Who Knows What Evil Lurks….?
Aug 17 2011
Good Morning
It might be time for a bit of an introduction. I am not Fugly.
I can promise you I won’t ever try to be her, we’re two very different people with different outlooks and approaches to our lives with horses.
We do have a shared passion, a desire to have a life rich with horses and to help these wonderful critters find a safe world to live in. We also have a pretty high regard for each other.
By taking over this great blog I have some pretty big shoes to fill, I mean, she wears like an 11 1/2 EEE or something.
I don’t have Cathy’s connections in the auction and rescue world, I live in another part of the country and will be building my own. I do have different connections, ones that run deep, to the trainers and breeders who cause so much of the turmoil involved in the promotion, use and breeding of horses. I am close to many of these people but have no problem going after them for irresponsible breeding practices, cruelty or neglect.
You will never find me standing on a ridge over-looking a herd of mustangs whistling the theme of “Born Free.” I do promise not to make fun of you if you want to, and you are always welcome to voice your thoughts and bring on your opinions.
My first posts will more than likely remind many of you of the early Fugly days. I’m going to be studying her path from the beginning to when I took over. It will be with the intention of learning how she developed the blog and avoid some of the quicksand that periodically sucked her in. So call it the Fugs Revival, Fugnoir, whatever you want, just know it’s going to be a learning process for me too.
I am not going to automatically publish the contacts for every photo I use or situation I cover in a post. Get used to it. The information will be archived but not necessarily open to the public. That would be you. I tend to be protective about the people I exploit, what can I say?
When it comes to my grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, it comes with the writer. I drive my editor crazy with it. She still thinks I’m worth publishing though. If you don’t agree, well, bite me.
For me blogging is about saying what I think, as I think it, a virtual barfing on the keys. It’s supposed to be as impromptu as a conversation. From the comments I read it seems most of you feel the same. I mix humor and serious thoughts all the time, it’s how I roll and I’m not going to stop for a few engineer-brained, crosswalk using critics.
If I wanted to get pissy I would point out that telling me how crappy my writing is and then asking me for information seems like the epitome of awkward to me. I’m just sayin’.
Sometimes my writing will be better than others, I’m guessing it runs the same way for you. I’d hate to lose some good input because the commenter was afraid of the language arts police.
In the mean time, I’m glad to be here, look forward to picking at the scabs and infected teeth in the equine world and will continue to barf on the keys at will.
Hasta Manana Compadres
136 comments to “Who Knows What Evil Lurks….?”
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welcome, welcome, welcome……..this has always been one of the first things I check, when i come in from feeding, in the morning. will be looking foreward to “what happens next”. I gave up worrying about what anyone else has to say about me, when I put on my purple hat (wink).
Good morning to you, and best wishes in your new enterprise.
Welcome, Fugnoir! So glad to have someone picking up the reins. Go ahead and make the blog your own, I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say.
Don’t worry about your writing, as long as it’s better than the Craigslist ads you feature it’s not going to drive anyone away! When I’ve read through bloggers’ archives, it takes most people about a year to find their ‘voice’ and really start writing smoothly, Cathy included. Stepping into someone else’s format (and really big boots) has to add some extra challenges.
Welcome!
Welcome new writer! I noticed a few ad’s 20 minutes from me so I think we might be neighbors! Yes, you have big shoes to fill (at 5’3″ and 11 1/2 shoe, my what a spectacle) but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring some good stuff to the mounting block. The most important thing is the network of educated horse crazies who share knowledge about the horse world and keep each other informed of the wrong, the cruel, the joy and the needs of these animals we love so much. I still hold hope that some day we can provided some serious whip-ass to the Big Lick, HYPP, HERDA breeders out there and stop the nonsense in its tracks. I’ll be here until that happens. – sometimes tactful, sometimes arrogant and potty-mouthed but I won’t apologize for being passionate to make happier and healthier horses.
I’m not sure about the ads, I’m not on that side of things, I just write. It’s nice to meet you anyway.
You too! When I read you were in a different part of the country from Cathy, and a local fair was advertised, I just assumed… As Safierdrgn stated, sounds like Google advertises according to area.
Do we get a sneaky-peaky new avatar with your horse’s nose??
If you’re talking about the google ads those are determined by your computer’s location and however else the almighty google decides to track you.
Welcome.
I always enjoyed the conformation critiques on the fugly blog, and the training critiques. Granted no one method works for all disciplines, but the short cuts and magical, natural horsemanship train wrecks need to be addressed.
I also liked the basic horsemanship 101 reminders. Keeping the barn clean, checking and cleaning tack, mending fencing,ect. Often times it’s the failure to address the little things which result in the biggest problems.
Don’t feel like you have to fill anyones boots. Cathy just gave you a leg up, So ride on girl!
(I am assuming your a girl, sorry if this is not the case.)
Keep those requests coming! I’ll store them and keep them as a reference.
MY ALL TIME FAVORITE TOO!! Sorry- I was too excited to type in regular caps
And I have learned tons from reading Fugs- including to check, re-check and continually try and improve on my horse care- I am looking forward to more good horse info.
I wouldn’t recommend using photos without permission or credit. That’s damn rude.
If a photo has been posted on a sale sight it’s open for use elsewhere. If they had been signed by the photographer I would and will always give credit.
“If a photo has been posted on a sale sight it’s open for use elsewhere.” That’s not how copyright works. It would be good to brush up on copyright and fair use, to avoid making mistakes. *Most* of the photos that have been used on this blog in the past have been fairly used under the “fair use” rules, but don’t assume that means that you can use any photo, any way you want. For example: http://www.freelancewriting.com/workingwritersnewsletter/confusion-of-copyright-law-forces-copywriter-to-pay-4-000-for-a-10-photo.html
I don’t recall anyone making a fuss about the photos Cathy posted, so why make a fuss about these photos now? Don’t nitpick the new writer into oblivion because they’re not slinging insults and threats left right and center.
I’m excited to see where this will go. I look forward to getting information and learning, rather than reading psychotic rants urging your readers to take the law into their own hands. I also quite like the fact that you’re not linking to the adverts and are not dropping names. Welcome and I look forward to learning what you have to teach!!
I think it’s a good idea to be thorough about practising what you preach. Don’t bugger around with copyright any more than you’d bugger around with a horse’s welfare. Put yourself beyond reproach (the only way to be in this snake pit).
“If a photo has been posted on a sale sight it’s open for use elsewhere.”
No, it’s not. My breed has a contingent of thieves who think nothing of stealing images from websites, people’s photo albums and facebook pages, from breed forums, internet sales sites and professional photographers and using them for their own purposes. Copying and using a photograph without permission is **theft** plain and simple.
