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Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

Any other parents finding Harlow white very annoying

80 replies

Coppercreek1 · 14/01/2023 23:49

DD has 2 ponies and is big into watching equestrian YouTubers.

But I can't help but finding Harlow very annoying and spoilt. Even DD will now only watch her if nothing new to watch from the others.

She tried to say hello to her when she was doing the pony racing on her Shetland at one of the local shows and she was very dismissive...much prefer this esme who seems to show a lot of the reality of having horses, mucking out and poo picking etc herself rathr than being on a posh livery where they tack your pony up for you!

Not to mention the posting videos from luxury holidays abroad.

DD is a similar age and has her old pony plus a new project pony both on DIY and struggles to relate to her at all!

OP posts:
Pleasedontdothat · 15/01/2023 07:04

I find the whole concept of child influencers (in whatever sphere) extremely troubling. I don’t know how old Harlow is but she looks like a preteen so presumably she’s effectively being pimped out by her parents. There’s no way she’s old enough to be able to give meaningful consent to having her childhood monetised. The best thing for your dd to do is not watch her videos.

Greatly · 15/01/2023 07:41

Dd loves the YouTube equestrians but is a bit older so not at all interested in her. I'm quite glad as the older people do tend to show the tough times and make it clearer when they are advertising. Dd is not in the least matchy matchy which helps. Having said that, from what I've seen Harlow is a neat little rider with some very cute ponies. Just try and laugh about it with your dd and point out the 'insta v reality'!

Greatly · 15/01/2023 07:56

Also This Esme is very very filtered also. She seems like a good kid but again she doesn't seem very real. Mind you - who'd watch the reality of keeping horses at home in this weather? Too depressing!

Original poster
Coppercreek1 · 15/01/2023 15:36

We have met this esme a few times at HOYS etc and she has always been so lovely and smily and interactive

I think that's exactly what it is pleasedont. This esme started her channel herself as a teen whereas harlow often comes across as 'coached' I never understand why DD watches her, she's the same age and went to PC champs for horse and pony care... I've no doubt she is considerably more knowledgeable than Harlow and stands in the dark and rain mucking out her own pony.

OP posts:
Greatly · 15/01/2023 18:03

It's nice to have a bit of escapism though sometimes.

This Esmes life on video is just as curated. And her dad has always done the filming and branding so similar really. It's always sunny in This Esme land, soundtracked with a crooning singer songwriter

NobbyButtons · 15/01/2023 18:35

I looked up Forest Oaks, where Harlow keeps her multiple ponies. It costs upwards of £13k per year just to keep one pony there!

At first I wondered if Harlow was just an ordinary 11-year-old girl who posted a few videos that took off, but then I read that her mum is is a photographer and model who's been posting pictures of Harlow since she was little. My daughter tends to compare herself to Harlow with her multiple ponies and matchy-matchy wardrobe and feel hard done by in comparison - I tell herself she should compare herself to the many children who don't even get to have riding lessons.

Greatly · 15/01/2023 18:36

NobbyButtons · 15/01/2023 18:35

I looked up Forest Oaks, where Harlow keeps her multiple ponies. It costs upwards of £13k per year just to keep one pony there!

At first I wondered if Harlow was just an ordinary 11-year-old girl who posted a few videos that took off, but then I read that her mum is is a photographer and model who's been posting pictures of Harlow since she was little. My daughter tends to compare herself to Harlow with her multiple ponies and matchy-matchy wardrobe and feel hard done by in comparison - I tell herself she should compare herself to the many children who don't even get to have riding lessons.

Exactly! I always remind mine that having a horse at all is a massive luxury, even though toiling away in mud and cold isn't fun.

CJCreggsGoldfish · 15/01/2023 18:50

DD doesn’t like Harlow, she says she finds her annoying…I’m quite pleased about this because we could never compete with Harlow’s life. As a parent I don’t think it’s healthy to encourage a child to live a curated life, she must spend so much time recording - who knows what the real Harlow is like. I wonder if she’d even be allowed to give up if she wanted.

