Ponykid- I had baby fat when I was younger too! I am 5ft 7in and weigh 120 now (I actually weighed more four years ago!). So don’t worry- when you go through puberty your hormonal balence will change and your matabolism will speed up. Just let your body run it’s own course, cause if you start dieting now- you’re going to have a BAD matabolism for the rest of your life. And don’t worry about those people- they’re idiots obviosly- if you are trying a ver expensive horse and all they can do is say a negitive thing about you - they are not TRUE horse people 
Forget about them! You’ll win for your talent,not for your weight!
CTT - I agree with you…
I just finished doing a report on self injury for one of my classes. it was VERY hard for me because I have dealt with that issue myself and being objective was a struggle - but god the books I read made me cry and so did the webpages. That stuff scares me. There are so many issues and society is telling us all our bodies aren’t good enough - we need to love ourselves as we are.
Sarah
Here it is.
Hey, Warpaint, I read your post on the “Weight Issue 2” and totally can relate! I am a ( drum roll, please, I can’t beleive I am saying this ) size 12! I’ve been that way since the 8th grade ( I am in the 11th grade right now! ) I have been like that for over 4 years now and I don’t care how ugly or stupid I look, I am NOT going to go to the utmost solution and STARVE myself. Thank you for posting on this thread even though you didn’t want to. EVERY post counts and should be read with the utmost respect and courage of the people who are posting about their lives, what they have gone through etc. The mind is a very powerful thing and I am glad we are using it!
The problem is not limited to magazines. Has anyone looked at a tack catalog lately? A good number of them feature models whose emaciation is absolutely appalling. But – kudos to Huntfield’s. The models in the Spring 2000 catalog actually look fit and normal.
Hello everyone! I’ve been meaning to respond to this thread but I haven’t had the time, so here I am now.
PepTalk- YAY!! I’m not alone!!! 
Thanks for sharing. I have actually found an excersize/eating plan that is working for me and I’m losing weight, BUT more importantly gaining muscle and stamina, which to me is the important thing. Personally, as a jumper rider, I don’t care if I “look pretty” on my horse, as long as I can out in a good, effective round and give my horses the ride they deserve. With my body type, I think it is much more realistic to set a goal of a size 8 than the size 4 that seems to be the magic number. It just isn’t posible, no matter how much weight I lose. I wish people would put less emphasis on NUMBERS… they mean NOTHING! So don’t be ashamed to be a size 12. If you are healthy and fit enough to ride well, you are just fine!
There are several other points I’d like to make regarding this thread. In response to the media issue, I can not argue that the media is partially responsible for the American obsession with thinness, but in my opinion, the trainers, parents, peers, and other IMEDIATE influences that have the biggest impact. If we are raised with high self-esteem and we learn to be happy with ourselves despite our imperfections, a picture in a magazine would not have the effect it does. While I would LOVE to see some normal, healthy, non-size-2 models in teen magazines, I think it is much more important to try to change the attitudes of individuals before we go trying to change the media. Just a thought.
I definitely feel that, as Sarah said, the eating disorder problem in this world is not just a problem for female junior riders… everyone is affected in one way or another by these horrible, frightening, and most of all SAD diseases. Personally, I think that schools, churches, and perhaps even barns should teach kids about eating disorders and the harm that they can do. I know this might scare younger kids, but perhaps we need to use fear tactics on occassion in issues this important. Education is our best weapon in this battle. And it IS a battle… not just for the anorexics and bullemics but for all of us. How could anyone stand to watch friends, families, and even well-known GP riders starve themselves to death? There must be something that we can do to stop this. I think Majical’s story is a perfect (and heart-wrenching) personification of my point. When outsiders don’t intervene, NOTHING GETS FIXED. (By the way, Majical, I commend you on your courage in posting your story. It must have been difficult but you touched a LOT of people. Thank you.)
As to the GP rider previously discussed, I would just like to say that she is a wonderful person and has SO much talent and potential as a rider that it kills me to see her do this to herself. I used to look up to her, and now I pity her. Isn’t there SOMEONE out there who can help this woman? Everyone who’s seen her knows. It isn’t a secret. So WHY ISN’T ANYONE HELPING HER??? I understand that a certain amount of cooperation is involved but when someone begins to look as terrible as that, there is a point where someone needs to intervene. I would hate to see someone so young and SO very talented meet a horrible fate, and until someone MAKES her get help, it seems inevitable that she will. Does anyone else find this horribly miserably depressing? There must be something that can save her, and those like her, but it’s not being done and that is where we are losing the battle.
