Ever Wish People Saw More to Your Horse?

[GrungeEquestrian]

Everyone here on this forum has absolutely stunning horses so maybe some of you feel the same way...or I am just strange :rolleyes: we'll see. But sometimes when people compliment my mare in person I wish I would get more compliements on how she moves or behaves than..."O my goodness you should breed her she is gorgeous!" I do believe that she is the most beautiful pony in the world but that is more because I am her owner...and beauty is the eye of the beholder. Maybe I am just weird or ungrateful but I wish her beauty wasn't the number one reason people like her. They watch me ride and usually compliment me on my riding...when I wish they complimented her on her gaits.

I guess I am just silly...but I always go back to the saying..."Pretty is as pretty does."

[Country Girl 43]

I know what you mean. I have people compliment on my horses and how pretty they are. Of course I think they are beautiful, but I don't buy on looks alone. Ladybird is a funny looking horse, all sway back and not confirmationaly attractive, but she takes such good care of my kids.

Dallas is my project horse, he is young but has a great mind and willingness to please. Everyone says how pretty he is, but I need to know how he is moving when I ride him..

So I know exactly what you mean.

[WashingtonBay]

So let me get this straight. You're complaining that people say your horse is pretty? :trout:

[FatSpottedAppy]

I'm actually happy with whatever compliments I get on my horses.. If someone says they're beautiful, I'm very happy. Complimenting on how fast they are, how well they move.. I'm ecstatic. But I never get tired of the pretty pony compliments.. Especially on Tyke, Melee, and Prodigy.

[GrungeEquestrian]

Thanks Country Girl, yeah not one of the reasons why I bought her was because she was pretty. Yeah I didn't what an confirmational wreck and wanted a horse that would be sound but other than that I wouldn't turn down a horse because she was "pretty enough". Well good to know I'm not crazy...at least in this situation.:rolleyes:

So let me get this straight. You're complaining that people say your horse is pretty?
haha WB I like the compliments but I dunno I guess I wish they would say wow she moves nice undersaddle, or has good ground manners. I'll take what I can get though lol...I guess I am a bit off

[vicklynn]

Oh I hate it when people tell me my horses are pretty......LMBO
NOT..hehehe

[GrungeEquestrian]

hahaha vicklynn so I guess I am crazy. I guess after riding average fulgies for years I can't take all the attention, I mean the beautiful horses need their privacy!

[WashingtonBay]

I guess in this world I think you're pushing it if you're going to be particular or take offense about the kind of compliments you want from people.

If they say something nice, I'd recommend you just appreciate it.

No offense. But this post is rather vain. :rolleyes:

[GrungeEquestrian]

No offense. But this post is rather vain.

Wow I am really sorry that came across like that....which it definately does you're right WB. I guess with the hard time I had getting Trouble used to her new barn I was kinda getting sterotyped as I bought this horse for her looks, since she was acting like a complete manic. One boarder even said to me "Well if I were you I'd sell her but I guess she is pretty." So I guess with the compliments I got the between the line insults, just me being 16 and having a pretty young mare I have a lot of people when they first meet me and my horse automanically assume that I am some young girl who bought the first pretty horse after I read Black Beauty.

[Miracle Whip]

You are probably a bit tired of the superficial pretty comments...are these people knowledgeable of horses? If they don't know much then they are just going to say she is pretty. My guess is, you work hard with your horse and would like to have someone recognize that... no problem there at all. The horse world is a funny place. Some people are pretty decent and others are pretty stuck up, and more often than not the ones who think their horses are great can't ride worth 2 cents. So, I don't really take anything that people say too seriously. I have a few friends that I would value their opinion - one is my riding instructor and the other writes a horse magazine. The others really don't matter.

[WashingtonBay]

Alright, once in awhile we all need to be told we're being ridiculous, and this may be one of those times for you :p

If she was a maniac and people still tried to find something nice to say about her, they're nice people.

