Barn Witch Defined:

 

 

I get many questions on What is a Barn Witch? I will explain it here.

 

A Barn Witch is someone that cannot mind his or her own business. It is your local barn know-it-all, that has to help every one with their horse when they can’t even handle their own horse. Since most barns are mostly women, most Barn Witches are women, but there are men Barn Witches, mostly younger men that have been raised in or around barns so they have learned from the best Barn Witches around.

 

Barn Witches tell everyone what they are doing wrong, tell people what they should do, stick their nose in everyone’s business, they say things that they think are true but have no first hand knowledge of what they tell others to do. A Barn Witch will never get on your horse and show you, they will also tell you to do stupid things since they do not suffer the consequences of being wrong.

 

Barn Witches are great at telling you what is right and what is wrong, they know all the rules and love to tell people when they are not following the rules. They normally have more than one horse or have owned many horses in the past. All their horses are difficult, high-spirited or smart and the horses they got rid of were all bad.

 

Barn Witches will tell many stories of how they rode as a kid, won many medals and ribbons and how they owned horses their entire lives. They will have the latest newest horse training tools, like pretty sticks, pretty halters, fancy buckles; new saddles that still look new and many will be wearing the tight tan pants that used to fit them 5 years ago.

 

They will know the best trainers, will be taking upper level lessons, and will have their kids taking lessons so they can watch and give advice. They will spend lots of time at the barn and not much time with their horse. When at the barn, the Witches will be sweeping, cleaning, planting flowers, painting things pink, hanging plants and just about anything EXCEPT spending time with their horse.

 

Barn Witches will come to the barn and spend 10 minutes locking their horse up, put a rug or blanket on the horse, throwing the horse a flake of hay, some grain and then spend the next hour or two socializing, giving advice, gossiping, leaving notes on the white board or running around being nosy. If you check their horse’s water, it will not be clean, all of this is good indicator of a busybody Barn Witch.

 

Barn Witches will demand respect. If you do not listen to them and do not do what they tell you to do, they will get offended, mad and try to bully or scare you. They will then run around and tell others that are going to hurt, you will not listen, you are dangerous and you are going to get someone else hurt. This is how they cause trouble and drama so they feel important.

 

Some keys phrases to listen for from Barn Witches are; “My trainer said”, “The rules say”, “I have been training horses”, “I have owned horses my whole life”, “I am a forth level Parelli Graduate” or “I have been at this barn for 15 years”. They will normally tell you their title like Manager, trainer, Senior Assistance or they give lessons or run the pony or 4H club. Anything to impress you into thinking they know what they are doing. Since they cannot show you what they know with their own horse, they will try to impress you with lots of other things.

 

Many Witches will follow one person, will worship that person alone, and will degrade all others. If they like Pat Parelli, they will hate Clinton Anderson, if they like Clinton Anderson they will hate Pat Parelli. Some will try to be tough old cowboy crap and act like a horse’s ass and others will call Natural Horsemanship a big joke. Still others will claim to use Natural Horsemanship and they cannot even lead a horse without a stud chain or pulling or using pain.

 

Key words to listen for from Barn Witches are the following: dangerous, that horse is disrespecting you, you are going to get hurt, that is too much horse for you, you need an older horse, you should not own a horse, you are going to get someone else hurt, you don’t know the barn rules, you don’t listen, your horse needs manners, and the list goes on.

 

The thing to remember about Barn Witches is they are about power, control and bullying. They think they are the one-eyed King in the land of the blind. By using fear and intimidation, they get their way and over time they get very good at it. You can try to avoid them, but they will whisper, start rumors, make things up and try to convince others that you are dangerous and some stay away from you or ostracize you. As time goes on, this treatment will interfere with your relationship with your horse.

 

Many Barn Witches will have a nice new trailer but you will rarely see them use it. They will always tell you how long they have owned horses or how many horses they have owned. The higher the number horses they have owned, the bigger the clue they do not know what they are doing. Many Witches will have a limp or other old horse injury from a “bad horse.” The will be clean, no horse dirt, and will spend most time talking to others and very little time working with their horse. They always tell others what to do and you will never see them do those same things.

