Seems much less activity on this forum?

[Toccet02]

Yes, clh, I think people DO feel that way. Very cowardly. And worse. I don't care that no one would know who I am. I know. And I would be ashamed of myself. Same reason why I would never cheat even if I were never to be caught. because I want to win on my own merits. Is this due to the way I was raised, or my own personality?

[Tappiano]

I think there are far more factors that go into why people are driven away from the sport than those who come onto an internet forum, but it can definitely affect who they turn to for advice.

One of my "favorite" nasty posts on a forum had to do with an email someone received offering a horse "free" and when the poster solicited feedback the responses were along the lines of any horse that is free cannot be any good. Nobody knows what the terms of "free" are so to make that kind of statement can't make the OP feel warm and fuzzy. For sure when I told GiGi that she was worthless she didn't feel warm and fuzzy either.

I could never cheat anyone out of anything, steal, rob, lie or essentially do things I was raised not to. Sure I can be as opinionated as the next person but they are the traits that make the world go round. I suppose it's HOW things are said that are more frustrating and nasty than what it said. We don';t have any way of reading and seeing whether someone is sarcastic, serious is lying or is just being nasty.

[Sysonby]

I don't think the "economy" has anything to do with how moribund this forum is unless a bunch of posters lost their internet access. That's because it looks like most of the posters aren't in and have never been in the horse business so the downturn in the industry couldn't be the reason.

Free advice of course is worth what you paid for it. I guess it really doesn't bother me when someone who has never owned a horse much less bred one feels free to give unsolicited mating advice. It's a lot less amusing when the same people start sniping at others for the quality of animals they've never seen or suggesting that a poster's horse listed for sale is in danger of being slaughtered or the product of their breeding program is crap.

I think that's why a lot of people left.

[Fireslam]

Exactly, Sysonby. I think its so funny that people come to an internet forum looking for advice on a mare, or a stallion, or a breeding, from anonymous internet names who they dont know if they even know one end of a horse from another, who could be posting from the prison library, or a bright 12 year old posting from his school computer during lunch. And people want advice from them.

People who are serious about this business, or any other business, go to professionals for the information. Not internet forums. These boards are nothing more than random amusement.

There are a lot of racing forums and board that are private, or by invite only, that are made up of professional, or serious people. Now those offer some real interesting conversations and good information. You just have to pick your spots. This board is just fluff.

[aurora]

I understand what people are saying about snippy comments. I once asked about breeding a mare that is full sister to a graded SW and 1/2 sister to two other graded SW colts and basically told to send her to a 1k stallion. Another mare by a SWing stake producing mare with a $1M+ earner and a $600k earmer close up...she's crap too. I didn't ask if the forum though these mares were crap or not. I was just asking about pedigree matches but for the most part got judgement.

[clh]

And again, I think folks know that there are plenty of folks here that aren't experienced, but there are plenty that are, and it is those folks that people are seeking some insight from. I don't think that is wrong. I don't think people are taking that advice to the bank, I think most people are just wanting a sounding board and a second opinion perhaps. To assume they shouldn't come here for advice isn't fair either. Perhaps they don't know where those "private" forums are and aren't special enough to be invited to participate on them. If they are new to the business they probably don't know there are more than one or two forums around. Coming here and asking advice about a stallion is perfectly acceptable in my opinion. Would I breed my mare on that advice, no I wouldn't. But hearing others opinion of him is also very interesting to me.

Sysonby you are correct - when others who have absolutely no experience in the business say other's horses and programs are crap, I think that crosses the line.

[ratherrapid]

my take is that people should be permitted to express their opinions. that's what these forums r 4, right??? seems to me u r always on any sort of forum going to have uninformed views. I think this forum was badly hurt when the moderators kicked off several highly enthusiastic horse people a few years back exactly on the kind of questionable complaints in this thread. people were complaining that the forums were more "civil" prior to these posters. they may have been more civil but they were also painfully boring unlike after those posters came on board. the other thing that i feel horse forums have trouble with is that OTB and racing fail to mix as subjects. this board sometimes fails to know what it wants to be. OTB or racing. i sometimes wonder if some of the racing subjects get exhausted after a while.

[bdw0617]

my take is that people should be permitted to express their opinions. that's what these forums r 4, right??? seems to me u r always on any sort of forum going to have uninformed views. I think this forum was badly hurt when the moderators kicked off several highly enthusiastic horse people a few years back exactly on the kind of questionable complaints in this thread. people were complaining that the forums were more "civil" prior to these posters. they may have been more civil but they were also painfully boring unlike after those posters came on board. the other thing that i feel horse forums have trouble with is that OTB and racing fail to mix as subjects. this board sometimes fails to know what it wants to be. OTB or racing. i sometimes wonder if some of the racing subjects get exhausted after a while.

i remember this quite well. hell i was banned more than once. once for i think 3 months for basically defending myself when a poster who will remain nameless went crazy for no apparently reason. I have grown up / calmed down as the years have went on but I never was as bad as some made me out to be. Se people just had it in their minds they did not like me from the get go.

People who are serious about this business, or any other business, go to professionals for the information. Not internet forums. These boards are nothing more than random amusement.

I don't necessarily agree with this. I don't disagree per say but, I've learned a hell of alot over the years here thanks to people. I will eventually own race horses, quite soon actually.. actually tried to buy one last year, i will let sleeping dogs lie on that one. no need to rehash. And by no means do I think I am a professional... there are people here who probably possess in their pinkee than I do as a whole. But you know what, I'm not blind either. I generally know what I like, what I would like to accomplish, I know the basics of bloodlines, I know the basics of confirmation.. so while I'm not trying to do everything myself, I know enough to know if I am getting duked if that makes sense. I know enough to know that when I tell someone I want to do this or to do that, I know when that person or at least I feel i know if that person is misleading me. I'm no longer just a blank check if that makes sense, I know what i want.

that's what I think places like this are for among other things like horse trading and finding homes for horses and getting rides to other states and general horse talk stuff.


