Posting not welcomed.
“Yes, Babe, you aced the audition. That hats sits right well on you. I’ll get you into commercials – real ones. Not YouTube.” (Screenshot. Urban Cowboy film.)
Disclaimer:
- If you don’t ride
lawn ornamentshorses, this may run right past you - If you have never known a world without social media and Facebook, this may be a complete puzzlement.
In a current “Go your own way” Verizon data plan commercial, they show various cute people doing cute things like: cool, rugged guy hefting a mountain bike on top of a rough, rocky trail, a social media influencer girl going viral trimming bonsais trees, and an urban cowgirl all dressed up in a dude ranch Rhinestone Cowboy special (a “More hat than cattle” sort) riding down a downtown city street.
Each of them waving cell phones and taking selfies. Fun!
Such pretty adventurers.
Only…
The teen riding the horse is clearly posting. And I don’t mean on the cell phone.
Posting.
In Western dress.
In a Western saddle.
Only way she managed to hold the reins correctly with one hand was that the other hand was busy taking selfies.
While rhythmically, English riding form proper, posting up and down.
Horsemen know this is a no-no.
You post when riding English.
You don’t post when riding Western.
And never the twain shall never meet. (Except for saddle soap)
English. (Alex brollo/Commons.wikimedia.org)
Western.(Saddleonline.com/Sam Smith/Commons.wikimedia.org)
Seat and saddles are different.
English saddles feature shorter stirrup lengths with legs folded up. Crane-like. Great for jumping.
Western saddles have a horn used as a stop when roping (not for hanging onto) and the stirrup lengths are long so legs stretch out for comfort on a long day’s ride.
Note to Marketing: saddle up next time with a few details – no matter the scenario.
Oh, I know. The theme was “Go your own way”.
Credibility – though your target audience may be what’s reining here.
Reel cowgirl. “What? It’s bubble tea.”(Pam. Urban Cowboy screenshot/tumbir)
All I can say is your pretty rider may part ways with her pony riding like that….looking at cell phone instead of horse’s ears and watching the road ahead: Posting the image and missing the ride…and what’s about to happen.
As charming and noble as horses are in fiction and movies, real life? Totally unpredictable.
All it take is one blowing paper cup, a fluttering gum wrapper – even a small pebble on the road they have seen and passed without ceremony for weeks – ANYTHING – that looks suddenly weird to them and it’s off to the races and hang on, Sissy.
Not the brightest creatures. They blame it on their eyes being so far apart and on opposite sides of that long nose. Ask them. Everyone rationalizes things these days.
“Quick Hon. We need to git before they catch on that the mustang you were bragging about is a Ford.”(Travolta and Winger in Urban Cowboy screenshot )
So, in closing. pay attention and try to get along…with little doggies or not.
- Always polite to say the names of streets and places as the locals do (after all, ones that live there are the “experts” and you’re just the visitor/newcomer.)
- Don’t go around after moving to a new place saying, “Back home we did it this way.” (Nobody cares and if it was so great, why did you leave?)
- Saddle up with the old rule: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” That includes riding horses. (And people will smile at you because they like you, instead of smiling to cover up what they really think of you.)
The dusty guy hefting the bike was probably only doing so because of the blown tire from racing along the rocky path as directed.
He, no doubt, could have told Marketing if they had asked.
A place for everything and everything filmed correctly in time and place
Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge.
(If you’re curious about actual Rodeo Houston fashions from 1940-2013, click here. Shiver: Double knit polyester leisure suits…)
Cowgirls can be purdy and ride proper. (Norco Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team in a parade. /Prayito/Commons.wikimedia.org)
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19 Comments
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Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge 
we agree be a roman when in rome … and don’t take selfies or you end in roman circus ;O)
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One of my favorite extreme selfie incident stories was when some guy wanted to be part of the Tour de France and jumped into the middle of the road course with his back facing the bicyclists rounding a curve….and he almost became one with the road.
Put down the phone and be there. Thanks for adding a lion quality comment.
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So many times, in movies, ads, and even the news, I see things that because of actual experience I know can’t be anything but posed.
Even after all these years, people prefer the imagined reality to reality itself.
. . . no surprise, really . . . it’s how some marriages last and politicians remain in office.
