What do you think about......?

Question

Some of the things you read here?

I am consistently appalled by advice posted in this forum.

Anyone else blown away by some of the things you read here?

I realize if I target specifics, I will get reported, but sometimes I really am concerned with some of the "advice" given.

What are your thoughts?

Answer 1

My biggest thing is when people ask about getting the horses head down and people suggest draw reins.

One, the asker person is more than likely they are trying to get the horse on the bit or on the long and low hunter frame and are looking for a cheap/easy way out.

Two, there is more to going on the bit than having their head in.

Three, I have seen draw reins create some screwed up headsets when used incorrectly. Maybe once have I seen them used correctly.

Four, draw reins are a gadget that will only get you so far. The Pessoa training aid thing looks like it has some potential to be a real tool when used porperly but draw reins dont.  

Having people suggest to lunge the horse that is acting up for an hour or more also gets me. The fact that my horse went lame (took a wrong step while doing a hand gallop) and a girl at the barn suggested that I lunge him since I couldnt ride make this one a soft spot. I hate the people who lunge forever to wear off energy then get on and ride for an hour. Its counterproductive and detrimental to the horse.

Draw reins and excessive lunging also seem like easy things to do/use so I have no doubt that lots of people try them out just to see if it will help. Besides these two things (and the 'cute' horribly conformed horses) the good advice seems slightly more common than the bad.

I also take slight offense to the teenage comment but I get it. Some of the teenagers on her are sever pains in the a** and I am probably one of them on occasion. Difference is, I sure dont try to be.  

Answer 2

One fairly recent one was advice to someone who seemed pretty young about tying a rearing horse down while riding. That freaked me out.

Another one that really worries me is when people say I don't know what's wrong, but I gave my horse bute. Bute has its place, but with all the new research about gastrointestinal problems and ulcers directly linked to its use, why is someone buting when they don't even know what's wrong.

I was truly mortified to read advice on either cracking a raw egg or breaking a water balloon on a rearing horse's head. Are we still in the stone ages?

Sometimes it is difficult to guage who you're responding to, both in terms of age and experience. To an experienced person saying 'only if it's safe' or 'only if you judge yourself experienced enough' is condescending and to a young person, leaving it out, is irresponsible.

But, yes, I've seen plenty that completely mortify me....right along with some of the questions, like, I'm 12 and all grown up and been riding in lessons once a month for two months and just got a wild mustang that's been abused by the handlers its known, can I just go in its pen and pet him for a little while. Yeh, if you wanna get dead.

I would never, ever give dangerous or bad advice knowingly. I only respond to what I know firsthand or cite a source as secondhand information.

I try not to even make jokes that could be misconstrued, unless I know the asker as one of my personal contacts.

Answer 3

Oh Yeah!!!

I mean it is one thing telling people what they want to hear when they ask is my horse pretty, but when people give SCARY training or medical advice I cringe & only HOPE that the asker is smart enough to see that the persojn has NO CLUE as to what they are talking about or just a kid & will not take their answer seriously & I honestly hope those people who give the "clueless" or just out right "ignorant" answers do not really have a horse.  I would even be afraid for the Breyer horses they have.

Answer 4

I so agree with galloppal...I don't think that people realize that some folks can't discern the difference in good advice and poor advice and will probably, because that answer got best answer, follow that advice.  I know that this is for fun and relaxation (at least, for me, it is a time to relax and share and learn) but some folks don't exactly use it as such...for some, it's an ego thing, and it shouldn't be, because there are real people with real animals on the other end reading our answers...so, that's why I take it very seriously when I suggest something, and have been accused of such, but I don't care.  I never want to be complimentary when it is undeserved, chastising when it is inappropriate and stick my nose in if I know nothing about the issue.

Answer 5

i agree. some people give the wrong answers and if the person listens to that person, that person could be doing the worst thing possible!! i mean people should only answer the question if they know what they r talking about

Answer 6

teenage girls, who have never actually had any real experience with horses....but have opinions to burn..

Answer 7

I'm with you 100 percent and then some!

Some of the questions, as well as advice, are absolutely ludacris!! Why waste the time to write some of these insulting, rediculous things???

Answer 8

Yes. I've seen some pretty bad stuff on here. I think, especially when people are asking advice about caring for animals, you have to be really careful. I always go back to reread my answers and if I've worded something badly or posted something while having a brain f**t, I go back and delete or edit it. If I'm not sure about something, and I mean real sure, I don't answer. I have noticed that a great deal of the horse "experts" on here are english riding teenage girls. Not that being an english riding teenage girl is a bad thing, just that spending a few hours a week hanging around a "barn" doesn't make you qualified to give other people advice on their horses.

Answer 9

Well, i know some people in the horse section are phonies, but i just try to ignore them and actually read and pay attention to the good advice. Some people can be very cruel i.e calling other things like stupid and an idiot. Some people sound abusive to their animals on here which i think makes them look bad so i just leave it.

Answer 10

yeah, some people on here are just plain rude!

Answer 11

Same as BB I'm kind of lurking in the background watching what's going on and not answering much.

But yeah - some of the "advice" is frightening.

Answer 12

I agree.  Some of it is going to hurt a horse or rider, if not now then in the future.  The "quick fixes" annoy me the most.

Answer 13

I think everybody has an opinion. If I think an answer is truly appalling or totally incorrect, I give it a thumbs down. I give thumbs up to good answers. I wonder at the thumbs down for correct answers and good answers. Anytime you have a forum like this there will be all kinds of answers ranging from great to terrible.

