If you have not read the article, you can see it here.
First of all,let me state that I have never been to the Hampton Classic either as a competitor or as a spectator. I would love to show there and also spectate but my comments are from someone who knows many people who have competed there.
But I take aim at a lot information in this article that makes it look like he entire horse show world operates at the Hampton Classic level, which could not be further from the truth. I'll start by the comment about the horse trailers:
The eastward crawl on Route 27 has become a cartoon motorcade of
Maseratis, Lamborghini, convertible Bentleys and, during this 44th
edition of the Hampton Classic, Ford F-350 trucks towing air-conditioned
4-Star gooseneck horse trailers, a form of equine transport that Horse & Hound magazine once judged as luxurious as a five-star hotel.
First of all, I have never seen an air-conditioned horse trailer. They may exist, but I have never heard of anyone owning one. Maybe Georgina Bloomberg or Jessica Springstein has one. 4-Star trailers are not fancy, I own one, a gooseneck to be exact. And why in the world would a British magazine know anything about a trailer that isn't even sold in that country? If a 4-star gooseneck is luxurious as a five-star hotel then I have been staying in the wrong hotels. Is this five-star quality? Maybe low level Marriott or Hampton Inn?
We all know that owning a horse is not an inexpensive enterprise. Horses cost money. But not all horses cost $500K or $5M as this article wants you to think. Most of us own horses that cost four or five figures but you can pay whatever you want for a horse. You can buy a very well-bred warmblood as a yearling for $10,000. You can buy an off-the-track thoroughbred for less than a $1,000. Maybe the Jennifer Gates and the Eve Jobs of the world are buying the $5M grand prix jumpers but the other 99 percent who ride and show are not. This is like saying that everyone who shows horses drives a Masserati. Most of us are driving our 15-year-old diesel trucks because we can't afford to buy a new one.
Most horse shows don't have events that sell $50,000 tables. In fact, the ones that I attend in Virginia, offer free tables to the exhibitors. This is uniquely a Hampton's thing or a Wellington thing, and is clearly not the norm at the many shows I have attended over the past 20 years up and down the East Coast. It's great to raise money for good charities but don't make it look like this is a normal event at a horse show because it's not.
And I'll take aim at this comment:
Bodily risks aside, Mr. Babington added, the sport is clearly not for
the faint of heart. Consider, he said, the $4,000 monthly fees charged
by some barns for boarding; the $1,500 Der Dau boots
favored by many riders; an imposing list of tack-room essentials
(bridles, saddles, martingales, girths, blankets, coolers, fly nets,
galloping boots, spurs and crops for a start); the $300 fees required to
enter certain show classes; the $100 it costs to braid a show horse’s
mane and tail; and the fact that many horses require new shoeing almost
as often as Sarah Jessica Parker.
Boarding a horse can cost whatever you are willing to pay. Field board can be as low as $100 a month. You can pay $2500 a month to board near Boston. You can pay $10,000 a month for an apartment in New York or you can pay $2,500. Horse boarding is no different and people like me do it all themselves and it's hard labor. And yes the gear is expensive but not everyone rides in custom made boots just as not everyone is willing to pay $750 for a pair of Gucci loafers. Many of us buy our equipment at second hand stores where well-used tack is a fraction of it's original price. And unlike a lot of things today, tack will last 20-30 years if it is taken care of. I resold a 10-year old French saddle a few years ago for more than I paid for it new.
The braiding figure is accurate however, and it's a huge pet peeve of mine at horse shows. If your kid is going to ride and show, make sure he or she learns how to braid their own horse. Sadly I never learned the art.
As a side note, Kevin Babbington, the professional quoted in this article suffered a bad fall at the show and was airlifted to a New York hospital late last week with non-life-threatening but serious injuries to his spinal cord. Hoping he fully recovers.
It's articles like this that make the world think that the entire horse show popluation operates like the Bloombergs, the Gates, the Jobs' of this world. Trust me we do not. I was up at 6 am this morning mucking stalls and cleaning out my "five star hotel" 4-star gooseneck. And there was no air conditioning.
Ann, unfortunately the NYTimes perceives everything from the aspect of the Upper East Side, or the Hamptons. They deal with people who have money to burn..To them, the horse shows are a spectator sport and a 'thing' to do...
ReplyDeleteReal horse people (while many do have money: Middleburg,eg) do it because they love horses, love riding and the friendly competition in the rings.
Yes,owning a horse is not the same as owning a dog.. My gosh, no. Up here in NH, people have 3 or more acres and do have a horse or two. I've seen more horses owned by neighbors up here than when I lived in Va in the country..
They're loved,taken care of, ridden and no, the people don't have lot of money..No air conditioned horse trailers, just the normal type...
The NYTimes is perpetuating a stereotype: you either have a lot of money to spend on a horse or you shouldn't be doing it at all..
They're not taking into account people who love horses and do it because of their love and are willing to sacrifice a bit to own one.
Very well said. I hope that you send this to the Times.
ReplyDeleteRegarding braiding -- I learned to ride at Jane Marshall Dillon's Junior Equitation School in the late 70's. On Saturdays we would have one hour of riding and one hour of theory. I was lucky that braiding was part of our "theory" learning.