Earlier in the day I started out with my ongoing "To Do List" in hand and in mind. I had items which I absolutely resolved to do, and items that I resolved would not be completed. One of those items had to do with a black Saddlebred named Ce Soir that is currently standing in a crappy, dirty dealer's barn. (And yes I know this first hand because we have been there more than once and it's always crappy and dirty.)
We had been on a full throttle approach to our social media posts promoting both our partnership and mission of The Right Horse Initiative and our own organization and parallel mission. If you know the ASLF Facebook page at all you know that I mean like every "two hours with some additional blogs and posts" full throttle. There is a method to my madness.
So today I was humbled. Not posting the black gelding was on my "do not compromise for some jerk face, uncooperative, dirty dealer" list. I was done. I had to draw the line somewhere. And then I watched his evaluation video and looked at his pictures and read his Tattersall's sale page from the catalog. Who was I, with the power to reach hundreds of people, to decide what would and would not be posted. It is not the horse's fault he landed where he did. An overwhelming sense of obligation took over, and I resolved to do what started out as my unresolvable, and post the horse. He had one day for help.
But then it happened. Error after error. I couldn't and still can't comment, upload status updates, post pictures or post pictures or screenshots in Messenger. So now it's 11:00 pm, and the day is done and the horse will be lost, and I have been humbled. The love/hate relationship with social media is real. Some days I love to hate it...I tell myself things will be so much better when I can turn it off one day. Live in real time, with real communication and not just the appearance of connection, but real relationship. But tonight...for the horse I was too good to post, trying to hurt someone who is untouchable...I hate to love it. I hate that I needed it today to post a video and make one last OFFERED AS ALTERNATIVE TO AUCTION plea. I hate that his life will be lost until he shows up again...a little more tired and busted and damaged.
So while I still long for the day when we can support our horses and organization off Facebook, the reality is right now we still need it, but strategically, must move forward with backup plans B, C and D in the event all is lost. We take for granted how easy and affordable it is to connect and reach people. But the reality is, in an unexpected, blink of an eye our lives could change or end as we know them. The same way his life will change on Friday night as he trots for it for 30 seconds in a sale ring in a quaint little Pennsylvania town called New Holland.
