For each pint-sized jockey you see in the show ring there will probably be a proud parent standing at the side of the ring watching. But which one of these horsey parents are you?
1. The home-produced parent
Quite possibly the most stressed-out person on the show field, but they have certainly mastered the art of multi-tasking. They take on several roles in one go, including driver, groom, trainer, chef anf chief pony handler. They have made numerous sacrifices to be at today’s show. The home-produced parent fits 26 hours’ worth of jobs into just 24, and probably does everything on as tight a budget as possible. This person is also known as Wonder Woman/Superman.
2. The non-horsey parent
This individual is attempting to be a supportive parent, despite secretly wishing their child had taken up a more potentially lucrative sport like football, where the outgoings are also less. Can be spotted a mile off owing to non-horsey attire and inappropriate footwear (Just to say, flip-flops should not be seen near hooves if you want to keep your pinkies attached). Will either be engrossed in their smartphone or staring blankly in space once the battery has died. They don’t understand why their child hasn’t won, and to them all the ponies “look exactly the same”, so they are left scratching their head at the judge’s decision.
3. The social media savvy parent
This parent has big plans for their budding young equestrian. Their child has multiple social media accounts run by their “momager”, who believes that a strong online presence combined with maximum Facebook reach is as important as those red rosettes. Their child has more sponsors than some of the pros on the circuit and every part of show day is blogged, vlogged and hashtagged.
4. The producer parent
Their life has revolved around showing for years and their children definitely bleed the same blood. This parent has won all there is to win in the show ring and their child — who is already a better rider than most adults — has also been destined for the top since they could fit into jodhpur boots. This parent is super-chilled on the surface, but their professional status means the pressure is on their progeny to win big.
5. The pushy parent
Their child has been wanting to stop riding and take up dance for the past three show seasons. But as their pony cost nearly as much as their family’s house, this is not an option. This parent has big ambitions for a HOYS centre line moment in the near future, but as they can’t ride themselves, this dream is being lived out though their child’s show ring career. There aren’t many weekends off for this family and they won’t stop until they have every championship sash on their wall.
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