So how do you take advice offered to you?

[HenryandPeta]

After reading the know it all post I thought, how do you react if advice is offered to you?

I tend to nod and say thank you, I'll think about it, but generally (without sounding too big headed!) I think I do ok! I take whatever advice my trainer gives me where I see it being helpful of course!

It can be frustrating to receive "advice" given in a condescending tone but I tend to just smile and ignore! It often amazes me too, how people can ask for advice on a forum such as here, and then get stroppy and upset when people actually suggest things to help them!

 

[chungalung]

I wasnt being stroppy was i?!!! Well, i WAS annoyed at the PM's and i have every right to be!

 

[lexiedhb]

I often say thanks but the reasons I do it this way are... blah blah blah, tends to stop people offering the same advice over and over!

 

[Grey_Arab]

I listen to advice and then, might try some bits of it. I certainly don't take it blindly. I also tend to take advice from some people more seriously than others!

 

[lexiedhb]

[ QUOTE ]
I wasnt being stroppy was i?!!! Well, i WAS annoyed at the PM's and i have every right to be!

[/ QUOTE ]

You werent stroppy No....... well except for about the PM's which I think you have every right to be!!

 

[chungalung]

And also, the girls on my yard dont 'offer' advice - they just make snidy comments as i walk past. And they'll stand in their little group, staring at me and whispering. (Dont worry - we're not staying there!!)

How would you react to that?

 

[Sarah_Jane]

I always take advice on board, consider it and then make a decision. Generally when related to my horse I won't ask advice online as I think it is best coming from people that know me and my horse. However, for more general queries HHO is brillant.

All advice is appreciated I just reserve the right to ignore it

 

[wizzi901]

listen, be polite, take what i dont know already, or if I dont agree with it, dont argue just carry on my own sweet way!

No-one knows everything, I think horse people have such a set way of doing their own thing, we are an odd bunch!

You can always take a little bit of extra knowledge each day!

 

[PapaFrita]

If I'm not sure what to do in any given situation, I always ask for advice so unsolicited imput can, on occasion, p:ss me right off (Course, this probably has more to do with the fact that 90% of my yard are clueless numpties) I tend to keep a discreet silence just to keep the peace.
I don't mind people asking what I'm doing and why, but telling me I'm doing something wrong...

 

[HenryandPeta]

[ QUOTE ]
I wasnt being stroppy was i?!!! Well, i WAS annoyed at the PM's and i have every right to be!

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh no I didn't mean you! Just posters in general, sorry! I think you have every right to be annoyed at the PMs too.

 

[the watcher]

I don't mind advice or offers of help, especially if those giving the advice don't mind if I don't immediately do as they suggest, but have the time to talk through why they do things they way they do. I am quite set in my ways but do appreciate that I don't know everything, and that somebody far younger than me might well know more on any subject.

Also pretty good at zoning out those offer unsolicited advice in a less than pleasant manner, although to be fair that hardly ever happens.

 

[Nels]

I generally listen and try to take advice on board cos I understand sometimes other people's methods may be better than my own! Especially if it is my friends offering the advice.
But recently I have had a very tiring few months with a horse on boxrest after an injury and have noticed that I am taking some people's advice to be more like insults and sometimes feel like I just want them to go away! Even though I know they are only trying to help. So depends what mood I am in really.....

 

[chestnut cob]

People at my yard are great TBH, they will really only give advice if it's asked for. Sometimes they do suggest something but I'm lucky as we have a really helpful atmosphere. I wouldn't say I always take the advice because sometimes it doesn't suit, but I do always listen. There are certain people I will always listen to and others whose advice I wouldn't give the time of day!

 

[PapaFrita]

[ QUOTE ]
I wasnt being stroppy was i?!!! Well, i WAS annoyed at the PM's and i have every right to be!

[/ QUOTE ]
You've got every right to be p:ssed off at the PMs but I don't think this thread is about you in particular. It's more about people (and there've been a few!) who ask for advice and then get all arsey when they don't get the answers, or support, they were expecting.
Welcome to the forum BTW

 

[HenryandPeta]

[ QUOTE ]
And also, the girls on my yard dont 'offer' advice - they just make snidy comments as i walk past. And they'll stand in their little group, staring at me and whispering. (Dont worry - we're not staying there!!)

