Do you guys ever read others answers and wonder???

Question

Do people like this really exist and own horses and how have they not been killed?

I honestly try to not thumbs down, but sometimes.......

I read some answers today from people that are so uninformed and off the mark and wonder, does the poster even realize how wrong it is?

I try to not hate email, but have resorted once to some kiddo that posted she was a vet and gave the most horrible advice to people that would actually harm an animal. I haven't seen this gem since .

You guys probably have more tolerance than I do for dumb people, I get paid to work with dumb people at my job allll day long and then after hours when I get my 2 am jerry springer delights on call. Had a couple of those already tonight, so I'm in the ripe mood lol, but wanted to see others opinions and reactions on the boards that DO know what they are talking about when THEY post :)

If ever there were an arguement for evolution, how did the survival of the fittest fit in here with some of these posters :) j/k

Nope Steven, not superior but give advice that is knowledgable and not going to get someone killed ;) thats the difference

lol this is a riot LOL

Ok I gotta head in for another Jerry Springer you guys play nice ;)

Answer 1

I don't go to McDonald's and expect a beautifully grilled sirloin steak.

I don't go to Joe's Garage and ask for advice about my diet.

I certainly would not look for serious technical advice on this site. When you log on here, it's like going to a Goodwill store. Occasionally you find treasures - usually it's junk.

But you know that going in, and so you're careful. Same thing here.

Answer 2

I definitely agree with you. I've seen this happen in many posts and I wonder the same as you do.

Do they really own a horse? Do they even know what they're talking about? Are they just trying to get points? Do they even care about us? Are they just trying to make fun of horse people/owners? Do they even like horses?

There's many questions asked, but none of them can be answered/found out over the internet. The internet is one of the main places where people can act as someone else. Look at chatrooms - you can never be 100% sure if they are who they say they are. You just have to be careful. and it's the same on here.

I try to ignore those type of people on here who come up with stupid answers. and if it's you that has asked the question, and it's something serious like your horses health, double check the answers you get and make sure nothing is silly. I'd also suggest asking someone who you know will tell the truth (vet) because going by what some people on here say will not always be the correct answer and could put your horse at risk.

Just be careful when asking and answering questions!!!

Answer 3

I agree 100% It occurs right across the Pets category, and I suspect across Y!A as a whole. I give accurate advice when I can and judging by the feedback I get, a lot of people do take that on board and use it in conjunction with whatever their vet/trainer/other professional is advising them to do. To be honest though, if people are willing to follow random, unsubstantiated advice on here without checking it out, they deserve to do themselves harm. It’s their animals I feel sorry for…

I become a qualified veterinarian in 6 weeks time and the advice I see being given on here, even from those claiming to be veterinary nurses or technicians (admittedly, some are also incredibly knowledgeable) absolutely horrifies me. I’ve no hesitation in giving daft and dangerous answers the ‘thumbs down’ but honestly I think it counts for sweet FA most of the time. I think half the time people give a thumbs down simply because the answer doesn’t tally with their own point of view.

I suspect the 'kiddo' you mention is the same one that I made a rather pointed suggestion to some time back. There’ve been a few around lately, though thankfully it’s usually easy to pick them. Even aside from their ridiculous answers, their source is usually “lol im a vet” or something to that affect.

I’m sure some people who post daft/dangerous answers must realise that their advice isn’t helpful, but I doubt they care in the least. I’m sure too that some people think they’re being genuinely helpful- makes me worry about what they’re doing with their own animals! I do feel a bit sorry for the inexperienced people looking for serious advice- from time to time, I’ll email them as well as leaving an answer.

I’m a bit like you- I have very little tolerance for morons. Particularly when they foist their ‘advice’ onto people who don’t know better. I spent a few years rescuing donkeys and mules, and blimey, the messes these people would get into with their animals because of ignorance and bad advice!!

Answer 4

I agree with you whole heartedly. I only answer the questions that I have personal experience in. And I prefer answers from people that are the same way. I've ridden some English, but not enough to answer any questions about it, but I read all of the questions regardless. Knowledge comes from everywhere. The ones that get me are the answers that you can tell are typed directly out of a book and someone is trying to pass them off as their own personal experience or thoughts. If it's from a book, say it's from a book and give the book title and author.

About the only thing I would ask of the question askers is that they provide as much detail as possible to give an accurate description of the problem. That way the answerers can give the most educated answer that they can. The more details you give in a questions lets you sort through the answers better.

Answer 5

It's not hard to separate wheat from chaff as long as you know what wheat looks like. It's hard to separate fact from opinion and to tell the difference between cynicism or sarcasm, and a genuine desire to share knowledge.

I wouldn't presume to answer serious questions in a serious manner unless I was confident in both my practical experience and the knowledge that underpins it. But, for all I know you may put me in the category of one of evolution's errors, or someone who just has book learning and no practical experience. You may be one of those who give my answers the 'thumbs down - that's your prerogative and I respect that, but I have no respect for anyone who rejects a serious answer (or question) because it doesn't fit with what they believe - or because they have made assumptions about the person's politics based on such compelling evidence as the appearance of their avatar.

