The Internet is an amazing thing.

We have access to as much information…..

silly horse photos……

and <cough, cough>  X-rated material……as we could ever want……….

all at the touch of our fingers.

I was searching for a funny photo for my blog and my browser advised me it had found lots of things with that “subject” which seemed pretty innocuous at the time……….

but I’d have to turn off “safe browsing” to view them.

Bad Eventer also being “Bad Internet User” thought, “What on earth is safe browsing? Sure, turn that off.”

I am STILL scarred for life.

DON’T DO THAT!!

NOT EVER!!

Social media has also made conversation and “friendship” a whole new thing. I’ve had conversations recently that went something like, “Oh….you didn’t know I moved? Didn’t you see the new house photos on Face Book?” “Yes, I’m engaged. It’s been on Face book since March! How did you miss it?!” “Why haven’t you written a blog lately? What do you mean you’ve been outside riding horses instead of typing on a computer?”

Yes, yes, Bad Eventer spends significantly more time on a horse than on the Internet…………….

So……….

Have you ever gotten into an Internet fight with a total stranger??

If there are any COTH ers on here, you’ve probably had all out keystroke BRAWLS……..

or at least brought out the beer and popcorn to observe the duel of words being duked out in front of your eyes by people with names like “Myhorseeatsyourhorseforlunch”.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about……. head on over to the Chronicle of the Horse “Forums” and have a quick view. But I caution you, it’s entirely possible that you’ll find a thread like “Andrew Nicholson bought a REAL UNICORN” and you’ll find yourself staring at your computer at 3:00AM saying but I’m on post 387, only 23 to go……….I have to find out how it ENDS!

No, no Bad Eventer has never lurked on COTH, how could you think such a thing?

I’ve had some friends wade into those shark infested waters, and it’s amazing how the cutest, funniest post turns into a blood bath.

I had that experience ONCE, and it cured me …..for life. I enjoy making fun of myself….heh hem   “Tales from a Bad Eventer”……

and I’m part of the local government (talk about open to VERY PUBLIC criticism) so I’m relatively thick skinned….. but the COTH Internet flogging from an honest question I asked was more than I could take.

I’ve had several friends furiously typing away in total fight mode while I was visiting them………they were having all out brawls with people on the Internet they don’t even know. My comments as they ignored their house guest and fought with a stranger….. usually started with, “Do you know them?”

“No?? Then why do you care what they think?”

“Oh, other people will read it………well……why do you care what THEY think?”

“Is your real name on there???”

“No??”…………………..

After some serious typing back and forth with some total stranger………..

eventually it becomes INTERVENTION TIME and I say,

“Step AWAY from the computer!!!!”

Once in awhile you have to resort to drastic measures…….

This rarely happens to me. To be perfectly honest I don’t care what anyone thinks about me. Um…..”Bad Eventer” here………seriously!!

So WHY would I get into an Internet duel about my riding with someone I don’t even know?

I received a letter some time back that I’ve been referring to as “The Hate Mail”.

I’m not going to lie, Bad Eventer has lots of fans, and most places I go I run into someone who says, “I love your Bad Eventer T shirt!!!!! Are you  – THE Bad Eventer???? Oh My God, I LOVE YOUR BLOG!!!!!!!”

I’m a little spoiled with the LOVE……………(Thanks guys! You do make me very happy!)

So………….the letter……….wasn’t exactly FAN MAIL.

And though I’m sure it was well intentioned…..it was a lecture on my horsemanship, or rather what the reader perceived as my LACK of horsemanship…………………based, of course, on what I write in my blog…………………………..

Bad Eventer wasn’t sure WHAT to do with that.

Do I respond as “Bad Eventer”, um why yes, I am BAD at EVENTING, you’re just figuring that out?

Or the person behind the mask, who is proud of her horsemanship (but not her eventing for sure) and thinks people take themselves far too seriously………………..

It’s supposed to be FUN PEOPLE!! Really!!! When I left the dressage ring this weekend, the ring steward said, “You are the HAPPIEST LOOKING RIDER we’ve seen ALL DAY!!!”

I just smiled and said, “It’s supposed to be FUN!”  She replied, “We’ve seen crying, and cursing….. and a whole bunch of people that looked like they were going to throw up. You’re the only happy one all day! You need to tell the rest of them that!!”

Maybe I got extra points from the judges for the smile. (See How to get a 44 in dressage at your first CIC1* for details. 2nd out of 40, by the way, in dressage 🙂

So Bad Eventer got herself into an honest to goodness Internet fight with a total stranger.

I’m not sure who thought they were going to convince who what……It was a total “argument room” spin off……My horsemanship is fine, no it’s not, yes it is, not it’s not……………… no really it’s fine……no really it’s not!!!

and I finally had to take my own advice…………….

As it turns out……… the Internet brawl was with a GOOD friend of one of MY good friends………………..I think our mutual friend is planning an arena boxing match for our first in person meeting…….It  has a name already……..