 

Since barns have high turn over rates and many people get out of horses within the first year of owning them, there are always new people that know very little about horses. The Barn Witches that have hung around for years tend to be the most experienced in a barn full of first-time horse owners. Therefore, if you come in with some knowledge or experience the Witches will be jealous and fearful to lose their control. They know that others will soon see how little they know and their power will fade away. This threat causes these Witches to go to extreme measures to attack you, discredit you, label you and get others to judge you. It is a pathetic display of bully and mean behavior and it creates stressful situations at most all barns.

 

The bigger problem is this stressful environment causes horses to suffer. The more people get conflicting and wrong advice the more frustrated they become. This constant trying and attempting dumb and wrong advice teaches the horse to fail and teaches the horse how to mistrust people. Each time a horse learns a human is dumb, weaker or puts the horse in situations where it gets hurt, fails or learns to flee, it makes it harder to undo those bad lessons. Then the Barn Witches become a “Self fulfilling Prophecy” and the horse becomes what people tell you the horse was. The horse becomes dangerous and all the idiot advice that made the horse dangerous suddenly becomes true. Then these idiots think they are right and run around tell others, “See, I told you, she did not listen”, then more people listen and more horses get set up to fail.

 

When people are stressed and uncomfortable at a barn, because of all the Barn Witches and unwanted advice, little clicks and all the safety rule enforcers, they reflect that stress back to the horse. Horses know and can read that you are stressed, mad, angry, upset, or trying to avoid idiots, and then the horse reacts to that negative energy and horses become more sensitive, spooky, and flighty and do not learn as well. It is all a big spiral effect and the horse suffers.

 

A horse needs your full attention, he needs to know he can depend on you and know that you are not distracted, he feels when you are slow, preoccupied or not paying attention, so he gets more nervous. A horse is reflection of you and you are reflection of your environment. If you are scared, nervous, uneasy, looking over your shoulder, trying to avoid and expecting conflict from the Barn Witches, then you horse will feel and react to this.

 

 

 

Here are some ways to Piss Off Barn Witches:

 

1)     Ask them to show you and demonstrate what they tell you

2)     Tell them to ride your horse and show you

3)     Tell them when you want their help, you will ask for it

4)     Recommend they watch my videos and tell them you like me

5)     Find out who they idolize and then say you heard he was no good

6)     Tell them other people told you not to listen to them

7)     Tell them your trainer told you to do it this way

8)     Pick up some horse poop checking for worms and then offer to shake their hand

9)     Ask them to explain Opposition Reflex to you

 

 

 

 

 

How to avoid becoming a Barn Witch?

 

Avoid know Barn Witches or Barn Witches in Training. Do not get involved in gossip. When at your barn, spend time with your horse. Do not give advice and do not try and help others. Mind Your Own Business is a critical step to avoid falling into Barn Witch behaviors.

 

The best way to help others is to do right by your horse. Take good care, put your horse first, keep his water clean, break apart his hay, good hoof care and spend time with your horse. People will see that your horse is good and that means you are good.

 

Things Barn Witches will Say:

 

  • I was only trying to help
  • You were going to get hurt
  • What you were doing is dangerous
  • I did not mean to butt in
  • John Lyons said … (fill in any name the BW idolizes)
  • Your horse was going to hurt you
  • I could tell you needed help
  • I can tell you are new to horses
  • Your horse was being disrespectful
  • You need to teach that horse some manners
  • That horse needs a Stud Chain
  • You need to send that horse to a trainer
  • Any horse term that a new person would not know, so the BW can explain it to you

 

 

If you got here before watching the video, you can view my video on this topic here:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVtRy9Jr35k

 

 

Note: It did not talk long for a Barn Witch to comment on this video. This woman tried to say I am a Barn Witch for the way I talk to people that disagree with me. Therefore, as I suspected, Barn Witches watch my videos and read my site, if only to find things to talk smack about. For other Barn Witches or simple-minded non-thinking people, Barn Witches attack, bully and harass people where other people keep their horses. These people do not have a option keep their horses at other places so they are forced to deal with and the cruel conduct of the Barn Witches in order to see their horses.  That is what bullies do, they isolate and corner people where they know the people have to be. These bullies know that people love their horses so they have to come back and they have to take what is being dished out in order to see their horses. This empowers these bullies since they do not care about their horses and they do not go to barns for their horses, Barn Witches go to Barns for a sense of power and control. Many Barn Witches have failed marriages, poor relationships with their spouse, kids that resent them or don’t want to be with them, they are pathetic people that take advantage of the force gathering of inexperienced people at barns.

