Wasn’t an insult, exactly, but a BN-wannabe trainer once told me at Millbrook, "If you don’t go clear XC, don’t come back!" As in, “die trying.” :uhoh:
“Will you listen to me or to Mother Teresa?!” (Mother Teresa is a famous nun)
I got told by my friend’s trainer once that I am “obviously very well read and technically skilled,” but that I “lacked all sense of timing and feel.” I am still trying to puzzle out how someone can be both technically skilled (as in able to obtain correct results) and lack all sense of timing and feel.
Mine from a judge at a 2-phase when my ottb was on the cusp of having a melt down during my first canter of the test “many problem!” :lol:
OMG–Trixie and Gumby Boy! I love Jim Graham. He called me White Hat.
Dressage clinic, medium-name trainer: “You ride too well to have all those position problems.”
I got eliminated in stadium at the 4th fence, horse crashed Into it, then decided he wanted nothing to do with it ever again.
Trainer, who, bless her to the moon and back, was trying to cheer me up, said “the first three fences were great!”
Hahahaha. As if the first three matter when they are all you do! I love her for that though, we had a serious conversation about what went wrong later.
From a rather well known dressage coach, many decades ago, to a friend of mine who had yet to learn finesse in the cues she gave her horse:
“I would not let you drive my Volvo”.
I thought I was gonna die laughing.
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“You have a unique but effective style” - Gretchen Butts many years ago when I had the pleasure of riding with her a bit. I still remember it to this day because it puzzled me.
“You are an effective rider” “You area thinking rider” (meaning “If only you could make your body obey your brain”)
And after the dressage test at a Horse Trials “I guess she is a good jumper?”
Mare and I were having an awful dressage test, I started chuckling half way through as might as well have been riding a llama and it just wasn’t worth the fight, so we muddled through to get to XC… Judge waves me down after the test:
“You have a lovely mare” (I’m wondering what he’s smoking) “Unfortunately, she’s not here today, I appreciate your attitude.” Went on to ask where we were from, and about how old she was, how many events, etc.
It’s a comment that has stuck with me for years b/c sometimes, that really is what it is… especially with mares!
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I once did a clinic with a coach who carried around a portable speaker on his belt. He would turn it on when giving instruction, but had it off if we were close by or didn’t have anything to say. After one trip over some jumps he proceeded to turn on the speaker, sigh deeply, and turn it off again.
The following are all from the same coach, but not necessarily all directed at me:
“Look how nicely she stares at the scenery and ignores all of your aids.”
“She jumps by braille.”
“So much better considering I was checking my insurance policy at the beginning of the lesson.”
“Marezilla”
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“You are braver than I am” after a stadium round, from a rider who was did Rolex that year…
Not from a trainer, but from a warm-up ring steward (more than one, actually):
With creased eyebrows of concern: “Can you control your horse?”
Answer: YES! He’s fine! He’s never got me off! He’s just like this for the first 3 mintues in warm-up to let everyone know how massively offended he is at all these other horses. He really did his last buck just before you stopped us, and whatever it looks like he never actually rears, and I didn’t let him run over any other horses and he’s going to slow down now and be his usual gentlemanly self. I swear, I promise. He’s done and he’s going to work now. :lol: :winkgrin:
Decades ago in a Dressage clinic with a now deceased Olympic Level judge/trainer/coach. Even now her name can strike fear in team riders from the 60’s - 80’s.
Anyway we were working on a 20 meter circle at the trot that went from rising to sitting. I had been working like mad to improve my sitting trot and hoped she noticed.
Well ever the tactful soul she said out loud for me as well as the spectators to hear: “I have you sitting the trot not because you sit well, but rather you sit better than you rise.” OUCH - taught me to never have a swelled head.
