Special bonus item: This is kind of a lightweight post, so I'm throwing in a bonus courtesy of Cat, an Aussie blogger who authors Once upon a dressage dream. She posted this hysterical video of a "cheeky pony." It's a must-watch--start at about 4'15" if you want to get to the punchline...
I've posted occasionally on a British celeb who seems to be the Paris Hilton of the UK (she loves media attention). She has taken up dressage and has Olympic aspirations as a dressage rider. She bought a horse in the spring and I hear she recently she went to Holland and came back with Wallace, a 6 year-old black gelding (by Rubiquil x Sultan). He was purchased from top Dutch dressage rider, Laurens van Lieren.
Unfortunately, she has renamed him "Cross Dresser" and is applying her fashion sense to her horse. No helmet either. My oh my.
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... She looks like she's trying to sexypose up there. Poor horse.
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That poor horse. He looks so much happier in the first picture!
ReplyDeleteoman, poor horse.
ReplyDeleteAnd I saw that pony vid a bit ago, TOO FUNNY, poor girl lol
Slightly speechless!!!!
ReplyDeleteWas there a "Horsey-Spice"?
ReplyDeleteNice horse - I suppose she could have taken up something worse - maybe dressage will improve her!
ReplyDeleteHot pink? Somehow it doesn't work for me. But then again, I suppose when you have all the money to throw around you can "cross dress" in whatever color you want. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteHope she rides the horse well--with empathy and good hands.
Two words: Sport Bra.
ReplyDeleteReally. Trust me. When that lovely horse starts moving, she's gonna want one.
Is it just me, or does she look exactly like a barbie doll on a barbie horse? That picture just took me back to my childhoof.
ReplyDeletePoor Wallace though, he probably had no dignity left.. ;)
Well I defended her at first, but she sounds more like an idiot all the time. I saw her in an interview too. The truth is though, she'll show with a prominence that most of us could only dream of. It's a sport of money. You are either born into it, or make gobs of it.
ReplyDeleteOh My Gosh. Nothing further.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I laughed hysterically at English Rider's suggestion: Horsey-Spice?? I love it!
Poor, boy. He doesn't look too thrilled. tee hee, she planning on going to the olympics with those wraps and pad? lol
ReplyDeletePoor horse? Why....geeze bunch of haters here today!!
ReplyDeleteI hope she makes her dreams come true and can laugh in everyone's face who has made fun of her along the way.
I wouldn't call it hate :-). Speaking for myself, it's annoyance. This seems to be someone who doesn't have much respect for the sport, for horsemanship, and most of all for the lovely horse she's just acquired. Naming a horse Cross Dresser? Yes, it's her business, but I can have my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking that even if she reads this, a woman this attractive has had to ignore negative comments all her life. That would surely change your listening skills. It's kind of sad from her perspective. She can't do anything right.
ReplyDeleteyes poor horse, looking at videos of her riding... Very harsh hands, cant even post on the correct diagonal... He is her new chihuahua. She needs to ride better before her dreams come true.
ReplyDeleteThere's an American chick very much like her. I think she use to be a Playboy bunny or risque model who has the same aspirations to become an Olympian. But I can't remember her name.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures say it all to me. First one: relaxed horse stretching down into contact. Second one: tense horse with a giraffe neck. That's not hate. It's just observation. Of course, I suppose if I had my previously dorky name replaced by one that was equally as dorky, I would feel tense too.
ReplyDeleteOn a positive note, Katie is wearing proper footwear. Although there's that brown boot/black saddle issue again. I do think the hot pink is striking against his color, but I was under the impression that pink was typically reserved for use on female horses. Or wait, maybe I made up that rule. :-)
Oy.
ReplyDeleteWallace is such a lovely name. What a beautiful horse. He looks soft and relaxed and generous (at least in first photo.)
I could take the wild accessories as a once in awhile home-scrapbook-only goofy thing (in fact, Tacky Tack of the Day has JUST the bright green dressage saddle for her), but renaming him "Cross Dresser"?
I don't begrudge her the ability to easily purchase a horse of that caliber, and start working with the best trainers. I hope she succeeds. Certainly dressage (and a good trainer) will change her along the way. Discipline has a way of doing that to us.
The name change really bothers me (and I'm gay for heaven's sakes). It's not the idea of cross dressers...I think it's the implied disrespect of the horse and the sport. To go from a calling him a name, to calling him a label? And a label guaranteed to produce a ton of sensationalistic publicity?
I wouldn't much like it if he were called "Coors" either.
*sigh*
To each one their own. If she desires to ride Dressage, I wish her success. Although I too think it's disrespectful in the light of Dressage to be...well, you know... Something like naming your horse, "Cross Dresser" might start to bring all things not Dressage to mind. I've always thought Dressage was refined and riders taking part are refined horsemen who exude that in their outter appearance as well. If she truly aspires to ride in the Olympics, I think she better start getting serious with herself (in my opinion.). I think it's an achievable goal for her as long as she's as serious as she needs to be. Money will sure help you get there (sad in a way isn't it?) but come on, the hands, the seat.....it all screams lack of training, lack of seriousness. The horses are the only thing Dressage about the whole picture and they are getting smushed under her riding. I want to believe that anyone can do this even with their fashion expressions as untraditional as they may be, but it's just not making think she could pull it off with all of these photos, videos and interviews basically making herself look like she has no real desire or even self respect. She needs to get to business and do this or just stop making a joke out of this sport.
ReplyDeleteI love how you put it under 'dressage humour'. So true!
ReplyDeleteDidn't she recently get another boob job? That's going to hurt. Especially with her sit trot :)
Most riders that aspire to ride at the olympics are so dedicated that they spend hours a day training and riding - they don't run around the jungle or go abraod all the time whilst someone else puts in the hard work for you. Most olympic riders have produced their own horses from scratch and know how to bring a horse on - they don't buy a ready made ride! Katie please do us a favour and leave the serious side to the professionals that have worked heard to get where they are.
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