Hey Reader!

Sorry, this is a serious topic about the damage that exposure to violent images does. 😐

Have you ever seen a violent image, film, or (worse) a video of something real, that is something you wish you'd never have seen?

I know I have.

I remember saying, "That's something I'll never be able to un-see." 😒

It's not just an unfortunate happening. It actually affects the amygdala of the brain (I've often heard this called the 'lizard brain' by business coaches...) which is responsible for keeping us safe.

Much like a horse's response, people viewing violent images can trigger the amygdala and put people in a fight, flight, or freeze state of mind.

What results is a feeling of anxiety, anger, irritability, and with the flooding of violent images over and over again via social media, people can be triggered into 'going down the rabbit hole'; investigating everything about the images to try to come to some sort of understanding about them.

This doesn't help.

The more they see, the more damage it does, and this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as the damage goes!

I have a related horse story about this.

Probably in the late 2000s, when social media was around but not as active as it is now, and not as many people had ready access to fast Internet, there was an incident that took place during the Alberta Battle of the Breeds that was a well-attended and fun part of the Spruce Meadows MASTERS Tournament!

I was always present with my camera that could shoot stills as quickly as any video (if you stitched all the pictures together), sort of like a flip book. It helped me get some very good still images that showed the action taking place.

One of the competitive components of the 'Battle' was the horse driving component. It was a competition of skill and accuracy that mostly occurred at slower speeds but there were options where you could gain points if you avoided some obstacles and instead took in all the obstacles you knew you could excel at! So there was a little racing around that took place.

One year, I'm not sure what happened and I think it's because I didn't want to know, there was a horrific accident that took place. I'm not sure if there was an equipment malfunction or it was a driver error, but the carriage went on its side, the horse was frightened and tried to run away from the carriage which began to fall apart all over the course as the horse ran.

Believe me when I say it was awful 😳

I saw what was happening and purposefully put my camera down and into its case.

Every other photographer raced to get the best shots of this calamity!

I'm not sure if this makes me a poor journalist but knowing how this freak accident would rock the horse world in a very bad way if it blew up in the media, I made the choice not to be part of that.

So, what I'm trying to say is, more people need to not focus on and spread violent images via social media venues. It has a massively bad effect on those who see them, and many of those who see them might be young people.

Did you know that there's an organisation called Unplugged Canada, which is a group of parents trying to start a movement that would prevent children under the age of 14 from having a smart phone?

If you didn't know about this but do now, maybe you can spread the word both about the organisation and the damage that exposure to violent images and video can do.

It takes everyone, to do a little bit, to make the world a better place!

I hope you are having a fabulous weekend and finding a way to stay positive! 🤗

If ever you want to chat about anything, just reply to this email and let me know!

...until I hear from you, stay well and take care...

Remember, if you’ve missed previous emails (the public ones, at least), you can go here to read them.​

-Sylvia (trying to do her part) Schneider

PS - Here are some handy links to information:

1. ​15 Ways Horses Can Improve Your Life​
2. ​15 Lessons Experienced Horse People Have Learned ...and Want to Help New Horse Lovers Understand!​
3. ​Are You Ready for Horse Ownership? (A Comprehensive Checklist)​

Need the 'Easy Button'? If you have a pressing concern regarding a horse or equine related matter, and you need help NOW, you might want to consult about it using this link as your 'Easy Button'.