this forum has become a joke

[touchstone]

just another thought, is the forum really that different to some of the big livery yards?! you get plenty of different opinions in RL too and some people can be rather tactless in how they voice things! You get snidey comments behind peoples backs on yards and at shows, and sometimes it's to peoples faces too when you look at how many posts there are about nasty people in RL you got to admit that HHo isn't that different
And any forum is what the members make it, if you don't like a way a certain member posts you can ignore them, don't rise to the baiting and eventually the keyboard warriors will get bored

I agree with this; the forum is what you make it at the end of the day. There are bound to be differences of opinion and fallings out - that's life. Instead of grumping about what an awful bitchy place it is, get posting with positive things and ignore those replies that offend you, it's the only way to bring about the changes you want to see.

Hmmm, hope I'm not on user ignore for this post now lol!

 

[MiCsarah]

Ive browsed on this forum for years but have very rarely posted. I have had some fantastic advice when my boy was diagnosed with bone spavins. Ive never posted updates of me and my boy as I dont always feel that some people on the forum are interested in things when they are going well.

 

[mulledwhine]

I completely agree, I am surprised that no one has shouted 'troll' yet

 

[Ranyhyn]

I must miss all these threads where it gets "nasty" then, not to say they aren't there - but I don't think they have the monopoly on the forum...

 

[charlie76]

no, not like livery yards as all. We have about 50 liveries here and if any one of my liveries marched up to a fellow livery and said what gets said on here there would be WW3! The thing is on here, people can *hide* behind a user name. I have stated before, there is no way, in real life, you would push your opinions on people in way that seems to happen on here.
You would not keep many friends!

 

['S'teamed]

I agree! And sooooooo many experts when infact how many posters are proffesional horse people who work with horses for a living, not all that many I imagine.

What a sweeping statement. IME it's the Horse Folk who tend to NOT have letters after their name who tend to be the most informative and practical.
I do agree with the OP that HHO does now, have a reputation of having its fair share of clowns and jesters as it core membership.

 

[monkeybum13]

If you think this forum is a joke you should join a facebook page I'm on, that's a whole comedy set at the apollo compared to here!

 

[Megibo]

new lounge is the crazy one, i've posted in the other areas and gotten good, helpful advice. the soapbox is brill!

 

[charlie76]

What a sweeping statement. IME it's the Horse Folk who tend to NOT have letters after their name who tend to be the most informative and practical.
I do agree with the OP that HHO does now, have a reputation of having its fair share of clowns and jesters as it core membership.

Not a sweeping statement at all, when you are on a forum and you don't know anyone from adam then those 'letters' actually mean something. Granted, in real life, off a forum, I would be happy to take advice from anyone with experience with or without qualifications, but on here? I am not willing to take life and death advice from a random stranger!

 

[Ranyhyn]

I have stated before, there is no way, in real life, you would push your opinions on people in way that seems to happen on here.
You would not keep many friends!

In real life, people don't tend to ask either if someone asked me a question - I'd answer them as I felt appropriate, as I do on here.

 

[Jesstickle]

I joined in 2009 too OP and I have to say I've not noticed a huge change in tone over the time I've been here

O apparently it was 2008.

 

[ghost&secret]

I was orginally a Forum member back in 2009 also, but have been away for about a year due to other factors, and I have noticed the difference in tone.There are still many people out there willing to help, and the few threads that I have put up have only been met with good advice and sound opinions. So thank-you to those members.

However I have read some quite nasty replies and some advice and ideas given do make me cringe. I have worked with horses professionally for my living for 25yrs plus and have been a fully qualified BHS instructor since 1984. The problem is that from the comfort and hiding hole of your own front room behind a screen it's very easy to be a changed person !!

Remember this is the internet and open to all and sundry so take some with a pinch of salt and take on board what you feel is sound advice that you can see the point of and understand the reasoning behind the answers.

Everyone enjoys their horses in different ways, I am currently moving and have taken a place for a few weeks at a livery yard (having had my own self cont, yard for 5yrs) and wow what an eye opener. all I can say thank god it's short term, some of the other liveries are all 'well meaning' but don't actually have a clue what they are talking about, but I bite my tongue, have a little smile, nod and carry on sweeping !

 

[BSJAlove]

I agree with this; the forum is what you make it at the end of the day. There are bound to be differences of opinion and fallings out - that's life. Instead of grumping about what an awful bitchy place it is, get posting with positive things and ignore those replies that offend you, it's the only way to bring about the changes you want to see.

Hmmm, hope I'm not on user ignore for this post now lol!

I like to moan about how rubbish this forum is compaired to how fun it used to be UI for you i joke.

 

[charlie76]

in real life, people ask me all the time as its my job, however, I would not in any circumstances tell some one that I didn't know and have no background of that they were cruel, heartless or advise putting a horse down that I have know knowledge of! I would have a conversation, get the facts and weigh up the options on an individual basis.

 

[BSJAlove]

I joined in 2009 too OP and I have to say I've not noticed a huge change in tone over the time I've been here

O apparently it was 2008.

Maybe people like you

Im probably wrong and there isnt much of a difference. I just notice it when people jump on posts they dont agree with and it gets a bit out of hand now. Maybe i just didnt notice it back then?

 

[Ranyhyn]

But surely if you ask on here - you are asking people to comment on a situation they have no knowledge of? TBH if we all only answered posts we had indepth knowledge of - no-one would get any answers at all?

