Rest Easy, Brandon Gibson

[Rel6]

@Railbird

No matter what else is happening, a rational person does not solve the problem with suicide.

I send my deepest condolences to you for the loss of your mother and understand that every circumstance is different. With the utmost respect and tact, I have to disagree with your statement. I lost a family member to suicide who was in the advanced stages of a terminal diagnosis. After years of exhausting treatment options, he was ready to be done with the pain and discomfort. I can’t find it in myself to say that was irrational.

Absolutely, I understand that is not the situation we are discussing in this thread and was not the circumstance with your family member - and I am not trying to compound the grief anyone else is experiencing.

[MoonWitch]

I’m so very sorry for your loss. Brandon was a lovely person and I got to know him many years ago when I was involved with Hunter Breeding. I had won a free breeding to his stallion and we were working on the logistics. He was nothing but kind, professional and just a pleasant person to work with.

Godspeed Brandon

[Railbird]

I think that’s totally fair and is more something I would mentally file as euthanasia rather than as a result of mental illness. I should have qualified my statement there- I didn’t even consider that scenario under the whole umbrella, but it is.

[TBROCKS]

I saw that this morning. She seems to be a real piece of work.

[Bobby7]

I see she changed her name on Facebook. Other people must’ve seen the post as well.

[Xctrygirl]

So I called her on that and she replied:

“Swanita Herman: Emily - actually it is not. Someone else did it as a joke and now it will stay for 60 days”

Em

[endlessclimb]

How terribly convenient.

[Bogey2]

She is seriously unprofessional, again, who would hire her

[cph1957]

She has apologized several times and removed the post.

[Tackpud]

Having battled depression on my own for more years than I care to remember or admit, I can say that the chemicals in the brain that allow for reasonable thinking are missing when you are depressed. When I finally reached out for help, the Psychiatrist told me he’d never seen a score so high on a risk assessment test with a live patient and that I would remain on medications at least for the rest of his life. The pressures of the equine profession are immense and no one knows what another person is going through. This could have been me.

My deepest condolences to his family and friends. I will always remember Brandon with a smile and an incredible feel on the back of a horse. RIP.

[Davignport]

I did not know Brandon Gibson but from all I have read, he was a wonderful and caring person and my heart goes out to his family and friends. To see Bonnie Navin post something like she did really shows what vermin she is. How do you do that? Are you really that horrible of a human being? Apparently the answer is yes.

[endlessclimb]

To have that comment be something you type out and click “post”? I care not for an apology. Talk about needing to mind your own business and stay in your g-d lane. What a disgusting woman to say something like that in the face of a horrible tragedy.

[Montanas_Girl]

My horse was boarded at Brandon’s barn for a couple of years to be used in the University of TN IHSA program. Montana was a bit of a hermit in his old age and wouldn’t eat from a round bale if any other horse was there (so…ever). He also refused to hang out near the herd the majority of the time. For an entire winter, Brandon would go out every day on a golf cart to find Montana and deliver hay to wherever he was that day. The pasture was huge - I think about 80 acres. No extra charge.

He loved his horses, and his clients’ horses. I know he has lost a couple of very special ones in the last few years. I hope they met him at the rainbow bridge.

[2bayboys]

Thank you.

[skip99]

Having lost two family members to suicide - one a long time ago being at the end of a terminal illness and the other very recently likely due to an undiagnosed and untreated mental illness. I am very saddened to hear about this loss although I did not know Brandon.

But at the same time I am pretty irritated, maybe even leaning toward angry about some posts I’ve seen on social media (in fairness I think it’s primarily one post that’s been shared a lot) that emphasizes how the industry is stressful and how clients should be more understanding, not ask questions about the methods/prices so that professionals don’t get overwhelmed… this just is not right.

I have first hand experienced the guilt that comes with being the last person somebody talked to prior to ending their life. I would imagine that clients who talked to him recently are blaming themselves enough without posts insinuating that the pressure clients create was at least partially to blame.

I agree everyone should treat others with kindness, but I also agree with @Railbird - kindness on its own is probably very, very rarely going to be effective in changing someone’s mind if they’ve reached that point.

[Bogey2]

where did she apologize?

[Jackjoe1]

What she wrote was disgusting and inappropriate. She’s only apologizing because people were upset. It just showed who she really is and her true colors.

[Railbird]

Yes, those chap my ass too. I don’t get how someone can think it’s a good idea to suggest that the job of being a horse trainer would drive someone to commit suicide in a context where clients and potential clients would see it. (A fair suggestion, perhaps at a time when it’s less raw, would be talking about healthcare access for industry professionals, many of whom simply could not afford inpatient hospitalization and have no health insurance) It’s toxic and vaguely threatening. I have similar feelings about vets suggesting that client behavior is at fault for suicide in their profession. Healthy emotional boundaries are key and I’m not nor will I ever accept that I can’t advocate for myself and my animals because the person on the other side is so unwell that I’d be at fault for them ending their life. I can’t imagine what his clients feel with those posts being shared and I certainly don’t know what I’d think if someone who had one of my horses shared that sentiment except that maybe I should take my horses elsewhere if my presence in their life is so traumatic. I’m perhaps justifiably sensitive that looks or smells remotely like a suicide threat as a manipulation tactic, though.

Edit: Of course I’m not endorsing being an asshole. No one should be an asshole. But the “don’t argue about the bill… don’t question the methods…” messaging here is whacko and inappropriate. My job stress had me in a very dark place mentally not long back and as a responsible adult I made changes and sought out intensive treatment to get me back on track. Posting passive aggressive Facebook messages suggesting if my coworkers and clients couldn’t get their shit together that they’d be at fault if I killed myself never crossed my mind and if I did do that, my friends would rightfully tell me to delete that and drive me to the grippy sock hotel.

[Tini_Sea_Soldier1]

After my initial shock of hearing about his passing, I found peace in knowing that he would be reunited with his beloved Hippo. My heart broke for him when that horse was gone so soon, so it gives me some solace in knowing that his beloved heart horse is now with him for eternity. May they both fly free together.

[Paint_Party]

I didn’t know Brandon, nor know of him. But what you shared is a beautiful testament to his character as both a person and an animal lover.

I hope his spirit has found peace with the animals who await him on the other side.