Social Licence vs Opinion

Caol Ila

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I've just shown the "bodyworker" to my non horsy OH his immediate reaction was that he was shocked and saddened by the horses reactions and her "explanation". I find his take on a lot of horse stuff interesting as it does challenge a lot of why we do things certain ways, for a lot things I can explain but there are certainly times when he has made me think again. He spends most of his time trying to avoid being involved and I'm well used to the glazed over look when I come in a start telling him about the ponies so very much non horsy but it's fascinating on what he picks up on.

I enjoy my non-horsey OH's take on horse things. He loves the horses and has a natural way with them (pretty sure Fin likes him better than me), and he doesn't have the blind spots many of us have, when we grow up around them. He questions things more and he is a kind, gentle soul who cannot stand seeing animals treated roughly. He makes me a better horseperson.
 

SaddlePsych'D

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Another social media issue - Pippa Funnel posts nice blue sky and sunshine, staff hacking the horses post - comments hone in on fact no one's wearing high viz in the photo...

I kind of agree with them tbh. Not enough to feel compelled to write a comment online but it doesn't stop it being a good point.

ETA: on the public opinion/social licence stuff, people already think 'horses don't belong on roads' or 'don't see them' so the more we can do the better probably
 

SEL

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Thought this was an interesting video to post on this thread. Not sure how I feel about this one bc I saw no “release” only a very uncomfortable horse.

She posted in the comments that pain is part of the process similar to massaging out a big knot.

I personally don't know what vet she's using but really?
I've done a bodywork session where I spent 45 mins avoiding teeth and a foreleg. The horse was very sore (session was vet approved). And yes releases did follow ears back and some very aggressive behaviour aimed at me - if anyone's ever had a physio go in on sore points you know it hurts!

Re visit 4 weeks later and he saw me, sighed and went to sleep. Made me very happy.
 

scats

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I won’t take my horses on the road unless we are covered in hi viz, because I feel strongly that they didn’t ask to be in the vulnerable position of being out in traffic, so I do my very best to keep them safe.
I would hope that horses on a competition yard would be treated the same. Though, giving them them the benefit of the doubt, perhaps they have hacking around their own land and didn’t intend on any road work?
 

sbloom

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I choose any photos I use on my social media really carefully, they are a representation of my business. I occasionally stand on the road for saddle fittings and wear hi viz so I expect "role models" to wear it if on road and don't think badly of people for commenting negatively.
 

teapot

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I won’t take my horses on the road unless we are covered in hi viz, because I feel strongly that they didn’t ask to be in the vulnerable position of being out in traffic, so I do my very best to keep them safe.
I would hope that horses on a competition yard would be treated the same. Though, giving them them the benefit of the doubt, perhaps they have hacking around their own land and didn’t intend on any road work?

That was my wondering, whether it's straight onto off-road.

I wasn't dissing the comments btw, just another example of where a seemingly nice post turns into something else
 
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Rowreach

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Interesting that a few pros are now coming out and saying that if people post things like that then yes, there probably is an issue and yes, you probably will get some comments you don't like.

I'm not enjoying the comments by some of the other pros which basically take the P out of amateur horse people and imply that they know jack all and therefore shouldn't comment.
 

Dexter

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Interesting that a few pros are now coming out and saying that if people post things like that then yes, there probably is an issue and yes, you probably will get some comments you don't like.

I'm not enjoying the comments by some of the other pros which basically take the P out of amateur horse people and imply that they know jack all and therefore shouldn't comment.

Theres a vet who has a particularly nasty streak. Shes also got horses that throw her off, or at least try to, most days. Nothing wrong with them at all and anyone who says anything gets ranted at.
 

little_critter

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Thought this was an interesting video to post on this thread. Not sure how I feel about this one bc I saw no “release” only a very uncomfortable horse.

She posted in the comments that pain is part of the process similar to massaging out a big knot.

I personally don't know what vet she's using but really?
That horse is reacting exactly the way my previous mare did when I touched her. She felt that way because she was (eventually) diagnosed with ventral spondylosis and was likely in permanent pain / discomfort. As soon as I got a diagnosis & prognosis she was PTS. Previously she had been a happy, social mare. I could tell she was miserable.
That horse is not a happy horse.
 

Miss_Millie

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I thought only 13yo girls used the word 'haters' :rolleyes:

The comments depress me more than the video in a way. Lots of people commenting on how 'happy' the horse is, and looking at their profile pictures, most of them appear to be competitive type horse owners. It's astounding how many horse owners can not recognise basic pain behaviours, or wilfully choose to ignore them because they see their horses as sports equipment more so than sentient animals. Makes me sick tbh.
 

MagicMelon

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I'm not enjoying the comments by some of the other pros which basically take the P out of amateur horse people and imply that they know jack all and therefore shouldn't comment.

This, and often its other amateurs saying other amateurs have no right to speak because the person is a pro and clearly knows more than every other amateur on the planet. A "pro rider" can be literally anyone, anyone who makes money out of horses. That would cover dealers etc. I certainly dont rate a lot of those and have seen plenty of "pro" riders being awful to their horses. I dont believe that a "pro" competitive rider is necessarily any better than an amateur in the grounds of welfare.
 

MagicMelon

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That's actually horrendous. This is supposedly a pro rider? Wtf.

Id be getting every check under the sun done on my horse if they behaved like this, doesnt look like "excited" behaviour at all. That weird back leg hopping, shaking etc. surely is not normal excitable behaviour.
 

marmalade76

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I choose any photos I use on my social media really carefully, they are a representation of my business. I occasionally stand on the road for saddle fittings and wear hi viz so I expect "role models" to wear it if on road and don't think badly of people for commenting negatively.

Reminds me of something on Facebook a few years ago - someone advertised lessons at their riding school with a pic of a toddler sitting on a horse, no hat, no-one visible holding the toddler on and I think the horse may have been loose in a field. When it was pointed out that this was not a good advert for a riding school (not by me, I hasten to add), the OP did not take it well and became argumentative and a bit patronising, none of it was a good advert for her business.

She did ask the question "so you've never sat your kids on your horse without a hat/in a field, etc and taken a pic??" My answer would be yes, without hats, horses/ponies loose and I do have photo evidence of these misdeeds. Risky, yes but they were animals I knew well. My children survived, my parents did the same to me & I survived. The difference is I would never use those pics to advertise a business, least of all a riding school.
 

Sossigpoker

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Theres a vet who has a particularly nasty streak. Shes also got horses that throw her off, or at least try to, most days. Nothing wrong with them at all and anyone who says anything gets ranted at.
I don't think she's got a nasty streak at all. And being an experienced equine vet I'm sure she'd know if there was a problem with her horses. She's got well bred , athletic horses, some of them young , and guess what ,they do have some personality!
 

ponynutz

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Choosing what you post doesn't take the problem away unfortunately. This trend of showing the 'good and bad' shows inexperienced riders or new people what owning horses is really like but also makes abuse in an industry well known for it a lot harder to hide.

I'm well aware there's positives and negatives to everything just don't think I've seen anyone mention this (sorry if you have!)
 
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