I had a feeling it was!! Thank you!! I am going to read that.
There was a discussion last year at the grand prix warmup ring between some pros about how TikTok/IG and social media were killing the game for some of them. The basic consensus was that they had to work twice as hard to sell horses bc especially when it came to the jrs, they were online trashing horses that they tried and talking a big game. So the horse’s reputation was getting squashed and the pros were like… some of these kids were AWFUL or had no right even trying the horse… maybe didn’t even have the budget, but they just come for trials and sometimes it’s almost like a scam between the trainer and the kid where the kid gets a free horse for a lesson… they ride it for like 20 mins and then never come back. But then kid goes on TikTok or IG… posts video and trashes the horse. Multiple potential buyers see it and pass on horse bc they hear “bad things”. So basically the trainers were lamenting about what to do. It has certainly changed the game for many professionals and I don’t envy them for that… but then again… where else can you command a 20% commission on a $300k animal by making a few calls and setting a few jumps… so I guess it’s a good game if you can play it.
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I don’t think it would be unreasonable for a seller to require a potential buyer sign an agreement promising not to share video of the horse to social media. The video is supposed to be taken to help the buyer and the buyer’s team decide about the horse… not for social media promotion.
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They’ll still find it their place to comment on any photo/video/post they come across about the horse in question and their experience with it. I’ve seen a lot of sellers pullback from heavy social promotion of their animals. Once that gets started in the comments there’s not much you can do about it. Can’t very well up and tell the kid that their abilities were greatly exaggerated and they’re actually not all that in front of the whole of Instagram.
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The Krazy Kolor Breeder wars were wild. I remember the breeding forum getting shut down for a while, but I think it was the WB breeders arguments that caused that.
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Fair enough but that’s a little different than some terribly riding buyer posting a video of themselves slam chipping the horse. It doesn’t prevent badmouthing of the horse but it does prevent a video the seller didn’t approve.
I find with facebook people jump to conclusions with an emotional reaction. They see a picture and either react (as facebook has taught us to do) or share their opinion (again emotional). Rarely do i see logical on facebook.
People believe whatever you post on fb. Your horse could have abscessed 3 weeks ago and you share it and think it is now. You can post an old throw back photo with different hair color and they think share their opinions of why did you change. They dont read either. See picture react.
Really, people think facebook/social medis is real.
I recently sold a bad mouthed horse. It kinda p’eed me off because horses changed! That is the point of training. People were telling the buyer not to buy based on history. A month after buying the same people were commeting on how different the horse was. Now thats a lot of drama for the bnt i bought the horse from, and too much drama for me.
So my latest training horse i havent shared on social media because there is a list of “why he is so bad” but then again if i share him i might find my buyer!
That’s why a pro needs to be so careful what they post.
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In my case – a very small pond with limited choices within reasonable driving distance – I leaned hard on social to find a barn as a returning rider. I looked at the condition of the horses and for kids that looked solid and safe in the tack.
The barn was closed by the time I finally started lessoning again but, I’m thinking of one in particular where kids showing o/f looked frankly terrifying. Consistently. The trainer talked a big game and name dropped but the photos told the tale to any knowledgable viewer.
I do understand that elsewhere, where you have more choice, pros with an ounce self-awareness and a good idea of what image they want to curate and project, can make it hard to impossible to tell the good from the bad. In my case however, I really appreciated having the internet.
That said, I really wish more trainers would include bio/resume info on their sites and in their profiles!
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I think it goes both ways. Absolutely sometimes social media makes it easier to spot the crazies.
Other times social media hides it. I can think of a local trainer whose entire social media is the trainer and students showing at impressive venues, sponsorships with known brands, and very nice looking animals. But knowing the behind the scenes, I can attest to the social media lending a veneer of credibility that trainer should not have. So I definitely think it goes both ways - a crafty social media presence can hide a lot.
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That is such an apt description-the venues, sponsorships, and pretty horses “lends a veneer of credibility.” That veneer coupled with the lack of trainer certifications in the horse show world enable social media savvy cons to create their fantasy worlds which can hide the dirty side like their help is overworked, underpaid, and unskilled and the trainers themselves lack the horsemanship/foundation of basic equitation knowledge to teach next generation. But they go to lots of horse shows so they must know what they are doing. 
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“Social media” these days is advertising, for any “content creator” with anything to sell. It’s not your cousins dumping 65 vacation pictures on FB in 2004 to share with family.
Barn photo on SM are PR and advertising for parents, potential clients, and possibly for current clients, to build team spirit and/or passive aggressively reward or punish selected clients by having favorites. Or to create a SM facade that clients can feel good about. “Great work team!” on a day when everyone finished out of the ribbons and two kids were DQ for refusals and little Emily spent 5 hours in ER but is going to recover nicely from her concussion in a couple of weeks, no broken bones. Good work team! Another wonderful horse show day at Up the Creek Stables!
We all know how horse photography goes. One good photo for every ten that looks “derp” in some way. So highly selective photo choice.
Anyhow view these as advertising every bit as image savvy as anything on TV. And yes, advertising can influence people to think differently about any given crap product.
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I’m glad you said this because I almost “forgot” about how much of a problem sponsorships create.
You see these brands sponsoring programs and subconsciously assume the person being sponsored must be credible or else the company wouldn’t be involved. But it’s all about followers and algorithms.
Definitely a veneer of credibility.
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A dispute between a breeder and mare owner is one thing. Personal issues delaying shipment is another thing. But admitting that you have something that does not belong to you and that you won’t send it back unless a 3rd party gives you information?
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Close. Mare owner won the semen in a KWPN-NA auction. For a hot minute the breeder tried to play the “well you didn’t actually pay ME so I don’t have to do a damn thing” card.
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Somewhere between the two individuals lies the truth, but now there’s another individual very similar situation same breeder.
I barely social media and I know who the OP is talking about and yours too, and I have to absolutely agree with yours. Can’t do that woman… can’t… ughhhh
