# Pet peves.



## UnrealJumper

What are your pet peves about riders?


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## ErikaLynn

When people don't wear a helmet, and piano hands.


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## GreyRay

The word(for lack of better disription) "equestrianism"... What does that even mean? Last time I checked it wasnt even a word. I have always called the action: Horse Back Riding and Equitation.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Luvs2jump

People that don't pay attention to other people in the arena that are riding as while. I don't know how many times I've yelled what side I'm passing them on and they still don't have a clue what's going on.


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## MIEventer

Oh gosh......let's see....

- People who use gadgets all the time when they ride. Example, standing martingales, german martingales and etc, etc, etc, etc, etc

- People who use gadgets and have no idea how to correclty ride to coorespond with that particular gadget. Thinking they are doing good, when instead they are making the horse go backwards

- People who blame their horse for things..like "My horse refused the fence" or "My horse is really strong and powerful, how do I fix him?" etc, etc instead of stopping and looking at themselves for the fault and the cause of the results they are getting.

- Riders who make their horses conform to them, instead of them learning to conform to the horse

- Riders who throw stronger bits into their horses mouths to solve a problem

- Riders who stay on the rail. Get off the rail and learn how to use the arena to your advantage.

- People who jump all the time. 

- People who start young horses too early, and people who are jumping their horses at the age of 3-4 already doing 3'0" - 4'0". 

- Uneducated Coaches, coaches who don't take lessons themselves, or ride and compete themselves - turning out uneducated riders.


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## UnrealJumper

MIEventer, I agree with a ton of your pet peves!


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## AQHA13

When people let their horses bump into your horse and they wonder why your horse threatened to kick.

People who can't keep their horses off your horse's tail end.


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## Chiilaa

People that think correct headset can possibly come from their hands... and spend their whole ride worrying about where the poor horse's head is.


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## BarnBratt

I agree Chiilaa


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## Spastic_Dove

see-sawing on the reins.
show parents who ruin their kids love for horses.
people who have horses but should probably just buy a motorbike instead. 
people who breed because "I love my horsey so muchhhh and they'd be a good mommy and look he has spots!"


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## VelvetsAB

_I have pet peeves....not pet peves. Not sure what a peve is to be honest._

_-People who stay on the rail when other people are jumping. Get out of the way in case I need to go where you are standing. _

_-Kids who talk to much at the beginning of a lesson when they should be warming up their ponies/horses. (Other then the fact I end up getting more one on one with the coach because they arent ready.)_

_-Coaches who dont explain things well to someone who doesnt know__ how to do something, or is new to something._

_-People who dont clean up their horses poop and hoof crud before going into the arena and leaving it in the aisle. Someone else might need to use that spot._

_-Lesson programs that do not have enough horses that students can ride several horses all the time._

_I have more then that, but these are the ones that came to mind first.... _


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## trailhorserider

People who hang on their horse's mouths, ride the brakes, pull back all the time, use a wicked bit with rough hands......you get the idea! 

I am always one of the first ones to say the strength of the bit is in the hands of the rider, but then I am assuming everyone rides careful and has soft hands. Then I see photos (even in popular horse magazines) and people are riding the brakes and not giving their horse any slack- even western riders in curb bits. Ack! I ride western, I ride in curbs, but for heaven's sake give your horse a slack rein, the bit you are using could stop a train! 

So yeah, that is my main pet peeve!

Another pet peeve is people who ride their horses a couple times a month and then get mad at their horse when it is energetic and full of pep. If the horse never gets out, what do they expect!??? 

PS. I know this is in the "English" section, but I think this subject surpasses disciplines. Has anyone seen the recent "Weaver Leather" ad with a barrel racer that just came out in some of the latest magazines? The ad is for their new saddle pads? Anyway, I know barrel racers feel they need some strong bits, but this gal seems to have a heck of a tight pull on this poor horse and the bit she is using is a twisted wire curb/gag bit. You see the curb action fully in function pulling back on the horse's mouth (with the twisted wire showing) and the rider has a heck of a grip on the reins. I KNOW the ad is for the saddle pads, but I cringed looking at the gal's grip on the reins. :shock: I can't imagine how the corners of the horse's mouth survive without getting all tore up in a bit like that with that much pull going on.


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## UnrealJumper

Sorry Velvets AB *pet peeves P:


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## dressagebelle

People who talk to you like you know nothing about horses because you aren't handling the horse the way they would.
People who work their horses really hard, and then put them away dripping wet, hot, and breathing hard.
People who don't ask if they can approach my horse, or feed her or whatever, and just come up and do it, and then wonder why I get a little upset, in my case because I know that my mare can still be a little unpredictable, and if something startles her, I don't want someone standing right next to her getting run over because they think that my horse is just as sweet and quiet as the Quarter Horse next door, and then getting mad at me for not warning them (and yes has happened before).
A big one for me, people who walk into the stalls of horses they don't know without the owners permission, and they aren't the BO, or someone in charge, for any reason other than a serious medical problem that needs immediate hands on care. I have had people walk into stalls because the horse threw their hay onto the ground, and the person felt the need to pick up the hay themselves, some people because "Oh, I just thought that it was okay to randomly walk into a horse's stall, or because I just wanted to pet the horse but he wouldn't come up to the fence so I went over to him.


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## Snookeys

I hate it when people get "scared" when their horse turns or starts to trot and they drop their reins and cling to the horse's mane or the saddle horn, then start crying and saying the horse is uncontrollable.

I hate it when people make their horses act up on purpose to show off.

I hate it when people show off in general.

I hate it when people outside the arena make clucking/kissing noises at my horse while I'm riding. <--THIS IS A BIG ONE URGHHH I AM RIDING NOT YOU

I hate it when I tell someone to squeeze with their heels, and they barely move their leg (you know, that half-hearted bump they do with their calf).

I hate it when people have to have EVERY SINGLE STIMULUS IN SIGHT removed before they ride (i.e., if there's a jacket hanging on the fence, they refuse to go in the arena till it's gone).


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## ellygraceee

I can't stand it when people will drop their reins and bawl their eyes out because their horse tosses it's head. Give me a break. My horse reared and rebroke my finger in the middle of a test and I didn't cry (well I did when I found out that I'd need a plate in it..) so take a teaspoon of cement and harden the hell up! 

Students that don't listen or do the opposite of what I've said. 

When people sook after being bitten by my horse after annoying him despite the "Do not approach, horse bites" signs and numerous lead ropes tied to the gate to keep him in the stall. 

People who will just randomly walk up to the dressage arena while I'm in a test, start talking loudly/flapping coats/calling out/waving plastic bags and then wonder why my horse has reared and now standing there looking at them shaking. 

People who cut others off in the warm up arena. 

I'm sure that I have way more than that, but I can't think of them now.


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## Strange

MIEventer said:


> Oh gosh......let's see....
> 
> - People who use gadgets all the time when they ride. Example, standing martingales, german martingales and etc, etc, etc, etc, etc
> 
> - People who use gadgets and have no idea how to correclty ride to coorespond with that particular gadget. Thinking they are doing good, when instead they are making the horse go backwards
> 
> - People who blame their horse for things..like "My horse refused the fence" or "My horse is really strong and powerful, how do I fix him?" etc, etc instead of stopping and looking at themselves for the fault and the cause of the results they are getting.
> 
> - Riders who make their horses conform to them, instead of them learning to conform to the horse
> 
> - Riders who throw stronger bits into their horses mouths to solve a problem
> 
> - Riders who stay on the rail. Get off the rail and learn how to use the arena to your advantage.
> 
> - People who jump all the time.
> 
> - People who start young horses too early, and people who are jumping their horses at the age of 3-4 already doing 3'0" - 4'0".
> 
> - Uneducated Coaches, coaches who don't take lessons themselves, or ride and compete themselves - turning out uneducated riders.


Lol these are all my pet peeves, in a nut shell. Just to add a few - 

-People who don't show any respect in the warm-up arena; i.e. running through your circle, expecting everyone to make way for them, ignoring other riders' signals as to where they're going, etc. 

-People who rub your mistakes in your face, hello I have a trainer to tell me what I'm doing wrong, I don't need you to make snide comments. 

-Sore losers; "Oh my horse was just having a bad day there's no way you could beat me when he's feeling good." (Yes, I have had someone tell me that.) 

-Breed discrimination; "Your horse will never win because he's a paint" or other such silly comments. Wake up kiddos, we're eventers, the judges don't give a hoot about breed or colors.


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## speedy da fish

Not releasing over fences.

Pulling on the reins.

Leaning forward.

Obese people riding, it happens a lot. It's only fine if the horse is big enough for them!


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## UnrealJumper

I personally can't stand when peoples leg fly back over jumps, when someone hauls back on the reins over a jump instead of releasing, people who brag, make excuses. I HATE HATE HATE when people always blame it on their horse, or when they can't talk about anything but themselves >.< If I ever catch myself doing one of these things I will scream.


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## haleylvsshammy

Some other people said this, but I agree with this one:

When people cut you off in the warm up ring!!!! AHH!! It drives me insane! I have a friend who does it all the time and doesn't even acknowledge that she did it!

Sure, I've cut people off before, but I always say sorry! I feel bad about it, so I'm always like 'Sorry! I didn't mean to cut your off!' My friend has cut me off in a way that I was cantering and I had to STOP MY HORSE in like 2 seconds so I wouldn't run into her... grr...

I also don't like when people are crap riders but have great horses so they can do everything that they want. They don't even look at their equitation because apparently an expensive horse means that equitation doesn't matter. Hmm, I wasn't aware of that rule. I don't have 35k to spend on a horse, so I have to work at least twice as hard for the same payoff. Hopefully it all evens out in the end...

I don't like people who jump and barely do any flatwork because "Well jumping is just soo fun, I really want to do it!" even though at the last show they practically got bucked off because the couldn't handle their horse while jumping a course that was only 2'3". So yeah, let's push the envelope to 2'6", what could possibly go wrong?!?!

I had more but I can't remember them now lol


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## GreyRay

speedy da fish said:


> Obese people riding, it happens a lot. It's only fine if the horse is big enough for them!


Me and mom went to the fair, and this poor underweight pally TWH was walking around completely hallowed out and in pain carrying this HUGE lady around. And she actually placed in an English pleasure class :O.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MaggiStar

- When you go hacking with people and without warning they let there horses gallop off

- using all the gadgets in the world on your horse cause everyone else is

- keeping increase bit strength instead of working out whats wrong

- people being to cheap to call the vet when clearly somethng is wrong

-people who stable the horse for no good reason

- people who just turn up ride and never spend time with there horse

- people who starve the horse to loose weight instead of riding them

- when people wait until your about two strides frim a jump and then circle in front of it

-who think certain types of breeds are better or worse etc

- who believe not having your own horse means your a bad rider

- same as those who believe not showing means your dreadful

-that you must spemd over 4figures to get a decent horse

- that all preety ponies must have lots of pretty babies

- those who dont discipline there horses uhhhh

- when horses arent aloud to be horses

i have loads more these are first off my head


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## WildSenses

Unrealjumper, You seem to have a lot of pet peeves....did someone you know or do know make you have all these pet peeves...?

My pet peeve would have to be, when people get horses that are to much for them, and they have no idea how to ride or handle them. I see it a lot. Especially at horse shows. It's very sad. 

Standing martingales in the jumper ring. I have a friend who rides her mare with a standing and the horse is always so stiff over the jumps cause she does not have her head. It always looks like the mare will break her neck when she lands. I think they should actually be banned from the jumper ring.

People who are EXTREMELY stiff while riding, breeeeath! It just might save your back muscles.

Riders not treating other riders right or nicely when they are at a show, or complaining about something, and or starting drama when it's not needed. It's a public area, keep it to your self. Or...talking behind your back at a show. It's just brutal.

-- Quickly about legs flying back and not releasing. Every horse is ridden differently and actually has to be ridden differently. My stallion hates my legs staying at the girth over anything bigger than 2ft9. He'll buck and fight. I think it locks his shoulders. And when my legs slip back a bit, it seems to help his power over the jump. I think it's like a que to him almost like a bump to his side for more go. And about not releasing...sometimes a horse is so strong and so powerful it's hard to contain that power. I'm training a 7 year old to jump. And today it was very difficult for me to release, because after a cross pole jump he would race and take off. Took me a while to contain his speed and finally got him to put that energy to work over the jumps. Then I was finally able to release a bit better once he understood that he should respect the jumps and not rush towards them. 

I like to find out what each horse I am riding likes. Either its a small release, or a really big release or no release at all. Or it's legs close to the girth or legs further back. Listen to your horse, he or she will tell you how to ride them.

Jumpers you do not need to be perfect, if you can ride with your legs at the girth for small-ish jumps, thats fine actually it's good. The bigger the jumps get, the more force and the more you have to keep up with the horse. I think theres 2 GP riders that I have seen that can actually some what keep their legs at the girth. Bezzie Madden and that young Ashlee Bond(sp?) 
Yes we should have good eq. But if we dont, don't blame us for it. We're supposed to have style  Correct?

We should not let these pet peeves get to us! It takes so much of our energy to hate something...doesn't it take so much energy for us to hate something? I try to ignore it and let it roll off my back. I think we should all try this! 

On a side note: MaggiStar, "When you go hacking with people and without warning they let there horses gallop off" Uhh...that is a pet peeve but to me more like a fear! My Stallion would go bonkers! But what about galloping home? Ahh that's just so dangerous..! 
My uncle went for a hack with a friend, and his mare took off home, and they galloped under bridge with traffic! The horse ended up in a fence, and the rider ended up on the freeway....


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## QHDragon

- People who don't wear helmets while mounted.

- People who don't wear helmets while mounted and then lecture about how its their life and they will do what they want with it. Hello? What about your family, friends, etc?!

- People who don't look up while riding

- People who can't control their horses but when off a horse think they are god's gift to horse-kind

- People who think they know how to ride because one time years ago they went on a trail ride on some dude ranch.

- People who complain about other people's riding, handling, etc of horses when they are just as bad. 



Oh, and pretty much everything that MIE said. 

Plus backyard breeders....but we could be here all day if I started in on that.