Sorry this is so very long, but I feel very strongly that this is something that we all are affected by in some way, and I think we need to take a stand, get help for the anorexics and bullemics of the world, and most of all, educate people. It may start as skipping meals or taking a few diet pills here and there… THAT is where we need to intervene… BEFORE it gets deadly. Thanks for letting me state my opinion.
~Emily
PS~ I am thrilled to hear that Cozmo is getting help. No one deserves a fate like the one she could have been headed towards.
Wynn and Snowbird
OUCH! But how right you both are. Well, I don’t know if its a “next step” or not, but I’ve already started opening my big mouth to everyone I see in this industry about this sad situation. You know the worst thing? At least the people on this forum are willing to talk about it. Most of the people I talk face to face to say something like “Oh yeh, horrible. Say, did you hear what so and so did the other day?”
Hi there Ponykid,
Let me tell you something, I don’t even know how many teenagers we have sent happy into adulthood. Generations of them over some 30 years.
There is a short view and a long view of life. In the short view, today is the most important thing and you as a youngster are very much with today. Winning is where it is in only the short view.
Now, there’s the long view. I have seen so many who were so wrapped up in appearances that they jeopardized their lives. And, then later they had lost themselves and became just another face in the crowd.
In the long view many of those who were not the most successful, and some who were 2nd forever wound up with great lives and a very big success for themselves, and yes! healthy happy children. That happened because they just said “Hey! World! I’m me and I like what I see looking back in the mirror.”
We all have something that we’d like to fix, to alter or correct but with maturity you learn that is what makes you an individual. What makes you stand out as a special person in a crowd!
Where are those people who are just a copy of an image going to find themselves. Many at 40 are still out there looking and lost.
As to the sales pitch, and that’s all that it is. The horse probably didn’t go as well as it might have and so the “salesman” blamed you instead of the limitations of his horse. And, the other had a moose to sell so that was his pitch. Neither of them know you, care about you or your dreams. They just have a horse to sell. Tomorrow you will be out of their world when they get the check and they will look like a hero to the owner. A salesman is someone who if you spit in their eye, says thank you! my eye was really dry!
Keep your chin up and you be you! Be proud that is the real difference between 1st and 6th. When a person is sitting on a million dollar horse, being trained by the top trainer decked out in all custom apparel and tack what happens is “pride”.
The kid on the “good find” horse without a record, in ready made becomes awed and the shoulders droop, they eyes go down and the focus slips. I know because that’s what we have. BUT! if you ride proud and remember that you got there and you’re being looked at, and you haven’t made any mistakes then in the long view it will work for you. Winning comes from the inside-out not the other way. It’s heart, focus and discipline that will beat the skinny any day.
PONYKID PLEASE copy the pages listed here and talk to yur mom about this issue. You need to make the right choices for the right reasons. You should make the adults in your life aware of how you heard their comments and how they make you feel. You sound like a VERY mature young woman, show your maturity further and get the correct help. You have read all the horror stories here. We are on you side. We want you to look for the correct help. Your parents MUST be part of it.
CTT - I totally agree! These topics are important (thanks again to Weatherford for moving this up so we didn’t ‘lose’ it!) Reading all these make me feel very lucky and vert fortunate to be where I am and know what I want and that compromising my body will not help me get there! If this thread has enlightened even a few people it’s been totally worth it!
Sarah
Just moving this up…
Yes we do nead to learn to love ourselves. Sarah Im proud of you. You have realy come a long way and have grown since i first met you. You are very butifull and very talented. Your heart is big and full of love. remember you are very special to me.
Smile and know that you are so important to this world.
Well I guess it is time Thanks Bascule. Onething though - let’s be sure to keep the discussion going from the last thread - so if anyone needs to see page three it’s at http://www.chronofhorse.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001206-3.html (enjoy!)
Sarah
Also the addresses for all the old Weight threads, and the new ones too, are as follows:
Weight IV LetÂ’s Act - http://www.chronofhorse.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001738.html
Weight I - http://www.chronofhorse.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001146.html
Weight II - http://www.chronofhorse.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001206.html
Weight III - http://www.chronofhorse.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001245.html
Weight Essay - http://www.chronofhorse.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001457.html
[This message has been edited by Weatherford (edited 06-02-2000).]
