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Post by VeronicaF on Jun 17, 2014 22:52:05 GMT 1
:)Hi Guys, you all know, I go way way back, I am very old I go back where there was one part that everyone used to post on, on every subject, when this started pro boards , I never thought I would get used to it,I hate change, I am like horses hate change :)but I soon got used to it,and was then never off it. your talking about 38p a week, thats all for membershipwhat can you buy for 38 p not much these days but for 38p a week, you have instant support, comforte, friendship, companionship, love for some ,advice, share of your worries, company, you name it. its worth it and you get IH mag I not long ago put my 45 year old April to sleep. it was really hard coming to that decision, and it was the IH mag and an article in there that helped me come to terms with making that hard decision. So with all my bad spelling and my bad grammer and I know I don't make any sense half the time, but hope I made sense here love Vxxx
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Post by janwilky on Jun 17, 2014 23:08:05 GMT 1
I haven't been on here much recently, partly because all is going really well with my three and I'm spending as much time as I can getting out and about and having fun with my horses. But I was deeply appreciative of this forum when I was going through such difficult times with Lucas, the support and encouragement I received on here really did help keep me going at times. I seem to remember writing some epic essays but they, and the thoughtful replies, helped me work my way through the layers of his issues and I learned such a huge amount in the process. And then when he catapulted me into an air ambulance just when I thought we were through the worst, the support and kind words were invaluable and much appreciated. He's doing really well now and so is Bambi, so I suppose it's inevitable that I don't post as much as I did but I'll miss this forum and the sharing of ideas, news and friendship that it has entailed. I'm not an IH member at the moment and I'm still in FB denial so I guess it's the end of an era for me too. I've just forked out for BHS Gold membership as I'm now getting out and about much more and I needed the insurance, and I want to continue spending most of my hard-earned cash on lessons, clinics and going on FUN rides yeeha not to mention the ever-growing expense of keeping three horses. Someone mentioned starting an independent forum. A couple of years ago the UKNHCP (barefoot practitioners) decided to close down their open access forum. It quickly became apparent that many forum members valued the resource far too much to let it go, and within a couple of days of the announcement the independent Phoenix forum was born. It's the most fantastic, friendly, supportive forum and is the only forum I really can't live without checking into at least once a day. It has benefited from being independent and the mods are volunteers. Just shows it can be done if the will is there to maintain a community of like-minded individuals, with or without an 'official' link to IH.
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Caroline
Grand Prix Poster
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 2,277
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Post by Caroline on Jun 18, 2014 0:40:04 GMT 1
Well of course you can start an open or a closed Proboard - anybody can. ok then who's up for this? wizard tick I always thought that forums like this were a bit limited, so I had a go at creating a richer version of something similar...a site where there are forums, but where people have a more facebook and blog kind of environment where they can have photo albums, videos, their own horsey blogs etc. I never made much effort to recruit members and so it didn't really grow. It got attacked by spam bots, but I recently got fed up with the spam in the system so put in measures to prevent it and cleared out fake memberships and cleared down the forums. So it is now back to a usable state. So all here are welcome to join us at Love and Liberty: loveandliberty.orgAll it needs really is some nice new horse lovers to come share their horsey lives! Membership of the site is free and always will be. Edited: home page now fixed!
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Post by humility on Jun 18, 2014 1:42:53 GMT 1
Caroline, so great to see loveandliberty.org back up and running! I really hope that people use it now. I have hopped in and out in the last couple of years but the spam bots scared me off!
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Caroline
Grand Prix Poster
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 2,277
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Post by Caroline on Jun 18, 2014 2:18:25 GMT 1
They were a pain! But I think we have seen them off now by clearing them out and adding reCAPTCHA security to the registration and login forms.
I will probably do more to the site now it is happy and healthy again. There are so many things that can be added - perhaps an events diary would be an idea? I don't want to overwhelm users though. There is a lot of different things they can do on there already.
I have to be the worlds most reluctant web developer, being much happier in a field with ponies than anywhere near a computer, but unfortunately programming is my day job. It's just nice to build something I will enjoy using myself for a change!
