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Finland’s Hobbyhorse Girls

nytimes.com

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Re: Finland’s Hobbyhorse Girls

#131

Post by crooked-v »

distances wrote: post #62
szemet wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are analogies for keeping similar illusion alive, like: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_wrestling "The matches have predetermined outcomes[11] to heighten entertainment value[12] and all combative maneuvers are executed with the full cooperation of those involved...These facts were once kept highly secret but are now a widely accepted open secret. To promote and sustain the willing suspension of disb…

Indeed, hobby horsing seems to have judges and scoring so in that sense it definitely feels much more serious a sport than show wrestling is. Gymnastics vs. a theater play might be a close analogy.

My go-to comparison for pro wrestling is stunt performers, since most of stage wrestling is stunt performing wrapped in the aesthetic of a fight. It may not be a "real" competition, but it's certainly a skilled and physically strenuous performance.

Re: Finland’s Hobbyhorse Girls

#132

Post by watwut »

pjc50 wrote: post #40

So as an occasional (male) rider of real horses, there's something I've always wondered about: how did the recreation become so gendered? Up until about the middle of the 20th century there was still utilitarian and military horse riding. Men would learn to ride. Now it seems to be culturally associated almost entirely with young upper-middle-class girls or middle-aged women. Is this the result of toy marketing (My L…

May have to do with animals in general and horses in particular being basically exclusively girl toys any time after very small age. Animals themed things are significantly less likely to be gifted to little boys. It is not as gendered as cars and boy liking animals is not "shameful", but still treated in pretty gendered way anyway.

The result of mostly girls hobby riding might just naturally follow from that.

Re: Finland’s Hobbyhorse Girls

#133

Post by watwut »

wemdyjreichert wrote: post #69
lmm wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I know martial artists who can break a dozen cinder bricks with an elbow; that's a serious pursuit. I'd say there is a serious difference between that and riding a toy stick. What difference would that be? Real-world application? No-one hires martial artists for demolition work. They're both recreational activities. Doing them well is difficult enough that your ability can be (and is) assessed competitively. Seems…

Self-defense. Know two other guys who have possibly had their lives (or at any rate, probably hospital visits) saved in street fights and muggings. There are also countless juniors who have been able to fend off bullies. It's also exercise, which has extensive and proven benefits. It also has huge benefits in terms of bone strength and density. So yes, I would say real-world application. Is it recreational in some wa…

Self-defense and breaking those bricks are completely unrelated.

Also, where the hell you live that there are so many muggins, street and bully fights? All the while countless bullies are easy to fend off by junior trainees while the trainees themselves don't become bullies or something?

Cause as someone who done martial arts, it takes more of pure aggression to win against bully (or successfully bully someone) or in street fight rather then technique on junior level. And also that people training martial arts are no less likely to bully others then general population.

Moreover, majority of what is done and taught in martial arts lessons is not for self defense. A lot of it would land you in jail (cause it is about literally killing people), a lot of it is pure sport with little street fight application and a lot of if king of like gymnastics with no fight application at all.

Re: Finland’s Hobbyhorse Girls

#134

Post by jbottoms »

dmlorenzetti wrote: post #67
ip26 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Speaking as a bystander, there appears to be an inherent, magnetic attraction for some young girls. It's not exactly recent. Black Beauty well predates MLP.

Not saying your main point is wrong, but Black Beauty wasn't written to appeal to young girls. It is an urgent call to treat horses better, and has been called "the most influential anticruelty novel of all time." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Beauty

And "King of the Wind".

Re: Finland’s Hobbyhorse Girls

#135

Post by wemdyjreichert »

watwut wrote: post #133
wemdyjreichert wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Self-defense. Know two other guys who have possibly had their lives (or at any rate, probably hospital visits) saved in street fights and muggings. There are also countless juniors who have been able to fend off bullies. It's also exercise, which has extensive and proven benefits. It also has huge benefits in terms of bone strength and density. So yes, I would say real-world application. Is it recreational in some wa…

Self-defense and breaking those bricks are completely unrelated. Also, where the hell you live that there are so many muggins, street and bully fights? All the while countless bullies are easy to fend off by junior trainees while the trainees themselves don't become bullies or something? Cause as someone who done martial arts, it takes more of pure aggression to win against bully (or successfully bully someone) or in…

They are part of the same thing.

There are not "so many" muggings/fights/etc., but I do know several people who have encountered them. That's not so many; don't you? With respect to bullies, there is tons of bullying in every school. Any one who tells you otherwise is lying to himself.

Re: Finland’s Hobbyhorse Girls

#136

Post by newnewpdro »

This article makes me feel so old; enough time has passed for hobby horse riding to grow into some kind of competitive sport.

At least it's better than parents turning their adolescent daughters into sexualized dolls on the children's beauty pageant circuit.

Re: Finland’s Hobbyhorse Girls

#138

Post by falcolas »

pge wrote: post #125
falcolas wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the northwest US, there's a good split between men and women riding horses, the primary difference seems to be the competitions. Men seem to focus on events where the goal is on the rider's other abilities, such as roping, while women seem to focus on events that focus on riding skills, such as barrel racing and jumping. There's also very few younger men who do dressage style events. Of course, we still have an ac…

Aren't the events themselves divided by gender? (i.e. what your are describing is a result of the way competitions are structured, not a symptom of preference) I don't live in a horse area but have family that ride high school rodeo out west, and I thought rodeo events were divided by gender so that women do barrel racing, and men do roping (for example).

The categories feel less explicitly gendered than "historically" gendered. I've seen many female ropers over the years, though they are definitely outnumbered by men. Of course, most of those competitions were at the extra-cirricular level.

Re: Finland’s Hobbyhorse Girls

#139

Post by neetodavid »

munificent wrote: post #106
johtso wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This discussion reminded me of a video I saw a while back. It's a song that gives a moving glimpse into the male dominated urban horse culture in Dublin, Ireland. It's amazing to see shots of teenage boys racing their horses through city streets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19A53SyAUak

This reminds of the feeling when I discovered some urban areas have subcultures of mostly black people riding dirt bikes and four-wheelers around cities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D34OOYXF10 Such a remarkable juxtaposition of people, vehicles, and setting, like watching a schooner drift through a grocery store.

Felt a bit let down this wasn't a link to the Ruff Ryders' Anthem

for posterity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThlhSnRk21E

Re: Finland’s Hobbyhorse Girls

#140

Post by btilly »

pjc50 wrote: post #40

So as an occasional (male) rider of real horses, there's something I've always wondered about: how did the recreation become so gendered? Up until about the middle of the 20th century there was still utilitarian and military horse riding. Men would learn to ride. Now it seems to be culturally associated almost entirely with young upper-middle-class girls or middle-aged women. Is this the result of toy marketing (My L…

Here is what I once said jokingly to a woman who liked to ride, and to my surprise she agreed with it.

Large hairy beast who does what you ask and wants to make you happy. Horses resemble your taste in men.

I wouldn't want to guess for how many that is a factor. But the number is not zero.

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