 

I do not corner, solicit, force or give advice to anyone that does not seek me out or voluntarily comes to my channel or website. Many other choices out there, people choose to come to my channel or site. They choose to stay or leave. They choose to be a Barn Witch or to learn. It is all about choices. I assure you, if Barn Witches were controlled and forced out of barns for interfere and not minding their own business, it would stop. The problems is most horse people, especially new horse people, love their horses and are naive to Barn Witches. Many people will not warn or help people being harassed by Barn bullies since they do not want trouble for themselves. It is a typical schoolyard bully environment. It is wrong and I speak out against it.

 

Over the years, I have seen many good people leave, sell horses, stop coming out to barns or they sneak out to barns late at night or early in the morning to avoid these barn bullies. I guarantee that at every barn that anyone is at, 90 percent of the boarder are women. Also, 90 percent of all Husbands do NOT come out to barns due to the drama and stressful environment at the barn. You connect the dots. You can call me sexist, but there is nothing like the facts to mess up a good label.

 

I make it clear, I do what I do for to help horses, come or leave, but keep your advice and Barn Witch comments to yourself. Seventy five percent of my viewers are women, according to Youtube statistics. If you want to complain or be mean, then that is your choice, but you will only do it once. I will block you and then you can run off and cry and start your little hate group site or blog, but I am not allowing this site to become a virtual barn where more people can be bullies and pass on their ignorant information that hurts horses, from the safety of hiding behind their computers.

 

No one is forced to come here, if you seek out this terrible place and choose to come here, only to complain, cause trouble, troll and make negative comments, then you are a Barn Witch. For only a true Barn Witch seeks out conflict, drama, negativity and misery; just so they can show their lack of wisdom, create trouble and fly around on their broom.

 

 

 

 

Here is how other people describe Barn Witches:

 

Barn Witch in my opinion is any person male or female who follows a herd mentality. One who parrots faulty horse husbandry methods due to self-serving motives, peer pressure or simple ignorance. Barn Witches are easily spotted, usually waving colored carrot sticks, clicking and clucking while their horses run them over. You will never meet one on the trail though as they do not have the confidence to ride outside of arenas, corrals and/or fenced in paddocks

 

a Barn Witch to me is a girl with fancy English chaps a pink bridle and fancy, expensive stuff that they keep pretty and shiny. They’re usually sitting around with their horses tied up talking to each other about gossip and who jumps the best.. and then their moms come... who are also Barn Witches that look old and tell you how to do everything properly

 

Barn Witch: A person of the female persuasion who: 1) without permission, grabs your horse from you and proceeds to show you "how it's done". 2) If you enter "their arena" with your horse, they ask you "May I help you?". 3) has a face that would crack if they smiled while on or around their horse

 

Some Man who said that because my horse was so calf-kneed that I should just sell her at an auction, get what I can, go home and cry about it and just get over it. I understand this horse is calf-kneed and not perfectly conformed, but I bought her knowing that and I am taking responsibility. I'm not going to sell her because of an imperfection.

 

Some lady wrote that she is sending her horse to Clinton Anderson for training because she was scared of it, it only costs around $4300 for 6 weeks, doesn't mention that she will still be scared when she gets it back.

 

Barn Witches tell people riding in a rope halter is dangerous

 

Barn Witches are always making dramatic white board notices

 

Barn Witches interfere with your horse without asking and try to demonstrate how untrained your horse is while they scare the shit out of it in front of an audience.

 

Barn Witches are the girls you see at barrel races on a 60k horses screaming and spurring them and whipping them and screaming on there cell phone at there trainers cause there horse isn’t fast enough or good enough, but they have the nerve to come up to you and your horse who is just fine by the way! to tell you that you need to put a bit in that horses mouth and get that horse to listen to you, Barn Witches are never wrong have done it all, hate men and I don’t think any of them even like horses!

