New Dover Catalog Cover Photo

[mommy_peanut]

hehehe I saw that too. I was just too chicken to be the first to say anything about it I agree with you though. It won’t stop me from buying thru Dover, but I wish they would rethink some of the photos they use.

Edited to add; “Also, photos from that angle are very hard to make judgments about. I think a side-angle of that same photo would prove much different.”
I don’t think a different view would show much difference. The fact would still be the girl has her spur digging into the side of the pony(notice the wrinkled skin) and she def. appears to be jumping ahead/out of her tack. This isn’t a dig against the little girl or her pony in any way! Dover should expect to have any/all photos they publish open to critisim, constructive or not!

[eqnjumperrider]

I just wanted to add my two cents… Two Simple-I would love to see a picture of you riding your horses. You’re seriously annoying on every thread that you post on and you seem to like to discredit professional people a.k.a, doctors, and professional BNTs, so, Two simple stop insulting people who know more than you do. This girl is obviously a good and confident little rider and I’m completely confident that her trainers know more about her level of riding than you do. I am also sure that they are more than qualified to determine if spurs are necessary and I am quite sure for one back picture that we posted we could find you 100 great pictures of this little girl… stepping off soapbox

[nature]

One of the reasons we love horses so much is that they are very forgiving and have a big heart. I would bet that there is not one person on this BB, in any forum, that has not accidently hurt their horse in some way. Either getting left when jumping, grabbing the reins on a trail ride when the horse spooks, trying to stay on by the reins… Maybe Dover has made a poor choice in the pic but it alos serves to remind us how wonderful horses can be and why we love them so much.

[Silk]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-title”>quote:</div><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-content”>Originally posted by Erin:
LAST WARNING…

Are you guys going to move on, or do I break out the padlock? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

please do!

[Sing_Mia_Song]

You know, I was thinking about taking bets about how long it would take someone to pick on this poor child.

Take a look at this photo. I’m unbalanced, way too far out of the saddle, and my spur is also in the pony’s side. Wanna know why? She was one of the dirtiest stoppers imaginable. Don’t be fooled by that sweet expression and those lovely knees --we had at least one stop in every single class at this horse show.

Lay off the poor kid who is probably thrilled to bits that her picture is on the Dover catalogue, and at the same time mortified because everyone’s talking about her leg!

[Policy_of_Truth]

She is EIGHT years old, people! She did NOT post this picture and ask “how do I look?”. Have some respect, please. I love this BB for the most part, but sometimes I cannot believe the nastiness here

If the topic was in GENERAL about kids with spurs and the pros or cons, that’s fine…but this is about a SPECIFIC child…it’s wrong on so many levels…just stop it, please!

[Ponyplusaninch]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-title”>quote:</div><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-content”>Originally posted by snowsecret:
I agree with those who are saying it’s Dover’s fault. Whoever chooses cover photos there should be fired! But I just wanted to say that this child is actually a VERY good little rider. I have rarely seen a bad pic of her riding…until now. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I never really post here anymore b/c a majority of the people and their opinions drive me up a wall, but your comment made me laugh. Yes, that’s EXACTLY what Dover should. Heaven forbid that any of its covers show a flaw, and ESPECIALLY that of child, in equitation or jumping form. My lord, people, you are over reacting more than my horse did when he encountered a mule for the very first time today. And fyi, I don’t think any of you out there have perfect equitation either. Don’t get onto Dover’s case for posting a pic of a girl and her pony. I’ve read through some of these ridiculous topics, but honestly folks, this one in particular is hysterical from an outsider’s POV. Can we not just enjoy a great pic of an adorable pony and a girl who, I can imagine, is very proud of her pony and is excited that this picture is on the cover of a national catalouge? For certain, if I was that little girl, and found out people were in shock and horror over a jumping picture without any real justifications, I’d be pissed off and kick someone’s ass(es) on here. Well, I dunno, she might not be old enough to do that, but I’m pretty sure mom or dad is…

[Swifty]

My copy of the Dover catalog has a shiny gold “Shop Our Stores!” sticker over the leg in question. Have they gotten wind of this thread, I wonder?

[Hasty]

I’d say 75% of kids ride much better than adults…why on earth should they not be able to use spurs if their pony and/or horse needs them? A comment like this is just pure ignorance.

I’d like all of you to show against this kid and see what happens…i bet she kicks all of your butts!

[Uberraschung]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-title”>quote:</div><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-content”>Originally posted by Two Simple:
Stalking?? Um…how about a single 3 minute search on the internet to find other photos of the riding style in question. Lay off the drama. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>It’s her personal webpage. She’s an 8 year old kid. How about you lay off your unsolicited online critique of a small child?

