farewell to mendacity

[Cindy]

I want to thank Lori for trying to make a site to promote the Paso Fino horse. Like others who have tried to do so before her, she has come to see how difficult it is to make a site that is positve to the breed. I don't know why, but for some reason there are people in this breed who do not really seem to care about any aspect of the breed other than their own little world. When I first started venturing onto the different internet Paso Fino sites I saw that there was much mis-information about the breed being sent over the World Wide Web and it disturbed me. I took it upon myself to try and stop this flood of mis-information because I felt it was both harmful to the breed and detrimental to the people who were learning the wrong things about the breed as to many who live outside of the Southeast, this was the main source of information readily available to them. I think I did a lot of good in this respect for a long time but I feel that my contribution is no longer positive for the breed. You see, the stink of mendacity permeates the web waves and I feel that when I respond to the mendacity, I help to further the permeantation so I feel that I should no longer respond.


What mendacity you might ask? I will give you some general examples. And for those of you who only lurk, you have no idea what goes on behind PMs. I have had someone e-mail me photos of horses that appear in the photos to be sickle hocked and cow hocked who were the breeding stock of someone who was accusing others of breeding sickle hocked and cow hocked horses. I have had someone PM me who lives in the same state as a trainer who acts like an expert on this forum telling me how bad that person's reputation is in their state and that noone would send them a horse. I have had someone e-mail me the story of a trainer who posted on this forum who killed one of their horses. I have had someone PM me that it is such a joke that X person is giving advice on breeding horses when they have only ever had one foal but they were giving advice like they were an experienced breeder. I have had someone come on this forum for months PMing me about how stupid and ignorant a person I tended to spar with was and egging me on to nail her, crush her, etc. and then all of the sudden these two people were buddy, buddy and on a different website bashing everyone else. I still have some of those old PMs. Might share them at some point. And actually, that happened with more than one person. I have had someone PM me that whole stories were fabrications and that they only found this out when they tried to help the situation. I have had people PM me telling me the story of how someone on the old Board almost left her husband for someone who was pretending to be a guy. Then there are the PMs that fly to any new-comer pretending to welcome them and being very helpful by telling them how things are here on the BB. Some are as good at indoctrination as any cult. And then there are the things that I know myself and cannot say. The things that I would not say even if I thought I could get away with saying them. Things that would stop the conversation dead in it's tracks but would be offensive to the other person. But noone seems to care about things that are offensive to the Paso Fino breed of horse. The Paso Fino breed of horse is fair game on the American Paso Finos . Com website and has been on every other website that has ever been dedicated to the breed. And all kinds of lies can be told about the Paso Fino horse but the truths about who is telling the lies cannot be told. Mendacity.


So today I am going to stop the mendacity. I am going to tell the truth. And here it is. Brick is gay. He is still mourning the loss of his footbal player boyfriend and that is why he cannot schtupp Elizabeth Taylor. And now this cat is going to jump off the hot tin roof of this forum. It is all yours. Mendacity and all. I can no longer stomach it. I have had some great discussions met some fascinating people and learned a lot from the various Boards and those things I will truely miss. So I may be back at some point. But for now, the stink is just too much. I need to be around the fresh air of truth. Anyone who is needs me can find me with my horses. They would not know how to be mendacious if someone hit them on the head with a PM.

[Terri]

:dropjaw:I guess I am just nieve. I had no idea. I just didn't (don't) understand. I'll miss you Cindy.

[Pasogirlz]

I want to thank Lori for trying to make a site to promote the Paso Fino horse. Like others who have tried to do so before her, she has come to see how difficult it is to make a site that is positve to the breed. I don't know why, but for some reason there are people in this breed who do not really seem to care about any aspect of the breed other than their own little world.

Thanks Cindy. You are right.....it is extremely difficult...if not impossible. :frown:

I have been fighting the fight to bridge the gap....but instead I feel like I'm being pulled further apart by it.:(

Thank you for all your support. Don't be a stranger at the shows.

[motorgypsy]

We love you and will certainly see you at shows. Lula, Kalua and Silken say HI from Florida where they are spreading the word about how great the paso fino is. Thanks so much for all the help and great advice. Hope you come back. WE LIKE THE MOON!