[This message has been edited by Weatherford (edited 06-02-2000).]
Major Kudos to WarPaint and Peptalk - you go girls!!! or you girls rule!!! Seriously, I’m so proud of the two of you.
I went from being “Twiggy” to “Stump” (curtesy of my older brother) when my metalism took it’s turn at around at 18. I actually pleaded with him to at least call me “Trunk” (I did grow 3" after high school.) Then the joke continued, sometimes I’d be “Sapling”, other times “Trunk” (never “Twiggy” again LOL). However, the “joke” wasn’t funny. It wasn’t even funny when I was “Twiggy”, IMO.
You two will always be comfortable with yourselves, IMO and that’s GREAT. One less huge stress in your lives! Continue on, I say!
I agree that the media really hurts us in this aspect.
A few little replies:
Portia - I think that while the hunter/equ area has a big problem with this so does dressage. I have heard stories of judges making comments about weight in the comments section at the end of the test. And really - since this is such a huge issue in society I’m not at all surprised it seeps into amny areas of the horse world. Also I would be willing to guess that there is probably some weight bias in Saddleseat as well - since they have equitation classes just like us (well not just like us but they are judged on position and all like our equ riders are) and that area (subjective judging) seems like a natural breeding ground for weight bias!
IN my opinion part of the problem is this is not just MEN judging women but also women doing it to. I Can’t believe women (who I am sure struggle with their weight as well) would judge and make cruel comments about other women’s weight. But they DO. One time at a show a judge kept pinning me over my friend who is a better rider than I am and we heard it was b/c of my weight (she is a little heavy). BUt the worst part is the judge herself was really really heavy - and I’m like how can someone that big (the judge was much heavier than my friend) look down on my friend for being like a size 12? It seemed so hypocritical!
And of course this is not just a junior issue - as I said earlier - not is it even a women’s issue - it’s a people issue. And what it really comes down to is at the root that we judge people by appearances.
Sarah
I know Louise, and then everyone wants to back off! What ever happened to one person can make a difference?
There are issues more important than my personal benefit? Horatio at the bridge holding off the enemy single handed? It does make me feel like the last dinosaur.
OR worse Don Quixote looking for an honest man!
[This message has been edited by Snowbird (edited 04-15-2000).]
That broke my heart. Personaly just brush the coment off but do talk about it. Your trainer does nead to know that you heard the coment. Just don’t think of looseing weight to live in their rhelm. Im here any time you nead to talk. Remember I have been there too. I know what its like and I know the pain mentaly and physacly. Its not pleasent. I am here for you any time. Hey Weatherford you promised me your horse 
PLEASE!!! J/k I can calm down and think of it as another day. Anyways I am here for anyone who neads to talk. I was talking to some good friends of mine about all of this. Most of them have known me since I started college. It was strange cause one of them said that for the longest time I looked skiny. When they realized I was aware that I was they did everything to get me to gain. so even back when I weightd 120 people still thought I looked too skiny. Now to them Im a skelaton. But I like haveing my milkshakes everyday now. MMMMM best way to put on weight. Some ice cream and carnation insent breakfest with some chocolet serup… Now im hungry well go to run and make one.
I think it would be good for all of us to get together and actualy talk more. any ideas. I have ICQ and if others have it then we can chat more. If you are interested in haveing some discussions email me if you want but all you nead to do is go to ICQ.com and download it. Once you have it you can email me for my info. lets have a real live talk ok. I realy encurage it.
I’m glad that comments have returned to the impact of judging. I’d like to ask people how they think judging could be changed or clarified to lessen the impact of superficial traits like the rider’s weight. I’m wondering about the suitability area. If the rider fits the horse, shouldn’t that be the end of it (in Eq, for exmple)?
I’ve been away from this BB for awhile. The BB got a bit ugly and I just didn’t want to spend time here. I’m glad I stopped back in because I just read through all the weight issue threads in one fell swoop and I’m awed at the courage some of the posters have displayed in relating their histories. And I’m equally awed by the depth of compassion and support from the other posters.
I’d like to add more, but this is your tax dollars at work (not!) and it’s time to go off-duty.
Thanks to everyone who posted on these threads. Good luck to all.
