Comments Heard at the Adult Rider "Out Gate"

Have you ever noticed that as an adult rider, you often hear and experience certain, well, "opinions" expressed about your riding in a manner that seems quite different than what you hear around the younger riders in our sport? Why is that? Maybe because our trainers, helpers, grooms, significant others, etc. know how to communicate in our unique adult world? Is this what makes us adult riders? Or is it something else?

Here are a few examples that I thought I'd share...they make my experience as an adult rider truly meaningful...

After show jumping at Copper Meadows one time, spoken respectfully but somewhat forcefully:
"I wonder if you would mind pulling your head out of your "a__" for a minute so that I can speak to it..."

After getting eliminated in Beginner Novice at Galway Downs in show jumping a while back:
"Wow, you can ride a stop better than anyone!"

During a recent lesson, spoken somewhat sarcastically, if I recall correctly,
"Did you even think about balancing your horse during that course?"

This next one requires picturing a rather diminutive trainer standing about 6 inches in front of my 16.2 horse. Said trainer begins yelling, (horse's ears are perked forward in surprise at loudness of small humanoid) "You f-ing horse! That was clearly a five stride line! You get the best f-ing care in the world! You get the best f-ing food a horse could get! I think you can go out there and put in five strides!! Now DO IT RIGHT!!!" (By the way, we got it right next time).

And, during a clinic last weekend, after I jumped a big table on a downhill, blew by the clinician at about 650mpm and eventually stopped - I couldn't go any further because we would have smashed into a fence:
Clinician - "When I said halt after the table, I really meant somewhere around me so that we could continue this lesson..."

Anyone have an insight or experiences of your own that you'd like to share? Post a comment or send in your own unique adult rider story!!