[pnalley]

>>:dropjaw:I guess I am just nieve. I had no idea. I just didn't (don't) understand.<<

I'll miss you Cindy.

Me too. I have been oblivious to all the stuff you mentioned. I guess I'm in my own little world

[Pam M]

Cindy, I'll miss your sharp wit and amazing knowledge and I'm glad to have gotten to know you. I love this board and am easily able to ignore the ugly because of the good. It's the whole reason I am where I am today.

Six years ago I wanted to learn more about Paso Finos. I'd seen them, was fascinated and thinking maybe I was ready for one. I found the old board and through that found Hollis and my first Paso Fino. I was able to lease her, am still leasing her but should have her paid off next year.

Husband then wanted one of his own but he wanted a baby. No problem, went to the board and found Rusel and Wind Dancer. Got the baby. Mare was a handful so I looked for a trainer. Found Cindy through the old board. Couldn't have been happier with the results.

Wanted advice and to meet more Paso Fino people since I didn't know any others. Through the old board and this board found Leila, Ed K., Linda Y, Mel, Boothkin, Candace, Lindsay and Ed C., Teevo and several others that I've now met in person.

Now I have 3 Paso Finos. I've given about a dozen test rides on two of them. Helped a friend find two for herself. Have swayed two of my boarders over. Frequently find my horses in use by people who have their own horses (of different breeds)! Am becoming a heck of a breed ambassador, I do belive. And I owe it all to this board (and the last one). And by that, what I really mean is that I owe it all to the people that have frequented this board and have been willing to share their knowledge and their help. Thank you. Without your help I would probably still be blissfully, ignorantly riding Tbreds instead of my precious "fancy ponies" (an actual quote from someone who saw me on the trail on my gelding).

In spite of all the bickering, there are good things being accomplished through the sharing of knowledge on forums like this. I'm living proof.

[Candice Burger]

For the record, Cindy, I care. I care with every part of my being. I care about this breed and I care about you because of what you have tried to do for this breed here on this forum. If it were not for you, I would not have come here last year. You are not alone. I also want to apologize. I do not believe my presence was much help and may have been detrimental in the long run. As it stands, I hope you can forgive me. I'll see you in a better place.

What Cindy says it true and those who took the time to know her, know she is for this breed and for the truth of what it is nothing more or less. That is why she defended the paso fino...her love and passion.

I am also fully aware of what Cindy is speaking of and unlike Cindy, I would post such things for the viewing public IF it helped the breed, but it doesn't. All it does is create a group of ambulance chasers, clicking on the thread, waiting to read the next disaster, insult, threat to occur. Unlike Cindy I don't get PMs like this because I'm not interested in hearing about this type of trash; however, I am fully aware of the specific examples Cindy listed and many more. The "stink" of this breed and the people who cause it.

This breed is a great breed, a fine breed, a noble breed, a honest breed. Cindy emulates what this breed is about. Some how, for some reason, this forum as been used to advance personal agendas and has little to do with the paso fino horse. However, Cindy and I will tell you exactly the same in a public forum post that we will say in private. There is a level of integrity expected from ourselves when we are here to represent a noble, innocent animal caught in the mayhem.



Lori, I feel your pain. You are at a crossroads Cindy and I have never been to. See, we know where we stand--for the breed. The breed does not serve us, we are servants for the breed. We will fight to keep the breed intact, wholesome and well respected. We care enough to continue defending, arguing, debating until we can't. With or without this forum, with or without people supporting us, we know where we belong in this breed and we will not falter. If it means we are a target, then we are. If it means we have to make an unpopular stand, then we will. If we have to correct misunderstandings about the breed, we will take the chance.

Thanks for trying Lori, but I, too, know more than I should about those PMs and what is rampantly whispered. It has made me ill, like a rot in my soul to know what is said and shared in those PMs and other private emails. I have been so upset to cry in despair wondering if I should venture to this forum again and face such atrocities, but I do because I worry as Cindy has about the breed and about those who want to experience the wonder of paso finos. These same people then come forward as experts in this breed and as experts in general horsemanship spreading a poison with no antidote. No matter how many times we have tried to share our wonder and delight in such a beautiful animal, it seems to be the least important subject here.

