[BreezylBeezyl]

As a Saddle Seat rider, I would love if the discipline had its own sub-forum under the "English Riding" section. I find myself not using this forum as often as I once did now that I've switched disciplines. There just doesn't seem to be a means of connecting with other Saddle Seat riders.

 

[Incitatus32]

I second this! I'd love for the discipline to get more exposure and have a place to talk about it! Too often a lot of people have a fear/hate of the discipline because they've never been around it or seen it through the good examples.

 

[BreezylBeezyl]

Agreed! Now that I'm involved at a wonderful show barn where my trainer is serious about horse and rider safety and health, I'd love to reassure others unfamiliar with the discipline that it's not all bad. But first and foremost, I'd love a place to discuss the discipline with other Saddle Seat riders. And I know there are some here!

 

[Bedhead]

I'm not sure if this counts as necroing a thread, and I know the saddle seat presence on the site is very small (I don't ride my gelding saddle seat anymore, but I still love to talk shop), but I'm down with a saddle seat forum and it'd be nice to have everything in one neat little place, even though it would probably be a quieter sub forum. Not sure how this site is set up, but if it's anything like one I modded way back in the day, it takes two clicks and some key strokes to add a forum.

 

[saddlebred99]

I too ride saddle seat but I do believe that the discipline is technically a form of English riding which we already have a topic for. Please do correct me if I'm wrong. There is a fairly small saddle seat population here on Horse Forum and I don't think it would be a big hit.

 

[Bedhead]

All the other disciplines have specific sub forums though in the English riding board; eventing, dressage, hunter, jumper, etc.; It'd be nice to have one clear concise place for us to discuss discipline-specific things.

 

[BreezylBeezyl]

I too ride saddle seat but I do believe that the discipline is technically a form of English riding which we already have a topic for. Please do correct me if I'm wrong. There is a fairly small saddle seat population here on Horse Forum and I don't think it would be a big hit.

I don't think popularity is at all part of the question, to be honest. There are many subforums here, several of which are rarely ever visited. The population of Saddle Seat riders and trainers may be small, but that doesn't make the discipline any less relevant than the others.

@Bedhead, it is indeed incredibly easy to create a subforum from a web administrator's perspective. I've managed several forums myself professionally and recreationaly. I too think that, since the other 'major' English disciplines have their own subforum it would be nice if we could have one as well.

The thing is, many Hunter/Jumper and Dressage people, no matter how experienced they are, do not have any knowledge about Saddle Seat: the training, the equipment, the grooming, the showing, the keeping, the tack, the clothing, and even the horses. I can say from experience that trying to ask for advice in 'regular' subforums ends with at least one of the following:
- people offering irrelevant advice due to training differences in disciplines (the responses are appreciated, but not necessarily helpful to the OP)
- no one answering due to the target audience having no knowledge of the discipline
- someone mentioning how cruel the sport is, thus turning the thread into a derailed debate

With our own subforum, it would help us avoid some or all of the above points (especially the last). Although after 2.5 months with no response what-so-ever from a moderator, I am beginning to wonder if this thread has even been seen by anyone.

:sad:

 

[Golden Horse]

LOL, I think there are all to many sub forums on here, it can take forever when deciding where to post a new thread...I rarely visit forums by subgroup, just check the new posts feed when I log on...so you would get my unwanted input anyway because I open and answer interesting looking threads without ever checking which area they popped up on.

 

[Palomine]

I don't think popularity is at all part of the question, to be honest. There are many subforums here, several of which are rarely ever visited. The population of Saddle Seat riders and trainers may be small, but that doesn't make the discipline any less relevant than the others.

@Bedhead, it is indeed incredibly easy to create a subforum from a web administrator's perspective. I've managed several forums myself professionally and recreationaly. I too think that, since the other 'major' English disciplines have their own subforum it would be nice if we could have one as well.

The thing is, many Hunter/Jumper and Dressage people, no matter how experienced they are, do not have any knowledge about Saddle Seat: the training, the equipment, the grooming, the showing, the keeping, the tack, the clothing, and even the horses. I can say from experience that trying to ask for advice in 'regular' subforums ends with at least one of the following:
- people offering irrelevant advice due to training differences in disciplines (the responses are appreciated, but not necessarily helpful to the OP)
- no one answering due to the target audience having no knowledge of the discipline
- someone mentioning how cruel the sport is, thus turning the thread into a derailed debate

With our own subforum, it would help us avoid some or all of the above points (especially the last). Although after 2.5 months with no response what-so-ever from a moderator, I am beginning to wonder if this thread has even been seen by anyone.

:sad:

I think this would be a good thing, although there aren't many of us on here with a background in Saddleseat or Saddlebreds for that matter, but Morgans, Arabians, and Friesians also show in Saddleseat divisions. Some other breeds do but more as novelty?

The only forum I knew of that dealt much with Saddlebreds, is defunct, or seemed to be last time I looked.

 

[karensc]

I'm just going to jump in and say that I would appreciate having a board dedicated to saddle seat. It is frustrating when trying to find a welcoming crowd to discuss it with and ask questions (as it usually does end up in a debate). I feel like a lot of people assume that one saddle seat barn is like all other saddle seat barns and that's just not true. I'm not even at a show barn, it's all just for fun.

