At 10:26:05 on 25.06.10, essexequine wrote:
This is to discuss those lovely items in the horse world which are only used "cos they are fashionable innit"

At 10:28:25 on 25.06.10, essexequine wrote:
For instance, Lo Cal balancer. I have never known anyone who has had a good experience feeding it, yet it seems to be all anyone is talking about. Bits, boots, tack and rugs all come into it. What experiences have you seen, heard, witness where someone has tried something purely because everyone else is using it, so it has to work right?

At 10:36:43 on 25.06.10, HUNNYMUNSTA wrote:
all the young girls I mainly see at loocal yardsa and some adults who should know better!: tying there horses heads down with martingales at the shortest hole , presumabably is some misguided belief they are working in an outline. Also the fashion of hacking out in draw reins and market harboroughs? i mean these are schooling aids arn't they? teach your horse and school use aids yes if you require but to hack out is plain wrong i beieve its a fashions.And why is a gag the norm these days? and brushing boots! people buy and wear them on there horses cus they like the colour not under standing the boots true purpose and if there requirement actually need these boots!

At 14:13:32 on 25.06.10, ToriSilverson wrote:
i really dont get why people would wear boots as fashion, i think they are a nuisance! i had a pony who had to wear tendon boots, and mid winter in a sloppy sand paddock the last thing you want is to be standing washing boots! so glad charlie doesnt need boots :) theres alot of pink in horsey gear now...a girl at our yard is obsessed everything is pink and i cant help but laugh when i see her baby pink travell boots covers in poo and her pink cooler rug with matching poo stains.

At 16:52:53 on 25.06.10, essexequine wrote:
Oh, that really gets my goat, but then I'm old fashioned, I like plain. There is a hell of a lot about. I but boots all round my pony, but then I'm breaking him to drive, I don't want him going ballistic when hes in the trap. Boots are actually worse for your horse as they heat the tendons up and can actually cause them to fail. The other bit that seems all the rage at the moment it the waterford. ARGHHHH. People do bit/boot/tack up without having the faintest idea about what harm they could be doing.

At 23:38:56 on 25.06.10, essexequine wrote:
the other thing I have noticed is this tendency to turn out with boots. Our yard has new owners and they turn out with boots. Now we have horses, which last year were turned ou 24/7 over the summer months without boots, are now turned out 24/7 with bots. All because someone else is doing it. This worried me as it does an incredible amount of damage. I can understand if they injure themselves, but they don't.

At 02:51:45 on 26.06.10, bazz94 wrote:
what I really don't like is kid's mothers asking whether they should get a whip for their child to use! and then get one for their birthday or christmas!!!! Just because they see others with one and think 'fashion' and that's something to be proud of to use and own and somehow symbolises a great rider. I don't like whips at all but I realise people will still use them it's just the fact that these people don't understand what the whip is actually for! It's an aid! and people have turned it as a fashion statement and something that you have to have if you horse ride. I suppose the whips are pretty and pink and sparkly now so kids will think 'cool' and 'pretty'

At 06:31:56 on 26.06.10, essexequine wrote:
Oh god yeah. I don't ride with a whip, to easy to lose your rag. I do ride in spurs though, but I no how to use them. Kids in spurs and whips...... arghhh I feel like making them ride pigy back on the parents in them and see how you like it!

At 12:57:12 on 26.06.10, HUNNYMUNSTA wrote:
have you seen the whips with stars at the end - a platice star shape thingy, and ive witnessed these little sparkly crops being used to slap sklap the sgoulders or rump and occasionly between the ears terrible. If its pink and sparkles its in even sparkly hoof gel...im a real "prefer to leave it natural" kinda gal. why buy a fly mask/fly fringe when you can just grow a forelock and preferably a mane too.

At 13:20:35 on 26.06.10, essexequine wrote:
I do have a fly mask, but I think it is brilliant. My little welsh had his mane eaten when he was with his last herd, it is getting there. However him and his field mate just like to play with each others masks..... Lost count how many times I have been to see him and its eithr on the floor or sideways on his head :) little monkeys.