[mowgli96]

Since you said that, I totally understand where you’re coming from. I get the catalog myself, and at-a-glance yes, its a cute cover photo. But gosh look at it again, really. And to add to the whole spur thing…that is my BIGGEST pet peve, to see these little kids on their perfect push-button ponies, riding with spurs. I mean, little 6 and 7yr old short-stirrup kids shouldn’t be riding with spurs…its just not the way its supposed to be! Its like, ‘HELLO!?’ Sometimes I just don’t know what people are thinking. And to add to that, the girl in the pic is jumping ahead of her pony, look just behind her elbow and you can see the space between her dairy-air and the saddle…Plus it looks like she’s resting her upper body on the pony’s neck. But thats JMHO So I guess thats my perspective on the cover photo…But yes, I definately agree with the OP on this one!!

[supershorty628]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-title”>quote:</div><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-content”>Originally posted by eqnjumperrider:
ha ha ha I just got mine… I think everyone should back off. She’s better than a lot of people that post pics on here to be critiqued. On a second note, who is she, she’s adoreable. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

It’s Lillie Keenan on Aspen Spring. I’m not sure where the picture is from, though.

[Irish_Ei_s]

If a kid that size is wearing a spur, that ain’t no pushbutton pony…
Does not mean I agree with photo choice…
I also hate to see spurs on the tiny ones, but a great many of these ponies were made by adults with enuf leg to get the point across, which you rarely find in a SS kid…

[CBoylen]

The pony may require spur off the ground or in the air. Ponies are rarely as pushbutton as many people think they are.

[Auventera_Two]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-title”>quote:</div><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-content”>Originally posted by Uberraschung:
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-title”>quote:</div><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-content”>Originally posted by Two Simple:
Stalking?? Um…how about a single 3 minute search on the internet to find other photos of the riding style in question. Lay off the drama. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>It’s her personal webpage. She’s an 8 year old kid. How about you lay off your unsolicited online critique of a small child? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If you have any sort of comprehensive reading ability, you would clearly understand that I am in no way critiquing this child. Rather, I am critiquing the trainer and or parents who should remove the spurs, strengthen the leg, and then put the spurs back on. You don’t like my opinion? Get over it.

[Silverlining326]

jeez. its a picture of a girl on her pony. let her be…

Jetsmom was on the dot.
i highly doubt every single one of Dover’s shoppers look at the cover picture and look for every single little flaw, down to if the little girl’s jacket is the correct size for her. a lot of pictures that are on the covers of magazines nationwide arent always correct, like some of the jumpers. so just let it be.

[Auventera_Two]

I don’t believe the issue at hand is “oh my god this girl is a sucky rider.” I believe the topic at hand is that children that young should have a secure enough core, seat, and leg to handle spur usage and if they can’t, then take the spurs off.

When I was that young, I rode a crotchy old b@stard of a pony who liked to duck out and stop. My trainer gave me a crop and not spurs because she knew my base of support wasn’t advanced enough to wear spurs. Only when I developed a strong, independent seat and leg over EVERY SINGLE FENCE and ON THE FLAT did I ever get a pair of spurs to put on my boots. It was a right of passage, if you will.

If that were my child on the front cover, or my student, I would take the spurs off until the child develops a strong, secure leg from the hip to the knee. This child is relying 90% on her calf squeezing the horse to hold her on.

Trust me, I have not one single gripe with this child. She is probably going to be dy-no-MITE one day. She is determined, talented, and cuter than hell. Her parents and/or trainer are the ones who should recognize that she is relying on her calf too much and compromising her base of support drastically. She would do well with gymnastics, longe line exercises, etc. to advance her base of support, and THEN graduate to spurs. But right now, she doesnt appear to be ready for them.

[Auventera_Two]

Stalking?? Um…how about a single 3 minute search on the internet to find other photos of the riding style in question. Lay off the drama.

[ponies123]

I have to agree with those who think that it’s highly unnecessary to critique this child’s equitation especially on a public BB. If you’re so uptight about it and think that everyone who has a picture publicized must have PERFECT equitation, then dear lord discuss it with your gossipy barn mates after you ride (and it will obviously be a perfect ride on your part - anything else is unacceptable), don’t bring it into the public eye.

And FYI the girl is EIGHT years old, and a lot of the people posting on this thread (yes, myself included) are two, three, four, five times her age and making the same exact mistakes as she is, I think that’s saying something for her. And also she is a veryvery sweet kid and a pretty rider blessed with lovely ponies, a very lucky kid. Infact she lent out her two ponies to two girls to ride at PF this year when one of them didn’t have a ride at all and the other ones mount was hurt - one of those girls WON the pony medal championship there, which she obviously wouldn’t have been able to do without this kid’s generosity.

Also, at the show the picture of discussion was taken at - the little girl won champion in the smalls on the pony in the picture and was reserve champion in the mediums on another pony. Yes, obviously she cannot ride and she most definitely deserves to be criticized so harshly because she’s a horrible, stuckup, spoiled and bratty kid.

[Irish_Ei_s]

Watch Irish as she runs screaming from the oncoming train…