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## Tymer

MIEventer said:


> Oh gosh......let's see....
> 
> - People who use gadgets all the time when they ride. Example, standing martingales, german martingales and etc, etc, etc, etc, etc
> 
> - People who use gadgets and have no idea how to correclty ride to coorespond with that particular gadget. Thinking they are doing good, when instead they are making the horse go backwards
> 
> - People who blame their horse for things..like "My horse refused the fence" or "My horse is really strong and powerful, how do I fix him?" etc, etc instead of stopping and looking at themselves for the fault and the cause of the results they are getting.
> 
> - Riders who make their horses conform to them, instead of them learning to conform to the horse
> 
> - Riders who throw stronger bits into their horses mouths to solve a problem
> 
> - Riders who stay on the rail. Get off the rail and learn how to use the arena to your advantage.
> 
> - People who jump all the time.
> 
> - People who start young horses too early, and people who are jumping their horses at the age of 3-4 already doing 3'0" - 4'0".
> 
> - Uneducated Coaches, coaches who don't take lessons themselves, or ride and compete themselves - turning out uneducated riders.


Its really sad that I fall into many of these categories. My coach is one that last took a lesson many many years ago, and has sort of fallen into bad habits. Even more sad is that she is the best trainer (for a reasonable price. I'm not rich.) in the area, especially for someone who doesn't own a horse. (Pleasepleaseplease don't mention this. It was brought up in a long discussion in another thread, and it really upset me. I'd rather ride with a sucky trainer and learn something (yes, there is good somewhere between her standing martingales and gag bits) then ride with the other barns that are insanely expensive and far away or the barn that throws you on greenies to learn jumping.)

My pet peeves:
People who don't give their horse any attention after they ride (ie: throw in stall and walk away for the day).
People who think they're better because their horse costs more.
People who think that they're trainers when they're amateurs that probably learned everything they know from a place like here.
Those that impose their methods of training onto you when they have no idea what you have been doing/don't know a thing about the horse.
People that are stupid about caring for horses.
This one is sort of a pet peeve but I'm simply more disappointed in these people. People that claim to be incredibly passionate about riding but don't pursue improving or learning anything about anything. (I don't mean you're wrong for doing 3' showing your whole life on the same horse and loving it. I mean its silly for you to love riding that 3', but instead of mastering it and learning everything you would ever need to know about jumping that 3' and caring for your horse, you seek no knowledge of anything for caring for horses, jumping 3', or anything in between. This bugs me.)


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## WildSenses

I think we all have some form of these "Pet Peeves"... most of them we have done or do. Not saying its all of us. But we all have done these at one time or another or still do. Some people say "this is my pet peeve" and dont even notice that they're doing it too!


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## GreyRay

I can honestly say I have never used the "word" equestrianism...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## sdellin

People who use their horses as childcare.

People who let their young children have total responsibility and control of the horse herd.

People who let their child ride, jump and do anything they want with their horses with no supervision or training, who have put their kids in jump lessons but not ever having had basic riding lessons.

People who don't make their kids do their share of the barn work, feeding, care, etc. of the horses, but allow them to go out and ride any time they want.


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## taylorswift13

When people use spurs, or kicking the horse for no reason or pushing a horse beyond what it can do.


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## UnrealJumper

WildSenses, LOL. Everyone has lotsa pet peeves, not just me! Also this is just about sharing your pet peeves, not getting on other peoples cases about it.


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## WildSenses

Unrealjumper, who said I was getting on other peoples cases? Don't jump to conclusions.


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## GreyRay

sdellin said:


> People who use their horses as childcare.
> 
> People who let their young children have total responsibility and control of the horse herd.
> 
> People who let their child ride, jump and do anything they want with their horses with no supervision or training


Um... You really wouldnt like my parants XD Though I'm not exactly young, the horses were mine and my older sisters responsiblity since I was 11.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## alltimelowx

I hate it when people cut infront of you during lessons and when people run right up the back of your horse especially when they know it kicks. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Lobelia Overhill

GreyRay said:


> The word(for lack of better disription) "equestrianism"... What does that even mean? Last time I checked it wasnt even a word.


check again...
Equestrianism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Wikipedia said:


> *Equestrianism* (from Latin equester, equestr-, _horseman_, _horse_)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equestrianism#cite_note-0 refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses. This broad description includes the use of horses for practical working purposes, recreational activities, artistic or cultural exercises, and competitive sports


My pet peeve is people not wearing a hard hat when they ride - I knew a fella who used to because he "didn't need to wear one" I told him not to come running to me for sympathy when he fell off and split his head open. A few weeks later he was sporting a massive black eye and wouldn't speak to me - I found out his horse had reared (smacking him in the face) and he'd fallen off, banged his head and given himself a concussion... he still rides minus a hard hat tho'


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## Shenandoah

People who aren't ready for a trail ride on their horse, so instead of holding off to train more, they just ace their horse before the ride.


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## Tymer

Shenandoah said:


> People who aren't ready for a trail ride on their horse, so instead of holding off to train more, they just ace their horse before the ride.


UGH I hate this! My trainer tries to do it all the time! I never let her go anywhere near my baby with that stuff though. I don't care if she's trying to get me off her back, NO ACE WHEN I RIDE HER!!! I actually found on the ace website that they know and tell people that horses on ace become temporarily mentally retarded. This means that not only are they simply having training issues covered up, they will do stupid things and not learn much if at all from any riding while under the influence of ace.

Sorry, I learned about all the terrible things that stuff does a while back and ever since I've been very big on not using it in the ways people have been lately.


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## sdellin

GreyRay said:


> Um... You really wouldnt like my parants XD Though I'm not exactly young, the horses were mine and my older sisters responsiblity since I was 11.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I do understand people letting their kids be responsible for their horses, just like if it's your dog, you should take care of it. The problem I have is an average horse weighs about 1,000 lbs. This child fell off the horse the other day and nearly got trampled by it because of hanging on to the reins. This is dangerous! And if that child had ended up in the hopsital I'm sure CPS would have been called and the parent charged with child endangerment. If my kids had their own horses, definately they would have the responsibility to care for them, but not without supervision, this is a 9- or 10-year-old kid. A horse can be the most gentle horse and love the child. But if it gets spooked, like this one did when the kid fell off, it can accidentally kill a child. I also observe this boy hitting and "over-disciplining" the horses all the time. He has a very heavy hand, and that is because he has no supervision. He also over feeds, which can lead to laminitis, founder and eventually death. The horse can be on a strict diet for weight loss and still be over fed by this person. The parent is responsible for that and when I say my pet peve is the parent letting the child have full responsibility for the animal, it's a matter of safety for the child and the horse that concerns me. 

I'm talking about the parent being totally irresponsible here, and I'm not getting on anyone's case, if I was I'd quote names. I'm stating a pet peve that is a real concern. This behavior makes me sick to my stomach because it's so unhealty for the horse and child.


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## MyBoyPuck

People who have pet peeves...hee hee just kidding

Not wearing a helmet

Riders who do not allow their horse to warm up and start trotting within 2 seconds of getting on. 

People to keep their horse in a stall 24/7.

People who continually push their own training or riding advice on others, and yet do not appear to have any command of their own body or horse.


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## Iyceisblue

People who dont know what they are talking about... that is my biggest pet peeve


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## AdrienneS

People who gallop up behind you on a trail ride! *grr* (worst when I'm on young horse!)

People on a trail ride when you have to ride in a line ..who trot , walk, trot, walk...just keep a good steady pase!

Riders who say thier horses are soooo bad, but arn't just so they sound like a good rider

Riders whose horses act up and complain and complain about it but don't work on it to fix it

Ppl "borrowing" my whips/ brushes/ cookies! ...without asking, then it goes missing


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## UnrealJumper

Iyceisblue said:


> People who dont know what they are talking about... that is my biggest pet peeve


LOL this is irritating, but sometimes absolutely hilarious!!!


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## Frankiee

-poeple who dont treat there horses with respect but just a machine
-show poeple who turn there poor horse to this doll/robot who cant even go out in the field cause they have to stay clean or cant eat grass cause its to fattning... what's with that??
- using harsh bits to fix a problem 
- over worcking a horse 
and many more lol


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## Iyceisblue

UnrealJumper said:


> LOL this is irritating, but sometimes absolutely hilarious!!!


 
Lol this is true... If I didnt learn to laugh at some of the stuff that I see in here id go crazy


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## MissPhoebe

I didn't read through all of them, I have to admit, but my biggest are...

-Texting while on your horse
-Not grooming your horse or at least checking legs/hooves before jumping on
-Cruel training devices
-Being completely oblivious to other people in the ring
-Giving your two cents when I clearly didn't ask for it
-not cleaning up after yourself or your horse

I have many more, but these are the ones that drive me insane!!


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## equinesmitten

Have not read all the responses but not turning horses out is a biggie for me. People don't want to be locked in a 7X7 ft empty closet with no room to lay down except possibly in their own excrement for days at a time. Why would you want that for your horse? Oh, also feeding high energy food to said horses for the 5 minutes a week they get ridden. *eyeroll*


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## Saskia

I was at a horse thing last weekend and they had some good showjumpers but I can't stand some of them!

One of the girls had harsh looking spurs, a whip, a martingale, a gag bit and a drop nose band I think. From the moment she walked in you could see the horse was edgy and her holding him tight with her hands and kicking him on didn't help. He refused one of the jumps and she laid into him with the whip - did she really think that would help? Then the horse just got worse and worse until she was disqualified. 

I think if you can't control your horse without all those things then you shouldn't be riding competitively. Its one thing using spurs or a harder bit to refine your aids, buts its another not being able to control the horse without them (or with them in this case). 

So those kind of things annoy me. 

Another is people who are constantly hanging onto the horses mouth. If your standing there waiting for something just let him have his head!

Also, kids who have martingales on their horses and ponies that are incorrectly fitted so they do nothing, but they refuse to believe it and can't ride without them. Any whiny kids who will not ride without their crop - learn to use your legs! 

That is my complaining for the day  
The horses that did well in this class entered the ring calm, they had normal snaffles and some riders didn't even have spurs or whips, and the horses could focus on the jumping, not some girl pulling at the bit and jabbing with spurs.


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## MarleyandEllie

When your horse is really stiff on one side


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## Stella

QHDragon said:


> - People who don't wear helmets while mounted.
> 
> - People who don't wear helmets while mounted and then lecture about how its their life and they will do what they want with it. Hello? What about your family, friends, etc?!
> 
> - People who think they know how to ride because one time years ago they went on a trail ride on some dude ranch.
> 
> Those are my top pet peeves too. Also, people who get freaked out by the horse and say- "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK! He tried to bite me" when he is just nuzzling.
> 
> Also, people who call horses "it" when they know if the horse is a he or she.
> 
> Finally, I DO NOT like it when people turn their horses out with a halter on. I DON'T CARE if it makes them easier to catch. I've heard lots of dreadful stroies about horses getting literally HUNG by a halter.


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## ColtHearted

My pet peeves -

When my gelding would throw one shoe! Had to call the farrier out asap to get them all removed because he normally messed his hoof up too much to just replace the one he got out.

People trying to push their helmets on me. I'm an adult, you aren't liable for me, and I hate the darn things.

People trying to tell me what my horses are worth, like 'oh, you paid 350 for a paint weanling? I could get one for 50, just as good.' Good luck with that on the terrified grade colt in the auction! Weanlings are hard to judge, but at least his bloodlines suggest a well built, fast horse.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Jeff Rosen

ColtHearted said:


> People trying to push their helmets on me. I'm an adult, you aren't liable for me, and I hate the darn things.
> 
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Glad someone said it!!!


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## MIEventer

> People trying to push their helmets on me. I'm an adult, you aren't liable for me, and I hate the darn things.


Well said  While I wear my helmet because it is my choice, I never target those who choose to not wear one. Their choice, their bodies, their lives - not mine. It is no one's business.


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## Piaffe

My pet peeve is People who sell horses on craiglist and have NO idea what their talking about! It is Funny stuff,tho! ie:

14.6 hand 10 year old yellow philly,lounges good,has not been broken,will be an excellent show horse or 4-h project. Also red Gilding available.

Lol...i saw one very similar to this,but cant remeber exact wording


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## Heatherloveslottie

People who buy horses that are way too advanced for them. I know someone who's quite inexperienced and bought a half arab unbacked colt. *sigh* He's now 7 and she still hasnt broken him in.

And people who look down on you for being less experienced than them. even though there's always something new to learn about riding and horses!


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## DieselPony

My pet peeves are trainers with double standards for their own horses. 
I don't know if this one guy was trying to show off that he could ride out a buck, but if your 20 year old horse that you've had since it was 3 and did all the training on is still bucking and rearing and you can't make it stop because he is 'just that stubborn and spirit', I don't take you seriously as a horse trainer. 
And in my mind, if you're going to use your personal horses as advertisement for your "top show level" training, have a horse that has been at higher level than small town local shows(or at least placed there!) and DON'T use small children to show how well trained your horses are. Some newbie is just going to be misled that after 30 days training they can toss their 4 year old on up.

And also for certain trainers, if I didn't choose you to take my horse, I definitely don't want you stopping me in the street to give me pointers on what to wear while riding my horse. I'm not sure why this trainer felt the need to tell me certain pants will make my horse better to ride.

Another big pet peeve are the people who don't realize what they got. I could go on for hours about a certain girl who was to scared of her own horse so ended up being taken under the wing of someone who let her take lessons and show a horse. For free. After I worked for this person in return for training and riding lessons, which never happened.


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## phoenix

I think at the minute my biggest pet peeve is people who try and push me to do things with my horse that i know he's not ready for. I've had people tell me "just stick a harsher bit in his mouth and get on him and ride that sucker until he's sweating". I hate that people just don't seem to understand that my horse has an issue with his hips that don't allow him to be balanced enough to canter/gallop without bucking. He's uncomfortable, no bit is going to magically fix his hips. 

I know i'm guilty of sometimes giving my opinion when it's not asked for but i usually do it to stop someone yanking on their horses mouth or whipping an animal that doesn't understand why it's suddenly being hit.

Also, i don't like people who look down on certain breeds. My old lesson instructor hated my horse from the first moment she saw him because he's not a pure bred anything, he's a half mustang, get over it lady! She actually told me i should "take him to a sale and get what i could for him so i could get something better". That's why she's my old instructor!


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## DieselPony

phoenix said:


> I think at the minute my biggest pet peeve is people who try and push me to do things with my horse that i know he's not ready for. I've had people tell me "just stick a harsher bit in his mouth and get on him and ride that sucker until he's sweating". I hate that people just don't seem to understand that my horse has an issue with his hips that don't allow him to be balanced enough to canter/gallop without bucking. He's uncomfortable, no bit is going to magically fix his hips.
> 
> I know i'm guilty of sometimes giving my opinion when it's not asked for but i usually do it to stop someone yanking on their horses mouth or whipping an animal that doesn't understand why it's suddenly being hit.
> 
> Also, i don't like people who look down on certain breeds. My old lesson instructor hated my horse from the first moment she saw him because he's not a pure bred anything, he's a half mustang, get over it lady! She actually told me i should "take him to a sale and get what i could for him so i could get something better". That's why she's my old instructor!