And people may ask you as a YO - should HHO only be for yard owners to answer? More in reality everyone has something useful to add at some point, maybe sometimes their opinion or help will be off the mark but does that mean only experts allowed here, should the rest of us be shipped off to the stupid's corner?

 

[*hic*]

When I joined there were dunamany posts going on about how the new forum was awful and missing the old posters, in 2009 when the OP joined there were dunamany posts going on about how the new forum was awful and missing the old posters, now when new people are joining they see threads like this going on about how awful the new forum is and missing the old posters.

Can you see a pattern yet?

 

[jhoward]

bsja..do you not think that starting a thread like this.. encouraging people to bitch and moan, contributes to the hho bitchfest factor?

just a thought.

 

[Hovis_and_SidsMum]

I think this forum is like the rest of life - some lovely people, some bi*ches, some with great sense of humour (moi obviously!! ), some people with a humour by-pass, some full of advice which is great, others full of something i put on the muck heap.

The one thing is i always stick to the mantra of "if i wouldn't say it to your face i won't say it on here" - sadly others do not and not wanting to be associated with your user name on here would worry me.

It saddens me when people feel threatened / bullied / unable to ask for help because they feel too inexperienced /silly to ask. For every poster on here there's lurkers maybe also wishing to ask but daren't. The only thing i would say is if you ask for help / advice / opinions on ANY internet site then don't get upset when people don't agree or tell you what you want to hear. E.g. in my case - your horse is a handsome muscled beast, in Hovis' case - you look like an undernourished welfare case...........

At the end of the day the poeple on hear know as much about you as you let them. Your words dictate how people see you and thats all they have to judge you on plus their own pre-conceived views of the world. They are not (usually) your friends in real life, they are not substitutes for those real life friends so its up to you how much you let what total strangers on the other end of a computer think, affect you.

 

[BSJAlove]

I dont think your stupid or ever said only experts in here I just think its sad how quite alot of people dont Ask for advice anymore because they dont want to be patronised or be the latest post that blew out of control.

ETA:- just read another post and think your refering to that and not me, sorry!

 

[BSJAlove]

bsja..do you not think that starting a thread like this.. encouraging people to bitch and moan, contributes to the hho bitchfest factor?

just a thought.

Possibly, but as stated above, i have PMT and im feeling a tad irrational It will pass. Next week, ill be back to lurking in the PG with my mouth shut

 

[charlie76]

I always think that my experience, knowledge and qualifications are be littled on here (inc recieving abusive PM's about my horses and their way of going)but to be honest, I really don't care whether people take any notice of what I say or not on here, off the forum people appreciate my thoughts.
However, I do not like to read posts which come across as bullying as thats why I stand up for people, esp when its evident that half of the replies are from people who haven't bothered to read the whole thread!

 

[Ranyhyn]

Don't apologise BSJA I actually enjoy lively debate and discussion. I think I just can understand that this forum will always be imperfect, but if people post and read with a little common sense in mind - then it is more help than hinderance

 

[Cop-Pop]

When I joined one of the first threads I read was a proper pop-corn needing Parelli battle People come and go but tbh the forum hasn't changed that much. People will always jump on bandwagons, witch hunt and follow the pack. New members have always been accused of being trolls (not all obv) and self proclaimed experts will always have to have their two pence worth.

Plus its a forum for horse people - 98% of horse people are round the twist!

 

[POLLDARK]

I think that if the people best qualified to give advice & a balanced view back out of the forum, not wanting to cope with it any more, then they leave it open to the weird & wonderful (or not so wonderful) which is a bad thing all round. Have your say, put in what you believe to be correct & balance out things, also bearing in mind we all think we are correct (even ME!). People can't learn anything without input & if you help one horse & rider out of thousands isn't that worth it ?

 

[lexiedhb]

Can anyone hear a really really really small violin?

 

[Chestnutmare]

Cop Pop - I just love your avatar that made me chuckle

Well I am back in offering anyone some chocolate cake?.... it's a rainy old day so we need cheering up I thought...

Anyone?...

Its the way the world works now, can't do this can't do that, can't say this can't say that blah blah blah.. we are all different and all do things differently.

 

[BSJAlove]

Thats the best post i've read all day Merlywerly. I'd love some...

 

[georgie0]

I for one then, resolve to stop lurking as much and come into the open!!

 

[fatpiggy]

I must admit I found the post about kids and their ponies doing multiple classes at shows a bit strange. Agreed, the pothunters who enter all the lower height classes below their own are to be pitied, but I used to enter 3 jumping classes, three in-hand and an equitation class at each show I went to - and it was a 4 mile each way hack (which horsey insisting on cantering most of ,both ways). If the animal is fit and up to the job, then what is the problem? I used to make sure there was water available and took a "packed lunch" for her and in between classes she was tied up in the shade and untacked. In "the good old days" kids ponies WERE worked hard, none of this namby pamby attitude we have now after they have trotted for 2 minutes. Everyone hacked to shows because hardly anyone had transport. Now we rug up natives because WE feel cold outside of our centrally heated houses, and feed them large quantities of unnecessary and unsuitable food. No wonder laminitis and obesity are major problems. You just never used to see it 30 years ago. Like kids fed junk food and high calorie diets we see ponies with behavioural issues and then they are condemned as rogues etc etc. We all knew ponies who were little monkeys, able to suss out a riders ability and test them out, but we just bounced and got back on. Now those ponies would be labelled dangerous.