My advice, don't expect people to know your horse as well as you do before giving a perfectly fitting and nuanced compliment about her, or you're going to be disappointed a lot.

[Cat]

LOL - While I understand what you are saying, I personally love any compliment I can get about my horses. Especially since a lot of my family and such are not horse people - saying they are pretty is doing good by them. LOL.

[GrungeEquestrian]

Alright, once in awhile we all need to be told we're being ridiculous, and this may be one of those times for you

If she was a maniac and people still tried to find something nice to say about her, they're nice people.

My advice, don't expect people to know your horse as well as you do before giving a perfectly fitting and nuanced compliment about her, or you're going to be disappointed a lot.

Thanks WB I think I need a smack over the head. I need to take what I can get...sometimes I just wish I could weasel out of the stereotype...and I'll be able to do that in about 10 years when I am 26 and she is 17!

[GrungeEquestrian]

Sorry guys about this stupid thread...I guess I should think before I post lol :oops::trout:

[Country Girl 43]

I love getting compliments on my horses, but I also like to know what's going on under me.

At the gymkhanas, I will see a beautiful horse running the patterns, but I watch HOW they do the pattern and how the rider handles the horse. If they come by me after their ride, I compliment them on their ride first, and their pretty horse second.

I even have my kids watching the horses movements now...My son will say something like.."WOW did you see those lead changes!" I just sit back and laugh, because normally kids would say...WOW, that's a pretty horse".

OK, I'm rambling...been up since 4AM.....but I think I know what you were getting at with this thread. ;)

[oursarge]

It's sort of funny because when I was reading this I was thinking of a lady I know who will only buy a pretty horse. She doesn't care that she can't actually ride the horse and the horse is a whack job but it's pretty! That's all we hear is Doesn't she look pretty? Yeah she does but it would be nice if she did more than look pretty!

I don't hear mine are pretty, well I do with our mare, she's a pretty girl but we bought her because I could ride her. My boys are cute, not beauties by any means, but cute. I've always been one who never much cared what people thought about anything of mine or about me. For everyone who says one thing there are more who will say another. I just try to make myself happy. If someone says something nice I smile and say "Thank you" if they say something negative it's OH WELL. Just enjoy your horse.

[menagerie]

I think I understand you a bit. I don't show my horses or anything and they can be quite testy sometimes since we don't ride frequently, etc. I do get compliments on how they look but yea I do wish sometimes that someone would say 'wow what a smart, talented, respectful, etc. horse you have!' Oh, that would be awesome! :) Problem is they really aren't those things though I do think they are smart and what personalities! But then I, like you, love them with all of my heart so I'm like TOTALLY biased towards anything they do anyway. I think you just wish for people to think the best of, and see the potential of, the one you love and thats ok!

[FredRock]

The thing is, I have turned down a horse because he wasn't "pretty" enough. It wasn't like his color or anything, but his head just wasn't proportional to his body, and he just didn't look "right." Now that I know more about conformation there's probably a better reason for not buying him, but I didn't buy him because he didn't "wow" me.

Of course then I bought Fred, who is gorgeous IMO, I found out he's crazy. At least he's nice to look at when I can't do anything with him. :rolleyes:

In all seriousness though, I can understand what you're thinking. I actually think everyone has Cheyenne wrong in how nice she is, and the barn owners obviously prefer her to Fred. I can't blame them since we pretty much came in and said "this is what to expect from him" and listed all of these problems. He wasn't nearly as bad as we made him out to be, but they still have that stigma. So anytime Fred does something calm and collected, they're shocked; in reality he's the calm one around the kids, construction, and noise while Cheyenne is all over the place. I love the compliments I get about my horses (especially the pretty ones, because I've worked to get them there) but I'm with you, sometimes I want something a little different.