DD does love This Esme though, and because Esme is older DD doesn’t compare at all (although she’d love her saddle pad collection). Like you, we’ve met her a few times at HOY’s and I’ve always found her lovely.

maxelly · 16/01/2023 11:16

I find a lot of the equestrian influencers quite annoying TBH and the kiddy ones especially so as like others it makes me quite uncomfortable seeing a child commodified in this way, and I wonder what they'll think about it all looking back as an adult. One of the many reasons I am so glad social media and youtube weren't around when my kids were young, nor was there quite so much emphasis on matchy matchy, bling and fashion - as it was we had enough rampant materialism, constant requests for more 'stuff' and (negative) comparisons with other kids at PC or competitions or at school, we had a local family that ran a string of about 3-4 top-end ponies per kid and would always turn up in their swanky branded van with all the latest gear, not a hair out of place as we were struggling with our rubbish trailer, 2nd hand kit and hairy ponies - hard for the kids to understand why they didn't have all that too, and although I used to bang on about appearances not equalling talent and hard work was more important than looking good bla bla bla but that didn't stop them feeling somehow it took the shine off their own hard-won achievements when others seemed to get it all so easily/were doing so much more - but then again also it was hard for me to lose patience and not see mine as spoilt brats given how unbelievably privileged they were to have a pony and go to PC at all, not to sound sanctimonious but plenty of kids can barely afford to eat/buy essentials and would have absolutely killed even to have a ride at a RS never mind own their own pony but it's hard to get that through to kids who only know their own life and what they see around them.

I guess it's an early lesson in comparison being the thief of joy, as there'll always be someone with 'more' than you as well as 'less' - especially on social media where it's all so curated and filtered and you can't tell what's real and what's not and people only ever show their very best sides. It's hard though as I still have to have these conversations with my young adult DC never mind little kids - I guess try and monitor her youtube usage and encourage these kinds of open conversations, I find just telling them something they like is wrong or silly just shuts them up about it/encourages them to use it steathily?

Greatly · 16/01/2023 12:01

Tbh if you have kids who are impressed and envious of those with more money then riding is not the sport to go into 😂

Original poster
Coppercreek1 · 16/01/2023 20:41

Greatly · 16/01/2023 12:01

Tbh if you have kids who are impressed and envious of those with more money then riding is not the sport to go into 😂

tbf DD doesn't seem envious, justmore she thinks it's unrealistic.

while she says there are days she wishes hers were at a yard like that she thinks she would miss the bond she has with hers by being their main carer...especially as they are mares! She lives that they neigh when they see her coming because they know she will feed them / turn them out/ give them a groom etc

OP posts:
liveforsummer · 19/01/2023 17:42

I don't find her annoying, she's just a little girl. Unfortunately she's not actually a particularly good rider considering all the money and effort piled in to it and that gets vocalised a lot, not to mention having had some questionable teaching where she's then been slated for simply doing what she's told by an adult. I hope she doesn't read some of the stuff said about her. She has a nice manner with her ponies though compared to many kids I see and I don't see her acting spoiled or bratty so all in all not the worst influence. Dd loves her but knows it's a fantasy world for her 😆

Greatly · 19/01/2023 17:44

liveforsummer · 19/01/2023 17:42

I don't find her annoying, she's just a little girl. Unfortunately she's not actually a particularly good rider considering all the money and effort piled in to it and that gets vocalised a lot, not to mention having had some questionable teaching where she's then been slated for simply doing what she's told by an adult. I hope she doesn't read some of the stuff said about her. She has a nice manner with her ponies though compared to many kids I see and I don't see her acting spoiled or bratty so all in all not the worst influence. Dd loves her but knows it's a fantasy world for her 😆

I disagree. I think all the Essex girl matchy matchy stuff is hideous but she's actually not a bad little rider with a neat seat.

liveforsummer · 19/01/2023 17:53

I mean she's getting there now but when you look back not too long ago or think about the massive amount of very expensive coaching she's had she's really not that great.