Fair use is an important concept to understand, satire and critic of a published work is most certainly covered under fair use. Which is a category most Fugly work falls under. Do be familiar with copyright laws, don’t let copyright trolls keep you from exercising your right IMHO.
Yup, fair use laws for parody, review and critique are complicated. If you’re not linking back to where the ad photos came from (which I think is a good policy for preventing harassment, by the way), the new owners of the blog might be wise to consult with a copyright lawyer and figure out what they’re going to do and how. Same goes for libel – people threatened to sue Cathy all the time, but being a paralegal she knew how to stay on the legal side of that line and could tell them with confidence to bring on the lawsuit, she’d win. I’d hate to see the new owners and/or writer wind up in legal trouble.
Well, I’m done – Cathy may have been rude, but she was rude, smart, and funny. You’ve only got one of the three, you know it, and you have a big chip on your shoulder about it. Hope you enjoy your $10K vanity project.
I hope you come back, friction is what makes this blog so fun! I didn’t buy the blog BTW, I was simply asked to write it.
Well that did it! I’m sticking around for sure, now! Not that I was planning on going anywhere anyway.
Welcome, Fugs 2.0!! I’ve seen two of your posts and a handful of your comments – none of which I would call rude, btw – but someone is already complaining about how much you suck. Which means, of course, you must be awesome.
Looking forward to the new era, although I hope Fugs 1.0 won’t be scarce.
I hadn’t picked up on rudeness either??
btw if we are making requests, I also prefer the snarky ad critiques
I like the awareness to issues this blog can bring, but poking fun at the ads that give all of us the “wtf?” reaction is the best.
If you’re looking for snarky ad critiques, stop by our blog! We’re not pro writers or trying to be Fugly or anything (it’s definately about the funny on our site). We’re just a couple girls who blog in our spare time. But we have lots of fun with it!
snarkyrider.wordpress.com
Yup. It’s not FHOTD unless people are saying how much it sucks and making personal attacks. You’re off to a good start.
… Kinda the pot calling the kettle black dontcha think?
Meow, hssst, hsst! I think you are very brave to take this on and I sure appreciate someone doing so. I’m sure the blog will evolve and grow as it continues – tis the nature of things. Don’t let the bitches get you down.
WTFugly? If you don’t like the new writer, don’t read the blog! I for one, welcome new Fugly writer whoever you are. It’s about time this blog returned to horses and less on flaming people. Congratulations and I like this softer, friendlier fugly.2
Oh, come on! Where would the fun be in having a fugly blog where everyone liked the writer?
Wow, from just a few paragraphs you figured out the new writer is rude, dull and dumb? You are amazing and I’m glad you aren’t planning to stick around because I don’t think you will have anything of value to add to the conversation.
Welcome to the Fugly blog! I am happy to see that another horse person took over the blog and intends to continue it along similar lines to Cathy’s work. I look forward to hearing from you
Welcome new Fugs. It will be interesting to see where you take the blog.
Looking forward to your next post,
-DS
Adventures In Colt Starting
Good for you! If they don’t like it, they can leave!
Welcome and good luck. Big shoes to fill indeed. Looking forward to seeing where this blog goes from here. It’s been a long journey, for sure. Do we get a name behind the writing?
I kinda hope they just stay around and fuss.
Welcome, and let’er rip!!!
Congrats.
Welcome aboard.
Let’s get right to it.
Take a look at the irresponsible breeder who in the last month has dumped over 80 mares with foals at side, orphan foals, yearlings, 2-year olds and pregnant mares (or assorted combinations of same) in the kill pens in Fallon, NV. The Horse and Man blogger does some fundraising to help assorted horse rescues although she is not a rescuer and does not operate a rescue of her own. Cathy has featured her stories before. This is a particularly ugly one because H&M got the word that it was ONE irresponsible breeder responsible for dumping for kill this many horses in three loads. Here is the story: http://horseandman.com/bucket-fund-stories/31-newly-orphaned-foals-and-8-nursing-mares-with-their-babies-are-in-the-slaughter-pen-now-is-the-time-to-make-the-bucket-fund-matter-these-horses-already-have-a-place-to-go-and-thrive-we-just/.
31 orphan foals and 8 mares with foals; 33 yearlings and 2-year-olds, and on August 11 15 more mares and foals were dumped. Some of the mares shipped leaving foals behind including one who was dreadfully injured trying to follow mama onto the truck (auction workers stepped in and got baby some help, at least).
There is quite simply no excuse for any breeder to produce these numbers of horses. “Irresponsible” doesn’t even begin to describe it.
I agree, totally irresponsible but I couldn’t help think the guy was laughing all the way to the bank as people paid him for his “mistakes”. I could almost picture him going around and collecting strays and such to get more $$$.
Damn if you rescue/Damn if you don’t…
I am sure them are Rez. horses… it is not someone breeding them, they just run on the rez. and I do believe that there was a lot wrote about them a few months ago.. people turning horses out on their land.. to many horses for the land.. and they have been bringing them in and shipping them.. colts are all old enough to be pulled from mares by the look of them.. when a colt is 2/3 of the height of the mare they are big enough to be pulled. Once again people start bitching and damning people before they have the whole story.
I’m excited to see where you take us next. Welcome!
Well, if you’re taking requests……..You know what I would loooooove to see?
Back when I was a kid (who knows – maybe it’s still available) there was a section in a horse magazine I used to read where they would take a photo of three horses and put them side by side: Horse A, Horse B, Horse C.
You (the reader) were supposed to decide which one you thought had the best conformation, and “the answer” was in another part of the magazine. They then ranked the horses from worst to best, and pointed out WHY.
That would be a fun thing to do – you could do it as a “who has the WORST conformation”… or we could play “Who has the BEST conformation” and choose three of the top leading stallions… every horse has problems/pitfalls, and sometimes when they are fat/healthy, I have a lot of trouble seeing it for myself. For instance, this blog taught me about shoulders and how they relate to comfort at a trot (I had no idea why some horses were bouncier than others – I thought it was just because they weren’t as collected, or something.) Maybe a “Which Horse would be best at dressage/reining/jumping/cowwork?” I love posts like that.
Oh, and for the record, you owe me a paper towel. I had to use one to clean my computer screen after I snorted coffee on it when I read “If you don’t agree, well, bite me.”
Practical Horseman magazine does that in every issue – it’s an English-riding based magazine though so if you were interested in horse conformation for reining/WP/barrel racing, etc you’d be disappointed, but if you’re into Dressage, H/J, Jumpers, or Eventing, it’s a great bit they do every month!
The magazine ‘Horse and Rider” does a conformation clinic every month, as they call it… it’s my favorite part! I would love to see that!
