🤝 The Cost of Division: Why Tearing Each Other Down Hurts Horses Most
In the horse world, few things are universal. Walk into any barn or scroll through any social media feed, and you’ll quickly notice that diversity of thought, training styles, treatment approaches, and philosophies is the norm, not the exception. Some professionals are grounded in classical training traditions; others are cutting-edge, data-driven, or deeply intuitive. Some work within the veterinary system, others operate more holistically. Some are loud and outspoken; others soft-spoken and behind the scenes.
This diversity is not a problem.
In fact, it’s one of our greatest assets.
But lately, I’ve seen something that threatens the richness of this collective wisdom:
The increasing tendency for professionals to tear each other down, rather than build each other—or the industry—up.
🚨 This Post Is Inspired by Real Events
You’ve probably seen it too.
A social post making the rounds, where one professional “calls out” another’s work, methods, or results - often publicly and with language that verges on ridicule. Sometimes it’s more subtle: an eye-roll emoji in the comments, a sarcastic tone in an educational video, or the infamous “some people think…” statement that everyone knows is about a competitor.
It’s become increasingly normalized to make content or conversation that positions someone else as “wrong” so we can look “right.”
This kind of behavior is usually framed as “educating the public” or “raising awareness,” but often, it’s really just ego and insecurity dressed up as advocacy. And it’s dangerous.
Not because it hurts feelings (though it often does). But because:
It creates division among professionals
It confuses and alienates horse owners
And most importantly, it distracts from the real work of helping horses thrive
Let’s talk about why this matters.
🧠 Diversity in the Horse Industry Is a Good Thing
Whether you’re a bodyworker, trainer, vet, farrier, rehab specialist, or coach, you’ve probably worked with people whose style or methodology is very different from yours. Maybe even the exact opposite.
And yet… it worked. The horse improved. The client was happy.
That’s because no single modality or professional has all the answers. Horses are complex beings. Their needs are physical, mental, emotional, and environmental. Their histories are different. Their people are different. Their capacity for change is different.
In reality, our diversity as an industry means we have a larger collective toolbox to pull from. It means one professional can step in where another leaves off. It means there’s room for a broader spectrum of solutions—and often, better outcomes for the horse.
Diversity isn’t the issue. Division is.
👎 The Problem with Professional Undermining
Let’s make an important distinction right away:
Calling out abuse or unethical behavior is necessary and non-negotiable.
If a horse or human is being harmed, it’s not gossip to speak up -it’s integrity.
But that’s not what we’re talking about here.
We’re talking about the growing trend of tearing down other professionals simply because we disagree with their approach, personality, or perceived results. We’re talking about passive-aggressive posts, deliberate misrepresentation, or public shaming masquerading as “education.”
When we do this, when we prioritize being “right” over being respectful, we lose sight of our actual mission: to serve the horse, support the owner, and improve welfare and performance outcomes.
Let’s break down why this kind of behavior is harmful.
🐴 1. It Harms the Horse
You might think that calling out another professional’s “bad work” helps protect horses. But in practice, it often slows down or derails the horse’s care altogether.
When a horse owner sees two professionals publicly contradicting or attacking each other, they’re left uncertain and mistrustful. They may:
Freeze up and take no further action, fearing they’ll choose “wrong”
Switch providers too quickly, interrupting continuity of care
Try to navigate conflicting opinions on their own, without sufficient expertise
Meanwhile, the horse is still in pain. Still compensating. Still confused. Still waiting for help.
Conflict between professionals often results in paralysis at the horse level. And that’s not good for anyone.
🧑🤝🧑 2. It Erodes Owner Trust
When we publicly critique our colleagues, we may feel like we’re “pulling back the curtain” or “telling the truth.” But to a horse owner watching from the outside, it often reads more like infighting and drama.
And when horse owners start to doubt the people they rely on, one of two things usually happens:
They stop trusting anyone - including you.
They align too strongly with one person, and stop listening to everyone else.
Neither outcome supports good decision-making, healthy communication, or better outcomes for the horse.
Owners need professionals who are collaborative, not combative. Who are honest, but humble. Who can say, “That’s not my approach, but I can see why it might help in this context.” Or even, “That’s not what I would do, but if it worked for that horse, I’m glad” and walk away with a new perspective.
🔄 3. It Undermines the Industry
Every time we take a swipe at another professional in public, we’re not just damaging their reputation - we’re damaging ours, too.
We train owners to expect conflict and contradiction instead of collaboration.
We discourage rising professionals from entering the field (who wants to work in a space full of public judgment and turf wars?)
And we make it harder to create interdisciplinary teams that put the horse at the center of care.
We need farriers who can talk to vets. Trainers who respect bodyworkers. Therapists who collaborate with saddle fitters. We need cross-discipline dialogue - not silence, sarcasm, or shaming.
Raising the bar in the equine industry doesn't mean stepping on others to get to the top. It means building a higher platform together.
🙋🏼♀️ So What Can We Do Instead?
Let’s say you really do believe that a certain method, ideology, or professional is doing harm… or at least doing something you fundamentally disagree with. How do you address that without falling into the trap of ego-driven criticism?
1. Lead with Evidence, Not Emotion
If you're sharing content to educate, keep it factual, not personal. Use case studies, cite sources, explain mechanisms. Stay away from finger-pointing.
2. Acknowledge Nuance
Most things aren’t black and white. Rarely is someone “always wrong.” Look for the gray areas. Say, “This method may not work for horses with X condition,” rather than “That practitioner doesn’t know what they’re doing.”
3. Speak Privately Before Going Public
If a professional’s actions are truly harmful or unethical, try to contact them directly. Ask questions. Express concern. Give them a chance to clarify or course-correct. Public critique should be a last resort, not a first move.
4. Offer Alternatives Without Attacking
You can educate about your approach without dragging someone else’s down. Say what you do and why, not what they do wrong.
5. Focus on the Horse
At the end of the day, it’s not about you. It’s not about them. It’s about the horse. Every conversation should come back to welfare, function, and long-term health.
💬 Final Thoughts: We Need to Do Better
The truth is, our words matter. The tone we set in our content, our conversations, and our collaborations shapes the culture of the equine industry. And right now, that culture is at a crossroads.
We can choose ego, drama, division, and cliques.
Or we can choose collaboration, humility, and shared purpose.
We’re allowed to disagree. We should call out abuse. But we also have to ask ourselves, what’s the intent behind my critique?
Is it to educate? To protect? Or is it to elevate myself at someone else’s expense?
If it’s not in service of the horse, the owner, or the industry… maybe it doesn’t need to be said.
Let’s raise the standard without tearing each other down. Let’s model the kind of professionalism we want the next generation to inherit. Let’s treat each other with the same compassion, patience, and curiosity that we offer the horses we love.
Want to be part of a collaborative care network that keeps horses first and egos second?
I’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re a vet, trainer, therapist, or passionate owner - let’s work together to raise the standard and the tone.