Curve model Remi Bader has revealed how a New York-based ranch wouldn’t let her ride one of their horses because of her weight.
Bader was in Montauk, New York, for a trip organised by Hampton Water Wine, when she was told that she couldn’t ride a horse over the weekend.
In a video posted to her TikTok account, where she has over 2 million followers, Bader shared footage of a ranch, as the text over it reads: “Shoutout to Deep Hollow Ranch in montauk for making me leave because I weigh over 240.”
“I’ve rode horses before and have never had this issue,” she wrote in the caption. “Please advertise this on your signs for the future.”
She emphasised, in the comments, how the ranch had failed to “advertise” their weight restriction and how “embarrassing” her experience there was.
“I don’t really need any opinions on this one,” she wrote. “It’s the fact of how it wasn’t advertised and how poorly it was handled. This was my experience not yours. It was very embarrassing to be told I need to leave alone, when everyone else got to stay lol.”
As of 14 June, Bader’s video has more than 1.6m views, with TikTok users in the comments agreeing that the ranch should have made their rules a bit clearer.
“They should definitely advertise this on their website,” another wrote. “I’m so sorry this happened to you!”
“It’s very clear Remi understands why she wasn’t allowed to go on but it could have been handled differently by the staff/business.”
Some viewers claimed that there was a double standard and that men, who weigh above 240, aren’t prevented from riding horses.
“So, hold up, do they do this to me too?? My husband is 6’4...weighing 280...he’s never been turned down!!!!,” one wrote.
“It’s always us women in bigger bodies who have this problem,” another wrote. “Never the big tall dudes, eh?”
In a follow up video posted on Saturday, Bader dueted a since-deleted clip that was posted by a man named Brody, who works at the ranch.
He could be seen riding a horse, in response to one of Bader’s comments, and insulting the influencer, as he said: “When you’re not a fat b****, you can ride at Deep Hollow ranch.”
Regarding Brody’s video, Bader wrote: “Imagine this being deep hollow ranch’s response to your experience.”
On their official Facebook page, Deep Hollow Ranch, issued an apology for Brody’s clip, saying that it “in no way represents” the company’s owners or their views. However, the post didn’t specifically respond to Bader.
“It has come to our attention that a TikTok video was posted regarding the ranch and a teenage employee posted a response that in no way represents nor is aligned with the views that the owners of the ranch hold,” the post reads. “We would like to apologise to anyone who this offended and we do not condone or agree with any part of that employee’s video.”
In a blog posted by Deep Hollow Ranch, there is a guide regarding how much weight a horse can carry. The information states that “a rider should be not more than 15 per cent of the horses’ weight”. The guide also includes a section dedicated to the “Best Horse Breeds for Plus-Sized Riders”.
On Sunday, Bader shared a post to her Instagram Story, via NBC News, addressing how she’d never want to hurt a horse or a small business. However, the way in which she was treated by the ranch’s employees is what encouraged her to speak up.
“I posted for a reason and that’s not because of me being denied to ride the horses. I get it, some places have weight requirements and I’d never want to hurt the horses, but it was the way I was spoken [to] and laughed at by the owner and the way I was treated overall,” she wrote.
She also acknowledged that Brody, who is also the ranch owner’s son, had used TikTok to make “[it]very clear that they did not want [her] there because of my weight and that’s very disappointing”.
On Twitter, Hampton Water Wine, who worked with Bader over the weekend, expressed how they don’t intend to “work with Deep Hollow Ranch again,” as they were furious with how the ranch treated the model.
“We are outraged at the events that took place at Deep Hollow Ranch and their treatment of our good friend, Remi Bader,” Jesse Bongiovi, Co-founder of Hampton Water, wrote in a statement. “The Hampton Water team and our third-party vendors were not made aware of the ranches’ policies prior to the event and we would never put anyone in a situation to feel uncomfortable.”
“We will not work with Deep Hollow Ranch again and do not condone any of these events that follow,” the statement concluded. “Inclusivity and kindness are rooted in Hampton Water’s foundation. We want to offer our deepest apologies to Remi.”
People have since come to Bader’s defence in reviews on the ranch’s website, one of which said: “Your decision to fat shame a customer and use hateful misogynistic slurs says who you are as a company…Turning her away the spot and embarrassing her because you never thought to post any sort of weight policy. Your behaviour has been disgusting and cruel.”
A representative for Bader told The Independent that she does not have a further comment.
The Independent has has contacted Deep Hollow Ranch and Hampton Water Wine for comment.
