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Post by kunuma on Aug 4, 2010 21:07:05 GMT 1
and what on earth is in that joint injection they all had???
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Post by kunuma on Aug 5, 2010 16:46:13 GMT 1
As much as I love a traditional pony story (and I do, I've got shelves of them to prove it, too!), the reality is that nobody, no matter how pony mad, should have NOTHING but ponies in their lives or in their minds. Can you even imagine what such a person would grow up to be like? Someone who read nothing but pony books, cared nothing for music or science or history or the world around them, had no interest in any friends (romantic or otherwise) outside of the horse world. You'd run a mile to avoid them, even if you yourself loved horses. It's simply not NATURAL. It's not?? Oh well, never thought I was natural any way! ;D
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Post by susanb on Aug 6, 2010 0:40:20 GMT 1
LOL....you're giving me entirely too much credit when it comes to competition knowledge!
Here's what I do know about the Maclays and the USETs: they for hunter seat equitation, and as such are judged on the rider, not the horse (which is why a rider who qualifies for the final on one horse can actually ride a different horse in the final).
They're looking at just about all the things you'd think they'd look at, proper position, keeping a good hunting pace over the fences (i.e. it's not a steeplechase, but neither should your horse look like every step may be his last), riding a good line (i.e. slicing fences when you're in a timed jump-off in a grande prix class is jolly, but this isn't the time or place for that...a nice direct line to the center of the fence, giving your mount all the help possible in jumping safely). As far as I know, they also want to see work on the flat at a walk, trot and canter, looking for smooth transitions, again the correct pace (the rider had better know the difference between a canter and a gallop, and be able to produce that gait on demand!), a lead change, a halt and probably backing.
I think the thing they'd be most close to in the UK would be a Foxhunters class....
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Post by susanb on Aug 6, 2010 0:42:14 GMT 1
Silly kunuma, we all know you're not a horsey bore.....what about all that Twilight you've been reading, don't tell me you found any ponies there! ;D ;D
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Post by susanb on Aug 6, 2010 0:49:23 GMT 1
Wow!! It sounds like schools here are much more strict.....I remember one teacher in particular (Junior High, so I would have been 11 or 12) reminding us all that helping someone else with answers was considered cheating and would be dealt with JUST AS SEVERELY as if you'd obtained answers for yourself. That would mean an automatic failure on the test, possibly the whole course, certainly detention, possible suspension. Since I went to a public (that is to say, the government funded school), they wouldn't actually expell you for it, but if you went to a good private school, you'd be pitched out pretty quickly.
The teacher not changing his tests from year to year is bad though...I never had one do that that I know of...someone that lazy should be fired......
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Post by Claire on Aug 6, 2010 11:17:13 GMT 1
I think your schools must be stricter susan. I got up to all sorts of jiggery pokery in mine and that was years ago, and they are much softer on the kids nowadays! I'm probably not the best person to be judging it tho, as I did cheat on a maths exam by having the formulas written down in my trig tables book. Thanks for the info about the comps. No, we dont have many classes like that here. It was interesting the way they took the top 4 and tested them again, it must be very nerve-wracking to ride in those sort of comps. Do other folks who read the book think the author was pro/against/had mixed feelings about kids taking part in these ultra competitive events? Re. the joint injections, they inject lubrication direct into the joints or sometimes steroids, I think its pretty widespread amongst performance circles. I must admit I am a bit ambivalent to these sorts of processes (along with loads of similar stuff that goes on in racing) as it begs the question are we pushing them too hard if they need all these things just to continue eventing/jumping/racing or whatever. But thats a whole different topic!
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Post by haffyfan on Aug 6, 2010 12:56:23 GMT 1
Have forgotten a lot of what I was going to say whilst reading now but I too thought how prim she was over the cheating thing, as Susan says guess our schools must be very different. I was also a bit sceptical about the whole 17 and never been kissed thing but I did like the whole Colby romance thing, I had wondered if it was there as something katie couldn't have. Basically money could buy her pretty much everything she wanted, the two exceptions being actually being a good enough rider to win and of course Colby.
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Post by Claire on Aug 6, 2010 16:17:52 GMT 1
I thought Katie's character was interesting, perhaps more so than Francie's. It was nice to see a rich kid who wasn't a stuck up bitch winning everything. I think Francie had less crap to put up with in her life than Katie, despite being much poorer and working as a groom. Katie's father was horrific and she was obviously starved for affection and she must have felt terrible knowing she was a much worse rider than the others and only there cos of daddy's money. (Still cant get over the fact it cost 6 figures to lease Stretch!)
BTW folks don't forget to vote in the poll if you havent already done so.
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Post by darkhorse on Aug 6, 2010 20:44:53 GMT 1
I am a bit behind as the book took a long while to arrive. I will join in when I have finished it.
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