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Equestrianism's Greatest Flaw

3K views 36 replies 23 participants last post by  Speed Racer 
#1 ·
As lovely as our sport of equestrianism is, we have one huge, fatal flaw.
What is that flaw?
That flaw is believing everyone who doesn't have the same opinion as you is wrong. Now, I know we're not all like that, or I wouldn't be making this post. But there are a lot of us that are like that, or else I would have no reason to make this post.
If you haven't noticed, everything you say has someone to reprimand it in our vast world of opinions.
This is especially an issue between the two main disciplines of equestrianism.
We throw stereotypical labels at one another. Sometimes English riders assume all Western riders stab their horses with spurs. Sometimes Western riders assume all English riders ride with their horse's head in an unnatural, uncomfortable position.
The reality is, those are the ugliest sides of the disciplines.
Look, the fact is, if you throw the abuse label at someone, you probably love horses, right? That means we all love horses, and isn't that what matters? If you love horses enough to call someone abusive because of an ugly stereotype, why can't you make friends with those that aren't stereotypical? If you both call out abuse, why don't you team up and call out the real abusers together?
Another problem with how opinionistic we are is that if someone says they train in so and so way, some people always find loopholes to say how that doesn't work and why their way is better. The fact is, there's more than one way to kill a rat, and more than one way to train a horse.
Finally, I hate how some equestrians think their sport is better than everyone else's. That's a problem with a lot of sports. Yes, we do control a 1200 lb free spirit. But other people have difficult sports too. However, if they make fun of yours, down their sport all you want, I don't care. :lol:
The fact is, there's always those people who think they're better than everyone else that need to take a grow up pill and get over themselves.
Rant over.
 
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#3 · (Edited)
And what night your opinions be, Avna?
If you have a broad spectrum of opinions, that may be true.
And of course they're wrong in your mind. But it's really a matter of perspective.
I mean, yeah, if your opinions are about people who are actually abusive to their horse or actually do have crappy training techniques that never work for anybody, maybe people who don't have your opinion ARE wrong.
 
#6 ·
Pretty sure Miss Avna is joking.

I used to tire of narrow-minded thinking amongst horse people. I solved it by not associating with those types.

If there is something a person does with their horse that I don't like, I don't do it with mine. If someone criticizes what I do, or how I do it with mine, I consider their opinion and either learn something or give them my "Why on earth did you think you could talk to me?" look. It does't happen twice.
 
#10 ·
Lol that is the truth, and yes I have been an interested observer over the wall:D

Trouble is back in the bad old days, everyone could be an expert in their own barn, or everyone knew who was good, bad or bragging in your own local area.. now we are a global community, and it IS very hard to accept that things are done differently in different parts of the world, and I have seen this many times.

The world also changes, so things that were acceptable in the old days aren't now.

The whole internet thing has allowed us evermore access to world wide knowledge, and also by the same token worldwide ignorance, and it is hard sometimes to tell which is which. It has allowed all of us to have a say about anything we like, without ever having to admit our knowledge or lack of it. We are all experts and none of us are:wink:

The one thing remains the same, we are passionate about our horses, and will stand up for whatever we believe is right, sometimes we are, and sometimes we aren't, BUT we all have the right to express it

THEN we have to sit back and say Avna is right.
 
#12 ·
I find this forum interesting because people do have strong opinions about what they consider the correct way to do things with horses.
I like to read their opinions, a little of it is hog wash in my opinion but I find most of it interesting and sometimes worth trying with my horse.
It's good to hear what other people think about certain training practices and you can always take what you think is right and leave the rest.
I come from a much older school of riding horses and at that time a horse was expected to go out and do a job. Then we didn't think of "is he feeling ok, or does he not want to do this today?"
When I got my first horse it never even occurred to me that a horse might be barn sour and not want to leave home, I just got on and headed out, didn't even think that the horse might have an opinion.
 
#16 ·
LOL, tinyliny and Avna!
I also agree that it's not the horses, its people. I guess it's like anything in this world, it's a subject that has people with different opinions about it and nobody can live and let live.
I am all for a good debate, but in GOOD debates, IMO, is a debate where no one gets mad, where everyone lets everyone have their chance to talk, where everyone is polite and not hating, just discussing their views.
What I DON'T like is when people "raise their voice" or get mad or whatever about it. There's a difference between debating and arguing, IMO. Which is why I think political debates should be more like "Political Arguments".
 