Greatly · 19/01/2023 18:31

liveforsummer · 19/01/2023 17:53

I mean she's getting there now but when you look back not too long ago or think about the massive amount of very expensive coaching she's had she's really not that great.

Expensive coaching does not a rider make.

liveforsummer · 19/01/2023 18:34

It does not. My dd has just as nice a seat Harlow, if not better and has been taught entirely by (impatient/not cut out for teaching) me on mostly entirely unsuitable mounts. If you have can throw enough money at it though it would be hard not to improve. A good rider will become amazing which she definitely isn't

CrotchetyQuaver · 19/01/2023 19:36

Omg I know who this Harlow kid is! Forest oaks Equestrian is up the road from us and I've seen them at local competitions cluttering the place up whilst they do a piece to film. Last I heard was forest oaks gave them notice so I'm surprised that they're still there.

liveforsummer · 19/01/2023 19:48

I did hear talk of them moving at one point so all the ponies were in the same place - no idea from which yard though as just pick up snippets from overhearing dd watching

Original poster
Coppercreek1 · 21/01/2023 21:08

Though apparently pre equestrian her mum still plastered her all over YouTube, her first video she was 3 weeks old and being bathed in a sink!

OP posts:
Iamclearlyamug · 31/01/2023 19:14

Oh thank god, someone who thinks the same as me! Thought I was the only one!

My DD11 watches her, I think she comes across and spoilt, bratty and entitled. And never smiles! Of course it's her parents though, and not representative of real life given the 10s of thousands they can spend on livery each year.

Having said that DD did meet her a few months ago at a showjumping competition and ended up next to her in the prize giving - said she seemed nice 🤷‍♀️

absolutelyincandescentwithrage · 31/01/2023 19:29

I just took a look at her Instagram and what a po-faced little madam she is!
Mind you, I went to school with and grew up alongside Harvey Smith's sons and niece, who lived and breathed horses, but so so far removed from that world!

m00rfarm · 01/02/2023 16:09

I had never heard of her before. My first thought was that the palomino is not a great horse for her. He jumps a bit and does flatwork, but it not good enough to do anything at any real level (or certainly not from the few looked at). The pony is much nicer. But I honestly thought she would have some top level ponies to ride. She is a tidy rider, but definitely nothing special, based on the amount of coaching she seems to have.

Original poster
Coppercreek1 · 02/02/2023 21:21

DD is also 11 and met her at a show and obviously tried to say hello etc at she just blanked them.

Not that is say no to someone paying for livery for mine at that yard 🤣 so sick of mud and winter.

DD spent 2 hours at the yard alone earlier, schooling 1 pony, hacking the other, mucking them both out and grooming etc.. perhaps I should start recording her;

OP posts:
liveforsummer · 02/02/2023 21:32

Coppercreek1 · 02/02/2023 21:21

DD is also 11 and met her at a show and obviously tried to say hello etc at she just blanked them.

Not that is say no to someone paying for livery for mine at that yard 🤣 so sick of mud and winter.

DD spent 2 hours at the yard alone earlier, schooling 1 pony, hacking the other, mucking them both out and grooming etc.. perhaps I should start recording her;

She got all that done in 2 hours. She's definitely worthy of a following 😅. Mine faff about ridiculously and are never done in 2 hours - ever! Ours aren't even stabled so boxes only need cleaning from where they've come in for feeding/tacking up etc. get the camera out

liveforsummer · 02/02/2023 21:36

m00rfarm · 01/02/2023 16:09

I had never heard of her before. My first thought was that the palomino is not a great horse for her. He jumps a bit and does flatwork, but it not good enough to do anything at any real level (or certainly not from the few looked at). The pony is much nicer. But I honestly thought she would have some top level ponies to ride. She is a tidy rider, but definitely nothing special, based on the amount of coaching she seems to have.

The Dartmoor is very nice, jumps ok but it's a show pony - she doesn't ride like a show rider and it's already a touch too small for her. I agree, odd pony choices when money appears not to be an issue.