Practical Horseman: Conformation Clinic = )
They still have it today, and it’s always the first thing I look at, haha. I usually read it on the elevator on the way up to our apartment just after getting the mail (my neighbors probably think I’m strange). I always am VERY careful to flip from front to back so I don’t accidentally see the answer page. I usually agree with the author, but every once in awhile we don’t see eye to eye.
I, too, would love to see some more of the original conformation posts that started Fugly. I’m a bit of a conformation nerd, so I always loved those (I’m also a bit of a snob, so I love a bit of snark thrown in too, ha). Rescue posts and outing of ignoramuses are always good, but they can become horribly depressing after too many in a row.
Cathy wasn’t all that knowledgable regarding conformation other than very obvious stuff. Hope the new Fugly is better.
Is that seriously necessary?
Err, you do realize the name of the blog is FUGLY HORSE OF THE DAY, right? Not conformational horse of the day…
But, by all means, if you are such an expert on conformation, why not shower us with some pearls of wisdom?
Horse & Rider has that page every month – fun to compare my “eye” for a horse with the judge.
I love the idea of which horse is suited for what! I’m so horrible at it, that I thought the stud at the barn I board at was a reiner. He is actually a racing QH. And apparently was a damn good one too, so I think I was a little off there
So if that idea was made into a post, I’m assuming the comments/discussions would be on why the horse’s build makes it suited for its job? I’d really be interested in that so I can keep up with the more knowledgeable riders at my barn. And seeing as I’m one of the 2 with under 20+ years of horse experience, its easy to feel like such a newbie still.
Glad to have you, I am so glad you’re picking up where Cathy left off. If you’re feeling self-concious of your writing, go check out my blog – it’ll make you feel better for sure! (I am the bad grammar and typo queen!).
http://www.felixfjord.blogspot.com
Welcome new Fugly! I’m new too
Here’s an idea. A topic kinda exposing ourselves as dos and donts of the horse world.
Everyone does stuff different, doesn’t mean its right or wrong, just different. So tell us
what you do and why. With no peanut gallery comments.
Just an idea, I would post. Good luck!
From one writer to another, a bit of advice: If you think a criticism has helped you improve, implement it and thank the critic. If you think it’s destructive, just ignore it. You don’t owe anyone even as much of a response as “bite me” if you’re not interested in their opinion. The “bite me” is implied by ignoring them
Welcome! I don’t know if anyone can make this work like Fugs the First did, but you seem like you have a thick enough skin to make a go of it, and I’ll be continuing to read and comment.
By the way, this is my $500 Found on Fugly Filly (she’s nine, but mare doesn’t work with the alliteration): http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/284524_182101198521058_164082763656235_496420_718583_n.jpg
Thanks, Fugs the First! You wanted photos–there’s a before (I have better confo ones but I’m in them and I don’t want to post my own pic here, though it’d be easy to find since I’ve posted them on a forum under the same username, I’m just a little wary of your audience) and if you stick around and keep reading comments, you’ll get an after eventually, once she’s going under saddle nicely. She is a very sweet mare and moves like a pony sized version of those warmbloods with such a huge overstep you have to keep bell boots on them 24/7. Gonna make somebody a nice dressage/hunter pony, or I bet she could do endurance. And I could get on her any day honestly, she does NOT give an eff about me laying across her saddle–and this is a mare who a month ago had never worn one and done nothing but have babies.
So hopefully Fugnoir will keep up the fight for Broodie Repurposing, because this one is sure carrying that torch well! Want a nicely bred performance horse without the “prospect” prices from the big barns? Look for one that’s 8-12 and not broke… they come cheap and boy is starting them EASY if the brain is in there.
I agree, I won’t be acknowledging them anymore, I just wanted, one time, to state my POV on that kind of nonsense. Thanks for the input on the blog!
BTW, it would be a good idea to set-up a different account to post from, with your own username and avatar, so that you can help people keep the two posters separated from each other. Otherwise, eventually, some new poster to this blog will hold YOU accountable for something Fugly said (in a post or comment to others) before you took over, and trying to explain and straighten it out will devolve into exactly the kind of mess you said you wanted to avoid.
Yea.. like a fhotd2.0
Welcome. And I like the “editorial” control on info you post. Could put a lid on some of the wilder elements following this blog, with blasting emails and such. I liked the conformation education, which is why I started following, info on rescue refeeding, senior feeding and care, and general tips for horse care/training. And the funny stories are good as well. You going to change the picture that comes up with Fhotd on comments?
Hi, welcome.
Don’t think of it as filling her shoes more, changing boots
I look forward to reading your posts and seeing what comes.
As for request, conformation and horsemanship posts are good please.
WOO HOO and welcome to the center stage ^_^ i will try to be a good audience member and only throw peanuts when appropriate ^_~
i look forward to seeing the blog grow and develop again (and become more active i hope ^_~) and maybe see our “old” Fearless Leader come poke her head in every so often
this is my favourite distraction from school ^_^
and just to be a pain…i have an OT request…i’m trying to find information on welfare issues facing horses (particularly thoroughbred racers) in New Zealand…i know there are a couple kiwis on here…its for a paper for one of my classes at Massey and i am having a world of trouble getting any actual research into the matter…any help would be greatly appreciated ^_^
http://www.youtube.com/user/shannonaltmanqh#p/a/u/0/VzmiwoRd8Gk
Would love your comments on this video.. I swear to me it just looks like there is something wrong with this horse. From his hangdog expression to those odd gaits.. why would anyone deliberately train an animal to move like that?
Welcome to the lovely world of Western Pleasure, Denise. Hideous, isn’t it?
Yes, horses that move like horses are deliberately trained to move like puppets on strings, slower than molasses in a Wisconsin January for this discipline. As for their being something wrong with the horse, I do think he’s lame in his left hind. He doesn’t reach under himself as far with that leg as he does with the right and the right lead lope is dramatically different from the left. Arthritic hocks would be my guess. To be fair, some of those dark horses going around the pen with him looked even worse off than he is.
As for why anyone wants a horse to move like that, I have no idea. When my horse cantered like that one day, I got off and called the vet.
This is why my die-hard WP riding kids switched to Huntseat in 4H (when riding; they also enjoyed showing Minis in-hand and driving). They got fed up with being overlooked on their nice, normal-moving horses for horses that moved like this and I couldn’t even watch the classes without getting up to leave before I ended up yelling at someone down in the arena…
I had to stop watching at the video was making my stomach hurt. A friend of mine shows in Western Pleasure and neither of her 2 horse have a gait like that on a slow lope. Arghhh irritating!
Because it’s Western Pleasure. That horse actually moves “decently” for a WP horse. I will never, ever, EVER understand the appeal of modern WP trends.
I don’t think that horse is nearly as bad as some… it’s still a bit slow for my taste, but it doesn’t seem all that forced compared to toher horses in the class.
