Fight at the feed store!

Question

I was just wondering... since we all have no problem voicing our opinions....how many people have gotten into fights/arguments at their local feed/tack store over something horse related.

For example, I just had to defend some lady that was getting screamed at by another customer because she doesn't give her horses any grain. I had to jump in and say that as long as it was quality hay, and the horse was in good health, the horse would be fine without grain. (This is the mild description of what happened - I thought it was going to come to blows at one point)

It got me wondering... How many of you have been in a similar situation because of advice you gave or advice you disagreed with?

Answer 1

I actually work at a feed store and it amazes me the arguments and attitudes that frequently appear.  Many people assume that what they do works for them so it must be law.  Anyone who breaks that law must be punished.  I've been around horses most of my life and have my own methodology but also understand that so does everyone else.  I have some customers, even coworkers, that treat me like an idiot because I don't do things the way they do or think they are the fount of all knowledge.  Some are flat rude if I try to throw out a idea about food or tack options.

Answer 2

ha ha ha ha ha i have the best one ever.

I was at a tack store recently and a lady had brought her horse along, as they were on the way to some show and she needed a new bridle. So i was just quietly standing look at some rugs and what not, while the young girl was showing her some pretty awesome bridles. Just then another lady  walked into the store and asked who owned the Palomino Arab in the float outside. and this really nice lady who was looking at bridle replied that it was her horse, but it was actually a Taffy welshX.

well that was really all it took. The lady at the door has gone "no it's not I breed arabs and I know a purebred when i see one and it's just a dark Palomino"

I mean seriously what a dips.hit! well the owner, still with the sweetest smile on her face has said "well i bred the bugger i should know"

And then it sort of escalated, the lady who was at the door, said "i'm going to see for myself" and walked out the door. The owner chased after her, and me and the sales girl, were sort of left standing looking at eachother oddly. so we followed them, and here is this crazy arab breeder, unloading this ladies horse in town, out the front of the shoip, with traffic and people everywhere, because she wanted to see it properly. and the owner is yelling so many swear words and telling her she's going to call the cops. It was so funny. anyway, finally the crazy lady gave ME the lead rope of the horse and walked off, saying it a palomino arab if ever i saw one.

Like it was seriously that insane, the poor owner was crying and the sales girl had to take her inside while i loaded up the horse again.

and the funny thing was it was the darkest Taffy i have ever seen and had feathering on it's feet and the thickest mane and tail and the tell tale welshie face. it was obviously welshX. It was just the most random day.

Answer 3

That happens to me all the time on here!!! But I haven't had it happen in my "real" life so far....tell us more about what happened, it sounds like a good story.  I'd love to do what you did, but I never have.

Answer 4

Actually, in the decades I've traded at feed and tack stores, it's NEVER come to words or blows.  HOWEVER, I have an old long time horse friend, WHO can start a fight with a tirade of words just because someone doesn't believe the way she does when it comes to horses.  This woman has been barred from several stables in the greater LA area, but then she's now moved out of state and has a whole new population to work on.  (I sure feel sorry for those folks!).

Answer 5

I can totally relate.  I have never owned a horse, but I ran a volunteer horseback riding program at a nearby girl scout camp for years.  I got uninvolved for 10 years as I entered the workforce and just 2 and a half years ago, had the opportunity to go back to volunteer.  The program I saw when I returned was no where near the program when I left it.  I was asked by my friend to come in and "fix" the program, but I came up against a bunch of high school aged girls and their mothers and their "vast" knowledge of how things should be run.  Obviously, what they were doing wasn't working, but they didn't appreciate me coming in with my previous experience one bit.  I knew what worked at that barn, for that program.  They didn't want to hear it.

For every girl that had outside experience at another barn, there was an entirely different way of doing things.  No one could understand that the lack of consistency was a major part of the problem.  They were so close-minded!  I tried to do what I could for 2 years, but in the end I just got disgusted and left.  Volunteerism is supposed to be fun.  It got so far from fun that I would rather have not returned at all.  It's a shame, because I got so much out of the program when I was involved in it.  There were many younger girls who were unhappy about how they were being treated by the more advanced girls.  Nasty situation.

I won't go back again.  It's really unfortunate that one of the longest running, quality programs with that girl scout office has turned into one big snotty, uninformed pony club.  Yuck.  

Answer 6

To each there own. If a horse is healthy, who cares! It says no where in a manual you HAVE to feed grain. Geez. people can be nuts!

I had a barn owner once not like the fact that my pony ate alfalfa cubes soaked first in water, with complete feed pellets and beet pulp. First off my pony was in excellent shape! But if I put him on hay, the dust would make him heave. As per a vet he had dust/pollen allergies. Hence the watered down food. I told the barn owner to stuff it and when I caught him feeding my horse hay instead of his requested diet, I moved him. Stupid old geezer thought I was pampering the pony when in fact I was trying to keep him healthy! Never rode there again and never recommend the place to anyone either!

Crazy no it all horse people drive me NUTS!!!!!

Answer 7

You are going to have trouble believing this, but if I'm out in a place like that, and unless some fool is tormenting his horse to the point that I can see what is going to happen, or someone is abusing an animal or child,  I don't offer my opinion unless someone asks...(I told you that you would have a hard time believing it)  Once I was threatened, for real, at a grocery store when I watched a mother literally abuse her child and then spank his little blue (only wearing a diaper) legs over in the cold food section, for crying.  I even followed one woman in who left her cart with groceries to take her little girl into the bathroom and discovered that she was definitely abusing her child.  I raised 4 boys, so I am not one of those people who absolutely doesn't believe in discipline, but when you take a child in only a diaper, to the grocery store and you know that he is cold and crying and he gets spanked for it...that's not right...I'll take a smack in the face if it will draw attention to the police for what she is doing.

Answer 8

BAHAH the lady got mad because someone didn't give their horse grain? That makes absolutely no sense. She sounds like she needs to mind her own business.