I can relate to yours! I keep getting invited out to team penning and trail rides by someone who I keep telling how green my mare is. She doesn't have her stops from a trot down yet, but no, she is safe for me to take out on trails and work with cattle. And she is that slow in her training because of a hip issue as well, so I haven't done anything faster than a walk for awhile.

And I was also told that my horse is a pig and I should have just put the money into a registered horse that will actually be able to do something.


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## phoenix

DieselPony said:


> I can relate to yours! I keep getting invited out to team penning and trail rides by someone who I keep telling how green my mare is. She doesn't have her stops from a trot down yet, but no, she is safe for me to take out on trails and work with cattle. And she is that slow in her training because of a hip issue as well, so I haven't done anything faster than a walk for awhile.
> 
> And I was also told that my horse is a pig and I should have just put the money into a registered horse that will actually be able to do something.


 
It's annoying right?!

My old boss used to call my boy "that black devil" yet he was much nicer than some of the horses he owned.


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## Oxer

taylorswift13 said:


> When people use spurs, or kicking the horse for no reason or pushing a horse beyond what it can do.


using spurs!?? yikes. i hope you never expose yourself to competitive riding/showing! I ride with spurs... ALWAYS. and am a qualified enough rider to use them properly and humanely.


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## Eliz

People who think I'm being too "harsh" or "mean" to the horse.
Sorry but if my mare that KNOWS BETTER does not use herself when moving into the canter I am going to shut her down immediately and start again.

People that think they know more than they actually do. This applies to other things besides horses.

More later, I'm sure.


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## lolayla

Eliz said:


> *People who think I'm being too "harsh" or "mean" to the horse*.
> Sorry but if my mare that KNOWS BETTER does not use herself when moving into the canter I am going to shut her down immediately and start again.
> 
> People that think they know more than they actually do. This applies to other things besides horses.
> 
> More later, I'm sure.


OMG yes to this!! i was getting my mare ready once and she was giving me signs that she might want to take a swat at me with a hind leg so i gave her a good smack on the *** to get her to behave. this other lady was all "omg why did you DO that!??!!?", i told her why and she was still all offended that i spanked her. i just laughed to myself and reminded myself to forget it because this is why my girl acts like a well behaved angel and hers is a spoiled brat.


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## KittyCat

People seriously will text while on a horse?! :shock::sad:

Everything above and:
- people who cut you off in flat classes at shows when there is plenty of space elsewhere... especially if that horse is a red-ribbon-in-tail kicker.
- when riders think that because you don't ride in the same style they do that you are wrong/know nothing/are a bad rider (this goes for trainers too)
- when "judges" give preference to their students and adorable show ponies.
- people who don't understand that the point of a schooling show can actually be schooling, not just to win everything


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## Shenandoah

KittyCat said:


> People seriously will text while on a horse?! :shock::sad:


Sure, I have.
I'll NEVER do it in an arena with other riders around, but sometimes I'll drop a quick note to someone if we're planning for later in the day, or I'll respond to a txt I receive, if I'm alone in the arena or on the trail.
No big deal. My horse isn't going to run into anything.

But then, I've fallen asleep on a horse before, too :lol:


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## DieselPony

Shenandoah said:


> But then, I've fallen asleep on a horse before, too :lol:


Really?! Like while riding? Or while chilling out on its back while grazing or something?


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## Strange

Shenandoah said:


> Sure, I have.
> I'll NEVER do it in an arena with other riders around, but sometimes I'll drop a quick note to someone if we're planning for later in the day, or I'll respond to a txt I receive, if I'm alone in the arena or on the trail.
> No big deal. My horse isn't going to run into anything.
> 
> But then, I've fallen asleep on a horse before, too :lol:



Lol I text while riding too. I can understand why people might find that bad, but I just take my horse over near the gate, out of the way of everyone, and he's trained to just stand until I tell him to do something else, so he doesn't actually go anywhere. xD


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## VelvetsAB

_Biggest pet PEEVE yet after reading all of these yet again...._

_People who think that riding with a crop or a spur all the time is bad. _

_I also didnt realize that little kids (under 12) were supposed to know how martingales should fit. I guess its those same kids who always ride with a crop because they are riding a PONY who is probably naughty and needs a swift swat on the butt._

_I would also like to know how texting while on a horse is bad? Do you walk and text? What makes it different while riding?_


_Can we please leave helmets out of this thread as there is already another thread for people who want to bash those who do or do not want to wear a helmet... Thanks._


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## eventerwannabe

It drives me insane when people use their phones while on their horse. I will do it every once in a while, but it is rare (I have only done it a handful of times). And texting and riding? SERIOUSLY?!?! My friend is always using her phone while riding and it drives me nuts. The only time I really use my phone around the horses is to call someone before I got on and when I get off.


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## Strange

I always, always, always have my phone on and in my pocket when I'm riding. I generally ride by myself and there isn't someone that can come running out if I fall off so calling to say "hey I'm about to get on my horse!" wouldn't do much for me. For the most part I'm also the only one out at the barn when I go, because I tend to go early afternoon when people are either working or at school. 

If for some reason there was an emergency, I would want to have my phone with me. And like I said, I know my horse well, he's trained well, and if I get a text I feel completely comfortable stopping Willie and pulling out my phone to see what's up.


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## VelvetsAB

Strange said:


> If for some reason there was an emergency, I would want to have my phone with me. And like I said, I know my horse well, he's trained well, and if I get a text I feel completely comfortable stopping Willie and pulling out my phone to see what's up.


_Exactly! I normally dont ride outside of lesson time since I dont have my own horse, but last year I rode for a university student and there were times that I was in the barn alone....and riding alone. If I didnt have my phone on me and God forbid something happened and I broke my leg....how am I supposed to get to the phone? I would be out there until someone realized the barn lights were still on, or until morning. Canada's winters are cold. Being in an unheated barn all night would not be good!_


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## Shenandoah

DieselPony said:


> Really?! Like while riding? Or while chilling out on its back while grazing or something?


When I was a teen I lived on property that bordered national forest. I used to go out for hours on the trails out there.
Some days/nights I'd be out really late - midnight, 1am, whatever.
When I was heading back home, I knew my horse would take the shortest trails home, and I knew those trails were safe (e.g. no low-hanging branches to knock me off).
I was bareback, and would just put my head on her neck and go to sleep while she took me home.

Yeah, I did some stupid stuff as a teen. But hey, I'm still here and still riding, so it all worked out.

ETA: and that mare was the BEST horse to grow up with. She would take care of me through all that stupid stuff.


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## amandaisepic

About the spurs and obese riders:

I am technically "obese" at 5'11" and 220. But I only ride horses large enough for me. And to be honest, I'm balanced enough that I'm lighter on a horse than many smaller people. Which would you rather carry: a 30 lb backpack that's loose and hanging on your back and doesn't fit, or a 40 lb backpack that's snug and tight against you? 

Also, I ride with spurs occasionally. They are usually a training tool, but some horses require them forever, due to previous training or whatever. Spurs are fine as long as the rider has a solid enough leg that they can use the leg OR the spur and not bump the horse with the spur unintentionally.

Mine are some pet peeves from a trainer's perspective:

-Clients who want instant results and/or showiness and don't understand why I've trotted their horse in circles for 20 minutes--these things take time!

-Clients who keep their horses so filthy I have to spend an extra half hour grooming them and washing them down afterwards--take your horse out of its dang stall once in a while and groom the poor thing

-Clients who get angry whenever I go against any of their opinions--YOU called ME, so listen to me when I say that while you may love your tom thumb, your horse most definitely does not

-Clients who treat their horses like dogs--I once even had a lady who let her weanlings climb over her and sit in her lap. You're going to get stomped one day

-Clients with backyard pleasure horses who think my training advice is ridiculous because "they're never going to a show"--ALL horses need a similar foundation and if you think it's dumb, why am I here?

-Clients who cancel at the last minute, sometimes when I'm already halfway to their property waaaay out in the boondocks


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## RedTree

Shenandoah said:


> When I was a teen I lived on property that bordered national forest. I used to go out for hours on the trails out there.
> Some days/nights I'd be out really late - midnight, 1am, whatever.
> When I was heading back home, I knew my horse would take the shortest trails home, and I knew those trails were safe (e.g. no low-hanging branches to knock me off).
> I was bareback, and would just put my head on her neck and go to sleep while she took me home.
> 
> Yeah, I did some stupid stuff as a teen. But hey, I'm still here and still riding, so it all worked out.
> 
> ETA: and that mare was the BEST horse to grow up with. She would take care of me through all that stupid stuff.


 
that sounds like one awesome mare


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## MIEventer

> If for some reason there was an emergency, I would want to have my phone with me. And like I said, I know my horse well, he's trained well, and if I get a text I feel completely comfortable stopping Willie and pulling out my phone to see what's up.


My Husband bought me one of those fandangled Cell Phone Carries for riding. The kind that you wrap around your leg, and the cell phone slides into the little pocket and is secured with velcro.

I have that on my boot always when I go to the barn. You never know when you need it!

And yes, I have talked on the cell while riding. I'll be out hacking and the phone will ring and of course I answer it. I go on a loose rein and will chat while out on the trails, and I've done it in the arena too. I move Nelson to the inside of the arena, because most of the people at that barn never go anywhere away from the rail when they ride, so I know I am safe in the middle.... and will carry on a conversation with whomever called me. 

It doesn't happen often, and most of the time I'll tell the caller that I am riding and I'll call them back, unless it is someone like my Mother or a Family Member calling me.

If I am in a lesson, my phone is handed to my Bestie who doesn't ride, but watches her children in the same lesson.

Most of the time though, that phone is in my phone carrier that is wrapped around my boot.

See...you can see it in this picture...look at my leg....


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## ptvintage

Thinking of cell phones, that reminded me of a major pet peeve I had when I was younger..

I used to trail ride almost everyday when I was a teenager, and at least 1/4 of the time I dropped my phone on the trail. I'd discover when I got home I was missing it, so I'd have to walk back down the whole trail looking for it. Whatever friend that was with me had the honor of calling it repeatedly until we heard it. Such a pain in the ***! 

I think I'll be buying two of those cell phone leg holsters. I'll get one for me, and one for my instructor for Christmas, she'd love that!


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## Deerly

My biggest pet peeve is probably people who take the "holier than thou" approach to horseback riding and spend so much time and energy looking for ways to put people down in order to show how "experienced" they are. 

I'm not talking about well meaning advice but the people who actively feel the need to criticize to validate their own practices or skills.


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## HollyBubbles

> One of the girls had harsh looking spurs, a whip, a martingale, a gag bit and a drop nose band I think. From the moment she walked in you could see the horse was edgy and her holding him tight with her hands and kicking him on didn't help. He refused one of the jumps and she laid into him with the whip - did she really think that would help? Then the horse just got worse and worse until she was disqualified.
> 
> I think if you can't control your horse without all those things then you shouldn't be riding competitively. Its one thing using spurs or a harder bit to refine your aids, buts its another not being able to control the horse without them (or with them in this case).


I ride with A whip (sometimes) a running martingale (when jumping)
For me it's not about being able to control her without it, but for safety should something go wrong. eg I would much prefer to grab the martingale rather than hang off her mouth should i lose my balance or something similar. But the main reason I have the martingale on her is because if I make a mistake causing her to go oops, she's not gonna smash me in the face and KO me or brake my nose etc.
My farrier had this happen to him and he got KO'ed.

I used to ride bubbles in a fixed D ring snaffle, but she pulled like hell in it, so instead of going with a harder bit, I went with a rubber mullen mouth, and she loved me for it. She responds a lot better and works a lot softer aswell.


one of my pet peeves is when your out showjumping... "oh she's not got white gear all over her horse she must be a horrible rider" I will go out there and wipe the field clean in my hot pink saddle blanket and tie thankyou very much, I do love colour and I'm not jumping GP so why not??

and my bestie has an Arab pony, and together they are awesome in the dressage and showing... but... BIASED JUDGES!!!! "oh he's an arab I'm not placing him" next to the show pony who tinkers along with no butt movement, head FORCED down with the riders double bridle and hands, sweating and carrying on while said bestie gets placed behind said sweating horse even though her horse is moving really well, she is NOT forcing him down onto the bit, DOESNT have a double bridle (doesnt need one at her level).

-For gods sake, just because you have money and your parents paid 45grand on a show pony for you that wins everything, does not mean YOU are the excellent rider. Particular person I am aiming at competes and wins because her pony was trained very very well before she got it by a rider who actually worked with it. and so now she thinks shes just the bee's knee's cause she wins it all. I'd like to see her get on my besties pony, or my horse and have either of them working for her at all.

--HATE people who dont groom their OWN horses, but have someone else do it for them because theyre just so special. of course there are exceptions like when your a groom at a show etc, but I mean when your at your own home/barn whatever and you call in someone else to groom the horse because rider just cant be bothered.
I groom my own horses, and I love it. Plus it gives me the time to check and make sure there is no change in condition etc, to make sure there are no injuries/bots/ticks etc.
I groom my horses before and after a ride, particularly if there was long grass/thistles/trees that we were riding through.. I like to make sure that there is nothing that is going to irritate my horse before he/she goes out to the paddock for the night. Plus it relaxes my horses in particular. And for one of them, she has FINALLY (after 2 years) learnt the meaning of STAND ****


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## DieselPony

HollyBubbles said:


> -For gods sake, just because you have money and your parents paid 45grand on a show pony for you that wins everything, does not mean YOU are the excellent rider. Particular person I am aiming at competes and wins because her pony was trained very very well before she got it by a rider who actually worked with it. and so now she thinks shes just the bee's knee's cause she wins it all. I'd like to see her get on my besties pony, or my horse and have either of them working for her at all.


Yep, know one of those. Her parents leased her a trainer's horse who didn't have the time to show him that summer and it was better than her sitting getting pudgy, and after a couple first places at a local training show after a month of lessons she went out and bought herself a weanling think she knew good enough how to train it. 
After the trainer had to show her what she did to his mare she sold it, I mean, this horse was soft as butter to get collect and moving nice, and I watched him try to get him to collect after 2 months of this girl riding him and it was like the light went off upstairs.


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## MaryMary

Not having basic safety sense. Flip flops in the barn. Letting little kids have a pony ride without a helmet.

Oh, and "borrowing" your things. Hmm, where is my ..., I know I left it right here ...


