Working at stables?

Question

I'm a guy who works at a stables looking after the horses which I like but guys seem to think I'm g*y because I like horses is this wide spread or just the c**p hole I live?

Answer 1

Do you really care what other people think? You have found a job you like ( which in the long run you will find most people "hate" theirs, and a job consumes most of your life... so who comes out ahead?), if you apply yourself you will find a lot of doors can open for you in the future. You can become just about anything you want if you get the basics out of this job.

You don't really say...is this a public stable or a racing stable? If you are in a racing stable, go into it with an open mind and learn everything you can!

Answer 2

I say just the c**p hole you live.  Perhaps they are jealous because they don't have what it takes to work with horses.  Just ignore them.

Answer 3

Ignore the  idiots, I`m 6ft 4" & love horses & any other animal for that matter..I`d like to see these tossers try & call me g*y,I`d flatten them in 2 seconds flat.

Answer 4

Unfortunately for you, yes, this type of thinking IS widespread in certain parts of the horse and equestrian industry, such as in the sports one sees in the Olympic Games and other competitions like it, such as the WEG. The reason for this is because at least in the Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing, and show jumping, almost 95 percent of the men who go into such sports as competitors are usually either g*y or bisexual, at least here in the United States. The total number of "straight", or heterosexual men who pursue such sports competitively is less than 5 percent. The situation in Europe and Asia is different, largely because of a difference in the way sexual preferences are viewed in that part of the world.

I was a horse professional myself for more than 20 years before I switched to medical coding eight years ago, and I worked mainly on the management side of the 3 disciplines I mentioned, with most of my work being in the dressage part of the business. In the dressage world, male competitors, owners, and trainers who are g*y are an everyday fact of life, no matter where you go in this country. Some of these people are well known either nationally or internationally, such as Robert Dover and Christopher Hickey, who are both openly g*y athletes. In the sport of show jumping, the list of g*y male competitors reads like a who's who list. The sport of eventing is also a place where one finds male athletes who are either known to be or are suspected of being g*y.

Part of the reason that guys who go into the horse business or pursue English style horse sports ( including the Olympic disciplines, as well as other English-style sports like polo, field hunting, show hunters, riding in point to point races, steeplechasing, and the like) are thought of as g*y may be due to the clothing which they must wear and the some of the traditions and customs which those who participate in such sports are expected to uphold and adhere to.This includes things like wearing breeches and tall boots, which many male riders refuse to do unless they are competing. The prevailing belief in some circles is that breeches make a man look as if he's g*y- regardless of whether or not this is actually true, and this upsets a lot of guys and keeps them away from the sports. This may also be the reason why these guys you know are teasing you and calling you g*y- they may have the mistaken idea that you are g*y because of what you may have to wear. Then there are the other traditions which are common in horse sports, such as wearing of formal coats, for example, which is something all riders in any of the disciplines must do, regardless of gender. These coats can look a lot like a tuxedo in many cases- and I don't know many men who like the idea of wearing a tuxedo or tails in order to ride a horse in front of a judge.  Again, the perception out there is that this makes a man look g*y, even if he's not, and people don't like this much.

All of this has led to what has become a major problem within the Olympic horse sports, and among horse sports in general outside of racing. ( I exclude racing from this for the moment, because the racing industry is still a male dominated and male controlled industry, and it probably always will be- and the dynamics there are totally different from those in the sport horse side of the business.) As a result of these erroneous perceptions, the gender balance in all the Olympic disciplines has now been thrown off- indeed, things have gotten to the point where there are now 10 women competitiors for every 1 man in any of the sports. This is a sad situation, especially when one considers that ALL of the Olympic horse sports were invented by MEN originally- they all evolved out of the different sports which were enjoyed in the military, by military officers and their mounts. Even sports such as polo and field hunting were largely men's sports, and this was true for many centuries. It's only been in the last 50 or so years that this has changed so drastically, as public perceptions about the sports have been altered by changes in the way society views them, and working with animals in general.

As our society has become more mobile and dependent on technology, the perception that working with animals for a living somehow makes one a less valuable person has grown considerably. I think as well that you, the asker, may very well be a victim of this kind of thinking. I know what it's like, because I endured years of it myself during my long years as a horse professional. It's not fun to have people in the corporate or business world look down on you and shun you because you have worked professionally with horses for most of your life. When you add in the fact that a lot of people nowadays never have the experience of living with or working around any kind of animal, then it muddies the waters even more, because these people, who are often leaders in other industries and businesses, often feel that because someone like you or like me has worked with horses all their life, then that's all they are capable of, and they shouldn't be treated as though they were capable of doing anything else, or smart enough to do anything else. It's discrimination based on career choice, and it's just as bad in its own way as homophobia, racism, gender discrimmination, or the racial profiling that the FBI and police sometimes are guilty of. In part because of this, most boys and young men I have ever known or had contact with are being discouraged from entering or attempting to enter the horse business or work with horses for a living- it's perceived as a job for sissies, g**s, etc, without regard to the fact that working with horses takes a tremendous amount of compassion, common sense, leadership, physical strength, and empathy. You are by no means alone in hating the critcism being leveled at you- I felt that way myself for a long time.

A final thought before I end: I know friom personal experience that the horse business desperately needs more guys like you who are willing to work in it. You may have to put up with a lot of critcism, and take a lot of c**p from people who should know better, but ultimately, people like you are the way of the future, and that industry is going to dependent on people like you if it is to survive in the coming decades.

Answer 5

Are the worlds leading equestrianists g*y I don`t think so jumping a severn foot fence takes some courage. the people saying this are probably jealeous becaus ethey don`t have an hobby or interest in anything at all.

Answer 6

ehhh I think its wide spread... But ya know what if you are indeed not, turn around and tell them..."man, have you seen a cowgirls butt framed in her chaps?" "then you'll know why I work at a barn, sure I love the horses....." LOL

But really who give a c**p what others think. As long as you are enjoying what you are doing..