That said I ride my paint mare WP locally in a tiny show, my mare loves going slow… the more balanced she gets, the slower she lopes… without me asking or touching her face. My trainer has showed arabs, morgans, and saddlebreds… so neither she nor I ahve the inclination to make my mare move like that.
That’s just terrible!!! If I didn’t know that these people actually trained their horses to do that I would be running out there and saying “OMG get off that poor horse and call the vet! He’s broken a leg or something!” It blows my mind that some asshat somewhere along the way decided that this was a good thing to teach your horse to do. It looks aweful and painful and in no way shape or form should a horse ever be taught to move that way. Why on earth would someone get an award for making their horse look dead lame?
Heh. I was at Congress with a relative, watching an Amateur Versatility Class. It was one of the so-called “hunt seat” go-rounds, and 3/4 of the horses were noticeably LAME at the trot, not to mention skinny- or upside-down-necked, and just plain SAD looking, with dead tails to boot.
I pointed this out… the answer was “Yeah, they get a little ouchy this late in the show season.”
Of course, nearly all of the horses that placed were lame and sad.
I don’t get the extreme-skinny sweated necks, either. The way they hold their thin necks stick-straight and down, or down & sucked in at the base while their noses stick out, and stumble along with those halting man-made gaits they call “jog” and especially “lope,” they look to me like the illustrations in Black Beauty of the poor beaten-down carriage horses of Victorian London.
Ech. That is why WP has a bad reputation.
I have a gelding that I will be training in WP because that is the discipline he is best suited to (naturally slow jog and lope, low head set ect.), but I will NOT be making him move like that – no matter how unpopular it makes us in the show ring. A lot of WP horses (especially in the lower levels) don’t move like that, but there are a lot who do and quite frankly, I think it’s disgusting. To each their own, but I just don’t see the appeal in it. I like the idea of riding a comfortable horse, on a super loose rein, but I would rather they didn’t look lame on 3 legs =/
http://www.operationhorserescue.blogspot.com
I couldn’t watch the whole video- it made my eyes bleed. If I could watch those WP videos and get the same feeling I get from good dressage, eventing, or jumping where horses of many years (or few) look like athletes truly enjoying themselves I wouldn’t bitch so much. But all I get is the same stomach turning feeling I get from watching big lick. Watching videos like this had made me bitch about WP to any and all that will listen. I don’t have a particular event/path that I favor- I always figured that if it suits you and your horse and makes you happy – go for it. But I DON’T SEE HAPPY all I see if )&*#% misery and it makes me cringe.
Ha! Ha! My husband looked over my shoulder when he heard the awful music and said, “Why is that horse limping?”
Welcome New Fugly! Looking forward to being able to read FHOTD with my coffee in the morning again! Good luck!
The first time I took my husband to Congress, we watched a little bit of WP, and he was like, “Pleasure for WHO??”
I’ve ever understood the fascination with modern WP. Could you imagine crossing the plains on a horse like that? You would die of starvation before reaching the next town.
We call that gait the trope, and this is a lesser example than a true trope. Generally the fact that they are trotting behind and loping in the front is more visible. The woman in the green shirt was showing at a trope.
You have to admire the level of skill it takes to get so many horses pinning their ears simultaneously. Nothing says pleasure class quite like pained gaits, dead tails and pinned ears. So much shiny for so little turnout. The next step is to simply rename the class ‘Best Dressed’, trope the horses straight in to the center and line them up.
You will be changing your avatar soon, I hope? I would like to associate you with your new beginning. Plus it’s kind of creepy knowing it’s not Cathy answering but, there she is!!
Another point of view is never wrong, and always needed! Welcome and can’t wait to read some more. I’ve read this blog for years and although I don’t agree with ever point of view, piece of advice, or kill status, I believe that I’m only allowed an opinion if its an educated one. Thus reading everyone’s comments, critiques, and checking out as many links as possible. Thanks so much for stepping up and organizing everyone’s thoughts… especially your own! Happy writing!
Ride it like you stole it
…and shoot like you mean to keep it.
Hi new Fugs, welcome, can’t wait to see what happens next.
As far as Ideas for the Blog
1st create “Regions”, Deep South, South East, East, Near Midwest, South West, Midwest…
Have people who are either in those areas OR are familiar with the shows give information on how things USED
to be, and how they are NOW.
How have trends in styles of showing changed, we all know about the Trope, the Peanut rollers, Rolle Kur, so what other trends besides the big lick in TWH’s…
How has have those trends impacted the training done to different breeds and their shows…
And perhaps create a sticky list or a set of stickies in the archives… of regionally available hay, good boarding/layover spots, vets, rescues, transporters, and perhaps BAD…
I know alot of folks need good (reputable) sources of food, shelter, and other needed things, and what or whom to avoid.
Congrats and I am soo looking forward to reading the blog more!
Ooooh. Good stuff. Thanks.
That was an interesting opening.. lol
welcome
Regions.. yes.. and there are even people that don’t live in the US here. amazing hey? some people live in different parts of the world.. like Canada! maybe even other places
And how about Portugal? *points to self*
I also would like to see information for specific regions regarding feed sales, locations and prices as well as any horse relaterd activities for specific regions. We are very seriously considering a move to the PNW on the southern side of Oregon and the information I have been able to find so far for Curry county is sketchy at best and looks like Nor Cal id the closest with more horse related stable, boarding and feed info at this time.
Wlcome aboard New Fugly! Will miss Cathy immensely. But you will catch up in time. As far as a new Name for yourself “Fugnoir” from your introduction might be the thought of the day…
WELCOME “I am not Fugly!”
Like many, I was not happy to hear of Cathy deciding to end her reign of Fhotd. The majority of Cathy’s posts provided me with lots to think and learn about. Many have been eye-opening and inspirational. I enjoyed when members of her readership disagreed with her and said so in informative ways.
Cathy is a very funny woman and I was not looking forward to being without my daily fix of her unique type of humor. She has a talented wit only other horse nuts understand.
Which leads to say dear “I am not Fugly,”–after reading your official hello post just now, I found myself chuckling several times–out loud! Your written expression feels spontaneous and genuine. Very similar to Cathy in that way. I already like you a lot! Congratulations on this gig.
P.S. When Cathy sold Fhotd, did she sell the rights to her face in the avatar as well?
I can’t figure out how to change it!
You’ll have to change it on Gravatar.com–it’s the plugin used for avatars. You’d have to use the same email address used for the registration of your FHOTD account (er, fugly’s account) to change it, I believe. Never tried it myself, I keep forgetting my accounts here.
That said, maybe you might want to consider adding a new account for yourself as the administrator–so we can tell the difference between OriginalFugly and BrandNewFugly/Fugnoir/FuglyRedux/whatever you prefer to call yourself?
