to think that girls on ponies in Boden catalogue...

[TheDuchessOfNorksBride]

... should have a blardy riding hat on. Grrrr!

well I'd prefer it if they didn't all look so happy and beautiful too. How about snotty and whining kids instead - let's see how rubbish Johnny's overpriced stuff looks then.

LL - I've emailed him. I didn't give him hell because they donate to my pre-school. I'll call it a genuine mistake and wear my shallow hat accordingly.

Have you seen the kids modelling John Lewis's autumn range? They look a bit more normal IMO. (Not outstandingly beautiful either).

Are they still doing this?

They did the same thing 2 years ago and a riding site I was then a member of had an email campaign to tell them that 6yr olds should NOT be allowed to lounge all over shetland ponies (evil little horrors that they are) without wearing a hard hat!!

From that picture it seems that Johnny's just moved it up an age bracket and got a bigger horse...grrr...irresponsible feckwit...

Did anyone see the advert for the rugby world cup on TV? Player (actor) throws himself over the try line with big grin - only without a gum shield...

And Duchess I agree with you.

Next, you will all be saying they should have their heels down too.

YABU.

Get a grip - it's a photo shoot.

Oh do fuck off with your pompous 'get a grip' comment.

And they should all have their heels down.

Message withdrawn

I haven't seen the catalogue, only the link below. You can only see one bit of that pony, how do you know they haven't set it's hooves in concrete? Or it could be a stuffed pony .

Boden have admitted defeat and given up sending me a catalogue.

Do they still do that twee thing where they write a few 'fascinting' facts about the models?

ie Angelique - Loves black coffee, lazy Sunday mornings and world peace. Favourite colour 'taupe'.

Purleeeze.

Dear TG. Maybe they found out that you didn't live in a done-up vicarage in Gloucestershire with kids called Arabella and Henry and a labrador called Bonzo. If you do get back on that list.

I think this EVERY time I see a (recent - I'm saying they should digitally enhance old stuff to include hats) picture/film of anyone on a horse without a hat - makes me very, very cross. Particularly when it's children, as it needs to be emphasised to them that wearing a hat is Non-Negotiable. I believe that riding is usually found to be the most dangerous sport; certainly it's got to be the most dangerous one that children participate in.

Having one's heels down is part of being a good rider. Wearing a hat actually is a matter of life and death/serious injury so rather different.

Pompous, maybe, but true

I'm NOT saying they should digitally enhance stuff

It sounds looney without the not

I think it would be even more nauseating if the shoot took place at pony club camp: hard hats, jods and heels down. (Would they allow that mongrel of a pony at camp?)
MY dark side would quite like to see that horrible pony bolt and unseat Annabel, 8, animal I'd like to be: a ferret.
I'd like to see Johnny Boden trying to appeal across the board. So we could have Kylie, 8, favourite food: McDonalds or Ryan, 10, Best thing ever: internet porn.

lol
those bits are so, so nauseating.

ah duchess, but that's just Johnnie dressed up as a horse, it's not a real horse.

MrsJC - completely agree "hats are non-negotiable". I won't let any child climb on our ponies without a hat - and in fact body protectors, which I never had as a child. (I couldn't afford the damages if they sued for one thing).

Riding accidents are just too common to take the risk - 4 people died from head injuries in the area where I grew up. One in the stableyard, the rest out hacking. Oddly enough, none out hunting - probably because they were properly attired! That was the 70's/80's though when riding without a hat was far more prevalent.

Am liking the idea of stuffed horses or hooves set in concrete. DD1 fell on her head last week and would probably welcome a more stationary mount!

I moved to the USA to escape the Boden catalogue but they found me and started bodenusa.

Lucinda (8) - fovourite subject sums.