How would you react to that?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, me being me, would ask them what their problem was! But livery yards can be such b!tchy, cliquey places, they can make life a misery. Glad you're moving on!

 

[kerilli]

i accept it, and thank people for it (unless they've been rude, in which case i return the compliment), and think about the advice in relation to the situation and my experience already etc.
if someone's advice stops me from doing something stupid with a horse one day, then great!

 

[jumpthemoon]

I don't tend to get 'offered' advice, but I usually like to hear other peoples opinions especially when they can back them up with some reasoning. It does annoy me when people offer really unwanted 'advice' though!

I was riding in a beginners lesson at RS the other week as I couldn't make my usual private lesson. As we were warming up and the school horse I was on was resisting the contact a little, a middle-aged man flapped and bounced past me saying - 'oh, you need to ride him with really long reins and let him have his head' !! Well, although he was trying to help, I was a bit irritated to say the least (smiles sweetly)! He soon shut up 5mins later though when we were floating past in half pass!!!

 

[abb123]

if it's from a numpty it goes in one ear and out the other

having a bossy older sister I am quite good at the smilling and nodding then just doing it my way anyway..
if it's from someone I respect, trainer etc, then as long as it makes sense I'll give it a go. I used to listen to everyone but got myself nearly killed as I didn't want to be rude by not doing what they suggested.....

 

[Tia]

I never EVER disregard advice - and I don't give two hoots as to how it is put across. I listen, think about it, if necessary go and research and then make my mind up about what I have been told. If it was good advice then I will go back to the person and thank them for it - if it turns out that it was all a load of bollox then I will let them know my findings.

I have been in horses for a very long time and yes I know a fair amount of things about horses but I am not so stuck up my own backside to even consider that I know everything there is to know. I like to learn.

 

[malibu211211]

I always listen to advice as I think there is always new things to learn about horses.
Depending on the advice, depends whether I use it or not. Everyone has different ways of doing things.

 

[Shilasdair]

I always listen, then evaluate the source and whether it fits into context with other things I know.
I am lucky though in that at work I have been surrounded by horsey experts in every sphere so have had excellent free advice for everything from breeding and feeding youngsters from an ex stud manager, to riding etc from FBHS's and others.
But to be honest, I'm not that needy so don't often have something I haven't met before (it helps to be VERY VERY old!)
S

 

[fizzer]

always happy to listen to other comments, advice, and then go to research and learn more. i have very knowlegable parents who have been breeding and producing horses all their lives but they too are always open to new and different ideas, all through life we never stop learning

 

[grandmaweloveyou]

i always take advice on board, always, unless its someone that never rides / never had a horse / never cared for a horse but seriously, if anyone wants to give me advice im always grateful, you can never know too much. the problem i have is when i get 3 different sets of advice, making my own judgement which to follow

 

[Niffer]

Ever since I've had to pay for my own lessons (that'll be about 22 years then!) I've always welcomed other's advice as long as it's free!

Whether I act on it or not depends on the results of my own research though. I do find it frustrating that with horses there's hardly ever just one answer to a question!

Recently I've met up with a really great horsey friend who has helped me loads in the last few months. What I really appreciate from her is that I can ask her loads of 'silly' questions such as 'why do we do that?' 'what does that mean?' etc etc.

I don't feel a fool asking her 'damn fool' questions as I think it's better to know what you're talking about rather than nod sagely because you OUGHT to know what someone's talking about!

 

[Skhosu]

I take advice, but I will argue if I' think it's incorrect and I refuse to be beaten into accepting it, although I don't insist I'm right!

 

[JaneMBE]

Nearly always

Regarding horses anyway! I will always take on board what someone has said (like saddle fitting etc.. have just changed herbies as it was pointed out his wasn't brilliant, and he is more comfy now)
Can't be too proud not to listen to people, regardless of how it is put across.