Total disconnect from reality-The special snowflake.

[AkaiKitsune]

So one of the places I work with is a riding stable that caters to the ridiculously rich. The kind of people who have absolutely no knowledge of how the real world works because they don't interact outside their circle as they have other people for that. As a consequence many of them don't understand concepts like quality products mean nothing if the one using them is a dumbass. Or how skills can't be gained just by buying the most expensive equipment available.

SS: I want my money back.
Me: you'll have to talk with the manager, I just train horses and sometimes riders.
SS: *stomps off in her heels*
...later...
*gets called to office and sees SS there.*

M: So SS feels she isn't getting what she paid for. Her son is taking riding lessons with you and hasn't progressed as far as he should apparently.
Me: *whips out magic tablet thingy (like having an entire till in your pocket combined with customer information and records)*
SS: what do you need that thing for? *insert bitch tone here*
Me: I need to look up your son's training details and progression.
SS: well shouldn't you know him already you've been training him for almost a year!
Me: I train on average about 15 horses a week, sometimes more. I can't even keep track of which name belongs to a horse and which to a human anymore ma'am. *looks up file*
Me: It seems he's been learning for just shy of a year. He seems to be on track and even a bit ahead of schedule though his balence is still off. Has he been working on the exercises I gave him to do at home?
SS: what do you mean he's on schedule? He's not even going very fast and you haven't even done any jumping that I can see.
Me: Of course I haven't started him on jumping yet (internal rambling: the idiot still doesn't know how to tack his own damn horse up because it's 'confusing' and bullies the stable hands into doing it for him) his balance is still too off. If I started him on jumping as he is now it would endanger him and the horse.
SS: *scoffs* that horse cost me -insert amount large enough to by a small country- *eyes bug out at the expense* he should be able to do anything.
Me: The horse perhaps but the rider still has to learn how. The horse already has all his training completely done.
SS: Are you implying that my child is stupid?!
Me: No ma'am, meerly stating that a horse has less to learn (which isn't necessarily true but... I can't exactly say that I don't have to imply anyone who saw him around horses could tell he's unsuited to the sport)
SS: Well, I need you to take your job seriously. He's going to be an Olympic athlete you know.
Me: Well that's certainly a goal to have for the future.
SS: Not THAT far away, they pick the teams early. There's all these qualifications... If he's going to be in the next Olympics then you have to step up his training...

After that the manager steps in and I'm dismissed. I think he realized the level of stupidity was beyond my capacity to handle. There's a reason I work mostly with the animals and not the humans.

Also, I'm pretty sure with 25yrs experience with riding (and being actually dedicated to it) if I'm not making the Olympics anytime soon then you're just starting out brat won't be either. No matter how fancy the horse or equipment.

[Rosco the Iroc]

Sorry, I feel your pain but when confronted with such reckless stupidity I have to laugh.

I get the same thing sometimes showing people how to shoot. Sorry but a $1200 gun and watching Hot Fuzz will not make you a super pistol shooter if after 3 hours you still refuse to hold it right.

[Dragon_Dreamer]

Another fact: CHILDREN aren't allowed to compete! Athlete minimum age, iirc, is 16.

[taxguykarl]

SS probably thinks she can buy SS Jr. a slot on the team

[AkaiKitsune]

Another fact: CHILDREN aren't allowed to compete! Athlete minimum age, iirc, is 16.

He is over the 16mark but another fun fact. When you compete at that level, it's because you started very very young, when your mind was still disconnected from the fear of possible injury. Starting at 17, no matter how good your horse, you will never reach that level. On some level your brain will always understand the risk involved and will subconsciously hold you back. This isn't a sport where those who hesitate live long. It's why it takes so long to even start jumping or competing. A split second is all it takes, a moment of weakness where your instructor says do it and your mind says if I fuck up it'll hurt. When you are sitting 10ft up on 1500lbs of muscle and one of you hesitates or makes an error you are going to meet the ground. At speed.

Sorry, I feel your pain but when confronted with such reckless stupidity I have to laugh.

I get the same thing sometimes showing people how to shoot. Sorry but a $1200 gun and watching Hot Fuzz will not make you a super pistol shooter if after 3 hours you still refuse to hold it right.