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Movies and Ads used to be an acknowledged nod to fantasy. The invent of social media seems to have blinded many and made them unable to distinguish between real life and reel/staged “live”. Jarring when encountering reality…perhaps the reason for so much restlessness and unrest…and political directors…or was that dictators. Screens make it all so confusing….eye doctors and others see the damage and diminishing vision. Thanks for saddling up a comment
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…posting while riding Western. How about jumping (ok, trying to) while riding bareback? Thank goodness we didn’t have the pressure for selfies back then!! My mare stuck around for me — sure she was laughing hysterically on the inside! Miss riding any style now. At the Park, many bike riders come through the gates. Most dressed in the typical competition-style bike gear with helmets and riding up over Trail Ridge their goal. But occasionally we get e-bikes with competition-dressed riders, too. Leaving it to your imagination for any (lack of) mental comparisons there! Rodeo parades– now those were fun times!!
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Nooo – biking shorts image…Nooo. Once we were in one of those ancient cabins just inside Estes Park during one of those massive Spring bike races to the top. It was chilly and drizzling but we sat wrapped up on the front porch cheering them on. Great Cabins – I think they were sold and gone now?
Does having them remove the stirrups from the saddle to teach you to grip going over a jump (a little one HAHA) count? Growing up we preferred to ride bareback to keep from having to saddle soap/clean the saddle when done…ok except in hot weather bare legs on hot sweaty horse was really itchy/stinging and you’d end up with a red rash.
People deal with a lot when having fun.
Thanks for steering a comment his way
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Not much chance of me taking a selfie on a horse. The last time I rode one I was five-years old and it was walking in a circle hitched to a post at the El Dorado County Fair. It probably would have been safe to take a selfie, however, except phones were heavy things attached to cords and didn’t take photos. –Curt
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Everyone used to love those little pony rides. Probably too tame for kids now…and the kids may be tired of having to pose so much for cell phone camera pictures. Put the camera down and be there. Geesch. Thanks for trotting in with a comment. (Hope things are cooler and less smoky where you are. What a year)
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I remember our grandkids visiting a few years ago when they were younger. We took them to the fair. No pony rides but there were camel rides that they were happy to enjoy! Peggy, too! 🙂
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“Back home we did it this way.” Yep, so you did. Can’t argue with you there. I do tire of hearing people say that phrase. Am I supposed to commiserate or are you starting an argument? I never know which it is.
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I never know either. One Deep South friend used to hear that and say syrupy with a big Southern drawl “I’m sure you did, Sugah.” And smile. It’s difficult not to laugh. As long as it gets done ( and I don’t have to do it all, whatever…) Thanks for chipping in with a comment
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Speaking of Urban Cowboy, I heard on the Michael Berry show today that Pasadena finally has decided to rename something (a street, I think) for Mickey Gilley. It’s about time!
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We need more rhinestones…
Did you catch that Zillow “research” had decided Pasadena ranks 5th in nation as “best affordable communities with big city vibe”. Gosh darn. Data collection and analysis (without ever having been there) is a marvel. People keep asking, couldn’t they get an actual picture of Pasadena?
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2020/10/09/this-houston-area-suburb-ranks-fifth-in-the-nation-on-list-of-best-affordable-communities-with-big-city-vibe/
So 2020…somebody’s vision anyway. But hey, maybe now they will actually rebuild Gilley’s.
Thanks for scooting that info this way!
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As an artist, I tell my students to “know your subject.” In other words do research if you are not familiar. Don’t paint a sailboat unless you are familiar with rigging. Don’t paint a wild animal unless you know its natural habitat. and so on. Someone will eventually catch you on your mistake.
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You’re right. Details matter
Equally amusing is the recent commercial for very nice desk chairs – since so many working out of home offices now. It was a home with dogs and kids, the company shows couple trying out chairs getting comfortable with the closing scene as they pass through the kitchen into their 2 desks I the home office…only they are both in office attire – the wife in very very high red heels…As husband said “It would have been more realistic if she’d had on fuzzy slippers and he had on shorts and flip-flops.”
Thanks for joining the comment detail
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As a young a adult I had a horse for several years. Yikes! 18 hands high. Unpredictable yep. Very kind to me but not necessarily to others although one time he stole a carrot out of my back pocket. I lost my balance and fell in his poop pile. Yep they do laugh at us. I once road a smaller mare who loved to ride just under tree branches so the rider would get all ripped up. I always thought if I was a horse, I’d be just like her. Not paying attention while on a horse is just stupid.
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They didn’t come up with the phrase “horse laugh” without a cause! Big horses always seem to be very kind and cautious – even around small kids. Ponies – especially Shetland ponies often seem to be more ornery…maybe they feel short or something. A friend of mine had a beautiful one…that would either try to knock you off with at tree branch or charge into the cattle tank for a swim hoping you’d depart. Important to pay attention – every second! Thanks for trotting a comment over
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That’s true about big horses except for that time I ended up in the poop.
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You got a big horse laugh….
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