----------



## Tymer

MaryMary said:


> Not having basic safety sense. Flip flops in the barn. Letting little kids have a pony ride without a helmet.
> 
> Oh, and "borrowing" your things. Hmm, where is my ..., I know I left it right here ...


Someone at my barn keeps "borrowing" my grooming blocks...I know those things are magic and stuff but last time I went to use one of them it was three times skinnier than it was last time I used it! And whoever has been using them has been leaving my grooming bag everywhere BUT where its supposed to be. Only good thing is that they gave me a crop...Thanks. Don't need it.

Long story short, a pet peeve of mine is people who use your stuff without asking or telling. Certain people at the barn are allowed to use some stuff, but they were given permission and TELL me every time. Someone is using stuff without permission or coming forward. Ugh.


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## ShotgunsAmmo

WWOOOWWW!!!...some of you people are completly childesh, i can think of 3 of these posts that i just HADDD to laugh at...i guess you 3 are actually god's gift to horses, (or so YOU may think..hahahhaa)...unreal!

I have 2 pet peeves, 
1-when people let their horses paw on the cross ties, WORST WORST WORST HABBIT A HORSE CAN HAVE BESIDES CRIBBING.

2- riders who have NO IDEA what there doing, you know..those people that hate split hands, hate spurs, hate see-sawing...obviously..they have much much work to do. considering...spurs are not AT ALL harmfull IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING (i wouldnt recommend them to half of you...)..watch some videos..or heyyy. GET A TRAINER. i feel bad for your poor horses..

annnnnnnnnnd begin the **** talking...GO!


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## Strange

MIEventer said:


> My Husband bought me one of those fandangled Cell Phone Carries for riding. The kind that you wrap around your leg, and the cell phone slides into the little pocket and is secured with velcro.
> 
> I have that on my boot always when I go to the barn. You never know when you need it!


I considered getting one of those! Except I'm cheap and will just stick it into my tall boots/half chaps if the breeches I'm wearing don't have pockets. At first it felt weird but now I don't even notice it there, and it's quite secure. I've jumped with my phone like that and it'll still be in the same spot when I'm done.


----------



## aspin231

ShotgunsAmmo said:


> WWOOOWWW!!!...some of you people are completly childesh, i can think of 3 of these posts that i just HADDD to laugh at...i guess you 3 are actually god's gift to horses, (or so YOU may think..hahahhaa)...unreal!
> 
> I have 2 pet peeves,
> 1-when people let their horses paw on the cross ties, WORST WORST WORST HABBIT A HORSE CAN HAVE BESIDES CRIBBING.
> 
> 2- riders who have NO IDEA what there doing, you know..those people that hate split hands, hate spurs, hate see-sawing...obviously..they have much much work to do. considering...spurs are not AT ALL harmfull IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING (i wouldnt recommend them to half of you...)..watch some videos..or heyyy. GET A TRAINER. i feel bad for your poor horses..
> 
> annnnnnnnnnd begin the **** talking...GO!


Wow, don't put yourself on too high of a pedestal, I wouldn't want you to be injured in the fall.


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## lacyloo

When people get bent out of shape and start preaching about wearing helmets. Its my life, not yours


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## ShotgunsAmmo

aspin231 said:


> Wow, don't put yourself on too high of a pedestal, I wouldn't want you to be injured in the fall.


Was speaking my opinion, everybody else has..im aloud as well. sorry if you dont like it, DONT READ IT!


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## gypsygirl

lacyloo said:


> When people get bent out of shape and start preaching about wearing helmets. Its my life, not yours


Lol I'm sort of one of those preachers but I state my opinion and don't force. I think its not just your life, think about all your friends and family that will have to suffer because you didn't want to wear a helmet...... Sorry just saying.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MIEventer

> I considered getting one of those! Except I'm cheap and will just stick it into my tall boots/half chaps if the breeches I'm wearing don't have pockets. At first it felt weird but now I don't even notice it there, and it's quite secure. I've jumped with my phone like that and it'll still be in the same spot when I'm done.


I do that too! Sometimes I forget my phone thinggy majiggy when I go to the barn, so I make sure I lock the keyboard..lol...don't want to be calling people without realizing I am....and slide it in my tall boot. 

I agree, I forget it is even there until I get home and unzip my boots and it falls on the floor or slides down even further in my boot before I take it completely off.


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## MIEventer

> When people get bent out of shape and start preaching about wearing helmets. Its my life, not yours


I agree lacyloo  Those who like to submit their opinoin about people not wearing helmets, would end up with lockjaw in the area I grew up in. Very cowboy orientated, and not 1 person in a western saddle there, wears a helmet. 

It's their life  you're right


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## kpptt2001

I would have to say my biggest pet peeve is pretty general...lack of respect.

Weather it be hogging the aisles, not cleaning up after themselves, using your stuff without permission, etc. It's just common decency. 

The other things that bother me are typically horse care related:
- When horses are not regularly turned out
- When halters are left on in the paddock or in their stalls
- When a horse is put back in their stall without being properly cooled off

Oh yeah, and I get this one a lot...
"Hey, would you mind watching my horse on the cross ties, I will be right back..." and they don't return for 20 minutes!!


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## lacyloo

I just don't get why people that wear helmets hold themselves at a higher standard than those that don't. And take it upon themselves to preach about it.


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## Katesrider011

-Kids who are like "Mommy, I want a horse!" So her mom gives her a horse, and she doesn't do anything with it. 

-Smartasses (it's okay at school and such, but when It comes with me riding horses, I hate smartass people and so does my instructor)

-People who think I can't handle a hot horse. (But that's only happened with me once, but that was enough for me to be a pet peeve.)

-SHOW OFFS/AND ARROGANT PEOPLE (biggest pet peeve ever!)


----------



## GreyRay

Hey, I am a show off. I love taking my horses to parades and through town, and also to the Civil War reenactment in town 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## mom2pride

Hmmm...let's see here!

*horses being put back into the pasture sweaty...I hate seeing dried sweat marks on a horse; he works hard for you, so the least you can do is make sure he is dry and not crusty when you put him away!*

*People who make it a point to tell me how to ride my horse*

*people who think they know everything about horses, but really have NO clue...so ignorant arrogance, I guess...*

*Tall tale tellers...ie...liars*


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## Speed Racer

mom2pride said:


> *Tall tale tellers...ie...liars*


I just call 'em prevaricators. :wink:


----------



## mom2pride

GreyRay said:


> Hey, I am a show off. I love taking my horses to parades and through town, and also to the Civil War reenactment in town
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Okay that would be totally fun...I've seen those done, and would love to take part in one someday! I'd love to do something in a renassiance festival too, but not sure my mare could hold all the armor...:lol:


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## Katesrider011

GreyRay said:


> Hey, I am a show off. I love taking my horses to parades and through town, and also to the Civil War reenactment in town
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


No that's not the kind I'm talking about, I'd love to take my horse everywhere  It's the show offs that think they are so good and want to be the center of everything, so they try all this stuff to make themselves look better.


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## lacyloo

another pet peeve- People that sit on the side lines and watch you ride, and then have the nerve to say " well that horse needs more training". When they have never even rode a horse in their life. I will even tell people when im on a green horse " now this horse is still green which means in training"...( smacks self in head DUH!) people just never listen


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## Katesrider011

lacyloo: That has so happened to me before too! Non horse people need to just stay out of horse things, cause they just don't mix.


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## gypsygirl

when people in hunters think they didnt do well because their horse was cheap/not expensive. horses that do well have a lot of work put into them, most of the riders are not just sitting there. the horses are not dull, they are just well trained.


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## Katesrider011

gypsygirl said:


> when people in hunters think they didnt do well because their horse was cheap/not expensive. horses that do well have a lot of work put into them, most of the riders are not just sitting there. the horses are not dull, they are just well trained.


Oh, that's another one of mine too! My horse was cheap, and she does just fine for me.


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## kitten_Val

MIEventer said:


> I agree lacyloo  Those who like to submit their opinoin about people not wearing helmets, would end up with lockjaw in the area I grew up in. Very cowboy orientated, and not 1 person in a western saddle there, wears a helmet.


The problem here, MIE, some of those "no-helmet" people ASK for opinion and then get mad when it's not what they wanted to hear. BTW, it's true for other things as well (like asking opinion on mech hackamores etc.).

Should I also add some non-wearers make very nasty comments when you WEAR one (without being asked for opinion from them of course, and I run into that personally, and not just once).


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## Katesrider011

Yeah I wear a helmet as well, I'd rather decrease my chances of dying if I fall off. But I don't see a big deal in wearing em or not wearing em.


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## Katie x

Hate young squirts of riders, who have been riding for a WHOLE YEAR . . . .And think they know everything there ever was to know about horses..and then trying to teach people who have been riding for 10yrs+..trying to prove them wrong at every opportunity All in all, i hate know it alls!!


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## Beau Baby

oh man i have a list!

1) When people ignore the arena etiquette even though the BO gave everyone a list of arena etiquette and there's about 4-5 signs at the barn!
2) People who don't ride in to their corners, especially when I'm on a green horse and NEEEEEEDDDD to go in to my corners.
3) When people who never come out the ride there horse refuse to take advice when there horse needs it.
4) When riders who are on a lower level tell me what a ****ty rider I am {and no this is not bragging about my riding or poutting myself on a pedestil}.


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## HollyBubbles

This hasn't happened to me... but to a friend of mine... pet peeve is how non-horsey people comment on how said horse is going or not going, or how rider is just horrible because horse bucked them off.
Said horse had bucked off several people before said person owned him, and a girl I know, and was friends with at the time, came down to said rider and told her she couldnt ride very well because horse had bucked her off. Rider then proceeded to ask if said non-horsey person would like to get on and do any better. Reply was no.
Same non-horsey person rode my horse (for 10seconds literally) because even though I had specifically said, "DONT kick horse, just let her walk along nice and slow" what did she do? "I can ride Ive ridden a horse before!" walk... trot... canter... corner, THUD.
my dear I'm sorry, but when I asked if you had ever ridden a horse before, I didn't mean the ones on the merry-go-rounds.
She didn't want to get on a horse after that... funny lol.

Another one is not wearing helmets... don't get me wrong Im not going to lecture anybody about not wearing a helmet, but if it is a child I will say something. Adults, sure it is their owns lives and decisions, but if I see a child riding a horse without a helmet god help the supervisor. My 6yr old sister does NOT get on anything without a helmet, no way in hell! If I do say something to anybody about child not wearing helmet, I do say it politely though.


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## Tasia

I agree with a ton on here

-people who tell you did wrong in the ring when there not your trainer (my ex trainer is the biggest A**hole on the planet for this)
-my ex trainer 
-show offs
-mule bits


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## HollyBubbles

Tasia what is a mule bit? Ive never even heard of that before, maybe they're called something different here but yeah.


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## horseluver2435

I dislike the lack of respect thing too- I think when you board at a public barn, it should be common sense and common courtesy to simply pick up after you ride. Put away your tack and if your horse made a mess, get a pitchfork and get to shoveling! Honestly. I also don't like people touching my stuff. I try not to leave an excess of tack out there, but my saddle, schooling bridle, martingale, grooming brushes and helmet are all out there, and I'd prefer it if they are left alone. I admit I'll leave a bucket of my grooming stuff in crossties, but I always put them away when I've finished riding and I don't leave them out in the middle of the crossties- just tuck them off to the side so they're a little out of the way. 
I also dislike when people try to sound 'cooler' than they are. As in, 'my horse did this and this, aren't you jealous?'. Ah, no.
Pet peeve at shows is definitely people smoking on horseback. It just scares me. 
In general, people making excuses for their horse, people telling me I'm 'mean' or 'cruel' to my horse. Sorry, but I'd rather be 'mean' and have a horse with ground manners than not and have a horse that walks all over me. 

That was nice, to rant for a bit.


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## gypsygirl

I board at a pretty big stable (about 75 -100 horses at any given time) and some ppl get ****ed if they don't get whatever they want all the time. At a place that big you are not always gonna get your way and that's just how it is.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Quixotic

- Trainers who allow their students to move up the levels before they've mastered the basics. I had a student 2 summers ago who didn't have the world's most secure position. She came to me having jumped 2'6 before. I kept her on crossrails for most of the summer & did a LOT of balance exercises. Five months later, her mom had bought her an upper 5-figure Warmblood, & she was jumping 3'6" with her new trainer. That's just scary to me.

- Riders who take sharp turns without making any attempt to balance & support their horses through those turns. It's killing your horse's legs to let him fall in like that!

- People who have absolutely NO horse experience, yet purchase horses anyway. 

- Non-riders who try to tell me that horseback riding is not a sport, because, "All you do is sit there, the horse does all the work!"


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## Katesrider011

Quixotic said:


> -
> 
> - Non-riders who try to tell me that horseback riding is not a sport, because, "All you do is sit there, the horse does all the work!"


Adding that to my pet peeves as well.


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## wild_spot

I don't really have particular pet peeves - My peeve kind of covers everything.

I hate when people can't be bothered educating *themselves* instead of taking the word of every Tom, **** and Harry that has a horse.

So many things like saddle fit, bit selection, use of artificial aids, feeding, worming, *HOOF CARE*, training... Can all be quite easily understood by anyone if they take the time to learn. The information is all out there, easily accesable nowadays on the internet - It is sheer laziness not educating yourself so you can make correct, educated decisions about your horses health and wellbeing.

Most annoying things I just grin and bear, but a horse that is suffering because the owner doesn't want to hear or learn is just heartbreaking to me. Most things that make a horse miserable can be fixed so easily.


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## kitten_Val

wild_spot said:


> I hate when people can't be bothered educating *themselves* instead of taking the word of every Tom, **** and Harry that has a horse.


That's a good one. 

P.S. I'm still extremely bad in saddle fitting (unless it's very obvious not a fit) even with all reading and watching I did. :wink:


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## xoSonnyLove1234

I really hate when people cant take a little critique. Like, "Hey girl your on the wrong diagonal!" girl says,"Jeeze, i knew that. *gives evil death glare, while talking to me like, 'how dare you talk to me' tone*".
Oh! And when people think their horse is "hot", and to much to handle. Then 8 year old girls get on the horse and he is magically calm, and a very easy horse to ride.
This isnt really a horse pet peeve but when people talk to people like they are so much better then them. I just cant stand it. I just want to yell, GET OVER YOURSELF.
Rant over


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## whitetrashwarmblood

MIEventer said:


> - Riders who throw stronger bits into their horses mouths to solve a problem


This drives me insane. 
Also, if you're too insecure or scared to ride a horse with a snaffle, THEN GET A TRAINER AND TAKE SOME LESSONS. The manager at our riding stable refuses to ride a horse unless she rides it in a curb. And she doesn't even have a curb chain attached to it, so what's the point?! *facepalm* I haven't said anything, and neither has any of the other workers... :twisted: 



dressagebelle said:


> People who talk to you like you know nothing about horses because you aren't handling the horse the way they would.