On WordPress, that would be under the Users tab, under Users, Add User From Community, and giving your account/email the role of “Administrator”. 
Oooh thanks! I will take a look at that.
I’m with the majority of readers here: WELCOME!! This has been a place I come for advice and good sense (mostly… although the trollers make it a fun read a lot of times). I look forward to what you have to offer
I, also, agree that more confo postings would be awesome. Most of what I know I learned by really paying attention to what is posted and commented to here. I now know (sadly) that my poor arab is a confo nightmare
But I love him anyway and he’s a kickass endurance horse (even if I do have to post the whole way because of his nasty, upright shoulder *sigh*)
Good luck and have fun with it!!
Life’s A Beach
http://36andsingle.blogspot.com/
Welcome! And as one person put it “as long as you write better than what’s on Craigslist” you’re hired! Would like to see a small biography…no pics necessary, but where you grew up, education perhaps, horses owned now or in the past, the usual brouhaha.
Welcome new Fugly! We always appreciate a kindred spirit…
snarkyrider.wordpress.com
Wow ! Welcome !
I haven’t posted in about 5 years. I couldn’t keep up with the “regular posters” who seemed to almost take over. I have a small business and just don’t have time to post multiple times/day.
I’d like to see us posters help you to develop a quiet contact list throughout the USA. For instance, my business is located within a large horse rescue — maybe I can get info regarding kill sale issues, backyard breeders etc. Just a thought, especially since success is frequently linked to networking and who you know ! How about you tell us what you need and maybe we can help you get going and launched for success.
Welcome again and I look forward to more discussions
Welcome, welcome!!
You will do just FINE. All you have to do is post stupid horse stuff, and we will do the rest.
I am always astounded that people think they must agree 10000000% with people to like or respect them. Spirited discourse is awesome, and if you can’t take the heat……
Glad to have ya here. Missed my daily dose of Fugly.
Hi Cathy and new person. Cathy, I did my first event last weekend!! My boy was a monster. He was fine with the jumps, but did not like the show environment … loud speakers, cars, spectators. BUT, we got thru it all. We finished 18th out of 20! Haha!! I know what we have to work on to improve. (well how couldn’t we?) THANKS CATHY!!!
Welcome indeed! I’m excited to see where the blog goes from now on! It’s always nice to read from someone new. I’m glad you were asked to write it!
I’m the TWH sound horse advocate, BTW, so if you’re ever looking for dirt on the TWH industry, feel free to ask or to go to my blog, http://forthetnwalkinghorse.blogspot.com. I don’t mind any of that information being passed around so we can get the word out about sored horses!
Being fairly new to the Fugly Factor I am more then OK with Fugly 2.0 aka Fugnoir aka whatever the heck you want to call yourself. I appreciate that you care enough about the horses to make the effort. Too many people hop onto their BMW(Bitch Moan Whine) High Horse and spout endless Reasons, Stories, or Excuses about why they are absolutely within their “Rights” to beat, starve, neglect, reproduce ad nauseam, or generally make life miserable for their animals. I feel this Blog puts a big, fat WHOA! on those folks, offering a reality check for those willing to take it and one more thing to get on their High Horses and BMW about for all the rest.
I did enjoy Cathy’s courage, tenacity, and steadfast belief that every horse matters. Her voice was not one to be silenced by critics, detractors, the ignorant or the obstuse. When there was something that she thought needed saying Cathy had few qualms about saying exactly what was on her mind.
It is quite the Legacy that you have stepped up to FugWho, but then I think you knew that before you signed on.
I look forward to seeing how things go from here with you riding point.
Happy Trails!
Welcome! Congrats on buying the fuglyblog.
I have to say, I had missed turning on the computer and seeing a new post – but with the way you’re going, I will have a hard time keeping up lol.
Don’t worry about people who critisize your writing – yeah, it’s different to Cathy’s, but what did people expect? It’s not like her clone took over this blog. Everyone makes the occassional error, it’s not as though you write lykkk dis, eiyy1!!?
Thank you, for not deleting the old posts and for keeping the subject of this blog the same. I was terrified someone would buy it and turn it into a crappy website, that had nothing to do with horses. I’m looking forward to future blog posts, you are doing really well IMO.
http://www.operationhorserescue.blogspot.com
Hello and welcome “Not Fugly” (couldn’t find a name or new handle in there but I’m betting you’ll be called worse before too long anyway, right? ;o)
I see you’ve already gotten a snotty comment up there, so I guess that makes you official. *grin* I’m sure you’ll do just fine – happy outing the bad guys!
Nice to meet you, and welcome! I hope nobody here gives you a hard time
Looking forward to your thoughts, I know it’s hard to tell just from one introductory post (or two? Was the last one yours as well?), but it sounds like you’re a pretty level-headed person.
Good luck!
Welcome to the horse blogging world. If you will take a minute to check out our blog you will find that we have some things in common. We are trying to save the horse world with education and exposure and we are not winning, but we are having a good time doing it.
http://www.HorsesDIY.com
For one, I really miss the Friday Featured Rescue that used to show up every week. I’d also like to see (maybe weekly?) stories or updates of personal rescued horses that readers have cared for and rehabilitated. Include lots of photos of course! Before and after and what the horse is doing now.
Are you taking over the blog? Or are you more of a long-term guest writer? If it is your blog now, I’d also update the Blogroll that appears at the right side of the page. Are all the sites listed there ones you personally know are vaild? I think some of them are not being updated or are just plain bad examples of “rescue”. JMHO.
I guess I’d also like to see more good mixed in with the bad. Of course the evil horse people should be outed, but also do happy blogs about success stories, rescue benefits (like the SAFE show), etc. Maybe also do some breed profiles – readers that own the specific breed can comment about their experiences with the specific breed and their versatility.
One thing I forgot…Are you going to fix the photo links so the photos show up in the comments?
Welcome!!! I’m so glad to see this blog continue!
FINALLY!! Welcome and Thank You for taking the reins, hope you have a deep seat for this unpredictable bronc. I have been a reader for years and even after I lost my mare I still check in every day. I love the posts and comments. The drama is a great distraction from my own. I’m in the process of planning a memorial for my ex. WTF. 20 yrs later I’m STILL cleaning up his mess.
Cathy educated me on conformation and I capped my Tposts. I had never heard of DSLD and when my mare got “2 flats in the back” I realized that’s what she had.
Looking forward to going down the trail with you.
Hmm… If you are not Fugly then you must be BEAUTY!
Welcome!
:):)
maybe “Footy.”
Welcome Fugly 2.0.
It will be interesting to see what you bring to the table. I personally like to see ridiculous Craigslist/ sale ads, conformation critiques (like someone else mentioned, Horse A, Horse B, Horse C), and anything fun and interesting to read.
