If there is something you are unsure of

Mavis Cluttergusset

Mavis Cluttergusset

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...do you use this forum as the first port of call, or the last?

If you receive advice, do you check out the previous posts of the dispenser of advice, or do you simply follow the advice/opinions given?

Sometimes, I find some of the questions posted genuinely surprising - and some of the 'dishers-out' of advice equally surprising - and worrying.:confused:

Just some random ponderings for the evening - no dig at any particular individuals, just a general observation. :)
 
I find a lot of the advice frankly worrying. And the way people seem to have nobody else to ask, and no knowledge of whether advice is sensible or not.
(e.g advising a stronger bit for a pony that has behaved out of character once, or advising soeoen to keep their pony stabled 24/7 and pretty much not go near it in case it spreads a minor disease.)
 
If I am unsure of something I would always go and ask my YO as my first port of call, should she say a "specialist" i.e vet or farrier I will obv call them.


I take advice from the forum onboard but I research further before taking action with the afore mentioned advice.

And I agree some of the questions asked on here are quite conserning :o
 
First of all I check it out in my Manual of Horsemanship! Then, being a sad individual, if I were to ask for advice on here I have a pretty good idea of who thinks they know it all and whose advice is worth following. If I don't "know" the poster I check them out.


You do see some right rubbish spouted on here:D
 
I love your user name. lol

Well they way some people who create posts on here are treated i'm suprised anyone dare post anything! :rolleyes:

It depends really there is some really good advice given out here to be honest so I would put a post up straight away. Sharing your knowledge and offering advice is what a forum should be about. Whether you choose to follow any advice is entirely up to you.

Just filter out any rude comments ;).

However first port of call would be vet, farrier, friends.
 
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Some of the advice is shocking, and also who it comes from at times; the same people who ask advice from the forum for very basic things. Chucking ideas around is what a forum is about, and I still do think the best in people and hope they are consulting *real life* experts rather than just believing everything they read on here!
 
I am all for sharing ideas, and for opening up new lines of thinking, or new approaches to a problem; I do however think that for a person new to horses, the forum could be quite a bewildering place!
 
Depends.

If it is a "would this be better for my horse"-type question, I'd first ask a friend at the yard for advice from someone who knows us both, has seen us work together and can give advice based on that. So anything feed/tack/exercise/turnout etc related (important stuff :p). If it's a riding question, I'd definitely ask someone who's familiar with my riding, so someone from the yard.

If it's an "is this product any good"-type question, I'd probably ask on here first - purely because it lets me get the views/reviews of more people.

If it's an "ok, exactly how do I do this"-type question I'd consult my BHS Stable Management book, then ask on here.

Not that I don't think any of you could answer important questions, I'd just much prefer they were answered by someone who knows me, knows my horse, and whose opinion I trust.
 
Lol - what a great post! It depends what's happening at the time.

In horse illness emergencies I'm not going to come on here and post first before ringing the vets. I treat the forum as another piece of the jigsaw puzzle to help make up a whole picture and I would use it when I had time to study the information supplied. It has recently been very helpful in my quest to find out what is wrong with my mare. My research from searches on here and on the internet in general came to a conclusion that took vets 6 weeks to come to...yet I trusted the vets not my own conclusion arrived at by week 2!

In general I am far too paranoid to just accept anything any ONE person tells me so I ask loads of people in loads of different ways and then read loads of other stuff as well, consult my brain as to which makes the most sense and go with that :)
 
I will ask the ladies at the yard whats best. It is also nice to come on here and ask you lot as only 12 of us at the yard . Small yard and all very helpfull. I will come on here and also ask to see what is best. I like to see what other are useing. Never had horse with mud fever so needed more help in weather i was doing right thing and whats best on market for it. I don't help anyone on here as fear of getting shoot down afew times as it is. I just read and learn.
 
If its to do with dogs then I will ask for 'supplimentary' advice to be taken on board what vet has said-unless it was something that requires no treatment.
Several excellent posters in ADD whose advice I'd take.
As for horse advice, I'd go to my friend first and then probably throw the question out there to hear other sides-example being looking for someone who has been in the same situation and got through it the other side.
I have been lurking in breeding recently as friend had put her mare into foal and we asked about the stallion in there and got sound positve feedback.
Sadly mare has a few problems so will probably go back into breeding and find a bit of advice.
 
It depends what it is. If it's a general question that I'm not entirely sure about then I'll ask and see what the general train of thought is.