I get this from the trainer at my stable. She's very knowledgeable, but she has her own weird way of doing everything. Annnd I don't always agree with everything she says, so she talks to me like I'm a complete idiot.



Shenandoah said:


> People who aren't ready for a trail ride on their horse, so instead of holding off to train more, they just ace their horse before the ride.


UGH, the trainer at my stable does this to. Except she's been trying to actually break him to ride not take him on trail rides. Some trainer, huh?


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## Snookeys

When a horse poops while I'm riding and someone tosses in that comment, "You rode the crap out of him!" -_-


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## Coyote

Quixotic said:


> - Trainers who allow their students to move up the levels before they've mastered the basics. I had a student 2 summers ago who didn't have the world's most secure position. She came to me having jumped 2'6 before. I kept her on crossrails for most of the summer & did a LOT of balance exercises. Five months later, her mom had bought her an upper 5-figure Warmblood, & she was jumping 3'6" with her new trainer. That's just scary to me.
> 
> - Riders who take sharp turns without making any attempt to balance & support their horses through those turns. It's killing your horse's legs to let him fall in like that!
> 
> *- People who have absolutely NO horse experience, yet purchase horses anyway. *
> 
> - Non-riders who try to tell me that horseback riding is not a sport, because, "All you do is sit there, the horse does all the work!"



I agree with mostly everything you said there, but I couldn't resist commenting here. One of my BIGGEST pet-peeves throughout my life has been people who assume because you never had any experience in something that you should be banned from ever doing it until you learn. How are you going to learn if you never do it!!!!????
Sure while I don't think little miss princess needs a horse she'll ride once and then throw out like last years trash. I do believe it is horrible to say because someone has never owned a horse, or never had the chance to be involved in them that they should not own one. 

If that person is going to actually learn what it takes to care for that horse, wither or not they have any prior experience they should have that chance. 

So sorry to make it a rant, but it is one of my biggest pet peeves because it is constantly thrown at me.


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## AnitaAnne

sdellin said:


> I do understand people letting their kids be responsible for their horses, just like if it's your dog, you should take care of it. The problem I have is an average horse weighs about 1,000 lbs. This child fell off the horse the other day and nearly got trampled by it because of hanging on to the reins. This is dangerous! And if that child had ended up in the hopsital I'm sure CPS would have been called and the parent charged with child endangerment. If my kids had their own horses, definately they would have the responsibility to care for them, but not without supervision, this is a 9- or 10-year-old kid. A horse can be the most gentle horse and love the child. But if it gets spooked, like this one did when the kid fell off, it can accidentally kill a child. I also observe this boy hitting and "over-disciplining" the horses all the time. He has a very heavy hand, and that is because he has no supervision. He also over feeds, which can lead to laminitis, founder and eventually death. The horse can be on a strict diet for weight loss and still be over fed by this person. The parent is responsible for that and when I say my pet peve is the parent letting the child have full responsibility for the animal, it's a matter of safety for the child and the horse that concerns me.
> 
> I'm talking about the parent being totally irresponsible here, and I'm not getting on anyone's case, if I was I'd quote names. I'm stating a pet peve that is a real concern. This behavior makes me sick to my stomach because it's so unhealty for the horse and child.


Not all children are irresponsible...I bought my first pony with money I had saved up when I was 11 yrs. old. My parents never even saw him for over a month. The BO helped me out with a saddle & giving me odd jobs to do to help pay for my board. i was able to keep him for 6 months b4 I ran out of money & had to sell him (also by myself). I wasn't able to afford another one until I was 18 & working, but I paid for lessons in between & leased a horse at 15.

Kids today are usually overprotected & do not learn responsibility. The rule I have for my daughter is, if you don't take care of your horse, she will be sold. She got her horse for her 13th birthday, July of 2009


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## AnitaAnne

Biggest pet peeve:

People that give unsolicited advice, and they ride at a much lower level, but think they know it all because they watch some guy on TV starting a young horse!

Shoddy horse dealers that drug a horse then sell it to an inexperienced person!


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## Quixotic

Coyote said:


> I agree with mostly everything you said there, but I couldn't resist commenting here. One of my BIGGEST pet-peeves throughout my life has been people who assume because you never had any experience in something that you should be banned from ever doing it until you learn. How are you going to learn if you never do it!!!!????
> Sure while I don't think little miss princess needs a horse she'll ride once and then throw out like last years trash. I do believe it is horrible to say because someone has never owned a horse, or never had the chance to be involved in them that they should not own one.
> 
> If that person is going to actually learn what it takes to care for that horse, wither or not they have any prior experience they should have that chance.
> 
> So sorry to make it a rant, but it is one of my biggest pet peeves because it is constantly thrown at me.


Let me clarify a bit, then -

First of all, you do NOT have to OWN a horse in order to gain experience. You can take lessons, volunteer at a stable, attend clinics, lease a horse, meet people in the industry, etc etc etc. I never said those who have never owned before shouldn't have them - I've been taking lessons for 17 years, & I still haven't taken that plunge into horse ownership yet. I said it's people without ANY horse experience who, in my opinion, should not purchase a horse. Honestly, I think the same applies to any sort of pet ownership, especially those that require training, not just horses. If you haven't done any of the research required, then it's irresponsible to own the pet. Horse ownership is a HUGE commitment, and I don't think anyone should jump into it unless they know exactly what they are getting themselves into. 

I have known SO MANY people who think, "Oh, horses are cute, I think I'll buy one" or "My daughter's always wanted a pony, I'm going to get her one" without having ever even touched a horse. They have no idea what kind of money, work, and commitment is required with horse ownership, & they jump in completely blind to any of those facts. If someone has knowledgeable people to help guide them - for example, they're boarding at a stable that provides good care & taking lessons with a knowledgeable trainer - then it is not as big of a deal, in my opinion, for a novice owner to purchase a horse, because they have people to help look out for them & their horse, and to help them gain the knowledge that they need to keep their horse healthy and happy. That is a more responsible approach to fist-time horse ownership. 
If, however, a person who has never been around horses decides to just go out one day & get a horse, because they have an extra few acres on their property, I think that's just unfair to the horse, first of all, and possibly dangerous for the person. It's one thing if they just want a pasture ornament. It's a completely different issue if they actually plan to use the horse as a riding animal. Do they know how to properly feed a horse in order to keep him healthy? Can they identify when a horse needs a visit from a vet or farrier? Can they do simple equine first-aid? Do they know how to purchase tack that properly fits their horse? How do they know for sure that the horse they just purchased is suitable for an absolute beginner? What are they going to do when that horse has a training issue or starts developing bad habits? etc. etc. It's the people who don't have ANY clue what they're getting into, especially when they are NOT seeking the help of a trainer, that bother me.


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## Quixotic

Question - 
What are you guys talking about when you say that a person "aces their horse"? I've never heard of that before.


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## gypsygirl

Quixotic said:


> Question -
> What are you guys talking about when you say that a person "aces their horse"? I've never heard of that before.


Ace is acepromazine, which is a sedative.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## darkwillow

Yeah had to google ace too, wasn't sure either. Thought I'd heard everything.

I have to admit one of my pet peeves are riders who act high and mighty about their skills. There's this one girl at a club i used to ride in, and she was always telling us that she has this expensive trainer and she's been riding since she could walk, and that her horses are sooo expensive. The worst thing was she was thirteen, weighs more than i do (I'm eighteen) and she rode the sweetest, most delicate little arab riding pony you have ever seen, and she rode it into the ground. Every member at that club was waiting for the day when that pony would snap and throw her off.


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## Lonannuniel

wow! i have to agree with everyone here! >.> i guess i have a lot of pet peeves, anyway, my biggest pet peeve is:

1. when people don't offer proper care with the excuse " horses didn't get this in the wild and they survived didn't they?"


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## gypsygirl

^^ i agree !

horses in the wild live to be about seven...thats what i like to tell people and then theyre like 'my horse would be dead !!!' exactly.... lol


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## Tony The Pony

People Drive me crazy WHEN THEY GET LEFT BEHIND ON A JUMP AND WHEN THE KICK OR USE SPURS!!!


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## faye

I've not read the replys but my peeves are:
*
Idiots who will not discipline a horse* - I've seen so many good horses ruined this way, One that I rode successfully in the showring last season has been allowed to get away with murder since I went away and is now rearing, bucking, dumping riders and barging over people inhand, it is dangerous but its owner will not give it the **** good smack it needs to back it off and stop it going over the top of them.
*
People who use harsher and harsher bits because they cant school a horse*

*People who use tack because it is fashionable not because it is needed* or even because they know what it is supposed to do

*People who use spurs to make a horse go faster* - that is not what they are supposed to be for!!
*
People at shows who stay on thier horses backs all day!* _ Its a horse not a grandstand, get off and use your own **** legs to support you. If you are not warming up for a class or in a class then have some respect for your horse and get off it!
*
People who decided that because my pony was perfectly schooled and had a big backside he should be used as a means of stopping thier own ponies*. This happened hundreds of times throughout stans showing career and it always upset him, he once got kicked on the hock by a pony using him as a brake and anouther time a mother of a child had a good go at me because stan kicked out after 40 mins of the childs pony havong its nose litteraly in stans tail and it bouncing off his back end. If you cant control your pony then you should not be at a show!


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## wild_spot

*



People who use spurs to make a horse go faster - that is not what they are supposed to be for!!

Click to expand...

Amen!...*


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## UnrealJumper

Wowee! I didn't know this post would last this long! I certainly agree with a lot of the things said


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## Oakley Eastern Miss

People who:

* borrow your things and don't put them back

* give up on one horse and just replace it with another twice as expensive, without even trying to put any work in or consider the issues are most likely half rider problems too

* arrive at the yard completly inappropriately dressed and then moan when they get muddy. Seriously, what where you expecting at the stables?!

* (as already mentioned) use tack for the hell of it, without their horse even needing them e.g. martingales, harsh bits, spurs etc

Rant over (for now)


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## UnrealJumper

Oakley - I also hate hate hate when people borrow stuff and don't put it back... especially after not even asking. I mean at least try and put it back so it doesn't look like you did it! lol.


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## rissaxbmth

1. See-Sawing, it makes me so mad and I feel like slapping them
2. People who argue with people who ride different styles (english, western, bareback, etc..)
3. People yanking on their horses mouths
4. People who brag about their $20,000 horse or expensive tack/clothes
5. Instructors who have no idea what they are talking about


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## sandsarita

After the show this weekend - trainers that yell/coach loud enough so that their students, in hunter/eq rounds, can hear them at the other end of the arena, with the judge between them. If I was a judge, I would DQ them for that (except for the special beginner classes and when something was really going wrong). Luckily, my trainer is all about the quiet coaching when you go by on the rail or body gestures to show you what to correct or that you are doing fine (putting her hands on her shoulders to tell you shoulders back, over bending her elbows to tell you to soften the elbows, making the ok sign, or doing silly faces to make you laugh). Personally, I find this more effective and appropriate.


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## boldstart

-People who go straight into trot and canter walk or just canter, canter, canter everywhere

-People who force their horses head behind the vertical

-People who just jump, jump, jump all the time

-People who use spurs all the time (stop being so **** lazy and use your legs already!)

=/

-People using the wrong tack for their horse's needs


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## Katesrider011

And I don't know if anyone else has mentioned this but Two Words: Horse Extremists.


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## BrindalBelle

Wow, I agree with a lot of the things on here but had to add a few I didn't see in the few pages I looked at:

- Kids at lesson barns who get on a new horse and he/she goes a little too fast, or dives for grass and the kid gets off and says "I HATE THAT HORSE HE/SHE IS TERRIBLE" and now I've got 20 campers who won't go near a perfect lesson horse because so-and-so didn't like him/her. My philosophy is that until you ride a horse 3 times, you can't make an opinion. Horses have good days and bad days, just like people, and they always deserve a second chance!

- People who look up horses online to buy, and get completely stuck on one horse and are convinced it is the absolute perfect horse for them. They are generally (and not always, I know) setting themselves up for disapointment, and when you are making such a significant purchase, take your time! Look at a few horses until you find one that really clicks and works for you! Sorry, I have a few friends that constantly obsess over one horse online and don't talk about anything else, then they go see it and get super upset when it doesn't work out. Or they buy it anyway and two months later they don't want to touch the horse anymore.

- I know it's been said a hundred different ways, but I get really annoyed at know-it-alls. I mean, everyone has their know-it-all moments, but I get really annoyed at people who sincerely think they know it all. Even when they are proven wrong, they continue to defend themselves and treat you like an idiot. There is always something to learn in the horse industry, it would be a marvel if someone knew everything about horses. My goal is to learn as much as I can about these wonderful animals, whenever I can, and I hope I never know it all so I always have something new to learn!

- Trainers who only yell and emphasize the negative and never give a compliment. Riding is supposed to be enjoyable, and hearing constant criticism, constructive or not, it not exactly an upper. Throw in a compliment or positive remark now and then! It can't hurt, and a little confidence in the saddle is always a good thing, just don't get cocky 

Ok those are some of mine, sorry they're somewhat specific. I've had a lot of really harsh, know-it-all trainers and acquaintances in the horse world and I've also dealt with a lot of little kids at a lesson barn, so the pet peeves come easily haha.


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## Oxer

had to ace a horse to get a foxtail out of his eye. nothing wrong with "aceing" a horse when the need arises.


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## DieselPony

Using Ace for an intended purpose like that is fine, I think the complaints about it is the people that use it to calm a horse down to ride it. As in the rider is scared of it and it needs tranq for for them to feel safe.

Its about as bad as the rider's who don't want to miss their show so dope their clearly lame horses up when they should just be sitting at home in the pasture.
(Yes, I do know it is necessary to get a horse moving, like my horse who injured her front leg a few months ago but was stocking up in the back, so I had to Bute her to get her moving around)


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## VelvetsAB

boldstart said:


> -People who use spurs all the time (stop being so **** lazy and use your legs already!)
> =/


_I dont have the greatest leg strength in the world, but it is pretty decent. I ride lesson horses who can be pretty dead to the leg....so I ride in a small spur because otherwise I would have to kick the crap out of Bart sometimes._

_It isnt always that the person is lazy..._


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## GreyRay

Snookeys said:


> When a horse poops while I'm riding and someone tosses in that comment, "You rode the crap out of him!" -_-


Hahaha! Thats too funny! My sisters horse has to poop 3 times before she is willing to do any work. Its just one of those things that makes every horse unique 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Katesrider011

my friends horse poops alot in the arena. ALOOOTT


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## Shimla101

People who ride without helmets.
It drives me insane! Is your head that strong? Do you honestly believe you're never going to fall off?
ARGH!
Seriously, It doesn't matter how good a rider you are, how good you think your horse is, even the best riders fall off, and the most well-behaved of horses can have a freak spook. No horse is truly bombproof.
I've known too many people who've landed up in ICU or dead from not riding with their helmets on.


