Have the forums played a big role in your life? The Chronicle would like to know what the forums mean to you. Have you made any special connections, created decade-long friendships or met anyone in real life?
Share below, or you can email Kimberly at kloushin@coth.com.
What The Forums Mean to Me: For as long as I was on the WWW I was a member of various horse related BB --StableMinds for one --then Facebook came in and StableMnids stopped being used --although it is a Facebook page now. I followed FrostyM over to COTH boards. I was still working at the time (retired from teaching in 2020 after 40 years). For a few years I just read it now and then and posted now and then. Since retiring, COTH has become something I participate in more. I post more, I reply more, I read more. I live on a farm in a rural area. I don’t see people very often --so COTH has become my daily coffee read.
COTH has been most helpful: Told me to “grow a spine,” when a friend of 30+ years started to really take advantage of our friendship (maybe she always had, but COTH members pointed out that it didn’t need to continue). Once I learned to say, “no.” the “friendship” if it truly was one, died. I haven’t seen her or spoken to her in over a year.
COTH also helped me to “encourage” my DD to move out --a Travelling Nurse she was using a room in our house for when she was in town maybe six times a year. But she kept bringing stuff here --one room became, two, then two and two closets, then a garage --it did take a visit to a family counselor with DH to pick a date for her to REALLY move (and take all her stuff) --but she has. Better for all of us. And more space.
Most recently COTH Dressage people and Off Course People have encouraged me to “move out of my comfort zone” and ride the horse my youngest daughter dropped off here last Thanksgiving. He was no longer suitable for her 3-Day program --she couldn’t keep him sound for jumping --so he came here. At first I was overwhelmed by him --he was OTTB, a fire breathing dragon --huge at 18.2 hh --so except to lead him in to eat (and wow he ate a lot) and turn him out with his various weights of blankets --I did nothing with him --just kept fox hunting my two 15 hh QH geldings who do NOT breath fire. But COTH encouraged me to at least work with his ground manners --and starting in the spring, I did. Once we started working together with a purpose, I found a wonderful horse who really didn’t breath fire. Gradually I over came my fear of him and one day, I got on him. He never did work out for my Mounted Archery (summer activity) and he is certainly too much horse for me to fox hunt. He and I figured out the one thing he could do to earn his keep was Dressage! And with a lot of encouragement from the Dressage board --I dusted off my white breeches, bought the horse a dressage saddle, and set my cap to take him to at least ONE show this summer. I did that. On August 13, I showed Hugh Jackman in Intro Test C and Training Level 1 --our scores were 60% and 58.9% --good enough to WIN both classes! COTH board even helped me figure out the scribe’s scribbled remarks.
On the COTH board I’ve met a few people IRL --of course I already knew FrostyM --but Draft Mare and 2DogsFarm became new friends IRL. Sorry to report that Draft Mare felt she was “attacked” by someone on COTH and no longer comes here. She’s a lovely person with a beautiful horse named Sydney. The hunt with me occasionally.
And I suppose I must report that there were a few instances where someone was unpleasant on the COTH board to me --usually a misunderstanding of something I wrote --quickly cleared up --but a few times just honest differences of opinion on how to handle a situation. I do believe at one point I asked the official board monitor to delete a post that got out of hand --started on one topic then morphed into something else --can’t even recall what it was now.
So yes --COTH plays a big roll in my life --it is lovely to talk with people who understand horses!
20+ years ago I had a horse that would put his tongue over the bit and I needed suggestions on how to manage that.
Another local pro suggested ask the COTH forum and I said, what’s that.
Someone (wish I could remember who) a couple hours after I posted the question gave me the perfect solution (a rubber, removable bit port extension thing) and fast forward two decades … I’ve met dozens of you guys IRL, and made a number of deep lasting relationships. Plus introduced lots of newbies to the hunt field, and sparked renewed interest for a few who’d get their ardor wane.
Big big big thumbs up for COTH!!
The forums here mean a lot to me, honestly. I have not met anyone on here in person and that’s ok, as I like the anonymous aspect. I have gotten familiar with some posters though, and even though I don’t know them personally or even PM them, I feel like I “know” them as online acquaintances.
The forums are one of my go-to sites when I’m winding down at the end of the day, or if I’m bored in the middle of the day, just to see what’s going on.
I come here often to help solve a problem. I’ve found answers to issues such as tripping, wounds and weaknesses, and I’ve also seen some questionable advice. So I’ve learned to take it all with a grain of salt and usually start here then do my own research.
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