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The Nature of the Crazy Eventer
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Those of you who event, or know somebody who events, will surely agree with me when I say that the sport defies all logic. It’s like trying to take a convertible around a 4X4 track, or going skydiving using a plastic packet as a parachute. It is completely nonsensical, no matter how you look at it. You break your bank account and put in HOURS of hard work just to risk your life galloping at breakneck speed toward a number of solid obstacles designed specifically to separate you from your steed. Yet I, and I’m sure you can say the same, would not give it up for the world. My point, of course, is that it takes a certain sort of person to become an event rider. A special person – because nobody normal, with working logic and a sound mind, would choose such a senseless sport.
This proves my hypothesis: The event rider is crazy. End of story. And this article serves to share the strange quirks of one such crazy eventer. These are the moments of insanity that we event riders go through on a daily basis. Don’t deny it – I know I’m not the only one!
1. When you’re on a road trip, you don’t play ‘I Spy’ – you have competitions to see who can spot the most jumpable objects. This leads to spirited debates about whether or not the object is jumpable, most of which tend to end with, "Well, pull over, and I’ll prove it!"
2. Nobody likes to go to restaurants with you, because as soon as you arrive, you arrange the chairs into the appropriate position beside the table, point at it, and declare loud and proud: "I jumped something like that!"
3. You have been known to sit down and sulk for hours when somebody refuses to donate the old bench they’re not using, for you to jump.
4. Whenever you see people of the appropriate size, you walk over and ask them how tall they are. If the answer is satisfactory, you laugh smugly, point at them, and say, "Ha! I jumped over you!" If they are not within your jumping range, you sulk for the remainder of the day – then, when you get to the stables, it’s time to set a new personal highest jump record.
5. When your friends complain about their respective sports injuries (Y’know, rugby, netball, chess... All those deadly things!) you laugh unsympathetically, tell the horror story of your latest fall, and proudly flaunt the battle scars earned from it.
6. You can’t walk down a staircase without thinking about drop jumps.
7. Before you sit down at any benches or picnic tables, you feel the need to walk around them, measuring them thoroughly to determine whether or not you would jump them.
8. Fences are not built to keep things in or out. They are built for you to jump – no exceptions.
9. Whenever you see a ditch, you MUST climb into it –regardless of the embarrassment of anybody accompanying you – and explain how you jumped over something like this at your last event. Eventually they will get tired of your bragging and walk away, leaving you to realize that climbing out of a ditch is nowhere near as easily as climbing into it.
10. You have swum in a water jump before.
11. You lean forward and cluck at your car when driving up hills.
12. You get excited when you find a shop that sells tape in your cross country colours. This can lead to squealing loudly and jumping up and down in public.
13. You have no idea who Tom Cruise is, but you could write a book about all you know about Mark Todd.
14. When your friends are showing off their Prada handbags (Or is Prada shoes? Or makeup? I forget...) you’re waving around your awesome new eventing boots.
15. When you’re wearing your skull cap, you insist on headbutting trees just to prove how utterly unbreakable it is.
16. When wearing your body protector, you keep nagging everybody to punch you. They will inevitably end up landing a punch somewhere you’re not protected – usually the shoulder, though the face is also a common target, depending on how annoyed the one you’ve nagged is.
17. Before your cross country, you dream your way around the course a thousand times. Afterwards, you talk about it 999 times, until somebody shoves a sock in your mouth to keep you from reaching 1000.
18. You believe that any problem can be solved by baling twine.
19. You tend to mock showing riders mercilessly.
20. Everywhere you go, you’re known as "That crazy horse chick" (Or ‘Dude', depending on gender.) |
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Cruisin Past Curfew
I do number five, fourteen, and nineteen a lot! And I am called the "Crazy horse girl" everywhere I go!
I do number five, fourteen, and nineteen a lot! And I am called the "Crazy horse girl" everywhere I go!
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Jan 26, 2012
• 5,687 views
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weezapony
Number 11: story of my life. I don't actually drive but when I want someone to move (in a car or not!) I instinctively cluck...I get some pretty weird looks! XD
Number 11: story of my life. I don't actually drive but when I want someone to move (in a car or not!) I instinctively cluck...I get some pretty weird looks! XD
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Jan 26, 2012
• 6,346 views
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BarrelRacersLove
When I read 'Jumped over' I said it with a Scottish/norweigan accent, and I have no clue why.
Nice article by the way! :D
When I read 'Jumped over' I said it with a Scottish/norweigan accent, and I have no clue why.
Nice article by the way! :D
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Jan 26, 2012
• 5,687 views
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Swoop
17 18 all the way
17 18 all the way
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Jan 26, 2012
• 6,106 views
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Madeirey
Number 18... SO TRUE! :D Hahaha!
Number 18... SO TRUE! :D Hahaha!
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Jan 26, 2012
• 6,079 views
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Painted Destiny
Love this! Especially the cartoon. ^^
Love this! Especially the cartoon. ^^
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Jan 26, 2012
• 6,079 views
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SMFponies
You mean there is a problem that can't be solved with baling twine? XD Awesome Article:)
You mean there is a problem that can't be solved with baling twine? XD Awesome Article:)
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Jan 27, 2012
• 6,106 views
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Run Free
will there be a crazy showjumper :D,hunter :), dressage rider :(((((( etc. Note:I'm the showjumper and I DESPISE dressage with a passion
will there be a crazy showjumper :D,hunter :), dressage rider :(((((( etc. Note:I'm the showjumper and I DESPISE dressage with a passion
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Jan 27, 2012
• 6,531 views
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Jan 27, 2012
• 6,732 views
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Wanderin Boy Memorial
ROFL !!