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## boldstart

VelvetsAB said:


> _I dont have the greatest leg strength in the world, but it is pretty decent. I ride lesson horses who can be pretty dead to the leg....so I ride in a small spur because otherwise I would have to kick the crap out of Bart sometimes._
> 
> _It isnt always that the person is lazy..._


I still don't like it.
I rode a friend's horse the other day who was refused to respond to my leg out of pure stubbornness and even though my right leg is weak I still managed to get the horse working correctly after a few minutes.

Wearing them once or two is fine in my opinion but all the time I seen as unfit.
No offence, but you know what your problem is and I hope you are trying to do something about your leg strength.

Also, people who wear them when there horse is forward enough and they still jab at them. (using spurs wrongly is a pet peeve of mine too)

In short, I dislike the use of spurs and I rarely use them.
Just what I think.


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## Kayty

Re the spur debate. If you know have excellent control of your lower leg and can apply the spur at exactly the right moment, they are an excellent tool. It is when you see riders kicking the spur in at every stride. I prefer a dressage whip, particularly for not so experienced riders. I attended a Steffen Peters masterclass on Saturday morning, he was the top dressage rider in the world in 2009 and watching him ride, he is brilliant, so soft, so controlled and just overall beautiful. He uses spurs, shock horror! His philosophy is that you should NEVER kick the horse, if you are trying to create sensitivity and responsiveness in a horse, kicking is merely going to make them dead sided. If you do not get a reaction from a squeeze of the calf, then move to give a flick of the whip or a touch of the spur. As soon as you get the reaction, remove the pressure and sit quietly. 
Spurs DO have their place, of course it's great if your horse will be sensitive off the leg from the get go, but many people don't have the luxury of training a horse from the ground up and have to deal with problems installed from previous riders, thus other methods must be employed. 
It should have nothing to do with leg strength, by all means lay a kick into your horse that could break it's ribs and be proud of having that sort of strength, but it is the tactful riders that succeed and pull out genuinely beautiful performances, not the ones that lift their legs sideways and get a great big kick up.


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## AnitaAnne

Kayty said:


> Re the spur debate. If you know have excellent control of your lower leg and can apply the spur at exactly the right moment, they are an excellent tool. It is when you see riders kicking the spur in at every stride. I prefer a dressage whip, particularly for not so experienced riders. I attended a Steffen Peters masterclass on Saturday morning, he was the top dressage rider in the world in 2009 and watching him ride, he is brilliant, so soft, so controlled and just overall beautiful. He uses spurs, shock horror! His philosophy is that you should NEVER kick the horse, if you are trying to create sensitivity and responsiveness in a horse, kicking is merely going to make them dead sided. If you do not get a reaction from a squeeze of the calf, then move to give a flick of the whip or a touch of the spur. As soon as you get the reaction, remove the pressure and sit quietly.
> Spurs DO have their place, of course it's great if your horse will be sensitive off the leg from the get go, but many people don't have the luxury of training a horse from the ground up and have to deal with problems installed from previous riders, thus other methods must be employed.
> It should have nothing to do with leg strength, by all means lay a kick into your horse that could break it's ribs and be proud of having that sort of strength, but it is the tactful riders that succeed and pull out genuinely beautiful performances, not the ones that lift their legs sideways and get a great big kick up.


AMEN sister!


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## MarleyandEllie

When people are selling their horse but they tell you what you can or can't do with the horse! if your selling the horse and the buyer is giving you money, you should have no say in what is to be done, hence your selling the horse.


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## VelvetsAB

_Shimla....there is a whole thread somewhere about wearing or not wearing helmets if you would like to discuss it there._



boldstart said:


> I still don't like it.
> I rode a friend's horse the other day who was refused to respond to my leg out of pure stubbornness and even though my right leg is weak I still managed to get the horse working correctly after a few minutes.
> 
> Wearing them once or two is fine in my opinion but all the time I seen as unfit.
> No offence, but you know what your problem is and I hope you are trying to do something about your leg strength.
> 
> Also, people who wear them when there horse is forward enough and they still jab at them. (using spurs wrongly is a pet peeve of mine too)
> 
> In short, I dislike the use of spurs and I rarely use them.
> Just what I think.


_How am I supposed to correct it when I only ride twice a month? It isnt like I am jabbing my tiny little nub of a spur (seriously, it is about 1/4 inch, if that) into Bart every step of the way. Since it is so small, I have to turn my leg in a bit more to use it, meaning that I cant use it all the time. I also dont dig it into him when I go over a jump. I can use it independantly from my leg, when I need to. I would also prefer to learn to correctly use a spur by riding a horse who only needs it occasionally, with a small spur, then have to learn on something that might need more encouragement._

_There is a difference between wearing a spur and using it correctly, as a fine tuner, and using incorrectly, jabbing and poking every step of the way._



Kayty said:


> Re the spur debate. *If you know have excellent control of your lower leg and can apply the spur at exactly the right moment, they are an excellent tool*. ------- He uses spurs, shock horror! ------- If you do not get a reaction from a squeeze of the calf, then move to give a flick of the whip or a touch of the spur. As soon as you get the reaction, remove the pressure and sit quietly.
> 
> Spurs DO have their place, of course it's great if your horse will be sensitive off the leg from the get go, but many people don't have the luxury of training a horse from the ground up and have to deal with problems installed from previous riders, thus other methods must be employed.
> 
> *It should have nothing to do with leg strength*, by all means lay a kick into your horse that could break it's ribs and be proud of having that sort of strength, but it is the tactful riders that succeed and pull out genuinely beautiful performances, not the ones that lift their legs sideways and get a great big kick up.


_I agree Katy. Last year I was in a clinic with Chris Delia, and a few of us who had horses who werent responding to our legs were put in a circle. To trot, we were only allowed to squeeze the horse once, then had to squeeze and apply a tap with a crop. After a few times, the horses moved off of our legs. I do this almost every lesson with the lesson horse I ride, because he has gotten to where he will ignore it, but as soon as he is reschooled for 5 minutes, he responds._


----------



## UnrealJumper

Remember this thread isn't about debating the use of spurs!


----------



## AnitaAnne

People who put down people who are different...


----------



## Deerly

People who get off on being judgmental of others. We all have our moments where we think "GAH, really?!!?" at someone but -- to make it a habit in order to pat yourself on the back is just a huge huge pet peeve of mine.

I understand a lot of it comes to do with lessons we are HARD taught as children or when we first start riding, going to horse camp, etc. People who think you can ONLY get up on the left side of a horse or the world will end -- as a silly example.

Just because you've heard or were taught something does not mean that anyone who does it differently is a bad person, is stupid or worthy of condemnation so you can pat yourself on the back for doing it the "right" way.


----------



## Supermane

MyBoyPuck said:


> People to keep their horse in a stall 24/7.


We actually have a horse in the barn that *hates* turnout. As soon as you turn him out he'll just stand by the gate and kick at it, occasionally calling out until you let him in. He'll do it for hours. Someone also mentioned prejudice against horse breeds -guilty- I mean, it's natural to have aversion to certain breeds, most people do.

My pet peeves:

* People that discount TB's in the [hunter] show ring
* People that don't call lines in the schooling ring
* People that don't maintain proper horse distance or worse, stop their horse on my horse's butt
* People that think that every horse can be ridden in a snaffle. My horse great in his pelham, but if you stick a snaffle in he peaces out after the jumps.
* Starting horses undersaddle at 2 years old -- I don't care how fused their knees are, those aren't the only growth plates
* People that don't teach their horse basic flat work or teach it, but then never practice it.
* People that get overly mad on greenies/babies. They don't understand why you're now beating them...


----------



## Phantom Horse

When people use a crop without even trying to use their legs...


----------



## haleylvsshammy

I don't know if this bothers anybody else, but it drives me insane. It's kind of a silly thing to be bothered by as well!

A horse IS NOT 15.5 hands! There are 4 inches in 1 hand. So your horse can be 16.1hh. Or 15.3hh or 16hh! Sorry, no such thing as 15.5hh, maybe you need to check your math! haha


----------



## AnitaAnne

MarleyandEllie said:


> When people are selling their horse but they tell you what you can or can't do with the horse! if your selling the horse and the buyer is giving you money, you should have no say in what is to be done, hence your selling the horse.


Yeah, i know one breeder that will sell you a horse, but you are not allowed to put it anywhere but at her boarding stable! If you want to sell it has to go back to her, at her price!

It is like the horsey hotel california...


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## AnitaAnne

haleylvsshammy said:


> I don't know if this bothers anybody else, but it drives me insane. It's kind of a silly thing to be bothered by as well!
> 
> A horse IS NOT 15.5 hands! There are 4 inches in 1 hand. So your horse can be 16.1hh. Or 15.3hh or 16hh! Sorry, no such thing as 15.5hh, maybe you need to check your math! haha


Ha, ha, ha!! Love this one! Then when you go out to look at the 15.5 hand horse it measures 14.2!! I've never figured out what they mean by 15.5 anyway! Is that 15 & one-half? Does it just sound good? Maybe it is bigger than a friend's 15.3 hand horse? Who the heck knows????

:lol:


----------



## UnrealJumper

haleylvsshammy said:


> I don't know if this bothers anybody else, but it drives me insane. It's kind of a silly thing to be bothered by as well!
> 
> A horse IS NOT 15.5 hands! There are 4 inches in 1 hand. So your horse can be 16.1hh. Or 15.3hh or 16hh! Sorry, no such thing as 15.5hh, maybe you need to check your math! haha


Oh man, this is definitely a hilarious one! I remember I was talking to an "experienced" horse person and they said to me "when I was little, I remember riding this 16.5 hand horse!" (or something along those lines)


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## alexis19smith

people who ride around on there who haww  (sorry i didnt have a better word for it) and people who use all reins and no leg and seat.


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## Strange

haleylvsshammy said:


> I don't know if this bothers anybody else, but it drives me insane. It's kind of a silly thing to be bothered by as well!
> 
> A horse IS NOT 15.5 hands! There are 4 inches in 1 hand. So your horse can be 16.1hh. Or 15.3hh or 16hh! Sorry, no such thing as 15.5hh, maybe you need to check your math! haha


Not everyone measures in inches. 

I've seen people from countries other than the US use 15.5 hh to say 15 and one half aka 15.2 hh to those of us not using the metric system. I assumed that eveyone used the 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 16 method and got reamed out by someone from another country who doesn't use inches as a measurement for hands.


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## ErikaLynn

Strange said:


> Not everyone measures in inches.
> 
> I've seen people from countries other than the US use 15.5 hh to say 15 and one half aka 15.2 hh to those of us not using the metric system. I assumed that eveyone used the 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 16 method and got reamed out by someone from another country who doesn't use inches as a measurement for hands.


The 15.3 is not inches...its 15 hands and 3 fingers....no one has 6 fingers on one hand. So that's why you cant have say, 15.5hh


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## Spastic_Dove

Well no because 4 inches makes up one hand.


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## ErikaLynn

Spastic_Dove said:


> Well no because 4 inches makes up one hand.



Yeah, but back in the day they measured a hand then how many fingers to get the decimal. Then later people decided that a hand is 4 inches


----------



## Strange

That's exactly the point though. We don't measure with our fingers. We decided that a hand is four inches, or however many centimeters. 

You just have to realize that some people annotate the measurement differently is all. That doesn't make it wrong just because you don't do it that way.


----------



## ErikaLynn

Strange said:


> That's exactly the point though. We don't measure with our fingers. We decided that a hand is four inches, or however many centimeters.
> 
> You just have to realize that some people annotate the measurement differently is all. That doesn't make it wrong just because you don't do it that way.



It is wrong though, a horse is measured in hands not inches or centimeters. There is no such thing as 15.4hh, 15.5hh, 15.6hh...etc.


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## Strange

I can see you're fairly set on the matter. No worries. Just a difference of opinion. 

For the most part when someone uses a notation like 15.5 they simply mean 15 and a half. It's not hard to translate that into something you're used to.


----------



## ErikaLynn

Strange said:


> I can see you're fairly set on the matter. No worries. Just a difference of opinion.
> 
> For the most part when someone uses a notation like 15.5 they simply mean 15 and a half. It's not hard to translate that into something you're used to.



Yeah, but 0.5 in not a half in centimeters.


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## Strange

0.5 is half of a whole. Regardless of the units involved. So 15.5 would translate to 15 hands + half of one hand.


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## princess warrior

so hes really 15.2 because half of 4 is 2?


----------



## ErikaLynn

Strange said:


> 0.5 is half of a whole. Regardless of the units involved. So 15.5 would translate to 15 hands + half of one hand.



but if the horse was 15 and a half hands it would be...15 and half hands not 15.5. Or 15.2 and a half hands high.

I know it's your opinion and I'm not trying to argue or be mean...it's just a pet peeve of mine too when people say like 15.5, or 15.6 hands.


----------



## faye

you shouldnt mix the imperial system and the metric system. It just leads to confusion. A horse is either 14.2hh or it is 148cms. you cannot say it is 14 and a half hands. they shouldnt be mixed!


----------



## ErikaLynn

faye said:


> you shouldnt mix the imperial system and the metric system. It just leads to confusion. A horse is either 14.2hh or it is 148cms. you cannot say it is 14 and a half hands. they shouldnt be mixed!



Right...Hands, inches, centimeters, feet, are all different units of measurement.


----------



## Katesrider011

I developed a new peeve today. 

People who call something Stupid without a reason to back it up. 
A kid told me Horses are for queers and they're stupid. 
I asked why do you think so?
He said just cause they are. 
And I was just like whatever dude.


----------



## Nemesis

Hmmmm, my horse Crystal's mane is half on one side and half on the other no matter what i do it just flops back. It's a pain in the backside when we do dressage!


----------



## Katesrider011

Nemesis said:


> Hmmmm, my horse Crystal's mane is half on one side and half on the other no matter what i do it just flops back. It's a pain in the backside when we do dressage!


