30/07/2026
Dear Horse industry,
Stop being awful.
Stop putting others down for the sake of one's own prosperity.
Stop the whispers in the warm up ring.
Stop the snarky remarks behind closed doors.
Stop with the clicks and underhanded complements.
Stop with the need for newest and latest fashions or tack sets but never riding your horse in fear they may get dirty.
Stop manipulating others words or actions.
Stop normalizing poor sportsmanship and start normalizing folks who work hard.
Chances are if you've had horses long enough you've encountered some sort of this. From the competition world, to trail riders, to rescues, to top level riders, it's everywhere and it's terrible and it's got to stop. It's got to.
I've met riders, young and old, who are petrified to ride infront of people because some where along the line, someone told them they weren't good enough. I've seen talented people quit because of gossip and I've seen people give up on what they believe in because folks made them belive they were only 1' tall.
When you see a rider kicking them selves after a bad ride, tell them great job for hanging in there and give them some tips.
When you see that girl show up in the rusty old bumperpull, know she likely put everything she had into her entry fees.
When you see an organization fighting for what they believe in, fight with them.
When you see the girl too shy to ride, ask her to help you out by hopping on to keep your horse company because it would be an awfully big help.
When you see the girl scared to death in line up remind them why they are there and they have this.
When you see the girl discouraged over progress, remind them how far they have come.
The world is full of ugliness, horses should be our escape, not a place we feel belittled. We are all incredibly blessed to have Equines in our life. Becoming better Horseman is hard enough without having folks tear you down.
Please start normalizing raising each other up.
-Erin O'Neill 🌿
