An apology
I am truly honoured by the number of people who have asked me to start up my blog again. I am stunned by the number of followers my blog had, and the length of time that some of you have been followers. I am chuffed that people enjoy what I write and the way that I write it. I am tempted by the idea that some of you would pay a donation to charity to persuade me to continue the story of my horses, thankyou for the offer.
But the online world is a very different place from when I started this over five years ago. There are people online who lurk around waiting for a chance to attack, and they use anonymity to create upset. And while you all feel like friends to me, and many of you think of me as a friend, the truth is that none of us really know each other unless we have met and spent time together.
On top of that, the person who attacked me on a public forum, accusing me of breaking the Animal Welfare Act in my management of Campero,xxxxx xxxxx, WAS a friend of mine. (Her post on UKNHCP was swifty followed in very similar wording by an anonymous coward posting a comment on my blog, clearly inspired to attack me by reading what she had written). We have had she and her husband here to eat (she brought pizza) and show them our geothermal heating system. I supported the UKNHCP for her for two days at Your Horse Live, entirely at my own expense. I have exchanged emails with her for three years and been out for meals with her and xxxxx.
And at the end of the day, if someone who actually knew me could betray me publicly so unfairly, by posting such heavy criticism without making any attempt to contact me first, what will any of you (I am SO sorry, but this is the place that Sarah's behaviour leaves me) do next?
I have always written warts and all. I originally began to post because I was fed up with people who only post when things are going well, leaving everyone else feeling like failures for not acheiving the same results. I post when I do things wrong and when I do things right. It's who I am. I can't just post the good stuff, it's just not me. But by doing so I leave myself open to attack. I've been attacked a number of times over the years, the first time in a vicious PM on EE, which I have managed to brush off.
But this time a founder of a "professional" trimming organisation made accusations which could have landed me in court. And you know how easy it would be to find both a vet and a farrier to stand in court and say I was doing the wrong thing with Campero. And a bench of Magistrates would not need ten minutes to decide on a guilty verdict in the face of such evidence against a completely unqualified amateur. I'm a JP, I know these things!
Faced with a choice of censored blogging or none at all, I am going to have to choose none at all. Thank you all for your friendship and support over many years. It's been fun and I have missed you.
If anyone needs advice, support or anything else, my email remains cptrayes@btinternet.com
posted by cptrayes @ 10:28 PM
29 comments
29 Comments:
I don't know what I will do without my daily fix of updates on your horses! I have really missed your blog- it inspires me when I am currently without horse contact (I have been reading since you were writing about Smartie on EE).
I'm sure you have already thought about this option, but it is possible to make blogs private and open to invited readers only. If you ever decide to go that route, I know I would be happy to break the internet anonymity to request the password so I could keep reading about your adventures with Jazz, Radar et al.
I wish you nothing but the best, Caroline. I have enjoyed reading your blog so very much, and have learned a great deal.
Best wishes,
Angela in Canada
I totally understand Caroline, you've been through the mill with this debacle and you just don't need the added stress (none of us do).
Thanks for your openess and the candid way you have tracked your journey on this blog, I have learnt things through your blog that have helped other horses I look after (I'm an Equine Podiatrist) and I will always be grateful for your honesty through your learnings particularly on diet.
Good luck with your horses and I'll bing you the odd e-mail to keep up on where you're at.
Best wishes
Tracey B
I am so sorry to hear you decision Caroline, as with many others I really enjoyed your 'warts and all' blog; but I fully understand your reasons. It always surprises me that people so quickly criticise, but if someone really thought you were doing harm wouldn't they report you and not just say they are going to report you. I just wish you well and if you ever do start up another blog - please let me know!
best wishes
Celia
ah. b*****
although I do understand where you're coming from on this - as Angela said, it could be an invitation only blog (although even then, given the circumstances, that possibly wouldn't help!)
We'll keep in touch, though, i have no doubt!
So sorry to hear this, but I completely understand.
The Internet is far more public than many users realize. I have often warned my students in class that what they write can be seen by the world and often the world will judge them by it.
As others have said, making your blog private by invitation only would allow you to keep supporters updated and have some control over those who can read it.
But that's up to you. I'll keep in touch by email to see how the herd is doing.
In the meantime, take care. I miss your stories, but completely understand your decision.
Disappointing that it has come to this but I totally understand,you have taken a heck of a lot of stick over the years online.
But the invite only blog could be a good compromise.. let me know if you do decide to do that?
I keep meaning to email to see if I can squeeze in a visit....ive still got 3weeks left of my hols!!
Very sorry to read this Caroline, having learned so much from reading blogs back as far as EE, but totally understood. Been meaning to mail you actually to see how the gang is doing and talk hooves!
Well, can only agree with everyone else. You have taught me an awful lot, and I REALLY miss your blog and what you are doing with your horses.
Oh, and if you ever consider doing another blog, count me in. Best wishes.
Well I am not Sarah Braithwaite!!!!! but I was the person who posted that in my opinion you were sailing close to the welfare wind. I still believe that to be the case. I thought my post was balanced, honest and from my heart. It was an opinion formed from the information that you had posted on forums and here on your blog which I have also followed with interest and enjoyed. I just wanted to set the record straight so that other people reading your blog can see that the person that you are talking about was not responsible for that particular post. May I suggest that you post an apology to put things straight?
