What influences how you set your stirrup length?

May I be rather to-the-point?

Stupidly large number of possible responses/factors, HIGHLY unlikely a respondent will stay focused long enough to give accurate answers. Or how on earth you'll make any use of the data you do get.

Honestly the sort of stuff I'd expect to see from an NVQ student, not a bunch of grown-up academics. I can only hope a saddle-manufacturer is wasting their money on this rather than us poor tax-payers.

Sorry, not very kind of me, but.....
 
Dr David Marlin said:
Dear GirlFriday

Perhaps you would like to identify yourself rather than post unfounded accusations from behind a pseudonym?

I put Cambridge UK as that is where I live. I'm representing myself. If I wanted to use an academic affiliation I would use Oklahoma State University where I hold the position of Professor of Physiology. I guess by implying that I have a commercial interest in this research that you are also implying that I am misleading my colleagues, Hilary, Charlotte, Melissa and Jane as they are certainly not aware of any commercial angle on this survey?

I have been supervising Charlotte and Melissa for the past year to help them establish themselves in an area of research. I am in the fortunate position of being able to fund a lot of my own research these days.

If your aim was to try and derail the survey then you are way too late.

Please do consider when making comments like this the UK laws on defamation,

Regards

David Marlin
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Having been involved in surveys and clinical studies for too many years, it is a common courtesy to explain precisely who you are and the purpose of any survey you undertake.,particularly as you are asking questions relating to health.

You Imply that you are supervising two students, presumably on some project, but you must explain the objective of the survey and what you intend to do with the results. You say that you will make the results public - where? When?
 
Shame you want answers from only those that compete. I have six holes and a twist difference between my flat and jump length at the moment!

Also another to find it a little odd you've not put your university affiliation, unlike the others. Very uncommon for academic research...
 
Tiddlypom said:
Are we supposed to swoon and say 'OMG, it's THE Doctor David Marlin':D?

Sorry, doc, don't recall hearing of you before, but I will have a stab at the survey, seeing as it's raining outside.
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Not at all. I just think it's kinda nice to appreciate people who have done a lot of great work/research which benefits horses and horsey people. I freely admit that I count David as a friend, and that I am a big fan - but I'm only a fan because I thoroughly respect what he does - both commercially, and academically.
 
Good grief, what an over-reaction from the OP. My suggestion is you stop being so precious and consider entering into the spirit of discussion, which is what an internet forum is for. We get a lot of trolls here, a lot of "stealth advertising" and people quickly become suspicious of those who seem to be hiding things. GF's question to you was polite, if suspicious, and didn't deserve the "I'm so fabulous how dare you question me move along lowly scum" type response that she got from you, which won't endear you to anyone no matter how many smilies you add to it.

I ride several horses in various saddles and what length the stirrups are set at depends: partly on what I'm doing; partly on the shape of the horse (I could school one horse, remove the saddle and use it on another for schooling, but have to change the stirrup length due to the shape of the horses barrel); and also the shape of the saddle and where the knee blocks are in relation to my legs. It's not as simple as saying I'm schooling so I'll have long stirrups or I'm jumping so I'll have short ones, there are many other variables. Very tedious, trying to factor all that into the answers of a survey, especially when you can't even be bothered to explain why the research is being carried out.
 
Auslander said:
Apart from the,err, vet school!
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Which is why I said 'Equine Studies Faculty' not 'Equine Veterinary School' I can think of a hell of a lot of research I'd be wanting a vet school to do before it set five academics looking at stirrup length! In fact I can barely think of anything I wouldn't want investigated regarding horse health before stirrup length. Which is why I thought it was peculiar that Cambridge was mentioned, vet school or no vet school.
 
I did the survey. As far as I'm aware, there isn't any reference to a vet school.

Personally,I welcome every bit of research, it is all part of a greater picture and if academics/studies don't look at the detail, how do we progress?

It might be used in any one of a thousand areas, not necessarily for saddle makers. There are studies going on all the time, and they are not published until concluded. These academics can be very generous in sharing results with the general public but they won't share unfinished business.
 
