Any other parents finding Harlow white very annoying

[Coppercreek1]

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!

Sorry Op but what a mean post about a little girl. Just because she is a You Tube IG star she is still a little girl. I think all the adults who have commented negatively about her here on this mother’s forum should ashamed of themselves.

I like what I've seen of Harlow - she seems to really love her horses. It's true that she's just a kid who doesn't really have much of a say about her life because her mum has monetised her childhood.

I actually feel very, very sorry for the young’uns these days. Traipsing down to the stables and messing about with your mates all weekend was the highlight of my childhood/ teenage years. We got absolutely covered in shit/ hay/ mud/ hair and literally had not a care in the world. Now it seems every aspect of life has been taken over by the internet/ social media/ comparison to influencers/ being an influencer and every moment needs documenting. I actually think it’s wrong to plaster such a young girl online like that- she should just be left to enjoy her hobby in peace, and then if she wants to indulge in posting when she’s an adult- then fine. It also privies her to negative comments online, which could be very damaging to a young lady growing up. They can be damaging to anyone, but children/ teens don’t have the emotional maturity to ignore and move on.

Anyway, I’ve nothing of value to add really, just that I feel very glad that this wasn’t the case when we were youngsters.

Ok, so out of curiosity I’ve gone for a quick Youtube delve.
Some of the comments on the videos 😱😱 these are children they are talking about!! How shocking and sad.

She is riding the grey Connemara in spurs. That would have been a massive no when I was learning to ride growing up. If we couldn’t use our legs we had to practice and learn. Is this the norm now? Are kids allowed to use spurs in the competition ring?

Spurs are not usually allowed in pony or novice classes but if showing with adults/as a horse then they would be correct, or if it's a local show then often anything goes. I think the traditional 'rule' is that any time you're in long boots you should have spurs. Harlow's turnout is always absolutely immaculate and correct so you can be sure her mother/instructor checked the rules before the class!

Should children be 'allowed' to have spurs, well it's probably not that common but I wouldn't be unduly bothered about a well balanced older child with a nicely stable lower leg (which Harlow does seem to have from the little I've seen of her videos) wearing a small pair of blunted spurs on a pony that's used to them, it's a legitimate training aid if used correctly - better that than encouraging hideous flappy legged 'pony club kicking' all the way round a course which seems to be perfectly acceptable on social media or in real life, or worse letting/telling a child to wallop the pony with their stick to get them to go (which people seem to keep off social media for obvious reasons but I've seen enough of in real life for a lifetime)... I guess the concern would be they become a fashion item and kids copy her without really knowing how to use them but I haven't seen any videos of her using them at home?

I dont know anything about them but I've known This Esme's mum for ages, I knew she had a horse but no more. mum is very down to earth and normal, ponies were always kept at home and everything just muddled through by working parents and child doing their best.. definitely no star treatment.. shooting home to change rugs after work/school in the pitch dark and pissing rain etc..

But this Esme is in a completely different category to the child influencers as I don’t think she started her channel until she was in her mid-late teens. I am obviously not her target demographic 🤨 and what I’ve seen of her content it seems deathly dull but she clearly understands her audience and it seems like she’s made a successful business out of it. That’s very different from the prepubescent children who are being used as cash cows by their parents and the brands associated with them when they are way too young to be able to give meaningful consent. That is exploitation pure and simple - it doesn’t matter how much the child enjoys receiving a gazillion saddle pads - they are working to enrich adults and in most other sectors there are quite rightly laws to protect children from exploitation.

agree 100%, Harlow seems so over produced by her mother, the poor kid. I mean, decent rider and nice ponies but for goodness sake the mother is creating this massive digital footprint for the poor girl before she is old enough to know her own mind.

Well they just moved into a house with enough land for the ponies so all Harlows hard work is paying off for them. I do wonder as she gets into her older teen years will she want to stop but won’t be able to since it’s keeping the family in that lifestyle!

