Question about Facebook protocol

[Kathy Johnson]

This may be kind of non important and I may be reading too much into things.

How would you deal with a trainer you feel is bad mouthing your training on Facebook? I don't know if I care enough to send a private message, or want to spend the time. It's such bad writing, I'm not sure they're referring specifically to me, but very few people have actually even gotten near the horse, so odds are good.

[Dresseur]

Personally, I would ignore it. It's one person, and you have a rather large following with plenty of work and results out there that speak for itself. Just not worth it unless it's outright libel.

[Josette]

I do not belong to FB so no advice there. I don't know about legalities and how much concern is it to you. If it really bothers you maybe a warning about defamation of character to the individual to cut the crap out. Folks who know you personally and through these training forums would ignore it. We recognize it is not true as someone with a grudge.

edited to add - see how far it goes before considering a reply. Maybe ignore it and then it will go no where.

[Abby Kogler]

I would ignore it. Anyone who knows you at all will know that it is not true.

[kande50]

I think most of the readers whose opinion you might care about recognize badmouthing for what it is, and aren't affected by it. IOW, even if I knew nothing about either of you, I'd be much more likely to hire the person being badmouthed than the badmouther, because who would want to be in any way associated with a trainer who gets on the internet and badmouths other trainers?

[Kathy Johnson]

Thanks, guys! You convinced me to ignore it. After a re-read, I realized it was typical NH self-aggrandizement by running down everyone else. So much of the story was wrong, I felt a need to correct it, but I won't. I can give myself some distance by un-liking, unfriending and un-following. I only looked because I cared about the horse, but I can let that go too. I had heard this trainer was a jerk, and now I know why.

[Ryeissa]

block the person too--- don't just unfriend. sorry that happened to you!