In the interests of balance...what do you love about this forum?

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Horsemad12

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Everything has good and bad points.

I generally like the forum for the following reasons;

Nice to see that others have the same / similar issues to myself
I learn about areas of horsecare, riding, tack etc that I did not know before
Great resource when considering an issue for example I have used this year for saddle pads (using search) and stirrups posting myself
Good way to meet new people (Get course updates at a competition and borrow tailcoats!!!)
Good to read lesson reports etc

I take what I like from it and it has def been useful for me.

So (other than to avoid work!) what do you love about it?
 
All the lovely people I've met and who have offered support, board and lodging and gin! Having recently moved counties I had some ready-made horsey friends in situ as soon as I arrived, which was wonderful.
 
I like the pictures as well! :o

But I also like the fact that there is always someone with the same opinion as me. So when I throw my hands up in despair at a post, if I wait long enough, my point usually gets made without me having to write it. Then I can walk away with my dignity in tact. ;):p

ETA Actually I can usually rely on JFTD to do it. :p
 
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Pictures and videos! I am mega nosey and it's a good learning resource. It's all very well watching William Fox Pitt or whoever but it's a bit like learning to drive by watching Formula 1.
 
I like the search bar! Can search for pretty much any horse related issue you like and get good answers/experiences from others.

I read what I like and ignore what I don't. :)
 
The fact that there are some seriously experienced competitive riders on here who have time to mull over an issue and give their opinions.

It's also heartening to learn that even the best have really crap days where it all goes wrong :cool:
 
Nicnac said:
The fact that there are some seriously experienced competitive riders on here who have time to mull over an issue and give their opinions.

It's also heartening to learn that even the best have really crap days where it all goes wrong :cool:
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This^^^^

Keeps you sane sometimes to know "it's just horses!" And not you have awful luck!

Also I love hearing people progress and enjoying their horses too :)
 
I love reading all the reports and all the pictures.

Everyone here seems so much nicer and there isnt any bullying, which I came across quite a lot after my brief stint into the tack room. Espeially in terms of fat v thin horses in tack room if its not on the fat side of healthy they think its emaciated :p
 
Having something to keep my busy that isn't Heat magazine or Jeremy Kyle :p. Writing about horses because it's the next best thing to riding them, brushing them, watching them, stroking them, thinking about them.....
 
I love this forum too-

It allows me to get my nightly fix of all things horsey without sending the hubby mad.
It also allows me to ask for advice on all sorts- from training issues to competing venues to kit etcc..

I LOVE reading everyones eventing (sorry im biased) reports especially if they have pictures in! It also gives me inspiration and hope that i too can get my horse to novice (or higher!) one day as we are just beginning to affiliate now.

:D:D:D

on the downside- you guys distract me too much from revision for an impending exam- which i should be doing now!! :eek:
 
Gamebird said:
All the lovely people I've met and who have offered support, board and lodging and gin! Having recently moved counties I had some ready-made horsey friends in situ as soon as I arrived, which was wonderful.
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This.

I am so isolated from the horsey world when I'm at uni. None of my friends ride, or have ever been near a horse (city slickers!) and horses really are a way of life. I miss it terribly. Through HHO I have a group of FB friends such as jesstickle, dafthoss, JFTD and then the 'proper' HHOers who do all the big and scary stuff too. And just having that does help, oddly.

And the way people come along for the ride. I've posted about Reg from day 1 with him, and people have been so supportive and have cheered Al on from afar and celebrated the good and tried to be positive about the bad. They've offered endless advice and it's lovely having total strangers celebrating with you. Recently, Reg managed a double clear. People on here know what an achievement that is, and they were all so lovely... It's soppy, but just having total strangers take the time to say 'well done, you deserve this' is a huge boost for Al.

This forum is a real community. There's bad to it, of course. I've had a few times when I've had to really consider whether this is somewhere I want to be- recent harassment, a thread where someone called Al a 'sack of sh!!!e rider hauling her schoolmaster about', and so on... But it's weighed out by the hundreds of lovely people who step right in and come to your defense. If you get stuck in and try and be as nice and fair as you can, you will have a positive experience IMO.