I note that you are still too much of a coward to let me know who you are.
I note that you made no comment as to my horse's welfare, or asked my any questions about why I was doing what I did, at any time until after Sarah Braithwaite attacked me.
I note that you then felt brave enough to launch into me about a horse that you had never seen.
I note that you yourself have failed to apologise to me when it is clear from the horse's subsequent progress that you were wrong.
I do not call using the term "prolonging his agony" to be in any way balanced, especially about a horse that you have never seen.
I am grateful for the information that your libellous post was not written by Sarah Braithwaite, which I will be happy to correct as soon as my broadband connection is restored.
If you do not consider there was anything wrong with your post then no apology is required for mistaking the author, particularly since her post on UKNHCP was extremely similar in content and tone to your own.
Your original post and this subsequent attempt to justify yourself and repeat your criticism of me stand as a perfect example of the kind of behaviour that I meant when I wrote this last posting on my blog.
Please do not post again until you have the courage to give me your name.
C
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I have deleted your comment. When you have the courage to identify yourself I will accept and answer any comment that you wish to make. Until then you do not deserve a voice on my blog, you utter, utter coward.
Good grief is it still going on................ !!!
Certainly is Mandeigh. I suspect "anonymous" is a trimmer who paid a lot for their qualification, because he/she seems terribly threatened by the fact that an untrained "amateur" like me can resolve the problems of a horse like Campero.
Her latest offensive post suggested that I had somehow "put him through" some kind of misery to get him to go out and compete so successfully in a dressage competition.
His new people are absolutely besotted with him, and he is now hacking without boots, completely happy and extremely well.
Anonymous, if you want me to respond to any of your accusations, post with a google acount or give me your email address, so that I can communicate with you in person just as you have the pleasure of doing with me.
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Geez I am astounded at the vitriol on this blog.....
"His new people are absolutely besotted with him, and he is now hacking without boots, completely happy and extremely well."
Is that not enough for the detractors? What would you have rather that you had been proved right and the horse destroyed? What an ambition :-(
And to the anonymous posters...I think you'll find that the blog writer has made it very clear that she is happy for people to respond when they don't hide behind anonimity
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What has being a JP got to do with anything...the instructions are quite clear.....
"Anonymous, if you want me to respond to any of your accusations, post with a google acount or give me your email address, so that I can communicate with you in person just as you have the pleasure of doing with me."
Why is it so difficult to follow that?
To anonymous at 1.23 you said" I am just a small person interested in horses and their welfare."
So then I expect you will be delighted in this case to know that the horse has made great progress and has found new home?
I will allow any post to stand, and answer it in full, if the poster provides me with their identity, either by using a google logon or by emailing me so that I have their email address.
I will not allow anonymous cowards to post abuse on my blog.
I should add that your comment must also be polite and not libellous. If you meet those conditions then it will stand in full and unedited. Any comment not meeting those conditions will be deleted.
To everyone else, thanks for your support but I think it is time to stop giving these sad people the attention that they are seeking. Please do not respond in my defence, Campero is defence enough.
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How many more times? I will allow any polite and non-libellous post to stand where the poster does not hide behind anonymity.
C
I think this confirms your decision to stop the blog eh?
Tracey B....sigh....
Quite, Tracey. And I would hold you up as an example to anyone of how to deal with a potential difference of opinion as to how to manage a horse. I've always had the greatest respect for how you have, diplomatically, challenged my views if you were unhappy, asked me whether I am sure I am doing the right thing or suggested alternative approaches. You've been very helpful and I am grateful for your input.
To the person who accused me of being vindictive in posting this "after all this time", this is not "after all this time" to me, I live with it daily. I have been receiving emails several times a week asking me to restart my blog. That is why I wrote this post.
On top of that, every time I talk to a friend I wonder what they are really thinking and what they might do next, and that feeling is only just beginning to die away. Every time I open an email from Campero's new Mum and Dad I do so in trepidation in case he has failed to continue his progress now that he is out of my care. It goes on day after day - for me, it is far from over.
I was publicly accused of having a horse with uncontrolled dietary laminitis in significant pain who required the attention of a vet. That diagnosis was incorrect, as would have been obvious if any contact had been made with me. I was stopped from posting any more information which would show that diagnosis and accusation were incorrect by having my logon removed by Sarah. Nic Barker restored it when requested and Sarah removed it again. I insisted that it be returned so that I could defend myself as publicly as the accusations were made, and it was returned, subject to censorship, as it remains today.
I wrote this post to explain to the many people all around the world who I now know had been following my blog for years why I could not write any more. There was an element of exorcism in what I wrote, in an attempt to put it behind me, but vindictiveness? No.
C
I have now put posts on moderation to prevent the anonymous trolls from having the satisfaction of seeing their words in print until I get around to deleting them.
Anyone who posts politely with a question about why I have done anything that I have done with my horses will have their post published and be answered, anonymous or not.
Anyone who is prepared to let me know their contact details may post whatever legal and polite criticism they wish and I will answer it.
Anyone who wants help or a shoulder to cry on about a horse that the vets and farriers have been unable to help, you have my email address. If there is anything I can do for you, I will.
C
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