Why are horse people so god awful?

[PaddockWood]

@MinnesotanSoil

Equestrians can be some of the rudest, cattiest, meanest, most evil people.

Share some stories of examples. I’m truly curious. I have seen insecurity make people gossip about others but it was really out of their own insecurity.

I just finished the book Hero Dogs and highly recommend it.

You can find used copies for like $7.

The true story of a retired school teacher starting the first national US search and rescue organization and OMG the cattiness. What people would say - so rude - to the fireman and dog trainers just trying to do a good thing. And the infighting.

I hate drama. Built my own barn to avoid it. Have no tolerance.

[RMJacobs]

@candyappy

I doubt a fraction of them are actually horse owning people or horse people at all.

That’s a ridiculous statement. There is nothing else here to draw them to this forum. CE has only been around for a few years, and most of the people who post there (myself included) are long time members and horse people.

Rebecca

[Texarkana]

One example of why horse people are awful:

The number of social medial posts I have seen from “experts” diagnosing physical issues in the Olympic horses based off single still images.

I don’t mind the education factor. Yes, some of these horses have physical issues that we could all learn from. What I mind is the attitude of superiority, the pearl clutching, the proclaiming abuse, the assumption that the connections are awful, ignorant people. All because of a single picture.

Why are people so insecure that they have to tear down others to make themselves feel better?

Olympians are not all saints. There are things about the top levels of competition that I dislike, too. But what good comes from approaching things like this? None.

[axl]

@candyappy

I doubt a fraction of them are actually horse owning people or horse people at all.

This is twice in 2 days someone has made this accusation. How do you think we ever found this forum? I’ve been reading this magazine since the 80’s. I’ve been on the forums for 20 years. I groomed professionally for a BNT for years. I had my own for years. I don’t know why the fact that my current health, job, and lifestyle prevents me from having horses makes my experience or opinions any less relevant.

This is incredibly rude.

[fivestrideline]

@Texarkana

The number of social medial posts I have seen from “experts” diagnosing physical issues in the Olympic horses based off single still images.

“I’m too poor and uneducated to ever have a shot at the Olympics, so preaching about how everyone at the level is terrible makes me feel better about my perceived shortcomings”. Classic holier than thou nonsense.

Sometimes there ARE very clear issues. Almost none can be “diagnosed” in a single photo. People were talking about tight necks, open mouths, and dropped backs in another thread, and that’s entirely valid! But medical diagnostics those are not. Same for the event horses being lame on trot up - guarantee these people have never tried to keep a lid on a fit horse like that.

[anon40672407]

@Texarkana

Why are people so insecure that they have to tear down others to make themselves feel better?

I don’t think that’s what it is. I don’t watch other riders to “make myself feel better”. I watch other riders to see what they do: I admire the stuff I think is “right” and I deplore the stuff I think is “wrong”. It’s a reinforcement of my convictions. It’s also an attempt to improve my eye.

Don’t you watch gymastics, and wonder how on earth the judges come to a scoring decision, because it all happens so fast? Trained eyes.

So, yes, I watch a whole lot, and I have opinions about what I watch. My determination about my opinions is mild, because I’m not ON the horse and don’t have the feedback the rider does on the course. But I’m reinforcing for myself: “Release…prepare for the corner…collect collect collect…let him run…Praise!” Obvs I am never going to be an Olympic judge, but this type of observation is an old habit of many years.

[Texarkana]

@anon40672407

I watch other riders to see what they do: I admire the stuff I think is “right” and I deplore the stuff I think is “wrong”. It’s a reinforcement of my convictions. It’s also an attempt to improve my eye.

We all do that, I would think.

It’s the snap judgement that I find so infuriating. The jumping to the assumption that something is “wrong” with extremely limited information. And then the need to spout off to the masses about why it’s wrong, especially with little to no information.

It’s like the hullabaloo over the opening ceremonies. People were (and are) “canceling” the Olympics based on an incorrect interpretation of a performance. They saw something they immediately thought was wrong and went nuts before gathering more information.

[anon40672407]

@Texarkana

It’s the snap judgement that I find so infuriating. The jumping to the assumption that something is “wrong” with extremely limited information.

