TX9JY7 Galashiels, UK. 24th June, 2019. Braw Lads Gathering, Lindean Rideout, Galashiels, UK. A spectator captures the scene on a mobile phone during the rideout to the site of the former Linden Kirk ( now ruined ) where the Braw Lad places a wreath on the Preachers Cross, before returning to Galashiels, on route stopping to undertake a series of horse races for the participants of the rideout. Credit: Rob Gray/Alamy Live News
In this day and age, equestrian social media has its own bespoke landscape. There are entire corners of the internet devoted to us, fuelled by hashtags and algorithms that serve a curated menu of horsey posts directly to your feed. If you need a laugh, advice, inspiration or a life hack, there’s an equestrian social media destination for you.
Of course, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat all come with their downsides. You might be on the receiving end of some unsolicited feedback, feel the uncomfortable pang of FOMO, or even engage in a bit of doomscrolling when it comes to equestrian media. It’s far from a perfect world. Nonetheless, it’s one a great many of us are part of, and will be for the foreseeable.
That said, we want to keep things light for the purpose of this post. Equestrian social media habits can be fun, quirky and eyeroll-inducing – which of these cute or toe-curling customs have you partaken of online?
Equestrian social media habits we all recognise
1. Staying up until 3am after hitting a rich seam of entertaining Instagram reels – it’s so hard to stop the scroll!
2. Sending said reels to your friends so they wake up to an inbox full of unhinged posts that made 3am you giggle.
3. Adding a newly appointed panel judge on Facebook before the season starts and ensuring you like all their status updates.
4. Posting a “wanted” advert for a new horse when you are in no financial position to buy one.
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5. Tagging your friend in the comments on Facebook ads for horses you are both in no financial position to buy.
6. Posting in a Facebook community group asking what to feed your horse instead of speaking to a qualified nutritionist.
7. Asking that question as an anonymous member.
8. Sharing every single competition post you find across social media platforms, whether it is for a new numnah or a new horsebox. Got to be in it to win it!
9. Wondering if you might be over-posting your horse as you upload the fourth Insta story update of the day and third grid post of the week.
10. Starting an equestrian-specific Instagram account so your excessive posts find the right audience.
11. Wondering if, actually, you could start monetising your new account. You spend hours making your horse do super cute, funny or impressive things for a constant stream of reels.
12. Investing in an influencer kit that comes with a tripod and accessories like this one on Amazon or this top-rated 360º camera to give said reels an extra flavour of professionalism.
13. Committing to this for a while but ultimately deciding to return to spamming your original account with your horse. It’s your page, you’ll post what you want!
14. Sharing advice on a post in your local horsey group, then accidentally entering into a three-hour debate that you cannot leave until you feel you’ve really made your point.
15. Making a very cheeky offer on a second-hand saddle you spotted for sale.
16. Posting a story update about your competition win before you have rung your mum or dad. Or, in fact, have even dismounted from the horse.
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A horse owner and rider with more than 20 years experience, Bethany has been writing for equestrian publications since 2017. Over the course of her career, she has reported from major British Riding Clubs and British Dressage championships, covered Badminton Horse Trials and interviewed equestrian sport’s best athletes. Her work can also be found in Country Life, The Field and Breathe magazine.