Taking on this blog is a huge responsibility I’m sure, especially with the traffic that comes and goes through here. But make it your own and don’t feel like you need to be just like Cathy. It’s always nice to get a new perspective on things. One thing that I will miss about Cathy is that she was in the same state as me, so she would frequently post things that I could relate to, knowing the area. Sounds like you are else where which is kind of a bummer, but I do like what someone else mentioned, doing “regional” posts or something of the sort.
A contributor who doesn’t care about grammatical errors is like a pianist who plays with their butt after decimating a bean burrito buffet. You’re going to hit notes you didn’t mean to, and it’s going to go from music to caterwauling more often than not. It’s not the audience’s job to stop wincing, and any editor who doesn’t care is poison to advancing and refining your style. See Stephenie Meyer and the Reasoning With Vampires Tumblr. Your writing has a flatter affect than Fugly’s work (party b/c she’s had more time to settle in to the tone of her blog and find her voice) and that makes errors stand out more. It also makes some of your jokes hard to parse on the first read through. Some of Fugly’s early work is calling out people using shitty grammar and fucked up spelling in public postings since it makes you look unprofessional and uneducated, which is going to be hard for you to emulate if you don’t care about grammar. As a writer. Of any kind. (These sentence fragments are my head on desk.) This is the Internet, you do have the time to take a second look at the cat barf on your keyboard and punch it up to a Jackson Pollock knockoff before hitting post.
Frankly, I hate to leave a good conversation because someone’s being consistently lazy on their keyboard. I have no facial expressions, voice cues, body language, or previous friendship to keep reading anyone’s postings if their writing style is crappy, just their words and the order and punctuation they’re given. I’m very sensitive to other people’s writing styles (they each have a voice and a rhythm and pictures and sound to me), and I know others aren’t, but the first function of writing is communication, and clear correct writing lets us pay attention to your point and not your butt trumpet. Your writing isn’t that bad or annoying or I would have stopped reading after your first post, but a writer bitching about grammar on a blog that’s centered on your postings makes me Tim Gunn concerned about my favorite online playground.
I’ve called people on their grammar here and other blogs before, though I don’t think I said anything about your previous post, and it’s not (just) because I’m being a nitpicky bitch or that I haaaaate you and want you to stop writing or contributing FOREVA. On the contrary, I want to continue to read what you have to say, because I like whatever nuggets are in your keyboard blarg, just without the writing equivalent of getting solid veterinary advice from a Valley Girl teen’s texts, a screaming toddler’s hot pan heavy metal band, or someone dumping creamed corn in my ear.
/I misspelled like 20 different words typing this, but Edward the MacBook That Keeps Doing Things For Me, Stop That caught them with the red squiggly lines, so I could fix my shit before sending it out for others to read.
//yay new Fugly posts!
///feel free to call me on grammar/spelling/poor communication when I post here. Higher standards are good things.
PS Is there a new email for sending Fugly Blog post ideas? Are we ever going to be told who our Mysterious Masked Blogger is?
//// >;D DILL WITH IT (<- GIF heavy)
/////There are no teal deers in the forest of unnecessary slash asides!
WTF , was this post written by Dr Jekyll and Mister Hyde, or did the Oxycontin kick in half way through? It started out good and then deteriorated into some sort of drivel.
This comment actually brings up something that really irritates me. It is this concept that if you are not a linguist or an english major you’re an uneducated slob. Some people are gifted when it comes to language, some people are not, especially people like me who tend to be rather dyslexic. There is also the expectation that “educated” people are “smarter” and should not do stupid things. My brother is highly educated at a university level in a very specific field and he is near the top of his class. He is very intelligent however, he can be or seem to be very stupid when he is outside his area of understanding. He is not safe around horses, when it comes to horses and safety he is totally uneducated. All of us have been educated through out our lives and each of us has our own unique collection of skills and knowledge. If you value a talented writer more than a talented painter or a skilled tradesmen fine, whatever. I just wish people would consider the fact that there are other fields of expertise out there, and maybe we shouldn’t be dismissing people and their ideas just because they suck at writing. I will gladly sift through spelling mistakes and grammatical errors if there is valuable knowledge buried amongst them.
Normally I don’t bother with the grammar/spelling police thing but this time it just tweeked my nose a little too hard to ignore. Probably prego moodiness…
GRRAWRRR!!! PREGO RAGE MUWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! IMPROPER USE OF COMMAS!!!! TAKE THAT GRAMMAR POLICE!!! LOL ya I know I’m an idiot but its fun
I say GO FOR IT NEW FUGS!!! Express yourself!!! and welcome
Forget about the grammar trolls. I doubt you’re getting paid for this and we’re all reading for free so they don’t have the right to complain.
p.s. count me in for wanting more conformation tutorials!
Congrats on owning the Fugly blog. I’m so glad to see it wasn’t sold to someone who would destroy the purpose of it and I’m thriled to hear it returning to a bit more like it was in the first place. Some of the posts have been a little boring or sometimes unrelatable for us across the sea
Yay for more fugly horses and good luck. I’m waiting with baited breath.
I don’t own it, but I’m sure going to enjoy writing it.
Aloha and E Komo Mai (Welcome)!
I haven’t been on in a while but when I heard Cathy was leaving here I worried it may go downhill. Looks like you will try to continue the Fugly tradition in your own words so to speak. Mahalo (thank you). I’m in Hawaii (just moved here this summer from Virginia) and had to give up my beloved horses of many years to be here. The Navy transfered my husband here and we had to make the heartwrenching decision to give up the horses (broke my 4H kid’s hearts) since his time here was going to be for several years. So I sold/gave away my babies to close friends (great homes) and euthanized my elderly gelding and packed everything up and drove across the country to Washington state and stayed with family for a few weeks. I shipped the car out from Seattle and flew with my two girls (16 and 11) to Hawaii. My two cats are still at my Mom’s finishing out their quarentine and then they will fly out here in October to be with us. I’m working on getting involved with the local rescue so I can still have my horsie-fix and at the same time make a difference for horses here in Hawaii. Anyway if you come across anything from the islands and need any help, I am here for you to do what I can to help research it!
East coaster?
Welcome new goddess of the Fugly blog. So glad I’ll continue to get my regular dose of Fugly. It is habit-forming, that’s for sure.
Ran across this on YouTube today while looking for something else entirely. Not sure which is fuglier – the little half-Arab gelding or the rider. In a sale video, of course. Should give pause to people who think breeding high-dollar horses produces quality all the time. http://youtu.be/ZOALw7XLVKs
On another note entirely, I wonder whether any of the readers has any Western Pleasure footage from the 1970s that has been converted to a format that is viewable online. I’d really like to do a compare/contrast piece on my blog, but I don’t have a single bit of film of any of my horses from the good ole days pre-peanut roller. If you have such a thing and would be willing to allow its use for educational purposes, please contact me through my website, http://www.deserthorseinc.com . Thanks!