Personally,I welcome every bit of research, it is all part of a greater picture and if academics/studies don't look at the detail, how do we progress?
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If money is to be spent on research, I'd rather see it spent on saddle fit, strangles vaccine or any one of a thousand things before stirrup length.

It would help to understand why five people are working on this if David would explain the objective, which is usually in the preamble of a questionnaire.

And of course, if he is financing it himself he's entitled to spend his own money exactly how he likes.

I've done a lot of statistical analysis in my working life and I am baffled how the huge number of variables in this survey can produce meaningful results with the number of responses that they are likely to get.

But let's pretend for a moment that they do. And in six months time H&H has an article that show jumpers pay more attention to their trainers on stirrup length, dressage riders pay more attention to comfort, and eventers go by the shape of the horse. So what?
 
ycbm said:
If money is to be spent on research, I'd rather see it spent on saddle fit, strangles vaccine or any one of a thousand things before stirrup length.

It would help to understand why five people are working on this if David would explain the objective, which is usually in the preamble of a questionnaire.

And of course, if he is financing it himself he's entitled to spend his own money exactly how he likes.

I've done a lot of statistical analysis in my working life and I am baffled how the huge number of variables in this survey can produce meaningful results with the number of responses that they are likely to get.

But let's pretend for a moment that they do. And in six months time H&H has an article that show jumpers pay more attention to their trainers on stirrup length, dressage riders pay more attention to comfort, and eventers go by the shape of the horse. So what?
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I'm waiting for the piece of research that says it's fine to keep riding your horse with a bad back as long as you adjust your stirrup length appropriately....
 
done but do agree the response to GirlFriday was a bit unnecessary, as others stated this is an open forum which is unfortuantly open to trolls.
Can also see how it could be long-winded if you compete in all three
 
ycbm said:
If money is to be spent on research, I'd rather see it spent on saddle fit, strangles vaccine or any one of a thousand things before stirrup length.

Arguably, the length of stirrups will impact on saddle fit. And specialists in physiology or bio mechanics aren't going to be interested in vaccine research, however valuable it might be?
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ozpoz said:
Arguably, the length of stirrups will impact on saddle fit. And specialists in physiology or bio mechanics aren't going to be interested in vaccine research, however valuable it might be?
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Well if that's what they are analysing, they aren't going to get any meaningful data out of the survey the way it is constructed.

If someone is a physiologist or bio mechanics expert, does that automatically mean there is value in any research they choose to do? And if there is little value to the research, isn't it just a waste of everyone's time and someone's money?
 
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ycbm said:
Well if that's what they are analysing, they aren't going to get any meaningful data out of the survey the way it is constructed.

If someone is a physiologist or bio mechanics expert, does that automatically mean there is value in any research they choose to do? And if there is little value to the research, isn't it just a waste of everyone's time and someone's money?
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Is it for us to second guess what they want to achieve from the data though. No-one is being forced to do the survey, so it's no biggie really. I can't imagine that two academics and three students would invest huge amounts of time on a research project without putting time and thought into it, so I'm guessing that there is a valid reason for the questions that have been asked.
I haven't asked what the purpose is, and I can't figure out what it is, but that doesn't mean it's not valuable for them. I'm looking forward to finding out more when the project is complete.
 
It is normal when you are asking people to give up their time for free to provide you with data for research and probable publication - one objective of which being to enhance academic credentials and thereby improve employment prospects - to tell people why you want the data. We shouldn't need to be 'guessing' why they are asking for this.
 
Best change my location if it is going to cause confusion :p.

I have never known anyone use just a city to suggest an involvement with the university in said city?? :confused3:
 
ycbm said:
It is normal when you are asking people to give up their time for free to provide you with data for research and probable publication - one objective of which being to enhance academic credentials and thereby improve employment prospects - to tell people why you want the data. We shouldn't need to be 'guessing' why they are asking for this.
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Really? I've obviously been involved in some odd research projects then. We never gave away too much info, as people are inclined to say what they think you want to hear, rather than giving genuine answers, when they know why certain questions are being asked. Sharing the results with participants once the project was complete was considered to be the payback for people giving up their time.
 