I just don't.. i don't get where the rudeness is from. I will be the first to tell you i have a sharp tongue but it's not an unprovoked sharp tongue. I'm not a rude/mean person by nature. if someone is being nice, regardless of how silly or unknoclwedable that person is,l I just don't see the point in being mean with them. some people, like the guy from Thailand that post here all the time, you know he struggles a little with the English language and he comes here to post about horse racing becuase he loves horse racing and people just give him hell for no reason, that pisses me off. he hasn't done anything to anyone but love horse racing enough to talk about it.

[casallc]

my take is that people should be permitted to express their opinions. that's what these forums r 4, right??? seems to me u r always on any sort of forum going to have uninformed views. I think this forum was badly hurt when the moderators kicked off several highly enthusiastic horse people a few years back exactly on the kind of questionable complaints in this thread. people were complaining that the forums were more "civil" prior to these posters. they may have been more civil but they were also painfully boring unlike after those posters came on board. the other thing that i feel horse forums have trouble with is that OTB and racing fail to mix as subjects. this board sometimes fails to know what it wants to be. OTB or racing. i sometimes wonder if some of the racing subjects get exhausted after a while.

I agree. Being a third generation horse trader, I'd suggest that inside the horse business - those who make up the rank and file of horsemen, that actually keeps the business functioning, are hardly "civil". The horse business is a tough business made up of tough players. Some call it the sport of kings but kings usually don't have the expertise to make it without hiring someone to make decisions and guide them in the proper direction. Those trainers, vets, farriers, jockeys, grooms, farm managers and staff are the ones who make the business along with the majority of owners who desire to participate. I have seen plenty of fistfights and a contract killing over horses - so a few disagreeable anonymous words on a forum are nothing.

When you mix bleeding heart PETA types with pragmatic horsemen, someone is going to get their feelings hurt because you are dealing with two different species. The PETA type is coming from a radical, nut-case, anthropomorphic perspective and the horseman sees the horse as a functioning livestock tool on earth to serve a specific purpose. The horsemen will eventually get tired of the stupidity and use his time more productively. The bleeding hearts will see this as a victory and become more emboldened.

There are no stupid questions if asked sincerely. However, there will always be an abundance of stupid people who will prove it at every opportunity. The problem with stupid people is they never figure it out. The worst kind of stupid person is the one who thinks he is a genius. Some of those haunt this forum (they will never figure out it is them – PM me for a confirmation if you think you are one). This is one of the reasons the activity is dwindling along with the fact that most owners of horse’s funds are also dwindling. It is hard to keep excited about losing money. I contend the same bleeding heart mentality that wreaks havoc with the economy, has killed the horse business.

[Diane]

This whole thread could be relabeled " Intro to racehorse ownership" because so many good points have been brought up. You have to be tough and you are going to cry. You are going to loose money, you'll make a few dollars along the way. People will like you, people will hate you. You will be invisible. You will make a friend or two. You will learn alot and learn how much you do not know. You are going to pay for information. You'll try to get free information and others will try to get your money for nonsense information. Just when you think you have a handle on things you'll get physically injured or science will prove something that will tweak the whole industry.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Well?

Does this mean there is no place here for people like me?

I will likely never own a racehorse. Much less breed one. I am simply a fan. An enthusiast.

In caveman-ese: Horsies prettyyyy. Me like watch run.

It was a huge kick for me to get back into it --- to begin to recognize and remember names of the jocks, trainers, owners, horses. I've learned a lot here but am still pretty much an empty cup.

[Sysonby]

People who are serious about this business, or any other business, go to professionals for the information. Not internet forums. These boards are nothing more than random amusement.

I agree but it can be really intimidating to go to a professional initially. There is nothing wrong with testing the waters by using boards like this anonymously to ask questions.

Where I think it goes off the rails is seeing well meant newbies and their horses being torn apart because it is entertaining and/or cathartic for a certain element. And yes some of those posters are anti racing horse rescue types who for some inexplicable reason like to hang out on racing forums.

It's like a kid throwing a tantrum in a restaurant. It can be great fun for the kid but left unchecked eventually the restaurant clears out.

[casallc]

Well?

Does this mean there is no place here for people like me?

I will likely never own a racehorse. Much less breed one. I am simply a fan. An enthusiast.

In caveman-ese: Horsies prettyyyy. Me like watch run.

It was a huge kick for me to get back into it --- to begin to recognize and remember names of the jocks, trainers, owners, horses. I've learned a lot here but am still pretty much an empty cup.

If Bobby Frankel, Nick Zito and John Campo can overcome it, there is hope for everyone else. It is doubtful any of those could even ride a horse.

[bdw0617]

I have seen plenty of fistfights and a contract killing over horses - so a few disagreeable anonymous words on a forum are nothing.

[Bast]

Well?

Does this mean there is no place here for people like me?

I will likely never own a racehorse. Much less breed one. I am simply a fan. An enthusiast.

In caveman-ese: Horsies prettyyyy. Me like watch run.

It was a huge kick for me to get back into it --- to begin to recognize and remember names of the jocks, trainers, owners, horses. I've learned a lot here but am still pretty much an empty cup.

Without people like you, the people who own horses would be racing them for negligible prize money and a modest silver cup out in someone pasture. The fans are forgotten far too often.