad about being larger than a subjective societal norm is just as wrong as making someone feel bad for being within that subjective societal norm when it comes by them naturally.
[QUOTE=Doctor’sOrders;8644219]
But I think making someone feel hbad about being larger than a subjective societal norm is just as wrong as making someone feel bad for being within that subjective societal norm when it comes by them naturally.[/QUOTE]
Or when they don’t come by it naturally…
I’ll admit, this thread and some of the comments struck a nerve with me because I get accused of having an eating disorder all. the. time.
I don’t have an eating disorder.
A few years ago, I was very overweight - bordering on obese. I was very unhappy, so I decided to make a change. Over the course of about a year, I lost 80 lbs and I’ve kept it off for awhile now. I’m smack dab in the middle of the healthy BMI range for my height. I run marathons. I rock climb. And I count calories.
Because of this, I get accused of having an eating disorder. A lot.
Working hard to maintain the body you want is not an eating disorder. Eating disorders are an extremely serious thing, and shouldn’t be taken lightly, but not everyone that watches what they eat in an effort to stay fit for their sport will develop one.
I wish women would focus on their own bodies, not convincing or appeasing anyone else with what is right, wrong, attractive, etc. Worry about yourself being healthy and happy first and foremost. The rest is just white noise.
I struggled with anorexia binge/purge subtype. I first developed bulimia as a 15 year old in art school, unable to handle the stress. It got to the point where I was throwing up 5 times a day. I was around 120lbs and 5’4. That summer I was hospitalized due to a suicide attempt and was put on a potassium IV for around 12 hrs due to my extreme hypokalemia (2.1 mEq/L from what I remember) that was caused by my purging.
After moving schools I began to lean more towards the anorexia side, usually eating around 400-600 calories a day. I weighed around 100lbs. I was hospitalized again that fall.
I wasn’t riding during this time, but I felt the need to comment and respond to what some of your comments.
Anorexia does have a required BMI for diagnosis (which in my opinion is dumb), however EDNOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified), bulimia, binge eating disorder, and orthorexia do not. I was a healthy weight when my potassium was dangerously low.
Eating disorders can be influenced by other people, but in my case and with many other people with eating disorders, it was more about an obsession with food, or lack of food.
Eating disorders and disordered eating are two different things, although disordered eating can definitely lead to an eating disorder.
I want to point out that it is an eating DISORDER, as in you can’t control it and it is not logical. I knew that throwing up multiple times a day wasn’t a healthy way to live or lose weight, but it is a disorder of the brain that causes extreme anxiety, paranoia (if i taste/smell/touch food I will gain weight), depression, and obsessive thoughts.
An eating disorder is NOT a choice, lifestyle, or diet. Usually there are underlying mental illnesses that contribute, such as depression, OCD, anxiety/panic disorders, body dysmorphia, and so on.
I do not show and since getting back into the horse world I have recovered from my eating disorder, so I can’t comment on how it effects eating disorders, but I think anyone can see how young girls are pressured into being thin for riding.
Not in the hunter/jumper world … WHY is there such a preference for thin riders?
Is it just the look?
As anyone can see in the eventing world, being thin is definitely not a requirement to be an effective, excellent rider. There are some solidly-built, powerful riders, and of course some that are very light as well. Tall, short, wide, lean … every combination. It’s more about what is right for that individual to be effective. A considerable gamut of body types can be seen in the upper level divisions.
[QUOTE=OverandOnward;8644483]
Not in the hunter/jumper world … WHY is there such a preference for thin riders?
Is it just the look?
As anyone can see in the eventing world, being thin is definitely not a requirement to be an effective, excellent rider. There are some solidly-built, powerful riders, and of course some that are very light as well. Tall, short, wide, lean … every combination. It’s more about what is right for that individual to be effective. A considerable gamut of body types can be seen in the upper level divisions.[/QUOTE]
There’s a spat going on about this over in the dressage forum, too…a popular Rolex rider advertised their 1200-calorie diet (while riding 5-10 horses/day) and talked about how much weight they had to lose for their outfit…and then someone was commenting on Buck Davidson’s weight on the Rolex thread. I used to think eventing was immune–and that’s part of the reason I liked it, being healthy-weight-and-fit-but-broad-and-short-legged–but I think we’re sadly mistaken.