 

When I boarded my horse at a new place, the Barn Witches came to me and identified themselves in such a way that couldn't be missed. I got lectured while I was taking my mare out of the trailer for not having booties on her.

 

BARN WITCH: Knows everything but cannot demonstrate it. Hypochondriac for their (and every one else’s) horse. Two faced back stabbing gossip. Tattle tale. Fearful, their way is only/right way. Their horse is finest of all. Thinks tack/gear makes up for training and bond. Spreads mal-information and/or lies. Self righteous Entitled to "VIP" @ all times.  Stirs the drama pot to agitate others.  Will TRY to destroy you by any means if you cross them in any way.  Gee wish I had more room to write here! LOL

 

Barn Witch is someone who is critical, cares only about bloodlines, thinks they know better than you do because they have had more "experience"

 

Barn Witches are easy to point out because they have the horses that do not listen to them because they don't understand the way horses think.

 

Barn Witch (this was a man though) I was just outside training my mare (I decided to train her myself), today I got on her, of course first I did a lot of sacking out and ground work with her before I tried actually getting on her back, and as I was working with her to get her to know the hit with my foot means "move forward" this guy comes telling me to get a whip or spurs.

 

To me a Barn Witch is a woman (or man usually woman) who is from their late twenties to about middle age who's owned horses all their life and has to show of their 'knowledge' to everyone when they aren't the ones working with horses, and when they work with their horse they can't get the horse to do what they want

 

A Barn Witch is the man that keeps his horse locked in a stall 24/7 only to come out for training to win ribbons at a horse show. And he tries to give me advice?! No thanks

 

There are different types of Barn Witches: the type that has a bunch of horsy accessories that they never use (fancy leather halters, tendon boots, 10 lead ropes, etc) and they think they are better and smarter than everyone because they purchased nearly all the inventory from the local tack store. Or the type that thinks they're better and smarter than everyone because they own more horses (or more expensive horses), or because they have competed in more shows

 

They have seen it all, know it all, and have no problem telling it all. Btw, now I know why my mares are so 'disrespectful' and turn their butts to me. I thought it was for scratching; now I know it is to check for Barn Witches!

 

If you're new to a barn and want to identify the Barn Witches, it's the people who apparently can tell you everything wrong with your horse, and how to improve it within five minutes of laying eyes on you and your horse.

 

Barn Witch - a person who believes to be always right and everyone else wrong, that thinks it is impossible that a backyard horse owner could know more about horse behavior than they do because they got a bunch of pretty ribbons.

 

A Barn Witch is someone who would call a horse stupid, insist that the rope wouldn't have broken if it had been pink, told everyone the horse was mean and dangerous, and advertised her as a horse for "experienced riders only"

 

Barn Witch is one who is always saying, "so and so's training program is all wrong'. and yet they are brutal to their own horse. Ones who say, “you need to use a stronger bit on that horse". Because that is what they would do! Ones who think their "poo" does not stink! One who wants the horse always to be squeaky clean, covered in poison to keep off flies.  One who does not notice when the horse is feeling bad. Who complains all the time about every little thing the "hired help" does.

 

Barn Witch is someone who controls their horse in a manner that is over the top or someone who feels like they have to shove their nose in everyone else's business but never minding their own. These are also the same women who will watch you do everything wrong and then talk trash about you AFTER you've been hurt or your horse is hurt.

 

One aspect of being a Barn Witch/warlock is forbidding "fun" in horsemanship. If you're too stuck up to say horsy once in a while

 

A Barn Witch is someone who wants to control anything and everything a horse does and doesn't let a horse be a horse

 

Someone I know got their leg broke at a clinic because a Barn Witch grabbed her horse away from her to make it do what she wanted it to right now. Not giving the horse a chance. Started beating the horse up. Horse ran into the owner on a lunge line knocked her down and she broke her leg. Not even a I'm sorry. Awful!

