Concerning the term "newbie"

[SammyL]

First off, I am sorry if I offend anyone with this vent. That is not the intent of this thread, and I want everyone to know that.

I have a problem with the term "newbie." I have never liked it, and I do not know why. I find it very derogatory, but that is just me.

I feel that when I am called a newbie, I am being belittled. I have owned miniatures for almost three years, and when my gelding, Blue, was a couple of months old, he had an upper respiratory infection. He has just had an eye problem that gave me a scare but is now okay. Faith, has cleft palate, and I have dealt with her having colds every winter. I have dealt with sore feet, and have dealt with an unruly stallion. I have been through this all and I am still a newbie? I don't understand. I am forever grateful to everyone on LB for answering my questions, and always will be. I commend the breeders who have owned minis for a long time. But no one knows everything about the breed. You may have owned minis for 30 years or more, and you still have things you have not experianced. Sure, I have never experianced a foaling, or colic, but niether have many other people. If no one can know everything, does that make everyone a newbie?

I am just wondering how people can call other people newbies when they were one themselves once. Everyone had to start somewhere. Everyone makes mistakes. We learn from them.

This is the reason, that I told my friends when we were 8th graders, that when we were freshmen, I would never call the newly introduced 8th graders little, like the freshmen did for my class when we were eighth graders. It bothers me.

I'm sorry again, I am in a bad mood, and I just wanted to voice my opinion.

*Puts on flame proof suit, just in case*

 

[disneyhorse]

I don't really have a problem with the term "newbie"... to me it means that the person is new to something, and is voraciously learning all about it, and is seeking help from experienced people as much as they can to help them learn... a "newbie" has a much higher potential for learning as EVERYTHING is new to them, whereas a more experienced person has a much smaller pool of knowledge they have left to seek.

Of COURSE no one knows everything and everyone should be open to new knowledge and ideas...

I actually like the term "newbie" more than "amateur" actually... doesn't sound as bad!

Andrea

 

[Marty]

Don't feel insulted and no need for a flame proof suit.

Who belittled you?

Ya want me to slug 'em fer ya?

Hey there, calm down ok? I know I am a newbie to many things in the whole world every day. Raising teenagers is one of them and breeding minis is one of them. I don't take offense, instead I admit it and love the advice. Don't get your pantys in a knot over something so trivial ok? It's not a put down. No one is putting you down. You're fine ok?

 

[keeperofthehorses]

I've had horses for most of my 30 some odd years, and I still feel like a noobee. :bgrin Don't let the words get you down. They are just words. There's a lot of good around here.

 

[Tammie-C_Spots]

I find that when a large group get together (like on a forum) there is always going to be those who belittle others. I wouldn't say I'm a newbie but I'm not a know it all either. I don't like the term "backyard breeder" either because it's a term that is looked down apon. I happen to have my minis in my backyard and breed quality horses so it sometimes irritates me to hear the term. I try to just pass over it.

Tammie

 

[Relic]

l love being a newbie of 25 years l don't see a problem unless you make the term a problem.

 

[tuffsmom]

Just remember that everyone has to start somewhere, and everyone was a "newbie" at some point.

I think a newbie means you have many many years to look forward to spending with your horses. I don't think it's anything bad.

I don't know everything and I'm gonna screw up and make mistakes (hopefully no one gets hurt

: ) and it will all be okay. Even the biggest, fanciest, most expensive farms/breeders don't know it all, no matter what anyone says. We're all here to LEARN!

 

[Bess Kelly]

I'm with Disneyhorse -- it isn't meant to be offensive. In fact, it is helpful sometimes for those on the forum to remember to add points that the rest of those who have been on the forum a while have already heard -- important things, like cautionary info on Bute & Quest, etc., where to find mini sized equipment and such as that.

: Minis do have similarities to full-sized horses and they DO HAVE differences. Those differences can be very important...foaling, for instance....it's a whole LOT smaller inside there and the foals are so tiny (chain them to pull and you can actually destroy them) plus, many have FAR shorter gestations, and on and on.

When I started into minis, I too had many, many years with full-sized ones -- WOW, WOW, WOW...how I would have LOVED to have been a "newbie" to someone who wanted to share and have had help with so many things (WHERE to get mini sized "stuff" was sure one of them!)...a crash course in minis!!!!

So, try to look at the term from a positive note as an identity of one with whom we want to share our hard learned information.

:

As to the "backyard breeder"

: that has been a term that has been batted around. Most don't use the term -- but, when heard we hope it was not used in a bad way, rather as coming from one not familiar with horse breeding & the seriousness of such a committment.

 

[Cathy_H]

I use the term often but I would not & do not use it to belittle someone. It is just a quick way for me to convey new horse owner versus long time horse owner. It is not used to describe intelligence.............. I'm game to use another term if anyone has a better one.........................................................................................Newbies" are treated inferior by some of the "know-it-alls,---- I think if I perceived my comments to come across like this I would not offer any advise ever again as they surely were not meant that way................. One of my favorite sayings is "learn from others mistakes, no need to make your own" ---- we have made plenty and we are still learning.

 

[Mercysmom]

Don't feel insulted and no need for a flame proof suit.

Who belittled you?

Ya want me to slug 'em fer ya?

Hey there, calm down ok? I know I am a newbie to many things in the whole world every day. Raising teenagers is one of them and breeding minis is one of them. I don't take offense, instead I admit it and love the advice. Don't get your pantys in a knot over something so trivial ok? It's not a put down. No one is putting you down. You're fine ok?

Agree with Marty - plus my two cents - anyone seriously involved with horses should consider themselves a perpetual student! I have been involved with horses over 30+ years and they are still teaching me! And I am happily learning all that I can!!