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Post by Emma on Jun 18, 2014 7:43:03 GMT 1
I think its a good idea to condense the boards on the forum to create more focus on key Areas of content and increase discussion. Its a shame to lose an active board. Could you give anymore detail about the Ask an expert section and how this will work? Is there a contribution minimum amount? Does this vary between RA? Do we need to contribute for each piece of advice given by an RA or is this a one off payment? How many RA's will be in the ask forum? Will the members area be open to horse discussion and advice from anyone? Thank you
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2014 8:22:33 GMT 1
I really didn't want to get into a discussion of how the board is run, and I won't comment for the mods, but as there is an overwhelming sense of sadness I feel it's best to explain my side of things.
I am the only RA who posts on the DG with any sort of regularity. Most of the others either don't have the time and/or run their facebook pages to discuss their work. Because this forum goes under the name of IH, there has to be someone who keeps a vague eye on the advice that is given. Even with the best disclaimers in the world, people who come on here for the first time will see it as IH, and will see the advice given as that too. I have talked to some where that has been the case.
I have seen some terrible advice given over the years - anyone remember a well known breeder advising that people walk their colts with a piece of hose in the other hand to hit them with? We all know that people with problems will sometimes try anything, even something that in fact goes against their own judgement. Take the bad loader at the showground, with a helpless owner standing by while someone bullies their horse. That's maybe not going to happen here, but there are sometimes things that I pick up that are simply not IH. Sometimes I've posted here, sometimes I've contacted the poster by PM.
In order to pick those things up, though, you have to read everything! No, no one's asked me to do it but I believe that, if this discussion group exists, someone has to make sure it's IH. And there's no one else left but me!
So yes, scream, shout, weep at me - this is in large part my fault.
It is, though, also a sign of the times and sometimes we need to recognise that times change things. On the other hand, there is clearly intensely fond feeling towards this place, so we need to have a think about how it could work. It does have to change, but there is possibly a middle way that I'm mulling over.
Leave it with me for a day or so, and I'll be back... ok?
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Post by cookie on Jun 18, 2014 9:04:11 GMT 1
It's certainly not your fault Liz! I completely agree that info and advice will be assumed to be IH and that is where the work is generated. I think all of us members need to take a bit of responsibility for supporting the IH POV in any query or response, if we want the board to continue.
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Post by mjcssjw2 on Jun 18, 2014 9:58:09 GMT 1
oh dear, thats a shame. I don't have anybody on here as friends on facebook :-(
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Post by rosemaryhannah on Jun 18, 2014 10:52:17 GMT 1
If you look for me on Facebook it is Rosemary Vey Jacqueline Hannah
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Post by rosemaryhannah on Jun 18, 2014 10:54:32 GMT 1
It is most certainly not fair so much work is falling on one person. I think we can agree on that.
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Post by amandap on Jun 18, 2014 11:02:36 GMT 1
I agree. You mustn't stretch yourself too far LizP. We just have to suck it up.
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Post by jill on Jun 18, 2014 11:04:03 GMT 1
I haven't had time to read all the responses, and I do know this forum isn't what it was - FB, the new format for the host website, or just general change, but add this in to the mix and I do think it will be the kiss of death. I hope not, and I'll wait and see but I can't see how it can benefit either IH or all those horses crying out for a more sympathetic way of being handled if the forum gets smaller and smaller and more limited because it isn't fulfilling the need for networking?
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Post by marychick on Jun 18, 2014 11:25:45 GMT 1
Don't get me wrong I like the DG and it's a great recourse that I don't think you get from FB but I do think people are overstating it's role in bringing people to IH. I really think there are only a small number of people that come to IH because of this group and if IH don't have the recourses to ensure the board accurately reflects its values then there's a chance it could be more detrimental than beneficial. If there's a chance that the board can remain open and reflect IH how it should then fantastic- it will only add value- but lets not assume this is the only reason people come to the organisation. A lot of people that have discovered a love for Kelly and IH have never even heard of the DG.
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Post by amandap on Jun 18, 2014 12:20:20 GMT 1
I agree marychick.
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