[KCandAllegro'sMom]

Not really .....everyone loves my horses. KC was the barn favorite at my last stable because he's such a ham. He was always opening his tack box for visitors begging them to give him treats from his cookie jar and showing off his tricks. When I'm not around he loves a captive audience. And Allegro got tons of attention because of his size and puppy-dogness

I'm more of the mind set that I wish people would not give my horses so much attention, especially when they should be giving their attention to their own horse(s).

ETA - so my answer would be no - I wish people saw less about my horses.

[sugarsgirl]

I actualy understand where you're coming from Grunge, Chrissy is a really nice mover, and I notice the difference when I get comments from horsey people and non-horsey people. From non horsey people, its usualy "ooh shes pretty", or "whoa! look at her pretty spot!" and stuff like that. But with horsey people, I ususaly get that shes a nice mover and stuff (especialy from judges). Although, I do like it when they say that shes just pretty :)

[MyMia]

I had to laugh at this thread--I love being told my horses are pretty, because they're not! Charlie's a sweetheart and looks good in the summer when he's got a short, shiny coat, but his conformation stinks. I got him because the kids can do just about anything around him and he won't bat an eye, won't step on them, and loves the attention. Mia's prettier and better conformationally (is that a word?) but she tends to be spooky and do stupid things on the trail. She does look pretty when she throws a fit and starts prancing (or so I've been told--I'm always on her so I can't see it) but she's just what I want now--she'll go all day on a trail ride, loves to be out, etc.

So, if I want compliments on my horses, I have to hear the "pretty" ones from people who don't know better since that's all I get most of the time!!!

[GrungeEquestrian]

Thanks guys, I guess I just wish that people would notice her training but like WB said I am being WAYYY to picky! And as you mentioned Miracle Whip I guess I just see a huge improvement in her totally and wish someone would say something so that I knew I wasn't just seeing things. Anyways this was one of my many blonde moments. :rolleyes:

[AppyLover]

I do have to giggle a little. I love compliments about Abby, even if it is a pretty pony kind. I understand the between the lines compliments, don't let those get to you. Besides just remeber it could be worse: I was told Abby looks like a donky....:huh: and not to take offence.:rolleyes:

[Country Girl 43]

I was told Abby looks like a donky....:huh: and not to take offence.:rolleyes:

LOL....:hysterical::poo:...sorry, but that comment just made me laugh.

[Ix3Morgans]

I like any type of compliment I can get, even the ones that are bittersweet.
for examp;e someone came up to me to say "wow, you have such good horsemanship for your horse to be going so fast! she was passing everyone , you stayed on and you placed! good work!" or my favorite
" wow you have the cutest mule[referring to my QH] showing today. I didn't even know you could ride a mule for showing 4-H!" I guess I can relate AppyLover

[vicklynn]

Honestly. I like the complements I get on my horses. My problem lies with City and where he came from. I met a girl last week from that forum, and told her see, hes "just a horse". I said that just to play him down. Its hard owning him sometimes. I update the forum on him once a yr though.
Id like certain people to see him as my horse, not the winning horse.
Does that make sence.
So I hear you about, oh your horse is pretty, really I do, I was being a smart butt in my other reply.
None of that may make any sence...lol

[GrungeEquestrian]

Thanks guys but yeah this thread really is proof of my stupidity.

And no vicklynn your comment made me laugh and showed how I was making mole hills into mountains. I guess this example of today may show what I was trying to get at.

So I rode Trouble english for the 4th time (I do have pics but left the camera at the barn oops:rolleyes:)
Anyway I haven't ridden english in over 4 years so a few boarders were watching me smiling. After I was finished trotting her I asked how she looked. Did her my posting kept rhynm(sp) to her trot, did her headset look level? What I got was "Wow she is so cute in her little english tack!" I said thanks asked what they thought of her moving wise and they repeated the same thing. I guess I just wanted suggestions and I am pretty ungrateful for the pretty compliments which is pretty pathetic.

But seriously guys what I would I do without my forum friends keeping me in perspective...probably drown in my odd rambles lol