Don’t Believe Everything On Instagram
Media literacy is something we should all think about.
In the day and age of rampant social media, it can be easy to be “influenced” by what we see and the people who post it on the internet. In the horse world, the use of social media as an educational tool and a promotional one can, well, get a little murky at times. On one hand, it’s such an accessible tool for knowledge – it’s easy to find and share riding exercises from the pros, and it’s a wonderful way to host discussions on important topics. But like anything else these days, I caution horse people to view and read what they see on social media with a bit of skepticism.
On the flip side of the coin, social media allows anyone to exchange likes and followers for credibility, which is a slippery slope. Just like any backyard teenager with a skinny Thoroughbred can claim to be a “horse trainer,” people can build a brand online that suggests they are a professional but lack the credibility (and credentials) in real life to back up what they claim and post online. But in a matter of just a few clicks and likes, that person’s message can spread like wildfire across the internet, duping unsuspecting others into believing their line of horsemanship or training advice or worse – unvalidated health advice – is a good and sound idea.
My veterinarian preaches about the dangers of this all day long. And perhaps it is most easy to see the problem when we’re talking about actual health and wellness. While there are trainer certifications out there, it’s not mandatory for someone to have that kind of credentials to in fact, be a trainer. Someone can be “certified” to press a button on a specific brand of wellness equipment, but that does not make them a doctor or someone you should turn to for health advice.
IMO.
Too often, I see horse people I really admire, and who have been around the animals all of their lives, share images and content they believe is good advice from others that is… questionable at best. And the worst are the ones who border on internet trolls – they use other people’s riding or horses or equipment to point out flaws and how they are doing it “wrong”. If you are not a trainer, veterinarian or show official, you should not be shaming others choices by wrapping it into a buzzy Instagram post masked as education. And if you are searching your Instagram or Facebook feeds for credible answers, I plead with you now – please, please, PLEASE find a more credible and verified source.
This hot take originally published in the Heels Down Spark in May 2022. Get more conversation starters in your inbox every weekday morning by subscribing to the Spark now.