FFS! Relative upset after children could not ride my competition horses

I wouldn't get on a horse myself without a hat on. I often wear mine for turning out! Its a rule on my yard that under 16s have to wear a hat in the field.

I'm a BHS coach and worked in riding schools and livery yards.
This is an age old problem, and you are not alone.
Hats, insurance, safety etc.
Some people have no concept that half ton plus competition horses with minds of their own aren't seaside donkeys.

If something bad had happened I'm sure she'd be screaming for your insurance details.
I have found, 'only owners are allowed as there's equine flu, strangles, NMA (no muppets allowed) out break in area.

I would never let anyone sit on my horses ,let alone ride them. Don't ever entertain them at your yard again. I wouldn't even bother replying to any such nonsense.either, they obviously know nothing about horses. ❤️🐎🐎🐎

Lol @ this 1st world problem

Just ignore it- there are people who insist on not understanding , because it suits them. Your cousins sound like whiney entitled brats, be sure not to host them again. Explain it to your parents and cut the cousins from your contacts.
I had a pony , not really safe to ride for beginners, I had a similar scene with a friend- she came back to the stable when I wasn't there and went for a ride, and had the nerve to complain they were nearly thrown off- I cut them from that day.

Yep. I can just imagine this CF, I bet she'd been telling her kids all week that they were going for a ride on the horseys and feed them lots of apples and wasn't it going to be fun, never mind that owner of said horseys had already been clear that this couldn't happen. The kids' disappointment is unfortunate, but it's all on the CF mum for getting them excited for something she'd already been told wasn't happening. I bet she'd been mentally composing her #makingmemories #livelaughlove cutesy Insta posts too and felt thwarted. She put OP in an absolutely impossible position, I'd be fuming at being guilt-tripped over this. And the bags of apples were batshit too.

My dad suprised me with a pony when I was in my teens, his name was Rebel and boy was that an apt name! He was a nightmare, forever throwing me off or galloping off with me like we were one of the four horseman of the apocalypse! Two adults had to pin him against the wall so I could muck him out, he used to try and bite the back of my head when I was putting hay nets up! He was brutal! Nobody should ever assume all horses are friendly and docile! Like dogs, they can have behavioural issues if previous owners have failed them or mistreated them.
He broke my wrist eventually and I remember sitting in the plaster room of the hospital waiting with my mum for a cast and we ended up talking to another young woman who had also been thrown from her horse and she was waiting to have both arms put in cast!! What a nightmare that must have been for her!!

I would message them, once and once only, and say Before you came I explained that 1) no one can ride the horses. 2) the children could brush, pet and give them a treat.
These are working horses, NOT suitable for children or any non experienced riders. If you did not agree to this then sorry but you should not have bought the children to see the horses.
If they don't like it tough, would they let their children pet a vicious guard dog - then sue the owner when they got bit.

These people are dickheads. Horses are massive machines which most normal humans understand can be extremely dangerous. My horsey friend has no top teeth due to a horse kick and continual back problems from falls - she was always safe but even safe riding of big competition beasts is dangerous.

Don’t give these people another thought. Anyone who doesn’t ‘get’ that your decisions are rational is genuinely not worth bothering with. I’d also question your parents communicating the info unless they were doing it in a ‘what a dickhead’ way.

I’m not horsey.
I LOVE horses and follow a few characters on Instagram. I’m staggered that some people can be so clueless about the complexities, the emotions, the personalities and the potential dangers of these animals and why they aren’t prepared to listen to the experts that own them.

You are definitely not the AH here. I used to bring on competition horses to sell on. Sorting out ex racehorses to be vaguely sensible was never going to be producing a hack for beginners. You were a lot more polite than I ever was to apple feeding dolts who were under the impression that I ran a riding school for kids.
I didn’t have to deal with passive aggressive texts, thankfully. Glad you stood your ground. Your cousin would be blaming you should her precious child get hurt. You are right about the life altering injuries. They happen all too easily. It can take a second.

This "grown up" is your aunt?
She's embarrassing herself. Sounds like shes told her kids they can ride - she clearly doesnt know how dangerous horses can be. Whose fault will it be if they get thrown off and sustain injuries? I dont think u can win with this woman. You are looking out for the safety of the children, and the copius amount of £ and care you have put into your horses. Let her have her tantrum, you did the right thing.

Incredible behaviour from your stupid relative. Horses are big, powerful animals, you don't mess with them!

Send thr message back to her and ask what part of your former message was confusing

I'm not a horsey person but that scenario was mad.You obviously know your stuff.
They're living things that have requirements etc.
They're not toys the distant relative is a prize idiot.

In future... No

Total CFs and they can get to hell! When I first met DH, he couldn’t understand why his friends couldn’t come and ride my 2. So I (patiently 🤣🤣) explained it would be like teaching someone to drive a Ferrari, and an unbalanced person would upset them and likely cause them to do something which meant friends would be pinged off. Luckily that was it but I get very fed up if people assuming my horses are fair game. Long winded way of saying just tell them to piss off and don’t bother with them again.

Tell her she's banned from the yard on safety grounds.

Some people have this ridiculous cartoonish idea of what horses are like.

Those children are lucky you were there to protect them from their idiot mother. What an ass she is! Clearly thought she was going to score some free "pony rides!"

I do not think there's any point trying to tell her where she went wrong because everything you tried to tell her clearly fell on deaf ears.

Block that biatch! It will be no loss!

You are absolutely right to be furious. Non horsey sometimes have no idea how to behave around horses. They’d be the first ones to kick off is their little darlings got injured

When I take my horses to the beach quite often children see them being unloaded in the car park or see them on the beach and tell their parents ‘look at the horses’ I always ride over and ask if they’d like to stroke them.
lol never once has one said can I sit on them.
The kids are usually just thrilled to touch them and stroke them.

Your relative is a cheeky cow

All some parents care about are their children’s wants and desires.The parents can not accept the word No never mind the kids.I feel a bit sorry for kids raised by people like this because life teaches them a very harsh lesson.

Do they have no idea how expensive horses and vets bills are?

Ask if they have a spare £10k for colic surgery and/or cost of a competition horse which is anything from 5 to 6 figures.

Well, your parents can just mute or block her on their phones (if they haven't done so already).
As for the relative herself, fuck her. You were totally clear about how the visit was going to go and why. And even if they were not competition horses and were theoretically suitable for kids to sit on, they're your horses and basic manners dictate to people who aren't twats anyway that she and her kids abide by what you said.

I work at a school, we have horses up to 18.2. The most likely one to yeet you to Jesus? 12hh. 🤣

I think this is a problem with modern parenting.It seems like instead of explaining to the children before they went what would be allowed they tried to let their children get their own way by being persistent.I agree that you did the right thing and you can explain to your parents that you had explained in advance.
I'm sure if the animals got unwell from them giving too much apples it would be your problem and they would run a mile before paying the vet bill!