barn owners gone crazy?
Today, I was informed that I should sell my horse and quit riding. Who told me this? My barn owner.
I met my high school buddy (her mom is my barn owner) at Eyler's Horse Auction in Maryland. I had no intentions on buying anything, but I went to look at all the horses anyway and it was pretty fun until my mom pulled me aside and told me what the BO had told her. Apparently, according to her (the BO), the fact that I am not working my mare hours at a time every day means I am in no way serious about showing and riding in general. She says that if I actually wanted to show, I needed to be up there every day taking lessons from her and that otherwise I should just sell the horse and quit riding for good.
I was.. a little taken aback. This woman was my English teacher in 9th grade at a very hoity-toity religious school. Sounds trustworthy, right? She sold me the mare for $1500 saying she had a stone bruise, which I believed (stupidly). Eventually we find out she has Navicular. I decided I would try to work with it, and if it meant only trail riding or none at all, then so be it.
BUT. Since I don't jump my mare (with NAVICULAR) 2' and do it every single day, I don't deserve to own a horse. This is utter bullshit to me, for many reasons:
a) The horse is in PAIN, thank you very much. She can handle w/t and canter on her good days, but jumping? No! The BO's suggestion is to get her nerve blocked and jump her, because she did it with her horse who lived to be 30-something and that means he was sooo healthy.
b) I have been tossed around from trainer to trainer for so long that I really have no actual seat. BO frequently yells at me to sit back, lean back, way more back and do all these things I am in no way prepared or ready for, then yells at me for doing them improperly.
c) I just started college this year. I rode her twice this week. She says I should be there every day. I'm sorry, sometimes it just isn't possible!
d) I don't learn well from negative input. She tells me, "No! That's not how you do it!" and I learn much better from, "Well, here, have some tips!" Apparently she can't get that through her skull.
Needless to say, I was pretty much crushed. I kept making excuses for the nagging and the other stuff, but.. what the hell? To tell me that I should sell my horse and quit riding? When did SHE get permission to dictate what I want to do? I may not be the best rider in the world, but I've yet to hear that I suck. My mom and I talked and there is no way in hell I'm going back there (I worked off most of the board). I told the BO I'm taking my horse, my stuff, and my respect and going somewhere that actually deserves it.
Anyone else have BO horror stories?
I met my high school buddy (her mom is my barn owner) at Eyler's Horse Auction in Maryland. I had no intentions on buying anything, but I went to look at all the horses anyway and it was pretty fun until my mom pulled me aside and told me what the BO had told her. Apparently, according to her (the BO), the fact that I am not working my mare hours at a time every day means I am in no way serious about showing and riding in general. She says that if I actually wanted to show, I needed to be up there every day taking lessons from her and that otherwise I should just sell the horse and quit riding for good.
I was.. a little taken aback. This woman was my English teacher in 9th grade at a very hoity-toity religious school. Sounds trustworthy, right? She sold me the mare for $1500 saying she had a stone bruise, which I believed (stupidly). Eventually we find out she has Navicular. I decided I would try to work with it, and if it meant only trail riding or none at all, then so be it.
BUT. Since I don't jump my mare (with NAVICULAR) 2' and do it every single day, I don't deserve to own a horse. This is utter bullshit to me, for many reasons:
a) The horse is in PAIN, thank you very much. She can handle w/t and canter on her good days, but jumping? No! The BO's suggestion is to get her nerve blocked and jump her, because she did it with her horse who lived to be 30-something and that means he was sooo healthy.
b) I have been tossed around from trainer to trainer for so long that I really have no actual seat. BO frequently yells at me to sit back, lean back, way more back and do all these things I am in no way prepared or ready for, then yells at me for doing them improperly.
c) I just started college this year. I rode her twice this week. She says I should be there every day. I'm sorry, sometimes it just isn't possible!
d) I don't learn well from negative input. She tells me, "No! That's not how you do it!" and I learn much better from, "Well, here, have some tips!" Apparently she can't get that through her skull.
Needless to say, I was pretty much crushed. I kept making excuses for the nagging and the other stuff, but.. what the hell? To tell me that I should sell my horse and quit riding? When did SHE get permission to dictate what I want to do? I may not be the best rider in the world, but I've yet to hear that I suck. My mom and I talked and there is no way in hell I'm going back there (I worked off most of the board). I told the BO I'm taking my horse, my stuff, and my respect and going somewhere that actually deserves it.
Anyone else have BO horror stories?