#18 ·
LOL, tinyliny and Avna!
I also agree that it's not the horses, its people. I guess it's like anything in this world, it's a subject that has people with different opinions about it and nobody can live and let live.
Yeah, that is not quite true, there are many of us happy to put our side on some things and then back out, but if we genuinely believe that someone is in danger through their choices, or a horse is as risk for whatever reason, well of course people are going to get hot under the collar.

Likewise when people attack something that you have actual hands on knowledge of, because they read a book, or watched a clip on you tube and decide that they don't like it, well of course things are going to get heated.

If all the political debates were carried out online it would be largely done on capitals, but at least everyone has their say!
 
#20 ·
Horse people can be the nastiest, opinionated, narrow minded folks, but if your horse escapes the pasture at night, they are all out there searching with you. That's the ONE thing I've found common to all horse people.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#25 · (Edited)
I have the opinion that I am not bossy, I just have better ideas!

I don't think people in general think blindly. In the UK there is very little western riding though it is gaining more popularity. There were many fixed ideas about western because all people had to go by was western films!

Now with the Internet things have changed greatly and English riders can learn from western methods and vica versa.
 
#26 ·
Chill Lily, Avna was just teasing you

I think on this forum most people are pretty good at giving an opinion without hating, sometimes learning something new, and sometimes disagreeing. Sometimes it gets a bit rugged but often debates do that! But mostly respectful. It's what I like about being here.

Sorry, I have had a great giggle at your being teased a bit here tonight. Meant kindly tho. :)

:gallop::gallop:
 
#30 ·
And here I thought lawyers were the only loud opinionated people.... HAHAAAA, Avna, are you in the legal profession?

This just happened yesterday! Watching dressage show yesterday and in the arena, paint horse club show - when I asked a man from paint horse show where I can find the dressage show, he commented how no one was watching there and kinda laughed. There was definitely separation of paint horse people and dressage people - not much interaction where their horses were.

When I went to dressage show, they were pointing out the unnatural way paint horse people were making their horses move. I just kept my mouth shut - and tried to appreciate both shows! (Although all I got to see paint horses do is ride around the ring....no idea what else was going on as we were only there few minutes tops). There were even opinions on which USDF GMO is better than the other....and why. *sigh* I think I'll stick to my lessons and enjoy the ride! (literally....)
 
#35 ·
In my late teens I often met with a girl of around twelve who had a very pretty pony that was a nut case.

I helped her as much as I could and offered to give her lessons which her parents refused. I hinted that the pony was way to much for her but never actually came out with it in capital letters to get the risks through to the pony.
The inevitable happened and the girl came off and broke her neck.

I was determined that I would say my piece so I never felt any guilt.

Having said that I also watched a well experienced woman, older than me, verbally attack a girl whose pony was rather thin. The girl amd her friend were new to competing and at a show without their parents. Both children were in tears.

I went to them and told them that things were OK to take no notice of the woman but the thin pony did need more weight.
They knew nothing about having teeth rasped and when I examined the mare's teeth I actually cut my finger on a large sharp hook.

I spoke to her parents, totally non horsey, arranged for the tooth fairy to do the teeth and within weeks the mare had filled right out.

Going against what someone is doing depends a lot onhow the person is told.

If, like above, it is obviously ignorance then tact is required. If say someone is abusing their horse by jabbing it in the mouth or beating it then things change and authority of voice is needed..
 
#36 ·
I agree with Foxhunter.

I'm sure at some point most of us have been given advice or helped along the way. I know I wasn't born knowing everything about horses, and I'm still FAR from knowing what I would consider to be a lot!

That being said, I'm always open to advice and criticism when it's given in a helpful way. If someone says something in an attacking manner, I block them out immediately. I've had a lot of people come along and show me the correct way of doing something in a helpful way, and I always take that to heart.

I think it depends on how people are told, and how open they are to receiving help. I'll take most any advice and help that I can, at least try it out. Sometimes it works for me and the horse, sometimes it doesn't, but none of us know everything so I think it's worth a shot!

(This doesn't include most medical advice - that I usually only take from professionals)
 
#37 ·
Having an opinion doesn't make it automatically right, just because one believes it.

Social media is rampant with people who have opinions, but are short on actual facts.

My favorite quote to those who are all hat and no horse is, 'You are not entitled to your opinion; you are entitled to your INFORMED opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant. '
 
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