The Tired, Old Social Influencer Amateur Debate
This hot take first appeared in the Heels Down Spark on September 28, 2021. Sign up now to get more conversation starters delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.
Last week, the USEF chose to move forward with four proposed rule changes that affect amateur riders directly. In some cases, the proposed changes went against task force recommendations based on membership feedback. But in nearly every instance, the proposals are nothing new, just the latest in the ongoing squabbles between officials and hobbyist riders that’s been happening for years.
The dilemma.
The one rule change debate that makes me cringe every time is the one about social media ambassadors. In the age of Instagram influencers, this is a conversation that just won’t die. (*The proposed rule change would allow for amateur riders to be paid for posts promoting products.) On one hand, I agree with ammie riders who say this isn’t USEF’s jurisdiction – being a brand ambassador has nothing to do with your riding skill or level, and shouldn’t affect your status as a pro or amateur. Horses are expensive, and a side hustle can certainly help. Nor do I see how this takes away from the true professionals who are paid for legitimate sponsorships.
IMO.
But honestly, why can’t we just get back to riding and enjoying horses? I really don’t understand the need to take a passion and make it a “brand” for all the internet to see. We’re so stuck in this culture of cultivating an online-only persona that sometimes I think we forget why we love the sport as much as we do. So many of these influencers have taken public “breaks” from their platforms for their own mental health needs. And now I see junior riders, teenagers and even younger, emulating this same behavior in hopes of being elevated to “equestrian influencer” status one day. No one else thinks this is a red flag?
Social media has sparked so many important conversations, but it’s also perpetuated this toxic culture. Mean girls exist and they tend to hide on the internet. You are more than your “brand”. You don’t need to compare your riding to anyone else on the internet. And just because some girl with thousands of followers is hawking the latest all-natural gatric care supplement on their page, doesn’t mean your horse needs it.