[QUOTE=hillhavenmercedes;8642563]
Thank you to everyone who took the time to reply. I really appreciate it.
Here is a link to the video that I ended up creating https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghjLF9_Hfac
Unfortunately I had so many replies and not so much time in the video I could not get everyones replies in it! I did, however, use all of your replies in the response paper I wrote! 
Thank you so much again for helping me with this project![/QUOTE]
Excellent video, OP. I don’t usually come into this forum but decided to browse. Good work.
Okay so first of all I totally agree that any type of body shaming is wrong and I think it’s awful that there is an expectation of or a preference for a certain body type in the big eq world.
THAT BEING SAID I did just want to pop in and weigh on on the issue of fat shaming vs thin shaming as a few people have brought it up in this thread. I don’t think we can pretend that they are equally severe when we live in a society where thin privilege is extremely prevalent.
Obviously having your body judged by others is hurtful no matter what. If you are thin someone might call you names, say you are gross and unhealthy or tell you to eat a cheeseburger but ultimately you return to a society where you are considered to be more effective in your job than people with higher BMI’s. When fat people are in a relationship with a thin or average sized person the thinner partner is either assumed to have a fetish for bigger people or to be some sort of great Samaritan for putting up with having a bigger partner. Thin or average sized people sitting on a bench in a park are assumed to be resting. Fat people doing the same are assumed to be lazy. If you are thin or average sized air plane seats are designed to fit you and your clothing size is likely stocked in all or most of the stores you like to shop at. If you are overweight you likely do not have the same luxury. You might even have to pay more to get a spot on an air plane. If you are overweight you often find yourself used as a joke in pop-culture. In the horse world you might be told you are too heavy to ride certain horses. At amusement parks you will be told you are too heavy to ride certain roller coasters. Comments about your body go beyond just being hurtful in the moment. They stick because your weight is a barrier to living the life you might want as the world is set up to be more accessible to those who fit the beauty standards. These beauty standards happen to include relative thinness. If you are thin and trying to gain weight but you can’t it might be frustrating for you but no one else is going to look down on you for it. If you are fat and trying to lose weight but unsuccessful people might think of you as lazy of weak. They might think that if they could just trade places with you they would have the will power to turn their lives around.
Basically I just refuse to believe that skinny shaming is as destructive as the abuse received by overweight individuals. The occasional ‘ooooh you’re too thin’ insult is not in any way comparable to what overweight people endure on a daily basis and we need to stop pretending it is.
And this is coming from a 5’4’ 115 pound 23 year old woman who was hospitalized for anorexia when she was 17, weighed 82 pounds and was horribly self destructive.
Amen Almost! Until you have been fat and had your very CHARACTER judged on your outward appearance and had ugly stares, had people laugh at you as you walk past, been told you are a drag on society, please do not tell me thin shaming is just as bad.
I do agree that the “real women are…” posts are hurtful and untrue and that women come in all shapes.
Almost, I really agree with you. I think fat shaming is much worse than thin shaming and I think thin shaming has become much more apparent lately in retaliation against fat shaming.
My post was really more in the vein of “all body shaming is wrong”. Not that one is worse than the other or someone’s struggle with weight, whether too fat or too thin or perfect, is more ‘real’ than another person.
I think a lot of people tend to forget that.
Fig, I don’t think anyone here is saying thin shaming is just as bad, but in my experience, the comments made towards me were definitely directed towards my character.
I came from an eventing program that was run basically to produce Olympic riders/hopefuls. There was quite an emphasis on weight for sure but not just to be ‘thin’ but to be every bit as strong and fit as we prepared our 3DE horses to be. Sure there were some who took it to extremes and had eating disorders I know for a fact and that is a big problem. You were really not allowed to be overweight, period. They were hard on us. But- we had gym regimes, weight training, watching what we ate to be strong and healthy and psychological, chiro, physio, etc etc help. Pretty well everyone was on at least 6-8 horses a day from green broke to Advanced eventers. And to be honest, if we are talking about Olympic athletes (not ammies), why shouldn’t we take it all seriously? Every other discipline does and puts in the hours to be the best of the best. There should be no one riding at 3 or 4* level that is in anyway unfit for that elite level. We are athletes and we are responsible for ourselves as much as our horses. We were all different shapes and weights but these people were some of the hardest working toughest I ever met and now, a few are some of the most successful eventers in the world.