Gosh, what a grumpy lot. Compared with a lot of the idiotic, amateurish surveys that come up on here all the time this one was quite succinct. I've no idea why they want this particular set of data, and I don't really care TBH: if they can use my input, I'm happy to provide it. If you don't want to answer the man's survey, just go do something else.
 
Auslander said:
Really? I've obviously been involved in some odd research projects then. We never gave away too much info, as people are inclined to say what they think you want to hear, rather than giving genuine answers, when they know why certain questions are being asked. Sharing the results with participants once the project was complete was considered to be the payback for people giving up their time.
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Quite there are many instances you might not tell people, or might tell them something different!
 
Auslander said:
Really? I've obviously been involved in some odd research projects then. We never gave away too much info, as people are inclined to say what they think you want to hear, rather than giving genuine answers, when they know why certain questions are being asked. Sharing the results with participants once the project was complete was considered to be the payback for people giving up their time.
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Was there anything in that particular survey that suggested the result might be skewed if they gave just a smidjun more information about why they were researching something that on the face of it has so little value?

I bet I'm far from alone in being completely baffled why anyone would want to spend money on it. If they get anything meaningful out of it the way it has been constructed with so many variables, it will be very surprising. I await with interest.

Results are shared with participants and non participants alike when the research is published. It isn't a reward for participation.
 
Cortez said:
Gosh, what a grumpy lot. Compared with a lot of the idiotic, amateurish surveys that come up on here all the time this one was quite succinct. I've no idea why they want this particular set of data, and I don't really care TBH: if they can use my input, I'm happy to provide it. If you don't want to answer the man's survey, just go do something else.
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I did go and do something else :) The survey doesn't interest me enough to complete it. But the academic leader on it threatening libel laws at someone who was audacious enough to ask whether the research was commercially funded, and by who, got me really interested!
 
Auslander said:
Really? I've obviously been involved in some odd research projects then. We never gave away too much info, as people are inclined to say what they think you want to hear, rather than giving genuine answers, when they know why certain questions are being asked. Sharing the results with participants once the project was complete was considered to be the payback for people giving up their time.
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Cortez said:
Gosh, what a grumpy lot. Compared with a lot of the idiotic, amateurish surveys that come up on here all the time this one was quite succinct. I've no idea why they want this particular set of data, and I don't really care TBH: if they can use my input, I'm happy to provide it. If you don't want to answer the man's survey, just go do something else.
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Don't think there was a problem with the survey (other than it being repetitive and a slightly odd set of question/angle) until the good Dr jumped down a poster's throat for having the nerve to ask the motivation for it with a condescending 'don't you know who I am' speech.

If you can't/don't want to say anymore than the information already given then why not just politely say that.
 
Which was based around an accusation of implied affiliation which I cannot see as being implied at all.
 
ester said:
Which was based around an accusation of implied affiliation which I cannot see as being implied at all.
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In my experience E of academic work, location usually does suggest the university in said location. Very unusual not to list the site of work/employment/research, rather than a home location. University affiliation or research council usually gives it a bit more credit too. Maybe that's an Arts thing though.

Auslander said:
I can't imagine that two academics and three students would invest huge amounts of time on a research project without putting time and thought into it, so I'm guessing that there is a valid reason for the questions that have been asked.
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Happens a fair bit in the Arts...
 
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True but that would suggest it is being done under that university's umbrella/funding etc and I assume that David didn't use his university affiliation because it isn't but that you may hunt him out in Cambridge if you wish, maybe I should try that one day :D. Two Universities in Cambridge anyway so unless the actual word University is used I wouldn't think it the case at all.

I am currently chuckling at the questions used in a totally different survey (for UCL) and wondering who on earth checked them given the target audience :D.
 
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