The last thing I want everyone to try to grasp, is the paso fino is what it is because it is a paso fino first. It is not a gaited mustang, or some facsimile of some other gaited breed developed elsewhere. If you took the gait away it would still be paso. You cannot take another breed add gait and make a paso fino horse. I suppose when everyone gets to the point that they understand this then they will understand why Cindy, myself, and many others are the way they are.

I only posted this for documentation that Cindy is not the only one who is fully aware of the mendacity here at APF. Perhaps, it may explain our actions better than if we simply said we did it for the love of the breed.

[Mo.D]

I sure will miss you Cindy :-(.Your friend,Moniece

[Kerry W]

This really is a shame. I've had my moments with everyone on this forum, but it never in any way, dimished my respect for Cindy. apf.com has lost a valuable resource, as has the breed itself. We are a statement to the world, about the breed and what the breed represents. Not a proud moment. :frown:

[britzlove]

Cindy, Candice...you have been my mentors for more than 4 years.

I drove to see you (Cindy)show in a region because you told me I needed to get out and experience more. You were not wrong and the path I've taken since then has not only led me to experience more, but to actually come to a place where instead of thinking I should give up the pursuit of this breed I am totally convinced solidly of my place within it.

Candice, you know how indebted I am to you. We don't always agree on everything but we've become good friends and so I need you to see this publically, and Cindy the same applies to you...

Don't give up. Not now, especially with the new changes. Fact of the matter remains that the handful of sour grapes in this bunch do not comprise the majority that visit here. There are avid lurkers and I promise they do read everything and have been able to see through the clutter.

Candice has seen me threaten to go away too, always letting me know quite subtly that there was a need to continue to monitor for breed assasination.

I'm not going...I'm going to do the opposite if I can. I'll become more active in my endeavor because after the last two years I am far better prepared than the first two I spent as a real newbie.

Don't...please. The horses need the two of you and the breed needs your voice, and there are people here who you may never hear from, but that are greatful to you, more than you may know. You are strong women, but frankly there are people here who do fear posting anything whatsoever at all. Others may post a little, but avoid the fray. What I am saying is, te horses need you to keep trying.

I love you both.

Brittany

[Soltera]

Don't...please. The horses need the two of you and the breed needs your voice, and there are people here who you may never hear from, but that are greatful to you, more than you may know.

I haven't met hardly any of you, but what Pam M. and britzlove say, I heartily endorse. I didn't understand my first paso, however, the dialogues on APF convinced me to stick with it, to hear him out. Now I own two more, and would be lost without APF to help me with them.

But one can only take so much, of course, and though I haven't seen any of the PMing you speak of, I can only say, "Thank you for not sharing your heavy burden. What a blessing to the rest of us!" But know this, if you really are leaving, you are leaving many students behind, hoofed and footed, and you will be missed.

[Candice Burger]

Cindy, Candice...you have been my mentors for more than 4 years.

I drove to see you (Cindy)show in a region because you told me I needed to get out and experience more. You were not wrong and the path I've taken since then has not only led me to experience more, but to actually come to a place where instead of thinking I should give up the pursuit of this breed I am totally convinced solidly of my place within it.

Candice, you know how indebted I am to you. We don't always agree on everything but we've become good friends and so I need you to see this publically, and Cindy the same applies to you...

Don't give up. Not now, especially with the new changes. Fact of the matter remains that the handful of sour grapes in this bunch do not comprise the majority that visit here. There are avid lurkers and I promise they do read everything and have been able to see through the clutter.

Candice has seen me threaten to go away too, always letting me know quite subtly that there was a need to continue to monitor for breed assasination.

I'm not going...I'm going to do the opposite if I can. I'll become more active in my endeavor because after the last two years I am far better prepared than the first two I spent as a real newbie.

Don't...please. The horses need the two of you and the breed needs your voice, and there are people here who you may never hear from, but that are greatful to you, more than you may know. You are strong women, but frankly there are people here who do fear posting anything whatsoever at all. Others may post a little, but avoid the fray. What I am saying is, te horses need you to keep trying.

I love you both.

Brittany

Britzy, the heart, the soul of any breed, but this one in particular is the diversity it encourages. I, we, are not wanting to have everyone believe as we believe. What I, we, want is tolerance, honesty, and courage to be receptive to challenges which may be very different and very uncomfortable. However, to do so calls for a decorum which allows for strangers to meet and exchange opinion and ideas; we must respect our breed foremost and then respect what each has to offer for the breed. I have learned from each and every post pertaining to this breed. No person is minor, no person without merit.