That little 1/2 Arab didn’t bother me as far as looks or way of going. What bothers me is the fact I doubt it is more than 2-years-old. I’m also bothered by the running martingale, it’s extremely unfair to use them on a young, butt-high horse. The next thing you know the little one will be drilled non-stop to get him off his front end. The look is very cow horse…the short neck could easily work out in another two or three years. I thought he was kinda cute.
The rider looks like a pretty standard loper at a training facility. He’s off center and has his legs forward because he can’t find his balance. This happens a lot on young horses, there’s just not much horse there. Which of course is dumping the poor colt further on his front end. The biggest problem I see is the HORSE IS TOO DAMN YOUNG!
“He’s off center and has his legs forward because he can’t find his balance.” That’s standard in western riding, isn’t it? ChairSeats-R-Us?
That little half-arab is doing his best. he’s a weedy little sucker, for sure. Needs some growth on ‘em.
The snobbiness toward western riding is a little annoying. I ride WP and my trainer is constantly harping on me about legs, heels, proper equitation. Look up any WP videos on youtube… the riders might look a little posey, but most of them have beautiful shoulder/hip/heel alignment.
Regarding THIS rider… it really annoys me when someone is employed as a professional in the horse industry that rides worse than me. I consider myself to be an intermediate beginner… maybe advanced beginner on a good day. What with this dude’s hands? I won’t lie, I still chair seat a lot at the canter… but I would never think to be employed at a rider…
The horse is too young, and really shouldn’t be undersaddle at its age, the rider is lacking in a lot of ways, and I wouldn’t have a martigale on a horse at that stage… but that video is far from horrible.
The horse looks as happy as any green horse.. heck, if I was looking for that sort of horse, and all was the same except the age of the horse was bumped up a few years, I would be really interested in the little guy if the price was right.
I, too, love conformation critiques.
I hate it, though, when someone sends in a photo of their horse to be critiqued and then gets all hurt when various faults are pointed out. Doesn’t mean it’s a BAD horse – I’ve seen some FUGLY horses that were actually decent athletes, rock-solid trail mounts, or awesome babysitters/husband horses. Doesn’t make ‘em any less lovable, either.
But very few horses approach perfection, and it’s useful to point out various structural weaknesses that should bear watching & proper management over the years so they don’t become unsoundnesses, and also as an aid to people who might be in the market for a new horse to use in a specific discipline or breed competition.
My own horse is far from perfect: he’s got ringbone and miscellaneous age-related “jewelry,” astonishing sharkfin withers & shoulders that make saddle fit kind of interesting, etc. But he’s smooth gaited, well-trained, good-natured, laid-back, unflappable, bombproof, and kid-tested/mother-approved.
Welcome, “Not Fugly”.
I, for one, “got” the sarcasm in the first post, and I love ” what I think, as I think it, a virtual barfing on the keys. It’s supposed to be as impromptu as a conversation…” I write for a living as well, and my co-workers don’t write in the same phrasing or with the same ‘voice’ as I do; however, I’m the designated ‘internet’ writer because I can take a verbose piece of crap one person in a hundred cares about and turn it into a 400 word Facebook note someone might actually take the time to read. That doesn’t mean it’s always ‘pretty’, but it does mean that it becomes something your average person with a 6th grade education can read and understand. In short, I don’t read blogs to feel like I’m reading the 6pm news or the Bar Journal. Nor do I proofread my comments until my eyes bleed – this is supposed to be my relaxation, LOL!
As far as ideas for the blog……..I like the idea of conformation as it relates to performance. I think a lot of people don’t understand that a 14.2 hand cow-bred quarter horse that can drag an 800 pound steer across the field is NEVER going to make a hunter – but they buy said horse and wind up disappointed, therefore putting the horse in a potentially bad/dangerous situation. Breeders who breed the wrong thing (fugly ‘foundation’ appaloosa breeder in KY…she has maybe one broodmare that’s worth a darn, but gee whiz, they all come out with SPOTS!)………Current showing trends (for those of us who have been away for years but are hoping to get back in)……..And I think the ‘regional’ idea is great, keeping in mind that there are readers from Great Britain, New Zealand, Canada, and probably other places. Maybe the easiest way to set something like that up would be (holding breath) a message board type thing?
Congrats, welcome on. I always loved hearing not only Cathy’s ideas and thoughts, but also the way that her thoughts and ideas provoked intelligent (and sometimes NOT intelligent) conversations. While I don’t always agree with everyone, or even ANYONE, I honestly appreciate that this blog has always given me a chance to really see what the rest of the world is thinking.
May you take the blog to new heights!
Hi! And Welcome. So, let’s get going here! Post something we can all agree/disagree with? What ya wating for? Oh, and a little more info on your introduction would be kinda cool. Like: What part of the country (assuming US) that you are, Breed affiliiation? Etc…. (Lotsa etc) Har, har. Well done, btw. This blog takes a certain courage to continue . It is very welcome that someone had the guts to carry on. I wish you all the best and am looking forward to more frequent posts. PS- Perhaps a little more personal intro would be nice!!!!
YES! I will now have something to distract me during studying for all those pesky college exams everyone keeps warning me about. I won’t be bringing a horse with me so this will hopefully fill up some of the horsey fix.
Welcome aboard new author! Honestly I’m just so happy that someone is continuing the Fugly blog as it was intended, and I don’t give a damn about grammar. You look like you’re doing great, so thanks for stepping up!
Welcome “Fugly … Not!”
Welcome to our little world of equine information, education, expose and conversation (and the odd bun fight).
I’m in Australia and tune in daily for my “Fugly Fix” and am so glad it will continue in some form and a form which, judging by your snippet of writing, will be witty, snarky and relevant.
We can all be grammar Nazis but it serves no purpose other than to bolster one’s own ego so write as the mood takes you and express what you feel the world might want to hear ….. or not and enjoy writing it.
Anyone who doesn’t like it can go correct themselves >: ]
As someone else said, you don’t have shoes to fill only a different pair of boots to don.
Good luck and don’t be intimidated by some of the negative posters who will knock what you do just because they can.
There are times when I’m gobsmacked by what goes on in the US (it happens here too, just not as often it seems) and Fugly has become a window to some of the more weird happenings with horses and I look forward to more jaw dropping posts.
Once again welcome and good luck : )
Well, since you are now the writer of the Fugly Horse of the Day blog, I think that makes you Fugly, but you are not Cathy. Anyone who expects the blog to remain exactly the same is foolish. I am looking forward to reading what you will write.
