And…the best in the world at what they do.
And I doubt the european riders were thinking anything other than how much they wished they could ride like those guys, and had horses as talented as those on the U.S. team.
I read and looked at the photos in the CoTH mag. The different disciplines, riders, horses, etc. all leading up to the WEG and thinking the large men on the smallers horses was not a pretty picture. I admit thinking to myself, “too much biscuits and gravy”. Which made me think of my next unkind thought - hearing Joan Rivers quip years ago that if “Liz Taylor had her ears pierced gravy would come out”. Funny for about a second. But more hurtful.
As a reiner myself I can tell you that you HAVE to be physically fit to do what they do. They make it look easy just watching a video of a reining run. Are they overweight? Yes…does it mean that they are not in shape…NOPE!! Their weight has no bearing to the situation in my mind.
They trained hard and won gold…to me that is all that matters!! As an American and a reiner I am proud of them no matter how much they weigh :yes:
[QUOTE=KC and the Sunshine Band;5137488]
BEING FAT IS UNHEALTHY. Those men are fat. If you can’t see that, YOU ARE THE ONE WITH THE PROBLEM![/QUOTE]
In some cases it is, but you know what, I am a chunky monkey, and my doc says “you are the healthiest fat woman I know”. My bp is great, I don’t have any diabetes, my cholestrol is good, and I don’t have wrinkles because the fat fluffs them out.:winkgrin: Now, am I as cute as a skinny minnie? My dh thinks so, so I am not worried about it, though I do hate clothes shopping. Being fat is not the end of the world, and it most certainly is NOT embarrassing- unless you choose to put on a string bikini… I am so sorry that you are offended by the reiners and others that are well padded.
[QUOTE=Mozart;5137706]
And…the best in the world at what they do.[/QUOTE]
Oooh, 2 points for you…
[QUOTE=KC and the Sunshine Band;5137553]
There are so many health problems associated with being over weight and sitting on a tiny horse being a 6 ft + tall man weighing at least 250 or more pounds is a problem.[/QUOTE]
Don’t disagree with the first part of your sentence, but definitely disagree with the second part.
In most equestrian sports, it’s the horse that is being judged. Doesn’t matter what the rider looks like or how they ride, it’s how the horse goes that matters. Yes, horses usually go as they are ridden, and in some disciplines it is difficult to be a skilled rider if one is overweight and unfit. In other disciplines, it may not be so difficult.
Riding reiners is about skill, finesse, and subtlety. I can actually see how a well-controlled heavier rider could have an advantage here; a smaller change in position has a bigger impact on the horse. The experience required to develop skill, finesse, and subtlety comes with age, and as has already been mentioned, sometimes extra pounds come with age, too.
I liked the team’s comment: “We brought a bunch of heavyweights to a heavyweight fight”.
I live in QH country and actually attended the WEG reining selections in Oklahoma City with a friend who does hunters exclusively. I wasn’t embarrassed and she wasn’t offended by these riders in the least. I was bothered by the fact my friend was bored out of her mind by reining in general and preferred to shop for all sorts of blingy things at the trade show. Oh well, to each their own.
[QUOTE=Gnalli;5137828]
In some cases it is, but you know what, I am a chunky monkey, and my doc says “you are the healthiest fat woman I know”. My bp is great, I don’t have any diabetes, my cholestrol is good, and I don’t have wrinkles because the fat fluffs them out.:winkgrin: Now, am I as cute as a skinny minnie? My dh thinks so, so I am not worried about it, though I do hate clothes shopping. Being fat is not the end of the world, and it most certainly is NOT embarrassing- unless you choose to put on a string bikini… I am so sorry that you are offended by the reiners and others that are well padded.:([/QUOTE]
Mmmmmm, chunky monkey! : D
Well, I’ll take a fatty with manners over an obnoxious, self-righteous person any day. These men just won gold. I don’t think they or their horses need health and fitness tips from you to get better.