I love it when you do these kinds of news post. It brightens up the mood :)
ROFL !!
I love it when you do these kinds of news post. It brightens up the mood :)
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Jan 27, 2012
• 6,762 views
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Free Spirit Farm
I wish I could swim in a water jump!
I wish I could swim in a water jump!
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Jan 27, 2012
• 6,763 views
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Hikari
I do 5,6, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17 and 19 xD
And when riding Phoebe, defianatly NOT sane in any way :P
I do 5,6, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17 and 19 xD
And when riding Phoebe, defianatly NOT sane in any way :P
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Jan 28, 2012
• 6,849 views
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Double Spur Ranch
This is so funny haha! I love it :)
This is so funny haha! I love it :)
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Jan 28, 2012
• 6,740 views
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Jan 28, 2012
• 6,780 views
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FreeRein
Awesome as usual! Loved it Polo!
Awesome as usual! Loved it Polo!
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Jan 28, 2012
• 6,727 views
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Polo the Weirdo
MOD
So glad you guys all enjoyed it! :D I want to do showjumper and dressage rider articles, but I'm struggling to find ideas that differ enough from eventing and showing, since the disciplines have a lot of similarities... :P I'll keep thinking on it, though. :) In the mean time, how about some likes, guys? XD
So glad you guys all enjoyed it! :D I want to do showjumper and dressage rider articles, but I'm struggling to find ideas that differ enough from eventing and showing, since the disciplines have a lot of similarities... :P I'll keep thinking on it, though. :) In the mean time, how about some likes, guys? XD
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Jan 29, 2012
• 6,734 views
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Folie A Deux
Or when you're on a motorbike, you put your heels down, cluck, and hang on to the person's shirt that's in front of you like reins. xD
Or when you're on a motorbike, you put your heels down, cluck, and hang on to the person's shirt that's in front of you like reins. xD
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Jan 29, 2012
• 6,727 views
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Sam I Am
hahaha I do #1,5,6,8,9,10,12,15,16, and 20!
hahaha I do #1,5,6,8,9,10,12,15,16, and 20!
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Jan 30, 2012
• 6,898 views
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RoyalCrownEstates
MOD
had a good laugh lol, Great reading !
had a good laugh lol, Great reading !
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Jan 30, 2012
• 6,763 views
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Diddy
LOVE this! Hahahaha
LOVE this! Hahahaha
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Feb 3, 2012
• 6,753 views
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lovehorse
Haha I LOVE this article! I will always look forward to your articles they make me laugh!
Haha I LOVE this article! I will always look forward to your articles they make me laugh!
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Feb 5, 2012
• 6,736 views
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Spaztastic
13-19 are awesome. xD
13-19 are awesome. xD
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Feb 9, 2012
• 6,763 views
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Run Free
oh and don't forget eventers rarley use their breaks .. wait do event horses have breaks ?
oh and don't forget eventers rarley use their breaks .. wait do event horses have breaks ?
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Feb 12, 2012
• 6,815 views
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Run Free
3, 9, 6, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 describe me perfectly. My Teachers always ask me ' did you and your pony do anything exciting' on Mondays and regret it when I give the story of how we spent so long trying to do this and then this happened and that happened and we ended up doing it. Heheh poor teachers, and for 11 I can't drive but I shift my weight to my inside leg on turns and leading up to jumping competitions I have been seen doing my jumping position over speed bumps
3, 9, 6, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 describe me perfectly. My Teachers always ask me ' did you and your pony do anything exciting' on Mondays and regret it when I give the story of how we spent so long trying to do this and then this happened and that happened and we ended up doing it. Heheh poor teachers, and for 11 I can't drive but I shift my weight to my inside leg on turns and leading up to jumping competitions I have been seen doing my jumping position over speed bumps
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Oct 3, 2012
• 5,255 views
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Run Free
3, 9, 6, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 describe me perfectly. My Teachers always ask me ' did you and your pony do anything exciting' on Mondays and regret it when I give the story of how we spent so long trying to do this and then this happened and that happened and we ended up doing it. Heheh poor teachers, and for 11 I can't drive but I shift my weight to my inside leg on turns and leading up to jumping competitions I have been seen doing my jumping position over speed bumps
3, 9, 6, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 describe me perfectly. My Teachers always ask me ' did you and your pony do anything exciting' on Mondays and regret it when I give the story of how we spent so long trying to do this and then this happened and that happened and we ended up doing it. Heheh poor teachers, and for 11 I can't drive but I shift my weight to my inside leg on turns and leading up to jumping competitions I have been seen doing my jumping position over speed bumps
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Oct 3, 2012
• 5,255 views
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Vaulter101
I also cluck and make kissy noises at my dog when i am running him to try to get him to go faster- just like i would do with a horse......
I also tell him WHOA
I also cluck and make kissy noises at my dog when i am running him to try to get him to go faster- just like i would do with a horse......
I also tell him WHOA
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Mar 27, 2013
• 5,155 views
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MOD