((That’s infuriating in all realms, not just horsepeople.)) Do people just have a knee jerk need to say something?

[sherian]

I have a vague memory of having a discussion on this forum years ago about the correlation between crazy horse people behaviour and accumulated brain damage from repeat concussions. Combine that with the need to get that dopamine hit from people liking your posts on social media and you can get some real nasty behaviour.

[sami-joe]

Not only are group members a little wacky, one of the many things I learned in “The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity,” is there is a social theory/anthropological term, which I have forgotten of course, that describes humans’ knack for doing/believing/acting in total opposition of a neighboring group for no perceivable reason other than the freedom to do so.

Book review of The Dawn of Everything_ A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow - The Washington Post.pdf (94.5 KB)

[Rackonteur]

Very well put.

[Warmblood1]

Honestly, I think a lot of horse people have undiagnosed TBIs.

[quietann]

That’s a very unfair thing to say. Most on CE either own horses or have owned them in the past, or have worked extensively in the industry. (Please keep in mind that people who are older may have to give up owning horses for financial reasons, especially in HCOL areas.) You just don’t like their politics or (lack of) your religion.

[Texarkana]

@Warmblood1

Honestly, I think a lot of horse people have undiagnosed TBIs.

Agree with this

I’ve been saying this for years.

[McGurk]

Let’s see if I can get these one rignt:

Horse shows are a bunch of asses on horses, showing off their horses’ asses to other horses’ asses.

[ParadoxFarm]

@anon40672407

((That’s infuriating in all realms, not just horsepeople.)) Do people just have a knee jerk need to say something?

When I first read this thread, I had in my mind pictures of people I have met at various barns and shows in PERSON. I didn’t even think that we were talking about online horse people. That’s a whole different thing. I feel that online communities in GENERAL can be “meaner” and quick to judge. How many of those folks who spout off online would actually say those same things to a group of individuals? Some, yes, but most, I doubt it. Many are brave only behind a keyboard. Online is easy for me to ignore. When a thread gets ugly, I don’t read it anymore. I don’t follow much social media, so I don’t read comments on FB, for instance, just for this reason. I don’t even have a FB account.

[Angela_Freda]

@candyappy

Just take a turn over in the current events section of this forum.

I doubt a fraction of them are actually horse owning people or horse people at all.

It can get pretty awful.

And this comment is an example of kind?
Or accurate?

[McGurk]

BUT …

I was at a recognized event this past weekend, with a client competing for the first time at a new level, and we received SO MUCH help and good will it was amazing. I tried to return it in kind.

Years ago, when I was competing, eventing was a refreshing change from the hunters or jumpers because the community was so supportive.

I have been graced with incredible colleagues and incredible clients over the years. When I lost a horse I had high hopes for, my old mentor and another pro found a client for me and sent her and her horse for me to train and sell. I could go on and on with examples.

I’ve also had my share of barn drama queens, vicious gossip, no pay and slow pay, shady horse sales and all the rest.

It’s just that for me, the kind and generous people outnumbered the awful people.

[anon40672407]

@anon40672407

@Texarkana

It’s the snap judgement that I find so infuriating. The jumping to the assumption that something is “wrong” with extremely limited information.

((That’s infuriating in all realms, not just horsepeople.)) Do people just have a knee jerk need to say something?

@ParadoxFarm 's response just made me review this comment, and I wanted to clarify, @Texarkana, that I wasn’t referring to you, knee-jerk responding in this thread.

I was referring to people, everywhere (Paradoxfarm went on to discuss people online) just feeling a social need to drop 2 cents in.

IMHO, lots of people are quicker talkers than listeners. (again, raising my hand). But I’ll shut up now because I’m not doing a stirling job of it!!

[candyappy]

@RMJacobs

That’s a ridiculous statement. There is nothing else here to draw them to this forum. CE has only been around for a few years, and most of the people who post there (myself included) are long time members and horse people.

Discussing CE is a big reason for people to visit a forum. If you took an accurate poll I bet a lot of posters have no current horse involvement at all.