What is your pet peeve/most disliked stereotype about horse culture?

My pet peeve is those that think they know and don't have a clue and then announce to the world that the rest of us are barbaric and inhumane. They never even bother to research their facts or look at different variables, they just spout tosh - Michelle who answered this question would be a perfect example.

lol I hate the fact that a blonde english rider is immediately written off as a way too-rich snob! I think that western riders are placed in the redneck category, while the english riders are, as you say, shoved into the elitist and wealthy category. It really shouldn't be that way. The only reason it is really like that is because of hollywood, i think. I mean, all the movies about horses tend to be a stereotype deal. the new Flicka movie is even a little bit like that.

The tree huggers and animal rights people do lot of damage to the horse community, with their mis informed and feel good rhetoric. Like michelle there doesnt have a clue what she is babbling about but spouts it as religon. #1 Horse owners and lovers take better care of their animals than any other pet. Yes there is abuse and thats usually when someone impulse buys a horse with out considering the needs and responsability. #2 Whips, spurs and Straps are not abuse, I use a longing whip daily, I use a riding crop or leather strap daily, and yes I wear spurs when I am working with a lazy horse. Did you know more often than not the whip never touches the horse and when it does its about the same as light tap with a pencil on your arm? Riding crops help you communicate with your horse I doubt you will find anyone here that uses them to beat their horse into a gallop. #3 horses dont like stalls???????????? dont know much about horses do ye michelle, Stalls are where the attention, petting, grooming and the yummy good grain is at.... Hmmm that might be why alot of horses high tail it back to barn, O its also where the soft bedding is and the treats...... To the real question Target kids, volunteer to do little shows for grade schools, if you run a stable offer free kid days and do little work shops//tack care. grooming, basic riding on passive horses in the round pens. and Never miss a opportunity to Educate the young about horses or to re educate people like Michelle that think horse ownership equates to abuse. Ignorance is the horse communities greatest enemy!!! Sorry Michelle #2 didnt see yours there when I put this, Uneducated people speaking of what they have have no knowledge of annoys me

I've been hearing the "Horses should be wild and free and not our slaves" for the last 40 years. Yeah, I should be also. Then there's the "They're only a dumb animal. In fact, they are the dumbest of the dumb. Alpo is the best use of a horse." "If you don't beat the crap out of a horse, it will kill you. Horses don't care if you beat them, they have no feelings." People who think horses are merely a means to an end, which is status....They really wreck it for the rest of us. And snobby people at horse shows do more to turn off newbies than anything else. It just takes one snub to convince someone this isn't for them. The Olympics ground my ashes one year when they said that nobody would want to watch anything but the 3 day eventing crashes. The rest is just plain boring. So they only televised the wrecks. I was sore for a week just watching. And WHO would want to get into horses knowing this was what was in store for them??!

I hate these: Horses weren't meant to be ridden (Ok, but then why do they let us? It's not like a 2,000 pound animal without reason couldn't let someone know they DIDN'T like to be ridden.) Everyone who owns a horse is rich (HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!) Whips/spurs are MEAN! (OH, boo hoo, they are not.) Riding isn't a sport! (Excuse me, but it IS in the Olympics... Which makes it.. what exactly? Last time I checked, hobbies weren't a part of the Olympics, but maybe they will include knitting this year!) Riding is EASY! (Haha. OK, get on my OTTB, and take him over a 3'6" course. I'll see if you last two strides.) Horse people smell. (Yeah, we do. So do sweaty baseball players, and sweaty basketball players...) Riding is abuse. (Which is why we make sure OUR saddles fit THEM, we put leg wraps on them, shoe them, make sure their bits aren't to harsh, and stop when they are tired. ) Riding is a girl's sport. (Ok, but where did the term "COWBOY" come from? Because MEN rope cattle and wrestle goats. What about Rodrigo Pessoa? David O'Connor? ) A horse's color matters. (NOT.) I'll put more as I think of them.

Yes, everyone who has a horse is rich. I drive a 20 year old car because I like it and the holes in my jeans are a fashion statement. I shop for reduced items and visit charity shops as a hobby while my horse eats premium food ( poor deprived creature that he is) LOL I will never have money because I have a horse but without him what would I spend it on anyway.? I hate how people just don't educate their kids - it's okay to say pretty horsey but they will let 5 year olds run up to pet 18hand horses without even asking if it's ok - what if they get bit ? My mind boggles at it, I don't mind people petting the horse but I want some warning that it's going to happen and not just some random child running at me waving arms and squealing. I have kids too and I would never let them do such a thing. ( the same kind off thing happens with dogs - it's frightening that so many kids are being raised without the slightest idea of how to interact safely with animals in general) Riding schools etc do have their cliques but so do golf clubs, chess clubs or any social or sports club for that matter so it's nothing unusual and kids can be snotty wherever they are and I don't think that's about to change whatever happens. Personally I think riding should be a sports option at school - not that schools should all offer riding lessons but more like an after school club that takes the kids to the riding school for class lessons once a week or something. There are so many people who want to be involved but can't get a start. Also if we have community football grounds and skateparks why can't we have community arenas ?

mine is people who get horses just so they can say they have them

Everyone knows it all and everyone else doesn't.

my pet peeve is when people think owning a horse is like owning a small, house pet. i get questions like "well, why do you have to be out there so often? i mean all u have to do is ride them like once a week , right?" ummmm no. my horse will go crazy if i leave him in his stall for 2 days with not even a little trip out. people don't understand that i have a committment to my horse that isn't negotiable. i can't just not exercise them. it doesn't work that way (lol, thanks for letting me rant)