[QUOTE=Countrywood;8207206]
The same thing in dressage…many of the top competitors have big money behind them ( family or marriage). Then again, a number of top competitors are from middle class bg and are so talented they become pros and thus attract top sponsors. Let’s face it, none of the equestrian disciplines are set up to nurture talent from people of little income, we don’t see any outreach or sponsoring of talented kids with no resources from inner city neighborhood such as seen in basketball or baseball. Which is one of the reasons those sports are so hugely popular in the USA and equestrian sports are not.
The international level is so far beyond most of us we can only speculate about what it is like. Jealousy is normal and nothing to be ashamed of…the very wealthy unless they are clueless are aware of how they are perceived. Imo Reed is such a talent and has so much focus and nerves of steel that even without the family money she would have made it to top pro, only it would have taken longer.[/QUOTE]
To many rich people being poor means having to buy an Audi instead of a Mercedes. 
Seriously, you would be surprised at how clueless the wealthy are, they do not know how they are perceived, nor can they relate to others that do not have the resources they do.
Many of them tend to downplay the role their financial advantage played in getting them where they are, and over estimate their own efforts. Many are born on third base, but think they hit a triple.