Stuff learned from books may have limitations - but practical experience without the benefit of knowledge and wisdom is just as limited. The difference is that you can learn about horses from a book and not harm the animal; someone who simply learns from doing can do tremendous harm as they are learning. (Bits are a prime exmple; most people accept they do harm in inexperienced hands, but happily accept the fact that learners use them. If more was known about the harm bits can do, people may be encouraged to look at alternatives such as the crossover bridle until the rider has a fully independent hand.)

What we know about horses is either folk lore passed down through generations, or practical / academic / clinical knowledge that has been written down. Even if you've never read a book you'll be influenced by them to some degree.

I've met some fantastic horsepeople who have never opened a book but what makes them great is an open and enquiring mind. They listen to the horse and to other people and welcome new ways of looking at old problems.

The response to a deliberately provocative question on this site a while back brought out the best and the worst - some people reacted as though the questioner was challenging the very basis of life as we know it. Someone even used the word 'terroristic'. But that question and the hostile responses to it stimulated me to start responding. I'd written this site off as a 'capuccino site' - all froth and little substance. But I figured that, if it is full of junk Q&A, then it's important for people with experience and knowledge to contribute. After all, we all care about the horses - don't we?

I once had someone tell me that her daughter's horse was happy because it was 'wagging its tail'. Now I could have felt superior and consigned her to the realms of the terminally stupid, or I could have told her what a spinning tail on a horse actually indicates.

My view -for what its worth - is that we all start off knowing nothing; some people don't progress very far from that state; some people get to a certain point and think they've learned all there is to know or all they need to know; and some people keep on learning because they know that they'll never know ALL there is to know.

Answer 6

I completely side with you on this. People probably think I give dumb answers but I speak from experience, not a book, so how can you discredit experience? A quick reminder was someone posting about electric fence. Under your post there was a answer that said you use wire for wood fencing also. WHAT??? Its obviously a childs response and thats the only way they have ever seen it used. Its frustrating! but I take it with a grain of salt and move on to another question. Some questions I read and know the idiots are coming out so I'll move on to another question and not bother answering. Keep up the good work! Your another one that speaks from experience not text!

Answer 7

That is so true, haha, I put up a question about taking a password off a wireless router, it was nicely worded and made sense. This one guy put, "know when, me no have it"

Like what the heck was he thinking, even if he was going for the 2 points you get for answering why would he waste the time to write that, when he could put one letter and be done with it.

I totally agree, I try to make the most sense I can, but still know one wants me to be the best answer. Plus i dont answer questions i dont know the answer too, but w/e, people are weird.

Although one theory may be that they are from a different country using a crappy translater, that always changes what you say.

Well thats about all i have to say, have fun with the other answers!

Answer 8

I agree with you completely and pretty much have the same desire to either give a good answer that I know, from experience, worked for me, or not answer it at all. I'm not trying to change the world, not even the horse world, and I know that sometimes I probably get a little too serious or a little too detailed or a little long winded, but I worry about leaving out a step and getting someone hurt. I guess I take the YA and myself too seriously, but I enjoy it and learn from it as well.

Answer 9

Mule, I agree with Uncle John as well- what a great answer !! Seriously, though, I do try to give information that is as accurate as possible, in all of the categories I answer questions in. One of the reasons I don't have a top contributor flag on my avatar is because I don't just limit myself to horses and pets- I go all over the place. It irks me when people give dangerous or false information, and I hate it when people ask questions in what is obviously the wrong place. I also don't like reading responses from people who are only interested in venting or in yelling at someone who has asked a legitimate question ( like the girl whose horse had a cut tendon and who asked what it could be on here last week, and who got yelled at repeatedly by every answerer here because she decided to treat the injury herself instead of calling the vet because she couldn't afford vet care at that time. I ended up defending her, because I have been in that type of situation more times than I care to count myself, and it doesn't make me or her a bad person who should never own a horse) or are just trolls out to make people squirm. These are the idiots who should get reported to YA, because they do nothing to improve the atmosphere here. There's a time and a place for that type of rant, and this isn't it. That's just my take on this....

Answer 10

Which is why I stated in another response that I use the thumbs up and down feature.. just like Debi does. I try to do my little part in helping the asker get to the right answer. If I don't know the answer I do not reply or use the thumb feature.

Sadly, others use it (thumb feature) as a personality contest instead of for it's intended function.

You should read some of the mechanical answers in the automotive section!!! Talk about getting somone killed!

Answer 11

A couple of months ago, somebody posted a pic of themselves on their horse literally sawing it's facing off, hauling it to a stop and they had added a little note saying about their well trained horse. I would have howled with laughter if it hadn't been so tragic - this person obviously thought they looked great and that this was "riding". I would have destroyed that photo immediately let alone post it on the web for all to see - the thought of it makes me shudder. So whenever I see dumb answers, I now connect those types of posts with those types of people. Of course, not everyone on here is like that and you soon learn to weed those ones out but it still makes me marvel at how they manage to survive and I do wonder how their horses are still able to function.