72 SIDELINES DECEMBER 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Maria Wynne
Sidelines Writer from across the
Pond
I feel very privileged to be
writing for Sidelines. It was
always the frst magazine
I picked up when I was on
the grounds at the Winter
Equestrian Festival and it helped
me enormously with translation.
Even though the British and the
Americans allegedly speak the
same language, trust me, there
is nothing further from the truth.
There
is huge scope
for misunderstanding and
misinterpretation between the
British and the Americans and
if you add a strong Irish accent
to the mix it can all go horribly
wrong. Sometimes it is quite
amusing and sometimes being
swallowed up by the earth would
be far preferable. I made many mistakes on my frst couple of
visits. Here are a few examples:
The Brits vs. The Americans?
When I heard the sentence, “Those are such cute braids,” I
would say “Where?” and look around for a small girl with long
hair and ribbons. Our braids are not on
horses. Oh no, no. We call those plaits.
If someone asked me, “Where are
the wraps?” I would say they were in
the restaurant and ask if they wanted
chicken or tuna? Ohhhh, you mean
bandages? Right…
She’s Fallen and She Can’t Get Up!
“They had a good trip.” “Oh, no? What
happened? Did they fall over?” or “Oh
really? Where did they go? Did they stay
in a Hotel or a Guesthouse?” Apparently
this is a term used to describe what we
Brits call a clear round. More confusion
resulted when I realized that the term “a
clean round” also means the same as a
clear round and not that the horse, rider
and fences were sparkling with washing
powder, cleaning products and gloss,
which was what I originally thought.
It Could Also Be A Movie or a Dance!
“The guy is a jerk.” What? Total
confusion. Brits use the phrase “Missed
their jerk” to describe a bad stride into a
fence, when the rider “misses.” It doesn’t
equate to missing and crying over a
e
European Connection
rubbish boyfriend or idiotic
acquaintance.
Where Can We Board the
Horses?
“Barns and Stalls.” This really
can confuse at the most basic
level. Generally a “barn” to a
Brit is where you store things
like hay, tractors, fencing and
agricultural tools - that kind of
thing. In the U.S. the barn is
where you keep the horses. A
“stall” to a Brit is a little stand
you fnd at a country fair or a
market. In the UK it is what we
call a stable.
Faster Than A Walk, Slower
Than A Canter
“Post to the trot!” What on
earth? There isn’t a postbox on
site and we are in the middle of
a sand school. Has this trainer
gone totally mad? Plus the poor child has no letters to post. What
kind of ridiculous pastime is this? Does she have to continue to
trot PAST the postbox as she does this or is she allowed to halt?
Oh. One short explanation later - post means to rise to the trot as
opposed to sit.
We Hate It When They Run!
“Honey, can you fetch me my hose
please?” Hmm. Why on earth does my
friend want something from the garden
shed? I thought we were going out for
dinner? A short struggle later and I
reappear with the garden hose. Maybe
the hanging baskets needed watering,
who knows? Ah, no, she meant
pantyhose. Not the garden hose. We
call them tights.
Honey, Please Don’t Nag Me!
“A Nagsman.” This is a UK term used
to describe a real old fashioned all around
horseman, someone that can handle any
type of horse from any discipline. To the
nagsman, a horse is a horse. In the very
olden days this gentleman would have
been known as an Ostler. Think back
to the days of when Black Beauty was
written by Anna Sewell and that is the
era we are talking about.
About the Writer: Maria Wynne has spent her
entire life with horses and her family background
is steeped in them. She is a proud (single) Mum of
the an adorable 4 year old son named Theodore
Denman, who is named after the 2008 Cheltenham
Gold Cup Winner.
The Wacky World of Words
Plaits vs. Braids: A photo of a horse with “plaits” and correct turn
out for the British show ring.
Photo by John Minoprio
Braids vs. Plaits: A photo of a girl with “braids”
ready for the American show ring.
Photo by Emily Allongo