Hello there,
I have heard some startling news from my horsey friend (who is English) that English riders and groups can be very unwilling to accept riders who are not seen as trained in the disciplines or rich enough! Which I find a little hard to believe as most of the English people I have met are really down to earth and lovely people. Just wondering what peoples opionions were on this matter? As I was really thinking about getting into riding over here and now I am a little anxious about it! Hehe! Hopefully I was just mis-informed! I mean, we had people like that over in Aus but it was definatly a minority, is it the same over here?
Thanks guys for any feedback
xxx Joey

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Some people in the horsey world can be upthemselves, pony club and all that, some of them are very well off indeed and from their upbringing can be a little offish... most that I have met have been lovely though

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sounds like a load of rubbish to mei ride with our local hunt and everyone is very friendly and helpful! yes you do get the odd stuck up person,but they are a minorityavoid large livery yards as these are the bitchiest

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(formally clare7577)

There can be some snobbery in horse groups. Personally I couldn't give a sh*t what anyone thinks of me or my horse but I've certainly heard comments about my lad. I'm not one of the in set, I don't show, I don't compete, I hack, I ride treeless, and my cob is left as nature intended so I do get some 'gypsy' or 'tinker' comments, but like I said I couldn't care less!!

Someone once asked me what possessed me to buy a 'boring brown cob' I nearly ripped her eyes out. Had the last laugh cos my boring brown cob cantered passed her at the fun ride we were on...she was too busy picking herself off the floor where her top class TB had dumped her!!! He might be boring brown but he'll go anywhere and do anything I ask.

:O How nasty to say!!! I'm sure your cob is not boring! Hehe glad to see that you def. got the last laugh! I'm not into competing either, just love to go on hacks. I'm really gonna get into riding over here. Doesn't matter if people look down on me, karma will work it out!
xxx Joey

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You should, there is nothing better than belting across a field. It's getting hard to find good riding schools in the UK because the insurance costs have closed most of them down but I'm sure you'll find one locally?

I can't imagine a life of just schooling and showing, hacking is the reason I learnt to ride all those years ago!! I'm very lucky to live near the beach and Kane absolutely loves the sea!! I tend to get cold and wet but wouldn't change him for the world.

we have 2 nf ponies for my daughter on is 12.2 shes 16 yrs and the other 14.1 rising3 . we are at our second yard since weve had ponies which is for 6 years . the first one was VERY bitchy not to me but to my 14 yr old daughter! we dont show they are for hacking but my daughter did her first hunt on the little pony and she was leaving all the youngsters behind both daughter and pony thoroughly enjoyed it. at our new yard there still some amunt of bitchyness but we and two other women who went up there the same time stick together and let them all get on with it

You can get the odd bit of snobbery and over competetive people.. but you will get that in all walks of life.. not just with horses.

I wouldn't worry about it, just give it a try, if you dont like it fair enoguh, but if you do, great!

never found a problem. Of course there will be some people that think only their discipline is important but most horse owners just love horses and ride for pleasure. There are nasty people all over the place and some of them will own horses.