Answer 14

I think everyone should remember that on the other side of the Internet - somewhere - is a little 12 year old that is taking everything they say as "fact"  And that 12 year old may go out and try some of that poor advice and either hurt themselves or their horse.  And while that may not seem like a big deal to some of the people that give the bad advice,  Karma is a *****.  And while Yahoo protects itself in the "terms of service" contract, it does not protect those who come on the sight and give dangerous advice and advertise themselves as experienced.

It does however protect those that just give bad advice - but most people here boast about their years of experience, and that offers you up as more than just some jerk behind a computer screen.  More people should keep that in mind.

Answer 15

i am 18 making me a teen i have ridden since i was 3.

I take offense to the teen comment because it's not true to all people.

i do hate suggestions of side reins and forceful methods of flash nosebands etc.

Everybody has different experiences and opinions.

the advice i give is all from experience of backing and showing horses. which when you think about..no one method will work on every horse.

Answer 16

When it really bothers me is when a best answer is chosen that I know to be a dangerous or incredibly stupid choice that is likely to be carried out by the chooser.

Answer 17

I think there are 2 sides to this.

The first side is that a great many of us (myself included) are here for more than 1 reason. I personally enjoy the social aspect of the horse section. I have friends and favorites here that I truly enjoy and respect what they have to say. I feel I can learn something from them.

The horse industry has been, and is my life and my parents before me. I certainly don't feel like I know it all. No one ever stops learning. I post my answers based on personal experience or how I would handle a particular situation. I would never post a reply on executing aires above the ground, because I don't know. I bow to the Dressage enthusiast to answer those type of questions.

I am also blessed with common sense. Some of the questions or training advise given is horrifying and I would never dream of following such "advice". I know better.

The other side of this is that I am not a child or a young person that is blinded by my desire for horses and all things equine. I tend to look before I leap. Perhaps I have learned some lessons the hard way.

I guess what I am saying (Its Miller time here....so forgive my rambling)

Let your conscious be your guide when posting or following others advice. If it doesn't make sense to you. Don't do it.

Edit (lol) since my post, I have offended someone and just received some hate mail ....ha ha ha ... lawd!

Fortunately I have a well developed sense of humor.

Grandpa used to say..."if you ain't funny, you ain't nothin".

Answer 18

Anything I answer here is either from my own exprience, or it is a fact. I have owned horses, and dogs all of my life, and I would never give anyone bad advice, or say something I am not certain about. I am a regular member of the AOL Horse racing message board and I can tell you that if you make a statement on that board that is not correct, they will make a french fry out of you. You absolutely MUST have your act together to post on that board. Plus, I have a conscience, and I would not ever want to be responsible for giving the wrong advice to anyone concerning their animals.

Answer 19

I agree, some things i am flat out outraged at. Some answers aren't even answers and some people give "extreme" answers or smart a** answers. Out of the two years i've been here (other account) i have seen pretty bad things. Oh well what can you do

Good Question

Equest.Equine

Answer 20

I agree, i posted a question about my horses white legs and some one said use white out!!!! thats not right, someone could belive it and kill a horse. the only time i usually belive it is if i see a link. but people should answer right and not go for the measly 2 points!!! It makes me SO SO SO SO SO mad!!!!

Answer 21

I really freak out about giving HUMAN medicine to horses.  In particular...NYQUIL!!  That post is still haunting me.

Or 'riding the lame OUT of a horse'...that just makes no sense to me!!

I wish they'd take away the thumbs down.  Because for the inexperienced...how are they to know the difference between bad advice...or trolls haunting people??

I try to answer for what I have personal experience with and post links when I am questioned.  I've been wrong before too...and certain ones here will tell you.  I think we SHOULD call out bad advice.  I stay away from dressage...I know nothing about it.

But advice that will work for a more experienced person...won't work for a novice.  They don't know how to 'read' a horse to see if the advice is working or not.

I'm barely answering anymore...it's kinda pointless when you KNOW what you are talking about...but the questioner just wants someone to agree that a kicking, biting, agressive horse just needs a dadgum TREAT!!

Answer 22

Earlier on I put up a picture of a horse with extremely bad conformation and I had people telling me he looked great and someone even suggested he would make a good endurance horse. It is really worrying

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/ind...  

Answer 23

haha, yeah i agree. depending on the area of the answer.

Such as the singles and dating section... WOW there are a lot of things in there that kids shouldn't be reading!!  

Answer 24

It seems that people give advice on topic that they don't know too much about.  I understand what your saying, your concered about people taking advice from people who's answers are incorrect.  I try to avoid questions that I don't too much about.  I ride english and I wouldn't answer a question that concernes westen riding.  I guess some people think they know things they don't...

Answer 25

A great many of the answers does demonstrate a gross lack of knowledge and understanding and would certainly explain why so many people here seem to have horses with behavioral issues. A lot of what is common sense and a little bit of horse sense seems to be approached by some as though it is rocket science, which makes me wonder how so many of the uneducated horsemen and horsewomen in days of old became so greatly skilled in their own right. There just seems to be so many here without the least bit of common horse sense judgement.

Answer 26

I know! Geez... I'm 15 and I dont even know every single little thing about horses. I learn about and ride horses. Two months ago (already resolved question) I was asking this question related to horses and someone posted something SO unrelated to what I asked. I would only give a thumbs down to people that says something rude or unrelated or mean to horses or people. We LEARN not be MEAN to people or be abusive to them.  

Answer 27

It is by far less painful to shove a 2x4 through your right eye, then to read some advice on here... and then to watch said posters pick that advice for best answer.