I've asked a few questions on here of late, one concerning bitting problems but I asked here for similarl experiences and advice but not before I'd spoken to my horse's dentist. I mainly asked on here to get a broader opinion, a wider range of possible ideas and a few pointers. Doesn't necessarily mean I'll put everything I read, in to practice :).

I think a lot of it is common sense. I have known some very experienced horse people give excellent advice IRL and the same people give some appalling advice (kneeing a horse in the ribs if it blows itself out when having the girth done up :confused: :()
 
Some people make a habit of asking for advice and then not heeding it FWICS. I came here in the first instance to find out all I could about a condition my pony had. And stayed. I got such fab advice she lived for three more years.
 
I ask my RI first for stuff for my horse such as new bits etc, then if she recommends a bit then a may come on here and ask what people's expereinces are with this particular bit.

I have also worked out whose advice I will definatly not take and who I would take and understand fairly well.

If I think my horse is ill or something I won't come on here and ask I will ring the vet, if my horses feet look bad I will also call the farrier than I may share the experience on here to get people's experiences with the illness.

I will ask on here experiences with different products or questions about different organisations. Theres some posts I really don't understand on here like when people ask if they should move up a level, this is so hard to answer without watching this person contiuosly for a time.

I do mostly come on here though for a natter, find out how everyone is and to hear some interesting stories, I do ask advice if I feel someone could give me it correctly without seeing me ride or my horse.

Hmm I'm really self conscious now I hope I'm not one of the people giving the bad advice! *panics and looks back over posts* :p
 
Mavis Cluttergusset said:
I am all for sharing ideas, and for opening up new lines of thinking, or new approaches to a problem; I do however think that for a person new to horses, the forum could be quite a bewildering place!
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Yes that's quite true. I'm NOT new to horses by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm pretty new to the forum and I definitely find it bewildering.

I've had my eyes opened well and truly by one particularly ill tempered thread this evening, and it has unfortunately affected the way I feel about the forum. I actually started a thread a few weeks ago about how wonderful it was (and, to be fair, it still is really), but tonight's episode showed it in not such a favourable light and I'd hesitate before stating an opinion which might be considered contentious. It seems to bring out the worst in people which is detrimental and unnecessary in my opinion.

Vented. That's better!
 
Depends on what it is :)

I have on speed dial: vet; farrier; physio; dentist; saddler; instructor; feed manufacturer. I'll work my way through them. I also have a couple of knowledgeable and experienced people to turn to for help and advice.

I'll post things on here sometimes to get different views and opinions, but take everything said with a pinch of salt. There are a few posters who obviously know what they are talking about: some of them I know in RL and trust their views, some I only know from here. If someone posts something that would seem sensible, but I don't know the poster, I'll go back through their posts; I'll mention whatever their suggestion is to one of my lot on speed dial and get their view.

I'll only offer advice if I'm sure of my ground, but usually qualify it because we don't ever get all the facts on here.

Some of the threads go off at unbelieveable tangents, and yes, they can get heated and bad tempered. I try to skip those bits and move on, though I am by no means perfect and have dived in a couple of times :(

I would be sad not to have this as a port of call. I know that so many horses are kept by totally novice owners and in non-ideal circumstances, but until a law is passed banning it, it will go on and I'd much rather someone had the guts to come on here and ask a question, and even more guts to ignore the b!tching that may well take place, than struggle on without any help or guidance whatsoever.
 
Vet and farrier are always my first point of call. They have spent years studing what they do, have always seen my animals good and I have a fantastic relationship with them.

I doubt I would post a question asking for advice as I would probably speak to the people I know in my area. I do read the posts for ideas and others thoughts then store them away in case. Sometimes crack pot ideas do work where normal actions don't.

I got battered down for suggesting carrots and Barley straw instead of traditional feed/ hay. The people that battered me did make several good points however I was mearly stating what had worked for my little boys. I also got slated because I don't reccomend boots to a horse that isn't in what I would deam "hard" work nor needs them. It was a suggestion that could help not difinitive answer. That has put me off. To be honest all the bickering and back stabbing has put me off and reminded me why I avoid yards like the plague. Its like being back at school again.

I think some of the problem is that we all have different horses in different situations. Its very easy to get a manual out and quote text book but when it comes down to it the manual doesn't always work. I have had horses for more years than I would actually like to reveal, I very rarely have problems so I guess I am either lucky or able to deal with things with an open mind as to what is right for that particular animal.

Perhaps its an age thing. You get picky about some things and others you let go or you decide that you don't like things because you see too many horses/ riders hurt through it or incorrect use...
 
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