My horse's mane does the same thing


----------



## Tymer

My trainer has a pet peeve that I really like. She doesn't like it when people do things without reason. I mean, at least if their reason is terrible, they thought about it. But when people just say "I dunno" it bothers her. I totally agree, if you don't know WHY you do it, why do it?


----------



## AnitaAnne

People who say horses stink or smell bad!!!


----------



## Katesrider011

AnitaAnne said:


> People who say horses stink or smell bad!!!


I think they smell good! Even when wet!


----------



## Supermane

Strange said:


> 0.5 is half of a whole. Regardless of the units involved. So 15.5 would translate to 15 hands + half of one hand.


You can't say a horse is 15.5 hh because it doesn't and can't exist. I'm pretty sure that the hand system is international, but it shouldn't be problem anyway. It doesn't matter what system your country uses because hh is a different measurement system altogether and saying a 1 hh = 4 inch is simply a conversion, not the actually measurement system.
If people are confused they should measure there horses in cm or inches to the wither, but tacking a hh to whatever you feel like inherently makes it wrong. It's about as wrong as saying 14.5.2 cm


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## AnitaAnne

Katesrider011 said:


> I think they smell good! Even when wet!


I agree!! It makes me really mad when people say horses stink! They smell wonderful


----------



## AnitaAnne

princess warrior said:


> so hes really 15.2 because half of 4 is 2?


Yes, this is correct!!


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## AnitaAnne

Strange said:


> I can see you're fairly set on the matter. No worries. Just a difference of opinion.
> 
> For the most part when someone uses a notation like 15.5 they simply mean 15 and a half. It's not hard to translate that into something you're used to.


I have to agree with the others...the correct form is 15, 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 16, etc. 

When I see a horse listed as 15.5 hands, I immediately think that the person is not very experienced, and not only do I have no idea how tall that horse is (because how did they measure that?) but I also think the horse will be of low value because the owner doesn't know much. (IMO)

I always take a tape measure to measure a horse when I go to look at a prospect, because I have found that many people do not measure their horse correctly (IMO)

One owner was really mad at me when I measured his "over 15 hh horse" at only 14.1. It was basically a pony!


----------



## cosmomomo

-People who preach about not wearing helmets and how they aren't affecting anyone else.
I'm sorry, but if you have anything other than private paid health insurance, I do not want MY taxdollars going towards your dumb a** when you fall off and get a concussion or worse.

-People who use "natural horsemanship" techniques, but treat their horse as if he is retarded. I know one lady who rode english and claimed to be a Parelli nut, but she went around the ring with no contact and with her legs flapping on the horses sides. And when the horse started acting up and throwing his head at the canter? All she did was laugh and said, "well at least you tried!"

Nothing against NH, it has it's place. but come on..that was just so annoying to watch/be around.


----------



## corporate pride

MY PET PEEVES:

-people that ride in double bridles that don't even do that high level dressage that they *have* to use one, usually hackies that jam their horses up in the bridle and think they are the best riders when they're not even correct!
-hackies that attemp eventing because they are "really great riders and t looks sooo easy" then they got eliminated at the first xc jump because the horse isn't ridden!!
-hackies in general lol (only the ones that jam their horses up and think they are top sh..)
-people that ride in grackles/mexian nosebands/figure 8 nose bands without needing too just for looks. they are made for a purpose not to be pretty like a browband
-people that ride horses way too small for their weight
-horses with bad ground manners! i wasn't a very experienced owner and i had a horse that was big and strong that was really pushy, i taught her manners and i was a beginner, come one it's not that hard!
i actually had this girl's horse pin it's ears back at me when i was walking past because it was eating and she was their and she goes "oh he's just grumpy"
-people that hoon around a warm up arena at a training day and hoon right pass you when your horse is obviously having a mini melt down so they think "hey lets just hoon past that young horse that's spazzing out on it's first time out" and even more so that you have to yell at them to stay the hell away from you until you sort it out! hello training day!
-double bridles
-gadgets that *make* your horse go "on the bit", i know someone that would "train" her green off the track tb of 4 years of age to "collect" by using a elastic thing that goes around the poll then attaches to the girth between the legs, then at shows she can't use it so then she wonders why her horse rears, flicks the head up and almost knocks her out! she's had a few black eyes - i laugh when i see her with an ice pack on her face, serves her right!! lol


----------



## RansomTB

I agree with all of the posts, but there was one time in the warm up ring that this girl was going around to everyone in the warm up ring and saying "excuse me Im going to jump now" I looked at her like she fell off the moon. And said "and what does that have to do with me?" I think that she really expected that we were all going to vacate the warm up ring so that she could practice jumping. 

I hate riders that think that they are better then everyone else.


----------



## corporate pride

RansomTB said:


> I agree with all of the posts, but there was one time in the warm up ring that this girl was going around to everyone in the warm up ring and saying "excuse me Im going to jump now" I looked at her like she fell off the moon. And said "and what does that have to do with me?" I think that she really expected that we were all going to vacate the warm up ring so that she could practice jumping.
> 
> I hate riders that think that they are better then everyone else.


i'd be like "oh would you like some pointers or just want someone to catch your horse when you fall off?"


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## RansomTB

Corporate Pride....I wish that I had thought of something clever like that, unfortunately my TB was acting retarded that day and decided that he didnt have to trot if he didnt want to. Hes got that 3 year old attitude. I have been lucky that he doesnt realize that he is a lot bigger then me, or maybe he just loves/respects me enough to not use that against me. 

To add to everything, there were three girls that were standing in the ring with their horses that stood right to the side of the jump because they were ****ed off that she had said something to them too.  It was really funny when the girl did one jump, exited the ring and then she was complaining to her mom that there were too many horses in the ring, I guess she didnt get the memo that a show is not a private lesson.


----------



## DandybrushDiva

I was not going to reply to this but perhaps it will give a new light to the sea-saw; I own and have owned since he was a two year old stallion a 4 year old Anglo-Arabian gelding. When he was still very, very green he was a bolter. I Sea-Sawed on him a few times as nothing else worked to stop him (and that was after 3 months of professional training with me taking lessons for over 10 years), and still use it in emergency/total eclipse of the brain moments today if the circling fails. It works. It’s a simple as that. It may not be pleasant and it may not be proper, but for me and my horse a few seconds of sea-sawing during a bolt and boom, he gets the idea and we move on back to the lesson as if nothing happened. He rarely (if ever) bolts unless spooked now, which is lovely.

I have a large list of peeves; I promise I am not as nasty as I sound. I keep my opinions to myself at the barn. Smile and wave is my philosophy. 

-Uneducated riders: This in my experience is the number one reason why people get hurt, people get cocky, and horses are ruined. KNOW the facts and have the basics before you make the jump into owning your very own horse. The confidence, knowledge, and time you wait will make that special horse worth all the more. So many good horses are subjected to sale and/or retraining due to green riders with good intentions but bad habits. 
-Completely made up horse breeds made out by uneducated owners to be a large deal: “Well he’s a Mustbredorgan Walker!” (A.K.A- he’s a 57.)
-People who cannot see the value in owning a 57 (unknown breed/mutt): Breed does not define the worth of a particular horse.
-People who seem to have habitual anger issue while on horseback: Everyone is guilty of it at one point, getting frustrated and jerking on the reins and slamming our legs on. However, people who do it all the time and don’t feel a shred of guilt, irk me. 
-People jumping before they are ready: This is my number 1 pet peeve. If you do not have the basics down to a tee, there is no way you need to be jumping anything. I see it all the time on horse sites, 15 year old girl gets her first horse and what is the very first thing she does? Whip it over fences and usually fences far (far far far) too large. Get a well-qualified instructor, and work from there.
-Pushy horses with “He does not mean it!” owners: Manners come before competition and enjoyment.
-Bit..ism: People who assume that because someone rides in a harsher bit than a snaffle that they are an inferior rider. Soft understanding hands and technique/training can be successfully used with any bit.
-People who have horses, but lack the time to enjoy them: If you are running 90 miles a minute and barely have the time to feed and let your horse(s) out, honestly…why have them or why have so many?
-People who have unimpressive stallions and actively breed them: You will rarely get a fabulous foal out of a mediocre stud, and that mediocre stud would make a fantastic gelding. 
-Snots: self-explanatory

Oh, just a situation which irked me recently which has something to do with peeves; I recently moved my gelding to a young ladies barn. She is about two years younger than me and I will admit she is a more advanced rider. She graciously let me board my gelding at her barn for a very good fee, in a bad circumstance; my instructor had introduced us. However, recently I asked for her assistance in sizing a blanket for my gelding which I assumed was too large. She helped me fit it and we took him out to lunge him, as he has never worn a blanket and I was worried he might spook if let into a field by the flapping. So I took him out, and got him trotting. I wanted him to canter for a bit, but lacking a lunge whip was forced to cluck madly at my lazy horse and wave around the end of the lead rope. Not a big deal, perfect control with my horse being a lazy bum. When she offered to help, as if I was doing something wrong I was slightly supprised and slightly insulted. She was attempting to walk into my lunge circle as if my horse was on a mad course for oblivion. He was trotting quickly, and had slipped a bit but the footing was decent and my horse was going to canter as I had asked for it. So I got him into a little canter, and then she basically told me to quit lunging him. Wait…what? You see, I am a very classical rider; whereas she is neck deep into natural horsemanship/Parelli. She did not like the way I was lunging my horse apparently… I appreciate her letting me board my horse there and I am a very open minded rider, but there has to be a line. I blew it all off, but for a bit I was upset. Here is my final pet peeve:

-My horse MY problems, Your horse YOUR problems: unless I appear to be endangering myself, my horse, property, or someone else please don’t offer unsolicited advise in everyday situations. It can destroy confidance and hinder progress.


----------



## UnrealJumper

^ You certainly make some good points!


----------



## xXEventerXx

People who hank on their horses mouth !!

People who smack there horse continuously if their horse reuses a jump

Rich riders who Brag

Jumpers who Critisize Dressage

People who dont wear helmets

Riders who dont wear proper apparell (Shoes, sandles, Shorts, No helmets...ect)

People who use whips/spurs instead of using natural aids

People who seasaw the bit ...GRR


----------



## dragy

Many people have peeves that stem from riding/keeping their horse at a riding facility/riding stable, something I haven't ever experienced, and I think I would have a hard time handling. I always respect others and keep and keep an open mind, it's so bothersome when others don't/can't.

I hate it when people use flank straps and they don't need to, and even more when they don't have them fitted properly; hanging loose and I can see daylight through it, dangerous.

People who use tie downs for a reason other than giving their horse something to brace against when they need it.

I think it's so silly when I see someone who has their horse out on the trail and they are all tacked up and blinged out like they are going to aqha world show or congress or something.

People who think giving your horse a tap (with a good reasoning behind it) on the butt is hitting your horse or abuse.


----------



## Katesrider011

dragy said:


> Many people have peeves that stem from riding/keeping their horse at a riding facility/riding stable, something I haven't ever experienced, and I think I would have a hard time handling. I always respect others and keep and keep an open mind, it's so bothersome when others don't/can't.
> 
> I hate it when people use flank straps and they don't need to, and even more when they don't have them fitted properly; hanging loose and I can see daylight through it, dangerous.
> 
> People who use tie downs for a reason other than giving their horse something to brace against when they need it.
> 
> I think it's so silly when I see someone who has their horse out on the trail and they are all tacked up and blinged out like they are going to aqha world show or congress or something.
> 
> *People who think giving your horse a tap (with a good reasoning behind it) on the butt is hitting your horse or abuse.*


Exactly, when I'm lunging my horse, on rare occasions she won't respond to me whipping the ground hard, so I'll tap her lightly on the bum or something. And it works, and no It doesn't hurt to be tapped like that by a whip cause I've been tapped by a whip like that and it doesn't hurt at all.


----------



## x Branded Heart x

Most of my pet peeves have already been said, except one..
I train (yes for free) for a riding school that caters to children who's parents cannot afford expensive lessons and showing. We end up taking on children with disabilities and such, just to give them a chance to know what horses are all about (as we believe everyone should get to experience these wonderful creatures). 

And as someone who boards there as well, I am EXPECTED to help, because our board is relatively inexpensive. But there are some ignorant kids who come barging in with their rich parents and try to take over the barn. Well excuse me! How long have you been here? 2 months? .. I've been here for 11 years. Don't tell me what I can and cannot do.. what are you, twelve? They too get the cheaper board, but do not help out at ALL.. disgusting.

Also, I train for my B.O's and my coach. I train these horses (that are all rescues btw  ) for the school, and not for some snotty kids to come lease and screw up all the training I've done. After they get their slimy hand's on these horses, most of my training goes to waste... It's a shame really. -.-


----------



## Cowgirl101

ErikaLynn said:


> When people don't wear a helmet, and piano hands.


I ride with a hat..

People who think horse riding is a piece of cake.

People who don't know what cutting is, (I just look at them. But I didn't flip out)

People that feed their horse ham! (My foe did that)


----------



## BarrelRacer86

I think alot of mine have been said but I'll still post them

-breed snobs- every breed was bred for some purpose just because a breed can't do what you want to do doesn't make it any less worthly

-dicipline snobs- close minded idiots who think their dicipline is the bestr and only way to go, ME personally would love to take lessons in every dicipline around. I think there's something to gain from each. I use stuff I learn in english to train horses now, and I used stuff from barrel racing when i was taking jumping lessons.

-It's My Way Or The Highway People- the people that think their way to, train, groom, ride, ect. is the ONLY way

-People That Need Lessons Themselves Trying To Be Trainers- If you still have chicken wings, your not training my horse

-Snaffle Only People- horses can advance to a curb bit, it's not a terriable thing I promise

-No Critize People- If you offer any helpful advince they tear your head off, sometimes even if they asked for that advice

-I'm The Best! People- this is my most hated pet peeve. I hate it when people think they know everything and are the best at everything they do. I know a girl that will tear apart anything and everyone just to make herself look better. She'll even pick apart and put down her two youger sisters riding to make herslef look better. I'm all for thinking you good ( I'm cocky I admit it) but I'll help anyone I can who'se willing to take it, not bash them and abuse their confidence.


----------



## LindseyHunterx24

Piaffe said:


> My pet peeve is People who sell horses on craiglist and have NO idea what their talking about! It is Funny stuff,tho! ie:
> 
> 14.6 hand 10 year old yellow philly,lounges good,has not been broken,will be an excellent show horse or 4-h project. Also red Gilding available.
> 
> Lol...i saw one very similar to this,but cant remeber exact wording


Ha! I know right! I was on craigs list and saw someone right..
"Brown Horse, 1/4 Gelding" 
Like what is 1/4 gelding?? You cant be 1/4 gelding you either are a gelding or a stallion if he is male.