And also, we got Smokey off here :D How much better can you get?! :D ;)
 
Nicnac said:
The fact that there are some seriously experienced competitive riders on here who have time to mull over an issue and give their opinions.

It's also heartening to learn that even the best have really crap days where it all goes wrong :cool:
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Ditto this, it's a good place to come for advice on possible issues, see how people have overcome their issues and also can be highly motivational reading about people working their way up the competitive ladder - Kirstyhen and Mally spring to mind as well as reading about those currently competing at, or who have competed at higher levels eg Baydale, S_J Kerilli, TableDancer, Gamebird etc who can offer so much.
 
Gamebird said:
All the lovely people I've met and who have offered support, board and lodging and gin! Having recently moved counties I had some ready-made horsey friends in situ as soon as I arrived, which was wonderful.
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This!

JFTD said:
I like the pretty pictures :cool:
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And this!

ajn1610 said:
Pictures and videos! I am mega nosey and it's a good learning resource. It's all very well watching William Fox Pitt or whoever but it's a bit like learning to drive by watching Formula 1.
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And this :p

And, oh all right then, sometimes I get secret enjoyment out of watching the rows that develop from time to time :o :eek: not the ones where everyone is ganging up, but the genuine spats between a couple of individuals etc :D Does that make me a bad person? :D
 
MegaBeast said:
Ditto this, it's a good place to come for advice on possible issues, see how people have overcome their issues and also can be highly motivational reading about people working their way up the competitive ladder - Kirstyhen and Mally spring to mind as well as reading about those currently competing at, or who have competed at higher levels eg Baydale, S_J Kerilli, TableDancer, Gamebird etc who can offer so much.
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Isn't it funny how those people are the nicest ones who never want to run you down, make little of what you've achieved and are really generous with advice?! As well as Tarr Steps, don't want to miss her off the list of 'good eggs' either.

I love the reports, and the pictures, and the videos. From everyone, what ever they're doing :)
 
Nicnac said:
The fact that there are some seriously experienced competitive riders on here who have time to mull over an issue and give their opinions.

It's also heartening to learn that even the best have really crap days where it all goes wrong :cool:
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^^^^ this and ive got to know some really nice people:)
 
Jesstickle said:
Sorry, I speak like someone from an Enid Blyton book ( do you have those where you're from? ;)) what would you be in Canada if younare a good egg here and you can be that instead :)
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That's because you're just spiffing!

I say, let's go and explore those caves before lunch! I'm famished and Timmy could use a ginger beer :D
 
JFTD said:
That's because you're just spiffing!

I say, let's go and explore those caves before lunch! I'm famished and Timmy could use a ginger beer :D
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Do not admit on the All about Dogs page that you gave Timmy ginger beer it won't go well.
 
Have you ever had a 'century egg'?http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_egg

Bad. Bad. Bad. (No offence to any forum members who disagree. :))

Canadians are all lovely, we don't really need to differentiate. ;);)

I did indeed read Enid Blyton. And even The Far Distant Oxus. I am up to speed on ginger beer, plimsoles etc. But I also read Grey Owl and Dennis Lee so it's somewhat diluted.

Oh wait, is this what has been referred to recently as irritatingly off topic. . . ?;)
 
Smiling at TS' enjoyment at being a good egg. What's the Canadian equivalent?

Aside from that and back to the original subject, I love that despite having a bog pony that's mostly being rather rubbish at what I want him to do and on the competing scale in general. People in here still like hearing about what he is doing and can be happy for you when you have a good day despite it being a rubbish day in comparison or at a level far far lower than them. Or when it all goes wrong they can help you pick your self back up, plan ahead and move on.

I also found an instructor that I'd never have dared to go to before but that I'm really enjoying having lessons from. Also found a few people happy to join me spectating out eventing as we are a fair way off competing affiliated just yet and some people that I'd consider friends that I often chat to on faceache and in real life.
 
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