Cindy and I have not always agreed, nor liked what we have said to each other. However I respect her as I do you and so many others here. I have also learned from a majority of paso fino owners who choose to remain behind the scenes. This country welcomed not only the breed but the breeders. I will defend their right to have their horse on this soil. We fail to recognize what brought us to the breed, for even the most minor reasons is because the paso fino is still a paso fino even on foreign lands. If we fail to maintain the integrity of the breed, then we no longer have a paso fino horse. This is so obvious to me, I'm frustrated that few will openly acknowledge it. It is not what is said it is the attitude that this breeds belongs to "us" and once here, "we" have every right to change, modify, label, segment as we please.

All the links to articles I've posted discusses this difference in attitude between western and eastern approaches to a breed. I have been privileged, blessed, to have the experiences I have had with paso finos. I don't believe in prayer, however I do believe I was answered as a little girl, because few gringas have experienced the breed the way I have and I want others to know the force that changed my life forever. It's not my way or the "latino" way or the "American" way. It is the paso way. For some reason I can't convey this, one must experience it beyond a forum or book or show.

This is the core of the problem when discussing any practicality with the breed whether it is the market, show rules or a word. That is why I say this breed will never be "American" because you cannot possess this breed. The breed is more than culture or country, it is history that has been lost throughout most of the world, but is still alive in our horses. Every person I meet I do not agree with their breeding program or their marketing schemes or their type of horse. However, they treat the breed with the same devotion, the same passion, the same respect as anyone who knows they do not control the breed; they live the breed. I have yet to find one person who lives by this code that I do not admire, respect, and find the same spirit I find in myself. See, it does not come from me, I am the conduit for my breed and I feel the same energy coming from those whom I may not like, may not agree, but still live for the paso fino.

I am no different than anyone else here. I wasn't born with knowledge about horses or about paso finos. The one thing that does set me apart and puts me into a smaller group is my understanding of "paso fino", not paso fino the breed or the horse or the language or the culture or the country but "paso fino". I am telling everyone the truth when I say if you know "paso fino", you can travel the world and the paso fino will welcome you. I have found I can cross continents, language, and culture and be welcomed. I have found teachers from all walks of life and they encourage me because they see a soul mate.

Cindy and I were trying to share this--this attitude, this very important, fundamentally life altering, wonderfully fulfilling paso fino "view". Once there, the depth of sharing and understanding is almost spiritual. There is nothing better than to stand and talk about conformation, bloodlines, gait, even politics because we are not trying to tear it down but build it up. The attitude--what can we do to fix the flaws not reject the flaws. We realize the risk that if we remove every bad thing we may equally remove every good thing. So rather than simply discarding everything bad, we choose to keep everything good and slowly, gently improve the weaknesses. This is why the paso fino is what it is and has some of the oldest genetics of any breed, why it is still one of the most genetically diverse breeds in the world, why it has so much diversity as a saddle horse, why it responds positively to any demand, why it has survived intact.

To put it simply, I will do what it takes to keep the breed the way it is and protect the philosophy which has maintained this breed for centuries. If this alienates, insults, angers, then so be it. If this is "un-American" or bigotry, or prejudice against my own culture and country, then so be it.

You were accused of changing your opinion about paso finos and bad conformation. I know better. What has changed is the place from which you stand because now you realize what myself and a few others have tried to convey. I see, you see, Cindy sees, like many, that the worst of this breed is more beautiful than other breeds not because it is better bred, better conformed, better phenotypically, but because of it's character and spirit. It is the intrinsic values, we are fighting for and what we have tried to share with others--the reason for changing our attitudes about breeding and breeds.

Perhaps if the breed were larger in number or perhaps if more breeds were like this one, perhaps, I would not be so adamant. Perhaps if I found more Americans who demonstrated what other paso fino owners do in other countries, perhaps, I'd less anxious, perhaps feel less protective.

Unfortunately, my experiences with forums are very similar to Cindy's. I, we, have to make choices. Do I forsake the forum or the breed? It seems that paso fino forums demand that I sacrifice the one thing I cannot give, the breed for as I have said, I do not own the breed, I am only a part of it.