 

[Golden Horse]

I'm just going to jump in and say that I would appreciate having a board dedicated to saddle seat. It is frustrating when trying to find a welcoming crowd to discuss it with and ask questions (as it usually does end up in a debate). I feel like a lot of people assume that one saddle seat barn is like all other saddle seat barns and that's just not true. I'm not even at a show barn, it's all just for fun.

I can understand what you are saying and wanting, but no board on here is closed, so you are never going to get that cosy situation with only supporters and enthusiasts replying. You just have to take the rough with the smooth and support your discipline...believe me I know all about these 'debates' I'm a Western Dressage rider, which means I'm neither Western , according to the Western Riders, or Dressage, according to the Traditional Dressage Riders...:wink::wink:

 

[Skyseternalangel]

I don't see why there would be an issue having a Saddle Seat forum section. I feel like it's distinctly different style of riding to that of dressage, jumping, eventing, hunters, barrel racing, western pleasure, reining, cutting, team Penning, roping, rodeo, or cowboy mounted shooting.

Also it'd be better and more accurate advice than 10 different opinions coming from people that may have no idea what saddle seat is but seem confident in expressing how they ride in their discipline (not always helpful)

Is there something preventing this from happening?

 

[Golden Horse]

What I don't understand is why a sub-forum will stop the uneducated posting...

I know for sure I am not the only one who just checks 'new posts' to see what action is happening in the forum, so if a topic comes up I want to comment on, I will, I rarely check what section it is in.

For those who actually check by forum, a sub section would potentially have a unexpected consequence...those who have no interest in the subject would choose not to visit, which would leave you with the polarized supporters and critics, which could lead to very derisive debates.

I am very opposed to yet more sub sections, another board I am on has a total of 12 subsections for horse items, plus a few for off topic...here, well I got bored and lost count, but it is over 50, and then there are sub sections of sections....it can take ages for the new person, or even the experienced forum member, to try and decide where is the most appropriate place to post.

Again, explain to me how a sub section stops this scenario

Also it'd be better and more accurate advice than 10 different opinions coming from people that may have no idea what saddle seat is but seem confident in expressing how they ride in their discipline (not always helpful)

I DO entirely understand how annoying it is when people give advice on things that they know nothing about, but just sometimes an outsider does have a valid point of view.

 

[jaydee]

Moderating
We did start to discuss this but didn't reach a decision so I'll bring it back up
I personally believe that if a sub forum is started as a support group for a specific type of horsey thing then negative discussions from the 'anti's' shouldn't be allowed on it.
If someone wants a discussion on the validity of something then it can go in Horse Talk
Some time ago a member began a thread about Clicker Training and we kept that purely as a type of support group comparing progress and sharing ideas and it seemed to work OK
Perhaps those interested in Saddleseat could try starting a thread like that and see how much interest it gets before setting up a sub forum?

 

[BreezylBeezyl]

Thank you for the response! I'm glad this wasn't forgotten about.

Moderating
I personally believe that if a sub forum is started as a support group for a specific type of horsey thing then negative discussions from the 'anti's' shouldn't be allowed on it.

I 100% agree and I can assure you my intentions were entirely pure when creating this thread. It just so happens that, coincidentally, non-Saddleseaters will likely avoid the subforum anyway simply because of their lack of interest in the discipline. Does that make more sense? I certainly don't want to keep anyone out and I would love to educate those willing to learn, but I think that all starts with actually being recognized by the forum like all other disciplines are.

If someone wants a discussion on the validity of something then it can go in Horse Talk

But discussing the validity of Saddleseat, its horses, training, and equipment is exactly what we want to avoid, if we can. If someone started a thread about the validity of Dressage or Hunters, you can imagine the uproar - so why is it appropriate to do the same with Saddleseat?

It's not that we won't back up our discipline civilly if we must, but to be honest it's been discussed to death over the years (I can pull up records of huge debate threads about Saddleseat on this very forum). I believe user LadyDreamer has done quite enough polite informing over the years alone.

Some time ago a member began a thread about Clicker Training and we kept that purely as a type of support group comparing progress and sharing ideas and it seemed to work OK
Perhaps those interested in Saddleseat could try starting a thread like that and see how much interest it gets before setting up a sub forum?

It's definitely something I'm willing to try, but for the sake of organization it certainly is not the ideal method I would like personally.

 

[jaydee]

If you start the thread purely as a place for Saddleseat enthusiasts to talk about their training experiences, showing etc and not to discuss whether or not Saddleseat should be allowed - for example don't start out
'What do you think about Saddleseat'
Maybe call it The Saddleseat riders thread
If it gets a lot of (positive) interest then it will justify starting a sub forum

 

[TaMMa89]

Jaydee explained it very well.

Another choice that we have, we could make a sticky thread or two and test this idea a bit. If it/these gain enough traffic, maybe we could create a sub-forum for this discipline then.

 

[anndankev]

Yes, I like the Sticky thread idea.

It may work best if one of the Saddleseat riders would start the thread, then a moderator would be able to make it a 'sticky'.

Certainly would be better than if I tried starting a thread on Saddleseat, as I don't know much about it personally.

 

[karensc]

Has a saddleseat sticky thread been started? I finally have a specific question to ask haha.

 

[anndankev]

Not that I know of. Go for it.

Edit to add: There is one now: http://www.horseforum.com/english-riding/saddleseat-questions-686418/