Sometimes less is more depending on what you plan to do with it. Particularly if the recoil is a bitch. My personal favourite gun is the Barettt M95 (which isn't a pistol but whatever) currently and it cost me a few internal organs but I actually know what I'm doing so going for a more expensive gun made more sense to me.

For pistols I prefer the Beretta M9 (an oldie but a goodie) or the Glock 19M (I've also heard it called M007). They might not be the most expensive guns out there (though certainly higher priced models) but they happen to be what I'm comfortable with. I grew up on a military base so military issue guns are what I'm most comfortable with. I can use others but I don't like them.

[Nunavut Pants]

When you are sitting 10ft up on 1500lbs of muscle and one of you hesitates or makes an error you are going to meet the ground. At speed.

One potential error: Get scared and grab the horse tighter with your legs.

Did you know that means "go faster" to many horses?

Combine that with a seat worse than a sack of potatoes and no balance.

Then freak out because the horse sped up. Pull on the reins. That, of course, means STOP NOW to the horse. So he did.

I didn't. Thank goodness the sand was soft.

The horse just stood there, blinking down at me on the ground, obviously saying, "What? You told me to go fast, so I went fast! Then you told me to stop, so I stopped! Why are you down there?"

[Buzzard]

In many areas, having GOOD or even excellent equipment (or animals) makes learning so much easier than with shoddy/disposable stuff. For those with the skills, getting an excellent tool/animal can make for something rather special.
Of course for both situations, there's a little thing called spending the time to learn it. S-rank gear means jack shit in the hands of a D-rank loser who refuses to train. (other than perhaps the loss/destruction of said gear)
SS jr. isn't going to be A-rank, much less S/Olympic quality. Refusal to take care of the horse himself... Nope, that's one of the basics that he should have down before he gets to mount up for serious, not just a joyride.

[greek_jester]

The horse just stood there, blinking down at me on the ground, obviously saying, "What? You told me to go fast, so I went fast! Then you told me to stop, so I stopped! Why are you down there?"

I'm sorry, but I just imagined that with a Loony Tunes soundtrack, complete with the "tink tink" blinking noise.

[Blue Ginger]

I'm sorry, but I just imagined that with a Loony Tunes soundtrack, complete with the "tink tink" blinking noise.

So glad I'm not the only one.

Nunavut Pants I needed that giggle. That is exactly what would happen if anyone was stupid enough to make me ride a horse. I'm glad you were ok after.

[Sheldonrs]

The only thing I learned from riding a horse was NEVER wear a large belt buckle with sharp edges! LOL

[earl colby pottinger]

Starting age

He is over the 16mark but another fun fact. When you compete at that level, it's because you started very very young.

The first thing that crossed my mind when I read her future plans for her son is people at that level have lots or natural talent and/or start very young. I would not surprised if they could not remember a time they were not riding a pony/horse because they started so young.

Sometimes less is more depending on what you plan to do with it.

To me it is computers, but time and time again I see someone with a machine more expansive than I could ever afford, yet because of a lack of knowledge they can not do what I can do on a machine 1/4 the costs.

[dalesys]

... a large belt buckle with sharp edges! LOL

Ye Olde Cowboye Belte.
Name carved in the back so that if something pulls your head out you'll know who you are, and and a big fancy buckle as a memorial to poor dead Peter.

[Nunavut Pants]

I'm sorry, but I just imagined that with a Loony Tunes soundtrack, complete with the "tink tink" blinking noise.

No need to be sorry. That was exactly the effect I was going for!

[Dreamstalker]

One potential error: Get scared and grab the horse tighter with your legs.

Did you know that means "go faster" to many horses?

When I was competing in the regional Special Olympics decades ago, the horse I was given for the actual event was a fairly recently retired racehorse.

So we're trotting around the ring in jockey position. My heel slips and taps him so softly that I didn't realize it and a different horse would ignore it...luckily I had cantered before and knew in two strides what was going on so I was able to recover without falling or causing any major incidents (with 6 horses in the ring that could have gone bad fast).

[MoonCat]

What, like in the NEXT summer Olympics? That's in less than two years?

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! She thinks he'll be ready by then, starting at roughly age 16 and training for a total of maybe three years? She's delusional. Just goes to show, money can't buy brains.