DUUUH, it matters because if we can’t criticize people who are just plain better and more talented than we ever will be, WHERE will we get our self-esteem? 
[QUOTE=lalahartma1;5137855]
Mmmmmm, chunky monkey! : D[/QUOTE]
Yep, as my sister says " we are not compact economy sized, we are the luxury models…"
Hey guys, I really didn’t want to get into a discussion of any given weight being good or bad. I truly wanted to know if the fact that the top riders were large men gave them an advantage, and Plumcreek was nice enough to provide an answer.
[QUOTE=Diamondindykin;5137808]
As a reiner myself I can tell you that you HAVE to be physically fit to do what they do. They make it look easy just watching a video of a reining run. Are they overweight? Yes…does it mean that they are not in shape…NOPE!! Their weight has no bearing to the situation in my mind. [/QUOTE]
What defines physically fit for a reiner and does it differ from the fitness requirement for other horse sports, sports in general, or the general public?
I often hear overweight people claim they are fit, and I can’t see how that is possible. Taking two people all things being as equal as possible except for weight, and I think the person with the ideal weight would do better all around on a fitness test.
I don’t believe those overweight male reiners could run 2 miles without exhausting themselves and I don’t believe they have much flexibility either. They may be strong, because with weight does comes some strength.
[QUOTE=ToN Farm;5137903]
What defines physically fit for a reiner and does it differ from the fitness requirement for other horse sports, sports in general, or the general public?
I often hear overweight people claim they are fit, and I can’t see how that is possible. Taking two people all things being as equal as possible except for weight, and I think the person with the ideal weight would do better all around on a fitness test.
I don’t believe those overweight male reiners could run 2 miles without exhausting themselves and I don’t believe they have much flexibility either. They may be strong, because with weight does comes some strength.[/QUOTE]
But, but, they don’t need to be running 2 miles to anywhere.
Most of those trainers ride ten or twenty horses a day, “loping” much of the time and that takes it’s own kind of fitness.
You try that.
Fat does not necessarily mean unhealthy and skinny does not always mean healthy. I am definitely on the chunky side and have better cholesterol and blood sugars than the majority of my “skinny” friends.
Sorry, but the only thing I find “sad and pitiful” is someone who can’t give credit where credit is due. The “fat” men seriously kicked some European a$$ :lol:
So many Get A Life moments, so little time.
Our cultural concepts of strength and fitness have certainly changed through the years. For those of you who feel “embarrassed” by our gold-medal-winning cowboys … well … fine.
I am reminded of John Wayne in True Grit: “That’s big talk for a one-eyed fat man.”
But when that fat old man took the reins in his teeth and rode out across the field with guns a-blazing … I don’t think anyone thought, “Oh gosh, he’s so fat!”
I still think it was one of the single greatest moments in movie history.
I don’t think True Grit is measured on the bathroom scale!
[QUOTE=KC and the Sunshine Band;5137553]
There are so many health problems associated with being over weight and sitting on a tiny horse being a 6 ft + tall man weighing at least 250 or more pounds is a problem. [/QUOTE]
Problem for you is that some of those “tiny horses” weigh almost as much as your average WB.
you just might be surprised
I can’t answer for them but I am overweight, BMI =29. I can’t run because of my bad ankle but i can do 45 min on my elliptical at a 7 min mile pace so that’s about 6 “miles”
Flexability? I can touch my toes. I can put my heel on my butt and pull my knee back probably 15 degrees.
Strength, well yeah, if you are really skinny you aren’t going to have muscles. I always wanted smaller calves…until I spent 11 weeks in an air cast and got one. I have 12 horses, and do all the work myself.
I suspect there are lots of people younger and skinnier than I am who would have trouble keeping up with my day.
I am 61 years old and my goal is to look and act prematurly gray!
OMG. If those were women out there looking like the reiners did, can you imagine?
I can. All the size 0s by genetics or who were heavier and then found their way back to their genetic size 0s would be pontificating on and on about how they should just eat less.
