Add a training forum?

[rcloisonne]

Like most of you I read COTH frequently and see a quite a few training issues brought up in almost every area of the forum. While some questions and answers are specific to the discipline involved (Dressage/Hunter/Eventing, Endurance, Racing, etc.), most of them and the mostly good advice from experienced horsemen/women could be applied to almost every aspect of horsemanship.

Would anyone else enjoy a separate area just for horse training issues?

[IdahoRider]

I don’t see how it would be necessary? If a training question is discipline specific, it can go in that discipline’s forum. If it isn’t specific, it goes in Off Course.

Creating a general “training” forum seems redundant to me.
Sheilah

[Cindyg]

I have often wanted a training forum because I don’t ride any of the disciplines represented on COTH. And, sometimes, a training issue isn’t unique to a discipline anyway. However, thus far, I have lived without it.

[Moderator_1]

This concept is actually one that we’ve discussed in the past and is definitely still on the table. Thanks for bringing it back on the radar.

Folks, feel free to discuss your thoughts on it further. Another forum we’d been discussing was something for beginner/pleasure riders for more basic questions and that would be a potentially easier entry point into the community. More experienced riders/trainers would be encouraged/welcomed to help out the new folks in what would hopefully be maintained as a bit of a less intimidating environment for some of these people new to the sport.

Thanks!
Mod 1

[Halt_Near_X]

Since some of the discipline-specific forums have turned into little more than fashion/tack/trainer gossip forums, I’m for a training forum.

But I think it has the potential to become one of the more difficult forums to moderate. Good training is good training, but inevitably there will be clashes about dressage vs. H/J lead changes and such. Also, since the Western forum opened, I have really enjoyed not having a NH-type train wrecks pop up constantly in Off Course. I would not want to have to start wading past those things again, or having NH vs. traditional training spats take over many/a majority of general training threads.

[Big_Grey_hunter]

I vote no. If you take training questions out of the discipline specific forums, what’s left? Most training questions, and most beginner rider questions, fit nicely into the current forums. The rare question that doesn’t fit can go to off course. We already have 5 specific discipline forums, off course, around the farm, and horse care. I like to browse by forum, and it’s a lot easier if the threads aren’t spread out between to many forums. Please don’t add more! I’ve been on forums where there a ton of sub forums, everything ends up watered down, difficult to navigate, and redundant.

[IdahoRider]

@Moderator 1;7443152

Another forum we’d been discussing was something for beginner/pleasure riders for more basic questions and that would be a potentially easier entry point into the community.

Now, that is a good idea.
Sheilah