----------



## VelvetsAB

LindseyHunterx24 said:


> Ha! I know right! I was on craigs list and saw someone right..
> "Brown Horse, 1/4 Gelding"
> Like what is 1/4 gelding?? You cant be 1/4 gelding you either are a gelding or a stallion if he is male.


_Thye probably meant a quarter horse...._


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## MyBoyPuck

I just searched this thread out after having read yet another "help me my horse is dying" thread. My peeve of the day is people who refuse to use their own brains. I am so tired of folks who take everything a complete stranger tells them as gospel. No one trainer is right about everything. No one rider is perfect. No one discipline is right, wrong, boring or fun. It's a horse - not a puppy. If it's rearing, don't post to a bunch of strangers on the interenet...get a trainer!! A real live breathing human. Counting to 10 now...rant over.


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## LindseyHunterx24

VelvetsAB said:


> _Thye probably meant a quarter horse...._


They said he was a TB..


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## LindseyHunterx24

Katie x said:


> Hate young squirts of riders, who have been riding for a WHOLE YEAR . . . .And think they know everything there ever was to know about horses..and then trying to teach people who have been riding for 10yrs+..trying to prove them wrong at every opportunity All in all, i hate know it alls!!


I know what you mean! I am a young rider I have been riding since I was six but I stopped again when I turned 13 and now i'm 14. And when I see some one that I clearly know has been riding much longer than me I know to just shut my mouth and watch what their doing because they know more than me and I know it I dont like to be a smart *** to people who have been riding longer than me. If I see them doing something that I've never seen or heard I ask them, I never ever make a remark like "Why did you do blah blah blah, you cant do that!" And when I see other kids like me trying to say something to older rider I just tell them to please keep it to them selves or ask a question


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## olliexmas

People who are always right up my horses tail end and then wonder why you get annoyed and your horse threatens to kick.

People who whip and smack their horses to go faster when the horse has no where to go to (And people who smack their horses for the sake of it generally!)


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## DunOverIt

The ever popular "bump and jerk" of the bridle at pleasure shows.. makes me sick.


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## lacyloo

DunOverIt said:


> The ever popular "bump and jerk" of the bridle at pleasure shows.. makes me sick.


 Can you please explain?


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## AnitaAnne

People who read some books & then think they are an expert and constantly are quoting what they read, but have no "real world" experience. 

People who think everything they read is the truth


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## DunOverIt

lacyloo said:


> Can you please explain?


Some people call it snatch and jerk. The rider (single handed) quickly jerks upward and releases over and over and over and over and over and over to get their horses head down.


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## lacyloo

DunOverIt said:


> Some people call it snatch and jerk. The rider (single handed) quickly jerks upward and releases over and over and over and over and over and over to get their horses head down.


 Oh gotcha


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## VelvetsAB

_New one. _

_People who call it Hunter Jumper or say I am a hunter jumper. There is no such thing. You are a Hunter or a jumper. You can be a hunter over fences, but not a hunter jumper._


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## gypsygirl

VelvetsAB said:


> _New one. _
> 
> _People who call it Hunter Jumper or say I am a hunter jumper. There is no such thing. You are a Hunter or a jumper. You can be a hunter over fences, but not a hunter jumper._


Agreed ! That drives me crazy !!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Tymer

VelvetsAB said:


> _New one. _
> 
> _People who call it Hunter Jumper or say I am a hunter jumper. There is no such thing. You are a Hunter or a jumper. You can be a hunter over fences, but not a hunter jumper._


I've heard people call it hunter jumper referring to the two classes. To people who aren't hunters or jumpers, they can often seem similar.

People who treat train horses. Not for tricks, that's fine. I don't like treat training for real work. "Oh you cantered! *treat* Yay you took the jump! *treat* OUCH WHY ARE YOU SO NIPPY?" I wonder why?
Did I post this already? Probably...


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## xXHorseFreakXx

People who only care about the riding because they "think it makes them look cool" and not about the horse. 

When people don't use the flash right. I don't know why, but it's just one of my biggest pet peeves. I hate it when it's too loose or behind the bit. Especially if people keep complaining how the horse won't stop chewing and its because they have it put on wrong.


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## Thia

When your barn owner hasn't turned your horse outside in nearly a month, except for 2hrs a day in the indoor, because the snow is too deep to drive the golf cart up to the pastures. Or it's snowing. or it's "too cold". I didn't realize that the weather in western pa has been sub zero. *rolls eyes*

I kid you not. This is happening to me right now. Thia is going to be moving next month to a place that actually turns horses out. Can't wait.


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## flytobecat

1. Strange people who allow their dog or horse to run up behind you on the trail then yell at you because their pet got kicked.
2. People who run their horse all out on hard tack & then wonder why their horse has leg problems.
3. People who can't afford to do their horses feet, but will still ride their horses in events (which cost money)
4. People who feed your horses treats even after you've asked them not to.


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## SBSB

A lot of mine have been mentioned, but here are a few others:

-when people that aren't as experienced as you and yet you're in the same lesson. I understand that everyone is learning but I booked myself in for my usual advanced lesson where we've even jumped before and there's a few people who can't get a horse going, even a relatively forward one, and slow the whole ride down. You can't go in this group. Simple.

-when we do drill riding and the other person makes there circle far too large and limits me and the people following or in front of me to about a quarter of the arena.

-when people with limited horse knowledge do things against your advice. A horse at our barn had been ill with colic for a couple of days and a girl wanted to give him a couple of polos. I asked her not to. She asked why. I replied that the BO had him on a strict diet as he had been ill. I go out for a minute, come back and he's crunching sweets loudly. That night he got really bad colic again. 

-when your instructor tells you that you're on a certain horse and that changes at the last minute.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Opus

Pet Peeves:

-- Horse message boards that are vicious to new posters. Not y'all. _Definitely_ not y'all. Or I wouldn't be posting here.

-- This is one I haven't seen mentioned yet. People that assume you know more than you do just because of your age. I started riding for my college team when I was 18 (walk-trot, IHSA) and I tried my best to learn everything I could, but inevitably someone would yell at me or get snippy because of something I didn't know. Or treat me like crap when I asked them a simple question about tack/riding/clothing I was curious about. And we're not talking about simple, polite corrections, but just being mean.

It's not so bad now that I'm 32 and riding at a smaller barn (with a trainer younger than me, no less) but I still get the occasional 'look' from a boarder or student when I can't find this, or I need help with a piece of equipment I've never used before (Like how to fasten a flash nose band). But luckily, everyone's pretty laid back and I think they're getting used to me not being some sort of riding guru.

-- Barn drama. On some level it's amusing as an outsider, on another it's just annoying.

-- People that don't know how -- or choose not to -- care for leather. Horse people and normal people both. It's so easy and really extends the life of it.


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## SBSB

Opus said:


> -- Barn drama. On some level it's amusing as an outsider, on another it's just annoying.


oh yes opus, that's one that I hate too.

I've just thought of another one - when non-horsey people criticise you when they have NO idea. I was chatting to a friend about a lesson that I had, I was only a lovely horse and didn't use my crop at all. Then she says to me: you use a whip? that's cruel!

YOU try getting on a 500kg animal and try to tell it to move when it doesn't to.


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## eventerdrew

Those who think they are better than everyone else because they are older

The use of the word "hun" or any variation

Condescending snobs


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## Sissimut-icehestar

SBSB said:


> -when people that aren't as experienced as you and yet you're in the same lesson. I understand that everyone is learning but I booked myself in for my usual advanced lesson where we've even jumped before and there's a few people who can't get a horse going, even a relatively forward one, and slow the whole ride down. You can't go in this group. Simple.
> 
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


YES! I had a lesson a few days ago and I didn't really get any attention because 4 out of 6 people needed help with something they should know when they enter this course.


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## UnrealJumper

I don't like it when coaches have students jumping w/o having solid flatwork first.


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## justinebee

just popping in and commenting on the 15.5 hands thing. when people say that they're definitely meaning 15 and 1/2, because .5 does mean 1/2. they probably do this because when using other measurements, you have 12'6" (12 feet 6 inches) and also 12.5' (12 and a half feet). see what i'm saying?

other than that i totally hate the know-it-alls at the ranch. and moreso the ones who don't even board there, just pop in once because they are visiting with another boarder. the mustang i ride is sway back and super fat, and every once in a while there's that random visiting lady giving me a dirty look cause she thinks i'm horrible for riding a sway back "pregnant" mare (she's not even pregnant). this horse is happy she's being taken out and ridden, thanks.

haha


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## SBSB

justinbee, while I undertand where you're coming from, I think it is very confusing to mix these two, as they all use a . and and a number. Honestly, what's the point? Not trying to be nastly because I know what you mean, just my opinion.


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## Speed Racer

eventerdrew said:


> Those who think they are better than everyone else because they are older.


They probably thought they were better than everyone else when they were _young _condescending snobs. People rarely change their basic personalities. 

With age comes experience and knowledge. If younger people can't realize that and take advantage of the vast wealth of information right in front of them, then I'd say _they're_ the ones with the problem, not the older folks.

I'd love to be 16 once more and know everything again!


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## brodieluver26

what bothers me about riding pet peeves is that

1) people that discriminate against certain breeds or any breeds.
2) people using draw reins for collection
3) people that say quarter horses are conformational failures.
4) people that are materialists that must have the top horse and tack
5) people that act like they own the equine world
6) people that buy horses but sell them soon after because they are not push button, (my old trainer)

Thats pretty much it, most of these were targeted at my old trainer.
She hated my quarter horse/appendix and said that he is a useless backyard decoration.

Used draw reins to solve her problems.

Must have the best of everything.

Got a oldenburg filly when her parents r in a d ivorce and she lost all of her lesson students because she bossed them around. (she is 25)

wants all the warmbloods, must be fancy movers, expects them to be sound even though her barn is 100% mud! it is disgusting,

thats what my pet peeves are about horse riders.
trainers and people like this.


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## justinebee

SBSB said:


> justinbee, while I undertand where you're coming from, I think it is very confusing to mix these two, as they all use a . and and a number. Honestly, what's the point? Not trying to be nastly because I know what you mean, just my opinion.


the point of my post or the point of doing the .5 thing? the point of my post was to respond to what others had said in earlier posts about this topic. the point of the .5, in speaking probably to make it easier? i'm not sure. maybe they just don't think about it? don't really know haha i was just suggesting why someone might say .5 rather than .2


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## JustPaint

People who have horses and don't do anything with them or don't ride because of the weather. Seriously be grateful you even have a horse. 

SR I believe that can apply to both young and old.


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## highlander

1, riders who are unwilling to learn because think they know it all
2, people who saying riding is just siting on a horse
3, people see-sawing a horses mouth
4, people who exercise their horses without any thought on the horses current cabilities
5, people who judge on what horse a person rides,
6, people who use gadgets because they don't know who to stop a behaviour or ride it
7, writing off certain breds like arabs are all nutters etc
8, kids who want to take on youngsters without any knowlegde of horsesr 9,mummy and daddy buying 9 month old baby his first pony and puppy!!!


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## xXEquestrianBalletXx

People who buy expensive horses, to have them trained by a professional, and ride the horse at the level the horse is trained at, and then as the horse progresses (through the trainer) the owner/rider says "I got (insert name here) to give me a really nice canter!! I've been working with him on it for a while now." Well news flash sweetheart, you ain't a thing without your instructor. Let's put you on my 1'500 dollar crazy horse without your trainer and see how you do!


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## AnitaAnne

xXEquestrianBalletXx said:


> People who buy expensive horses, to have them trained by a professional, and ride the horse at the level the horse is trained at, and then as the horse progresses (through the trainer) the owner/rider says "I got (insert name here) to give me a really nice canter!! I've been working with him on it for a while now." Well news flash sweetheart, you ain't a thing without your instructor. Let's put you on my 1'500 dollar crazy horse without your trainer and see how you do!


Ha ha good one! I love it when my little crossbreed places over those ones! 

*Barn Drama* (someone mentioned) is the worst!! 

One barn I was at *everyday* it was gossip about someone, then the BO would be on your case for nothing...they just loved the drama! It was like they were stuck at 13 forever...


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## sandhillsgage

I have to agree with all of your guys pet pives
Here are some of mine

1. Breeding more horses...we have so many horses in the world. I am not against it, its just that we have soooooo many horses and other animals that need homes.
2. People who think their smarter then you.
3. people who show of.
4. My horse is better then you. 
5. People who beat their animals


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## GeminiJumper

Oh my gosh, I have so many rider/horse people pet-peeves!!!



People who think they are better than you because their horse is better/more expensive than yours.
Riders who let their horse ride around with their noses sticking out--I know its probably from a lack of knowledge but STILL!!
People who can't clean their horse's stalls properly.
Riders who have NO arena manners and feel the need to run into your horse.
Riders who stare at their horses head/neck/shoulder as if they are about to fall off.
Riders who spur their horse non stop!!
People who give their horse a sweaty ride and shove it in their stall and don't take the time to cool it off.
Riders who sit cross-legged in their saddle--especially western saddles across the horn--I don't care how bomb-proof your horse is, that's an accident waiting to happen!
People who only ride their stalled horses 3 times a week and don't bother with turnout or lunging.
People who wear spurs because everyone else is when they have no business wearing them!


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## brookebum

people who yell at my horse right infront of me, making me look like im not disciplining it, when really they just dont know the horse.


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## sdellin

People who don't get up and refill my coffee cup because I'm too busy reading this thread to do it (husband)


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## sdellin

People who come running when I'm grooming my horse, get their horse and get saddled up so we can ride together! I actually have my horse boarded at a friends house next door -- still haven't gotten that barn built yet -- I have to squeeze in time while the kid is in school to have any private time for ground work with my horse.


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## Tymer

Something that happened today-

When I was getting ready to ride, I realized I forgot to put my tall boots on. This girl offered to hold my horse for me. Thanks! As I was putting my boots on I hear the *clinkclinkclink* of a girth. Okay, she's probably just tightening my girth for me. It was pretty loose. When I go back out to the aisle, she says "Your saddle was waaaaaaay too far back. I put it forward and tightened your girth." So I was half right. But now the saddle is basically on her withers! People don't understand that the saddle is supposed to be moved out of the way of the horse's shoulder blades. 

So my pet peeves are:
People who think they're smarter and "fix" something, making it wrong.
People who think saddles go on the horse's shoulders.


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## GeminiJumper

sdellin said:


> People who don't get up and refill my coffee cup because I'm too busy reading this thread to do it (husband)


Haha! Poor hubby! :wink:


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