 

 

 

 

RETURN TO THINK LIKE A HORSE WEBSITE

Rick Gore Horsemanship

 

 

Below are Honorable Mention Barn Witches:

 

 

Cheyenne Brown Blake (click her name to see her facebook)

 

This young lady, I use the term loosely, is a prefect example of the petty, princess type kid that thinks they are entitled and somehow smart at 24 years of age. This person made a little hate page about me because I blocked her for giving stupid advice. She is obviously upset that daddy did not hug her enough and angry about something and wants to blame me and her boyfriend for her failures. So she comes to my site, my videos and since she is so smart, after I block her, she goes on this little temper tantrum and post things about how mean I am, getting people to email me and harass me. Normally I ignore the weirdo’s but since I had to file action on her and still need her address and phone number so I can get her served with legal papers, I decided to respond to her attacks and harassment. So, I know I have some good viewers that can find people, so anyone that can get me more information to identify her, I would appreciate it. Maybe if I can get her into court, she may realize there are consequences to her harassment and libel statements.

 

One of my viewers sent me information that Little Miss Brown, who hides behind user name, Equilove - http://www.horseforum.com/members/21547/ , who has no life other than to make negative post about me. Here is Ms Brown’s email: bcbrown91@gmail.com maybe some can email her and she will give advice. Here is the High School she graduated from: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/schools/high/Atherton/index.html .  

 

This girl is the reason why people do not want to help or assist horse people and why people just sell videos so they can avoid stalking crazy women. So when people ask me why I do not answer emails or questions anymore, I will refer them to Ms. Brown. People like this who cannot be the center of attention feel they have to cause drama in order to get attention. If you read this girl’s questions, you can tell she knows little about horses, so she hangs out on a teenage horse forum site where she can spread her misery. My viewer sent me a couple posts where she blames and bashes her boyfriend for not wanting to sweat and then blames the horse for having an attitude. You may need have to login to see these, I had two people with accounts confirm these comments are there.

 

Posted by Equilove: I asked my boyfriend to take photos and videos today, but of course he hates horses and being outside (especially if there's a chance he might sweat) so he half-assed and I didn't get any decent footage.

 

Posted by Equilove;1126345]Savanna has an attitude. When I'm lunging her and I ask her to pick up a gait, she pins her ears back and swings her head. Never kicks at me, she always does it, but she throws a 'tude.

 

So has you can see, the people that know the least, talk the most. All the abused animals out there and this person wants to fight with me because she got her feelings hurt. If I can get this girl served, I will handle this in court. Unfortunately, there are many other people out there that this girl will run into and they may not handle something like this in the courts. As a cop, I went to many calls where women thought a guy could not hit them or would just allow them to say and do what they want and then they had to call the cops or an ambulance and they ran into the wrong people. Believe me, the internet is full of stalkers and crazy people so provoking people thinking you are safe and hiding behind your computer is not very smart.

 

I think she lives in Louisville, Kentucky, that is what high school she graduated from. If anyone can find better contact information for Ms. Brown, like a phone number, address or work place, I would appreciate an email.

 

Another Ms. Know it all that could not take being blocked and had to start harassing me with emails and complaints about Youtube videos is Ms. Sarah L. Battles.  This is another 20 year that thinks she knows everything and can't take anyone telling her she does not know.  Here is the barn she, according to her, she trains horses and rides at:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dixieland-Farm-Mocksville-NC/169963759703227

 

Ms. Battles was giving poor and dangerous advice on my channel, I told her to stop and she then insisted in leaving several other contacts, so I blocked. Well she was not going to have that so went on an email tangent and harassed me wanting attention and to prove how much she knows. So now I am giving her the attention she wants, so anyone wanting advice from a knowitall trainer please contact her at her email here: sarahlbattles@gmail.com

Here is a Video where I discuss Little Ms Battle's ignorance.

 

For all the idiots on Horseforum.com this person will give you great advice please friend her on facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/sarah.l.battles/media_set?set=a.1148970256755.2020807.1602558461&type=3

 

 

 

Another BW shows her head: Ms. Meghan MacAlister from Naples, Florida

 

You can see pictures and read more about her on my site Ms. Meghan MacAlister from Naples, Florida

 

 

 

 

 

 

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