She is a good rider but I don’t think any of the ponies are very well suited to her. She needs a good jumping pony if she wants to go up the levels. She rode her friends pony Arg at a show it was night and day compared to her on her own ponies. She came first with him where her own ponies had poles down, refusals and one took off the wrong way over a jump.

@Chunk12 let's hope poor Harlow isn't being used to fund her parents' lifestyle and buy them houses! That sounds seriously abusive! Surely they should be saving the money she makes for her future, whatever she chooses.

Of course she is. Her mum is an ex page 3 model who slept with a married footballer to have 2 children with him.
She's pimped her kids out since they were born. Having said that I do think Harlow comes across as quite a polite child and cares for her ponies.
New house is totally unsuitable for keeping 4 at hone though. Not enough land at all.

It’s crazy to me how much Harlow and her mum look alike.

saw her at national equine show this weekend and it’s crazy how many children were wanting her photo with her, hundreds. She looked absolutely shattered by the end of it. They had some guy with them, I’m guessing security/manger.

is the dad not around now then? I always assumed he was behind the scenes

Harlow's mum doesn't disclose who their father is does she?

Yeah, this makes me uncomfortable because she doesn't have a choice about this at all.

He's never been around. Harlow was born from a fling with a footballer. When her mother wanted a 2nd child she slept with him again and had Harlen. I don't believe he's ever been in the picture. He was apparently married at the time.
I think she used to hang around in a lot of WAG circles during her page 3 days.
I feel sorry for Harlow, its a lot of pressure for someone so young and I don't think she has much say in it all.
Her mum also showed the new house on a video whilst the details were still on rightmove apparently. She seems to have little concern for her kids safety. Even after they had issues at their old yard with fans randomly turning up.

I don't believe so but some people know who he is. A minor league married footballer. It's probably why she keeps it quiet.

He's never been around. Harlow was born from a fling with a footballer. When her mother wanted a 2nd child she slept with him again and had Harlen. I don't believe he's ever been in the picture. He was apparently married at the time.

So he agreed to this situation? That's so strange, I wouldn't think so if he was a single person but married? I don't think Chelsea is coming across very well.

And another thing that slightly unsettles me is the recent video of Harlow wearing the new Lemieux colours clothing range and the way she is posing seems a bit sexualised, and she's like 12?? Perhaps I'm being unreasonable but I don't really think so. I've seen grown men eyeing up my 14 year old dd in her riding gear and she looks young for her age. And she isn't a celebrity.

I feel like Harlow isn't protected from a lot of things. That's her mother's job.

I have to work off every lesson-ten hors to every one hour in saddle. I don't have my own horse and most of my stuff has holes or massive wears, my boots are three sizes too small and my hat expired ages ago. I'm seventeen and my parents would not let me start until I was twelve. My barn does not care for me and often my lessons consist of fixing horses spoiled kids who won't listen to trainers have ruined. I think about quitting a lot but I do it because no one else will stand up for the horses. Tell her that.

It's mainly BC harlow's friend schools her horses correctly, If harlow got that pony, he'd act like the others very shortly.

In fairness she has done a good job schooling Rolo jumping. He had never even jumped before she got him and now she’s qualified for HOYS on him. Her riding has improved a lot in the last year. Yes, they have so much money and get sent so much gear for free. It’s insane.

Ivy is an amazing little rider.

Ivy is incredibly abusive towards her horses, overjumping them lame, slamming on their backs, yanking on their mouths, jumping a mini Shetland when her feet hit the jumps. Harlow has issues with the twenty percent rule too but not nearly as bad as ivy. Ace also looks like he’s in so much pain when she jumps him-ears sideways nearly the whole time.

I think Harlow is a good little rider, though I wouldn't say she deserves all the credit for how well Rolo has progressed. Her trainers have worked with him consistently and seem to have done a fine job.

From what I have seen of Ivy, she aims the pony at the jumps and holds on. She seems to be overhorsed most of the time.

I feel uncomfortable with the way these young riders have been overexposed on social media. Harlow is very poised and seems to cope well with the adoring fans, but she is only 12. Ivy is considerably younger. I think their parents should protect them from adult concerns, not push them into becoming "influencers."