Hunter Princess wrote:

I suppose I'm well off compared to some people. I've got a horse and can pay the board(which probably costs 1/3 of what you pay for your horse's), but getting the extra cash for shows isn't always easy and I don't own the right color or breed of horse to be in hunters, but I've stuck it out anyways.
Congrats for doing what people do every day, and don't make assumptions about people you don't know. There really isn't a right "breed" of horse for the hunters, in fact, the horse I'm obsessed with right now is an Appendix, mine is a Holsteiner, one of my friends has a QH, and another has a TB. I don't care about breed, as long as it moves decent, jumps cute, and looks like a hunter. And dun really isn't that controversial of a color for the hunters. Now, an appy or a paint is much more controversial.

I have a red dun quarter horse x haflinger that I bought for pretty cheap as a green 4 year old project pony. He not only grew in size, but he grew on me too. He was not at all the fancy show horse I had dreamed of, that'd carry me effortlessly around 3'6 courses with autochanges, but none of that mattered after a few short weeks. I'd intended to keep him at max a year, but I knew there was no way I'd ever be able to sell him.
My project was a green 8yr old solid paint who liked to buck and never did lead changes. Yay for me. Most riders do eventually have a project horse, it's not unusual, and I don't see the point in this story.

I've worked my dang a** off to get where I am today and to make my horse the star he is now. We always place at shows, both schooling and the provincial(B) circuit.
Most people DO work hard to get where they are. I worked hard to get where I am, and you seem to be ensenuating that I didn't.

Up until 2 months ago, I didn't own a single piece of in style or big name equipement. My Charles Owen helmet is an early Christmas present because my old helmet was too small and I worked out a deal with my mom to earn it.So, yeah it pisses me right the hell off when you say that brands matter, to the judge or anyone else. If you're a good rider, you're a good rider no matter what you're wearing. And a good rider can make a horse look good in any tack or clothing.
Not what I said. Not at all. Judges take off for un-traditional tack and clothing. Like if I were to show my horse in a DRESSAGE show bow, bell boots, a german martingale, an elevator, a colored saddle pad, etc. the judge would not place you.


Okay, I'm gonna jump on in here, xponies, from what I've read of HP's posts in the past, she works really hard to do what she does and be consistently good at it. It is not her 'fault' that either herself or her family has money and is willing to spend it.She replied to the post giving advice - yeah okay maybe people think it is shallow that you should wear a certain thing but she wasn't saying 'OMG YOU'RE SOOOO INFERIOR' she was saying that it may save someone getting laughed at. And, fyi, hairnets are cheaper than showbows. If someone wants to show hunters or whatever and the riders appearance matters, then they can suck it up and deal with it. I wouldn't do \XC in a show jacket, much as I would leave my hair down for dressage. It's just the way it is.

By the way, if you show B circuit, why are all your pictures of tiny cross rails? Isn't the highest you've consistently schooled 2 foot, and considering going up to 2 foot 6?
Jeez, over here C circuit is 3 foot 3, B is 3 foot 9 closing 4 foot in some cases...I thought it was similar in the US too? Seriously, B circuit!?