As for requests, I would like to see abuse and neglect cases followed up. We often see the initial arrest, but nothing more. If readers knew trial and sentencing dates, they could write to prosecutors and judges urging appropriate punishment. Where inadequate punishment was the result of antiquated laws, local people might be able to get the laws changed. This would require publishing personal info, but I think it would all be public record.
Hey! Good morning and welcome to the frying pan. I’m glad you’re here. Unfortunately for me I’m the commissioner of language cops. Call it a curse: it’s like having a permanent twist in my knickers. Fuglyblog is worth all the trouble any of us put into it…sleepless nights for sure, upset stomachs, sore fists from pounding tables. Thanks for keeping this going for us. Oh, and my horse thanks you, too.
Those of you discussing WP might want to look at a Morgan WP class. A number of years ago, the class was nearly ruined by imported QH trainers, but the breed stepped back from the brink and , while not perfect, the WP classes are a pleasure indeed. Morgans, IMHO, look beautiful under western tack.
This is my first comment on FHOTD. I have enjoyed it for a number of years. I look forward to new directions with the new blogmistress.
QH Western Pleasure used to be about easygoing horses moving in a collected, natural, comfortable manner. Like, 40 years ago. Now they are about cute overdressed girls on zombie horses that can barely move.
Arab Western Pleasure used to be about collected, beautiful, fantastically light & airy movers. Now the horses are overbent as if looking over bifocals, and the gaits are as messed up as stock breeds.
Morgans: Now, Morgans are kind of like old-time Arab WP, but your breed needs to be careful not to trade that beautiful collected cadence in for weighted-shoe high-steppin’ garbage.
I mean, what in the name of all that is holy is THIS?!?!?!?!!!??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CajebrKX78&feature=related
Looks like a stock horse trainer got hold of her… I mean, she’s not even BUILT to move like that. Oh – wait – she’s winning. Frankly, I think I’d deprogram her (she looks really sad), and retrain her for Sport Horse or something.
Just…. not that. NOT THAT.
The suspense is killing me! Let’s see a first post!
First of all, I would like the join the rest of the Fugly gang in welcoming you, mysterious new writer
Now, since you are taking requests, may I ask for your opinion? The subject is western dressage or cowboy dressage, as some prefer to call it. I already approached the subject in Bad Riding and took some serious heat for “bashing” a western dressage video. In all honesty, i would not call myself an expert in horse riding, but everything about this screams bad idea to me. After seeing so much abuse in western riding, where there is supposed to be little to no contact with the bit, how can i not be concerned when people are now using western tack for dressage, a riding style that requires constant contact on the bit??
This is my original post on BAD RIDING: http://bad-riding.livejournal.com/636652.html
Now I’ve made quite a few mistakes, did not make my reasons for disliking the whole idea clear enough, and most people ended up thinking I was more worried about the tack than the riding itself. That is simply not true. I am worried about the horse’s safety. And while it would be nice for people to start applying some dressage principles to western riding, I don’t believe it’s a good idea to ride dressage with a western bit. Those who are more knowledgeable than me on western riding, say it can’t be done with english bits. Then what is the answer?
Welcome, welcome! I wish you all the best luck with the blog and I will be looking forward to reading your posts!
While I have been a frequent reader of this blog for a long time, I will be one of the first to say that I do not always agree with Cathy, and even sometimes felt that she sounded a little off her rocker, so to speak, on some issues. Cathy, however, has been willing to say things, publicly, that many people in the horse industry are afraid to even whisper about. Cathy also took full responsibility for everything she posted here. She did not hide her identity. To me, that gave her a huge amount of creditability. I strongly believe that the facts that Cathy posted about issues were true, as best to her knowledge. That does not mean issues were not presented in a slanted way, or that Cathy never neglected to tell the whole story. It does not mean I always felt her opinions or interpretations were always fair, accurate, and the same opinions that I hold.
What it does mean is that when someone says, “this is who I am, and this is what I have to say…” about tough issues in an industry where speaking out can have major repercussions I hold a huge amount of respect for them right off the bat. They are willing to whole heartedly stand up for what they believe in.
The reason many of the horrible things that go on in the horse industry continue is not because the majority of horse owners think it is ok, it is because the majority of the horse owners that know about it are afraid to speak up, and when they do speak up it is done anonymously, or they say what they saw, but not who was involved.
So, welcome aboard. I look forward to reading your posts, and I hope you can type/speak as freely as Cathy did, and I can develop the same respect for you as I hold for her.
So who are you?
You need a name, even if it’s just FugNouveau or something! And a new avatar for the fotd comment account c:
Other that that, very interested to see how it goes, seems pretty good so far. Nice to see new stuff no matter what though.
P.s. If Cathy ever does drop back by, distinguishing would be really swell
Still haven’t figured out the avatar. Am working on it….really.
It’s just like fishsticks_the_sequel said. You have to create an account on gravatar.com (using the same email if you want to keep fhotd as your user) and upload a pic. Then go to manage your profile on the fugly blog and connect with your wordpress account(it’s the same that is used for gravatar). The blog will automatically load the new avatar when you post – it did for me anyway.
Just one more chiming in to say I, too, have missed the conformation critiques these past couple years since Cathy shifted her focus in other directions. Whether they were critiques of ‘good’ horses that someone sent in for analysis, or her picking apart, conformationally, WHY she felt a fugly horse was indeed fugly, I loved trying to learn from them and would love to see them come back, if you have strengths in the area of assessing conformation.
Welcome to the blog, and I look forward to seeing how it develops with a new writer at the helm. Have fun!
I have never tried to defend myself here for riding WP. Mostly since the majority of the posters here are under the false belief that whatever breed or style of riding they enjoy is without fault. And yes…the original Fugly was the same way. I sent photos and information regarding issues in the polo world…never to be seen here. All WP people are not the monsters that you all believe you see. Although I no longer am showing…my horses are bred to move in a low relaxed manner and no amount of spurring by some idiot that wants to fly around barrels would make them naturally move like that. To watch my horses on the trails in the mountains..yes, they still move in the same relaxed manner..they still have their nice comfortable, slow..smooth jogs, but can also trot out and cover ground if that is what you want. My horses do not four beat, and they are not overly canted.They have never ever been tortured into moving low and slow…but have always been appreciated for what they are. I can turn out my gelding for several months..probably a year and then use him to babysit my grandson’s. He does also enjoy trails, swims in the lake..crosses rivers…has been shown in trail classes and even played at some team sorting. My mare, now a senior citizen is the same way but she also has been a wonderful driven horse and can hold her own in the dressage ring, where she does not have permanent accupuncture staples in her forehead like alot of the dressage horses! I was hoping that with the new Fugly 2.0 or whatever…that maybe WP wouldn’t be the top of the hit list..and well…guess I was wrong.
I’m so happy you took this over Mugs! I really can’t think of anyone else I would have had pick up the reins