I’m a mental health professional who specializes in eating disorders. I work in a clinic in the Northeast that has started another program specifically for athletes with eating disorders. Message me if you would like information or resources on the subject.
Pretty sure GM was quoted one time saying something like “You’re never to skinny unless you’re weak”. I’m on of those tall, skinny, long-legged, envied riders. Did well in the eq (when I wouldn’t chip). Still 5’7" and 125 lbs, can’t wait to show again in the ammy divisions, I probably will look like a green bean next to the older, mature women with curves. But I am far from having an eating disorder. I don’t know any riders with eating disorders, but know girls/friends who have had eating disorders in the past. I think it’s just our culture to be vain and consumed by the way we look. Everyone is into taking selfies, posting pictures of themselves on FB/Instagram. And hardly any of us naturally look like the models and actresses we see on TV…
I don’t know if you intended to imply that body dysmorphia has anything to do with vanity, Equitational, but I can assure you, it does not.
[QUOTE=mayhew;8682704]
I don’t know if you intended to imply that body dysmorphia has anything to do with vanity, Equitational, but I can assure you, it does not.[/QUOTE]
Not saying those with eating disorders are vain. But what is the reason behind the urge for young girls/teens (heck even adults) to take so many selfies on themselves? In the car, showing cleavage, etc. Off topic from eating disorders, but just that our general society is so consumed by the way we look (especially in pictures).
I am in my late 30s, my DL says 4’11" and last time I weighed myself 88 lbs. I cannot tell you how many times I get the joking “the ponies go in the other ring”, “are you starting middle school in the fall?”, etc… and the one that makes me CRAZY “oh you brought your Dad?” when people clearly know it’s my husband. I know they mean to be funny but it makes me insane, and I like my body!! I can only imagine how it feels to hear comments like that when you’re already insecure about your body image. ((((((((hugs))))))))
I ran long distance in high school. I got so thin and with such low body fat that my periods stopped for a few years. Is this healthy? No way. The high school teacher/coaches certainly “fat shamed” anyone who ran that was not bone thin. I ran a lot so I ate a lot, but I should have eaten more-- I used to lie in bed at night crying from hunger, but afraid to eat enough to satisfy the hunger pains. Why didn’t anyone notice that I had gotten so thin that my periods stopped and react to that? Parents? Teachers? Coaches? Where were you?
Fast forward a few years to college, and I still ran for fun, but not for competition, had a much better relationship with food ( never went to bed crying from hunger) and my periods came back, along with the rest of body development that had been delayed during the too thin high school years.
Fast forward to today. I hate running. You could not pay me enough to take it up again. I like walking, cycling and of course horse riding. I try to eat healthy, fruit and veg, junk food is a rare event, avoid processed food, etc. I could lose 15 pounds. I don’t worry about it. I do my best and think about health, not appearance.
When I rode at a more competitive level than I do now, there were some remarks about body size and boob size. I just thought, oh well, you know, outside of the barn, big boobs are an asset, so whatever. ( I was that 15 pounds thinner then…)I just did not care that much to stress about a hobby, which is what horse riding is.
I have known people with eating disorders, and its a vicious thing. I suppose I count myself lucky that my high school experience did not tip me over the edge into one.
I like food. I enjoy eating. Not like gluttony-- but a nice meal is one of the simple pleasures of life. Perhaps enjoying food was what made the difference between a few years of misery and a life long eating disorder. Teen years can be vulnerable ones. There is a flood of hormones, and a bewildering flood of messages about appearance, sex, what matters, what is valued, peer pressure. I have a lot of sympathy for my teen self. Somehow I made it through a hyper competitive sport, with endless pressure to be thinner and to win more, without lasting life long health damage. But I was lucky.
Please feel free to PM me on this subject, I would love to share with you my experience
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