Scratching My Head: The Social Media Storm in the Equestrian World

Hello, dear readers! Today, I want to share some thoughts that have been buzzing around my mind lately. You all know that I love following a variety of equestrians on social media. The content shared by many of you is genuinely valuable, and I deeply admire those who bravely share their experiences—whether it’s traveling to horse shows or treating an injured horse. It’s a beautiful thing to share your journey with the world.

However, I’ve noticed a concerning trend. Some individuals seem to be sharing content for the wrong reasons. Videos can be edited and taken completely out of context, often used to spread negativity or misinformation on our industry.

Just this week, I was teaching a horse summer camp. This camp came right after a UK Olympic rider was banned from competing for six months. Now, I’m not here to condone or criticize this rider because, frankly, I wasn’t there, and I’ve learned the importance of staying in my own lane. It’s alarming how quickly people jump to conclusions, even when they’re not qualified to judge. Remember, YouTube is not a courtroom, and you haven’t been asked to serve on a jury. Your rash judgments and comments are not only unhelpful but can also mislead young equestrians who might start parroting these opinions without understanding the full picture.

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10/26/2026 09:37 am GMT

Instead of using a 30 to 60-second clip to judge someone’s entire career, why not show us how you personally treat and train your own horse? Demonstrate what you can offer to the equestrian community in a positive way.

During camp, I introduced a group of six kids to vaulting. For those unfamiliar, in vaulting, the horse is controlled by a lunger with a lunge line and lunge whip, allowing vaulters to practice maneuvers on horseback in a safe, controlled environment. Out of the six kids, two were visibly upset about me carrying a lunge whip. Why? Because they had seen people on YouTube blowing up about someone using a whip on another continent. They didn’t even know the full story.

Shame on those spreading negativity. Let’s try to put a positive spin on the equestrian world and not give undue publicity to the bad apples. Let the appropriate organizations make these calls.

Let’s focus on uplifting each other and showing the world the beauty of our sport. Together, we can create a supportive and positive community.

Until next time, stay positive and keep riding!

Here are some fun and positive vloggers that I personally follow:

• https://www.youtube.com/@footluceeventing
• https://www.youtube.com/@eleese_s
• https://www.youtube.com/@justinewardeventing
• https://www.youtube.com/@elphick.event.ponies
• https://www.youtube.com/@LifeontheLeftRein