I’m referring to the thread as a whole with the “lynch mob” comment.
and the “pearl clutching” that was referred to in another post? That’s another piece of evidence regarding the deterioration of COTH, using that kind of cop out to address someone whose opinion one doesn’t like.
While it’s fair game to question the ethics of a rich person using their wealth to scrub any evidence of wrongdoing from the search engine results, I think it’s also fair game to question whether equally horrendous riding by a working-class amateur on a no-name OTTB at Training Level test 1 would have inspired such a dramatic public reaction … complete with hyperbole-filled, self-righteous blog posts crying “horse abuse” and insinuating that the judges are in on some sort of conspiracy because they didn’t have the SPCA waiting for her at the out-gate.
After all, it’s the horse’s welfare everyone is concerned about, right?
I have no doubt that a penniless pauper who had a ride like that televised would also be strung up by the folks who criticized SB. Her money only factors into the criticism in that it allows her to show at a higher level in higher profile shows and thus has more eyes on her, IMO. But I don’t speak for the hyperbole-spewing blogs so you’ll have to take it up with them.
Meh. I don’t see that “lynch mob” represents a higher level of dressage-focused discourse than “pearl clutching”, Or “cop out” for that matter. At least I’m not pretending there’s a difference.
As for respectfully addressing opinions one disagrees with vs. “cop out” tactics, you’ve highlighted two words you don’t like instead of ~600 words that responded in detail to opinions. So I’m not really worried about this whole “cop out” accusation.
Methinks the other lady doth protest too much. Your context for the lynch mob was pretty clear to me.
You are exactly correct that these are the same tactics frequently used to try to shut down those who dare to voice a contrary opinion. They haven’t worked on me during 35 plus years in the defense industry and this attempt pales in comparison to life experience. Fortunately, the majority of COTH remains civil.
Frankly, I laughed out loud at the “pearl clutching” comment since my reputation is that of the direct talking, cold anvil of reality. Calling for a modicum of compassion was a real style flex for me, but hey, haters gonna hate.
And yet, I’m not the one insinuating that other people’s compassion is insincere. Or calling them stalkers or haters. Still, I believe that you are indeed the “direct talking, cold anvil of reality” with a heart of gold that you say you are, and that your comments are well-meaning. I think there are a lot of compassionate, well-meaning people here, in fact. It’s o.k. that we don’t always agree. But I’m not down with the whole asserting other people’s motives thing, and I’m not convinced that your criticisms of other posters are the best way to preserve the civility of the forum.
Yes. I think any live-streamed ride that blatantly abusive at any level would have garnered the exact same amount of outrage.
Yes, and wasn’t this topic totally covered in the original thread about this ride? I thought it was (but admit I am not willing to go back and read the whole thread to find it).
Yanking your horse in the mouth for no reason other than you are mad, after the end of the ride while the horse is doing nothing at all wrong is bad horsemanship no matter what level you ride at or how rich you are.
There is no question in my mind that her treatment of the horse in that video was unacceptable.
I just have doubts that as many people would be (months later) still going out of their way to make that the defining moment of her life, had she been a lower-level dressage rider on a nondescript horse, or a tactless rider letting her frustrations get the best of her when her horse stopped in the 2’ schooling hunters, or a backyard barrel racer getting whip-and-spur happy in a misguided effort to make her horse go faster.
Well, this thread wouldn’t exist if she didn’t have scads of cash to throw at search engine optimization (recall, this started as a query about mysterious new blogs, not a thin-air reminiscence about a trainwreck of yore). But if a destitute dressage diva managed to conjure up an army of echo-chamber blogs and bots and send them forth onto the net to cover up a live-streamed animal mistreatment debacle, then yeah I think people would talk about that too (even months after the original fact).
Money plays a role in all this, in that it enables this woman to draw attention to herself – not because anyone gives a toss about her wealth. If you’ve seen the way people are treated around here when they say they don’t have money for essential vet care, you’ll realize that the internet doesn’t reserve its scorn for the 1%. But if you feel like the internet isn’t equal-opportunity enough with its judgement, feel free to start threads about those frustrated 2’ hunters and backyard barrel racers whose animal treatment you object to.
I’m just going to point out the irony in SnicklefritzG’s calling out of the “lynch mob” in this thread about objectively terrible rides when he/she was proclaiming how much he/she HATED the equitation/riding of this year’s Maclay winner. And his/her vehement defense of the attacks that she leveled at the very accomplished CHILD rider in that thread.
So proclaiming that you HATE the child rider that wins the Maclay = fine, but criticism of abusive riding by an adult = lynch mob.
Fascinating logic, that.
When I watched what I did watch of this ride, my thought was about the horse. What must be going through his mind when he sees her with a saddle and getting ready to tack him up? He must worry about what will happen and that breaks my heart. 
I think a lot of horses probably experience that, and yes, it is heartbreaking because I think there are a lot of riders who have no idea that what they do to their horses may be a lot more traumatic than they realize.
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