Denise

Silversong Farm

Home to Haligonian Mercy Bo Cool

Triple AMHR Performance Hall of Fame Recipient and then some!

 

[MiLo Minis]

Just like everywhere there are great people on the Forum and some not so great! I find the ones that will always be "newbies" are sometimes the best ones to learn from. The ones that consider themselves know-it-alls and aren't open to learning and discussing things - their way is the only way - don't seem to have as much to share maybe because they "know it all" others don't tell them of their experiences. They offend others and close themselves off. Be glad you're a "newbie" - I am! (I have had minis for almost 15 years now and horses in my life for over 40) I have met some very nice people on here!

 

[stormo41]

I don't really see anything wrong with the term, sure you may go threw alot with your horses, and yes your are experinced with them, very much so. I have lots of horse years under my belt, only a few owning I have never seen a colic, i have never seen a foaling, i have never seen or experinced alot of things. but there are some areas where i am not new like training horses on the ground, I am good at that and yes i would say i am quite experinced with it.

the term "newbie" (that has been shortend even more to "newb") has been getting messed up with experinced. some times people forget that there is a middle ground, not new, but not a master.

I think it would be alot better if we said something else besides newbe or "newb" as my friends are now saying

: how about "young grasshopper" thats not only better but funny. I don't think anyone means to offend you at all, but i know after three years of being called one it does get annoying and angers you, thats ok every one feels this way at some point in their life. Heck I feel like that alot! moving forward in the horse world takes time, there is so much to learn, so much to experince, you could go through your whole life never to have a horse colic, or you have one a week (witch i wish on no one, just saying it to get my point across). Just wait one day someone who knows nothing about horses will ask you something, and think you are expert, even though to the experts you are a "newbie" or as i like to say a "young grasshopper".

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I want to compliment you on a well-written, articulate, respectful post. :aktion033: You stated your case carefully and without malice and I think you did a great job.

If no one can know everything, does that make everyone a newbie?

In short, yes! And what a wonderful world a place full of perpetual students would be.

Mercysmom and MiLo minis summed up what I was feeling. I will term myself a newbie until the day I die and do so proudly. It puts me in the mindset that I am a blank page waiting to be filled with all the knowledge of the world and that is an exciting feeling. I'm confident and know what I'm doing on some subjects and do not hesitate to share that knowledge with others. If I don't know but have a logical opinion based on what I'm hearing I will state that ignorance and say "But in my opinion, it seems logical that...." If I don't know, I read and keep my mouth shut except to thank those who taught me something new. For me personally I find that I am very uncomfortable presenting myself as an expert even on the things I have a roundly comprehensive knowledge of. How can I continue to learn if I think I know it all even about one topic? So I put myself in the position of a young zen student and make myself merely a conduit and a vessel for the knowledge.

: Well, I try. :lol: Mostly I'm just excited to share what I've learned.

Most of the time when I see the term "newbie" used on here it either means they are a new poster on the forum or the person is terming themselves a "newbie" because they just got minis.

I can see how it would be irritating if others were still labeling you as that after years though. There's always a big difference between how we label ourselves and how others see us. From the inside, it's freeing. From the outside, it puts you in a box. Odd how that works.

Leia

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I have never seen the term used specifically as an insult- and I would be insulted if it was used in such a manner. I have seen the term used by people to describe themselves, and not as an insult. No-one has the God given right to insult another on an open Forum or, as I consider worse, in Pm's (this seems to be the norm and I do bot like that idea at all)

If this happened and I was the instigator, you would receive a full apology.

The problem with the Internet is you cannot see the persons face and you cannot know in what manner the facts were stated- often something comes over as harsh when it is not meant that way.

 

[sedeh]

I actually like being a "newbie". I don't consider it an insult and I like it better than amatuer, which to me is equated with being juvenille. I'm sorry if you have felt slighted. Most of the time I "hear" people referring to themselves as "newbies". Right now I'm a "newbie" to driving, a relative "newbie" to showing and breeding and an "old hat" at cleaning poop! :bgrin

 

[KrisP]

I've never found the term newbie to be insulting, I like to try to be a newbie to something as often as I can, I love to continue learning :bgrin And I also notice that the term is used more by new people describing themselves than by the "old timers" on the forum.

krisp

 

[SammyL]

I want to compliment you on a well-written, articulate, respectful post. You stated your case carefully and without malice and I think you did a great job.

Thank you. And I thank everyone for their different viewpoints.

 

[Firefall]

Newbie here and I will consider myself one for a long time. I've had minis for over 3 yrs and there is still so much I need to learn and experience.

I don't think newbie is meant derogatory, its just a term............not a big deal for me.

 

[Nicole-DownUnder]

You know the funny thing is, I never really thought of the word 'newbie' necessarily as being someone new to either horses or mini horses, but just as being new to this board, and when I joined, I put the word "Newbie" as the topic title for that reason, being NEW to to BOARD. I have been involved with Miniature Horses for about 12 years and horses in general for over 20 years. Having said that, I wouldn't say that i'm an EXPERT by any means, as I always have something to learn and feel that everyone does.

My motto in life is that we live and learn and I for one feel that I always have something to learn, whether it's from this board or another.

You will probably also notice that I don't have many posts compared to others, but i'm a lurker and come on nearly every night to read to learn of others experiences and what's been going on.

Anyway, just my 2 cents worth.....

:saludando: Nicole

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Longevity in an area doesn't mean the person knows as much as they think they do. I've seen more intelligence and insight come from those who are new and have fresh perspecitives than will ever come out of some old timers so don't ever be ashamed to be a newbie.