Lamentation and ranting

[diaryofarider]

So I was delighted to discover an unread issue of Dressage Today that was buried under all the other crap beside my bed (books, catalogs, and other issues of Dressage Today) since I had some time to read and wanted something new RIGHTNOW.
I like reading personal stories (basically I view them as blog precursors, but more concise and well-written) and there was an article about some woman earning her gold medal (usdf) despite various setbacks. I like an underdog/all-in-the-same-boat story as much as anyone, so I read it.
This woman seems pretty clueless, and starts out as green horse green rider and after a year or so says "Not working." So she buys an 18 year old Grand Prix Schoolmaster and finds that she can't really ride him either. So then she buys another horse (Lower level schoolmaster) and is trying to sell the Grand Prix schoolmaster. She shows the lower level horse to like 2nd, and earns her bronze medal. Then she breaks her leg and the lower level schoolmaster goes lame. So she goes off to Germany for 2 months, and puts the GPS (hee, tired of typing out grand prix schoolmaster) in training with Liz Austin. She comes back, starts riding the GPS, and in 2010 shows 4th, then PSG, I-1, and then Grand Prix, earning her silver and gold medals by getting qualifying scores on every test she shows.

So in like 4 years this woman goes from training to Grand Prix. Her husband wrote the article and is like "she finally achieved her lifelong dream."

And I am like oh "F--- You, lady."

It's totally sour grapes, and yes I'm a jerk. I even dislike her because she didn't take her husband's name, and I'm making a snap judgement that she's uppity and priviledged and undeserving. I know that sort of thing happens pretty regularly, and I'm generally at peace with it. But for some reason reading about it in black and white did piss me off. :)

Comments

[skyhuntress.livejournal.com]

Hard not to be bitter, isn't it?
Fact of the matter is that horses requires money, and its the rare bird that is able to suceed and compete with out. Those that have money have the ability to invest in quality horseflesh, training, and lessons....if you're horse is in full training, and you can lesson 3+ a week, how can you NOT be better quicker than the rider who can lesson once a week, and can't afford training for the horse?

Those of us who don't have money, take years to get to the same place. And yes, I do get bitter every now and then. I tell myself that it's a learning process, and I should be proud... but its bloody hard watching a rider that just started two years ago be at 4th level, because she had the funds to buy a PSG horse...While I've been riding 12 years, and am now starting 2nd level...

[halfpass-19.livejournal.com]

It's the rich lady's version of "doing it the hard way"

[diaryofarider.livejournal.com]

ROTFLMAO...

[skitty-kitty.livejournal.com]

Yup. I remember that article, too, I hated it as well. ;D I was like, this is everything you shouldn't do, done by a lady who doesn't know any better and has so much money she can get away with it.

[dancing-crow.livejournal.com]

yeah, that.

the sudden conversion to Interest in Dressage and Life Long Goal which feels like she had it for a couple months before she started to go spend money on it. One wonders, in a snarky way, what her previous life long goal was?

[megfuzzle.livejournal.com]

I still feel sour grapes sometimes... but then again, if I had the means, I suppose I would do the same, so I try not to hold it against them. It's not so much the GPS thing (I worked my BUTT off to buy a horse/schoolmaster capable of going PSG at least) but that she gave up and then 'went to germany, spent a ton o cashola, and came back and won the game' instead of slogging through it and doing it the 'hard way'.

[dancing-crow.livejournal.com]

yeah that one got to me too.

So instead I ignore them, and ride my own test: still working hard at my own issues, still trying (really hard) to get better on horses that are available to me.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

Yep. I didn't see this article, but I've had bouts of getting down about similar stories elsewhere. Thing is, at the end of the day, the only trajectory I can control is my own, and when I take a good long look at the set of pros and cons in my life versus in the lives of other people...even if I _could_ trade, I would not choose to. So here's to keepin' on with the keepin' on.