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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think lots of people have ridden a horse before?

134 replies

reastie · 01/07/2011 21:59

I know this is random! For some reason DH and I were talking about horse riding ealier and he announced his mum has ridden a horse in a way which implied I should be amazed and impressed. I made some comment about surely lots of people have done this and it wasn't unusual at all, a argument discussion ensued and we both had a stand off as to who is right. So - who is right? Am I being very middle class and showing my country-ish upbringing by assuming it's normal that people would have been on a horse or is he right ? He is convinced he'll win this

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 02/07/2011 15:34

but mummeee and sparkle.... this isn't about whether it's unusual for someone to never have been on a horse.

it's about whether it's an amazing, impressive thing that's really unusual. which it isn't

i think everyone is in agreement that not everyone has ridden or even sat on a horse. that in itself isn't unusual at all... but surely you both know of someone who has?
if you found out a friend had ridden a horse would you be amazed??

tethersend · 02/07/2011 15:34

Sometimes.

Emandwilliam · 02/07/2011 15:38

I have a degree in equine studies (probably should have done mathematics or something useful) so yes I've sat on a horse and so have a lot of my friends!

AlpinePony · 02/07/2011 17:00

I'm not sure I have any friends who haven't - going to agri college will do that to a girl. ;)

I currently have one horse and both my children (I'm pregnant) have ridden.

Not sure I ever had a choice with a horse mother.

Anyone who thinks it's a snob's game should listen to the accents in newmarket.

Serenitysutton · 02/07/2011 17:09

I would think it's unusual to not have ridden at all. My husband hasn't but he grew up in one of those fAmiles where they never did anything really.

PrettyMeerkat · 02/07/2011 17:24

Apart from one girl at school I don't know anyone who has ridden a horse.

iklboo · 02/07/2011 17:55

Once on holiday.

thisisyesterday · 02/07/2011 19:13

depends what you count as "ridden" though

i've sat on a pony at a fair and been led around once.

but that's it. i don't think it's unusual not to have been on a horse at all though, there are plenty of people who haven't. they simply can't afford it, or haven't had the opportunity. nothing to do with families just not really doing anything

my kids do plenty of stuff, but they're unlikely to ride a horse because i don't know anyone with a horse and i can't afford lessons even if they showed an interest (which they haven't)

IloveJudgeJudy · 03/07/2011 16:20

I have never sat on a horse. Have ridden a camel, though, ooh and a donkey, but I don't remember it and only know cos of the photographic evidence.

catgirl1976 · 03/07/2011 16:31

Rode since childhood and have two horses currently. know lots of people who ride but also lots who don't

allhailtheaubergine · 03/07/2011 16:36

I don't think I know anyone who has never ridden, and we're not especially horsey.

HidinginaHardHat · 03/07/2011 16:37

I thought most people would have at least sat on or ridden a horse or pony at some point!

ProfYaffle · 03/07/2011 16:39

I agree with TIYesterday. Sitting on a horse at some stage has got to be hugely different to having regular lessons and being competent on a horse.

I grew up in a very urban, working class area and knew one person who had riding lessons. She also knotted her jumper around her shoulders. She was something of a novelty.

I now live in the country and still only know one person who rides regularly. I did take a couple of lessons but objected to paying for the privilege of being shouted at by some vaguely posh woman so quickly gave up.

tyler80 · 03/07/2011 17:17

I would say it would be 50:50. My parents have never been on a horse, neither has my brother. My sister rode a horse at summer camp and has hated the animals since.

I've ridden a little (used to work alongside a Ranch in the US) but don't really see the attraction. Have only ever ridden Western style

activate · 03/07/2011 17:24

well I have but horse-riding is a privileged pursuit so it is far more likely that other people have not ridden than have

in fact I will guarantee that a large number of children may not actually have seen a horse up close let alone ridden

it's an extremely privileged comment to think that lots of people have - you mean "lots of people like me"

Birdsgottafly · 03/07/2011 17:27

It used to be thought of as an elitist pastime if you were in the inner city (unless you had any family who had horses). Ordinary working class families didn't spend money on hobbies but had hobbies such as ferret and chicken keeping and working dogs, which you now don't carn't have.

Alot of inner city people used to look down on rural living and past times, now we tend to envy them.

My local riding centers have a six month waiting list to join so it is becoming popular. I think most people now, go on at least a pony trek, when on holiday.

Birdsgottafly · 03/07/2011 17:29

Just to add i live in a 'deprived city' and all six riding centres have waiting lists.

catgirl1976 · 03/07/2011 17:36

I think some people assume it is far more expensive than it actually is judging by some of the comments on here. It is becoming more popular and more accesible. I am not saying it is the cheapest hobby but it is not as prohibitive as some comments suggest

pranma · 03/07/2011 17:42

I had riding lessons as a child-I grew up on a council estate and the lessons were my 'passing the 11+' present from my grandparents.I rode between ages 11 and 18 [1955 to 1962].My dc had ponies when they were growing up[1980 to 1992] and I know my dsc rode when they were young.my cousin had her own pony[in the early 60's]

Riveninside · 03/07/2011 17:47

Been on a horse once. Unco fortable and they smell. My kids have never been on one. Dd is on the waiting list for 'riding for the disabled' though but they insist you have to be able to sit i dependanlty. Doubt thats going to happen.

And did i say they smell?

youarekidding · 03/07/2011 18:02

Been trekking at campsite my family have visited for 50 years (generations have been going).

Not been on one since I was thrown off and broke my collarbone in the middle of my A levels.

sparkle12mar08 · 03/07/2011 18:03

No, as I said, I don't know anyone who has said they've ridden a horse though it's not necessarily the sort of thing that comes up in conversation easily I suppose. And where I grew up, yes I'd be amazed if any of my childhood friends had said they'd been riding. As birds and activate have said, riding and horses were for the wealthy and priviledged and to a large extent still are. You are very blinkered if you think it's amazing and really unusual for someone not to have been on a horse.

MarySueFTW · 03/07/2011 18:44

Heh I love the randmomness of how some disagreements occur. I have no idea of the percentage of people that have ridden a horse in this country, but surely nobody thinks it's a rare and unusual thing? It's reasonably common, especially if we are talking about people that have done it just once, like me.

It's not hot-air ballooning, exactly.

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 03/07/2011 18:55

I have ridden a horse as have all my siblings. DH has ridden a horse, as have all his siblings. Youngest DC hasn't been on one yet, rest have.

activate · 03/07/2011 19:29

fuck you live in a different world - soem of the children I work with don't have enough money to eat 3 meals a day

yes yes horseriding is accessible - of course it is

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