[Anne FS]

I think it was right of the OP to call out a fake, if that is indeed the case.

Agree. My only issue with that is doing it under an alter. You're going to make such an accusation, then you need to do it right out, and IMO "still having to live in the community" is no excuse. A simple "I saw where Grataan is saying she's an equine veterinarian; fyi, I know her personally and she's not, so heads up. She's a dog & cat tech" is enough. I think the Alter issue is the one that made this thread go nuts.

The crazy thing is that if Grataan is a vet tech, I would still be listening to their advice.

I wouldn't. Not about horses. In the The Menagerie forum, then yes, but about horses? No way. And yes, as Kate66 says, "listen" to the advice, which doesn't mean take it, but listen to it about small animals, sure, if I thought they brought other knowledge to the discussion.

Like others have said, I believe it is actually illegal for someone to claim to be a medical professional and dispense medical advice, so if Grataan has been doing that, then the mods really should be alerted.

Definitely.

[Anne FS]

ETA: and no, my name is not really Heinz. It's Erin, but when I joined COTH there was a rather infamous moderator named Erin that I wanted to avoid confusion with!

Hey, I loved Erin the Moderator and believe she got a completely raw deal here, but that's another thread entirely.

[cloudyandcallie]

Amastrike PMed me and said that Snowflake, not she, was [K-N]. And that she, amastrike, was the other party in the thread about the loaned/given horse who was at risk.

I know maybe 10 or so cothers IRL. Some are great, and some are, well......nevermind. But it's easy to check vet credentials in each state. You all should have a state vet board where you can find out if your vet is licensed. And if he has been suspended or disciplined. Ditto with lawyers. I always had my college degree and my law degree hung on the wall of my office, along with my admittance to the various bars. And carried my bar card and my ID.
I also posted my won-loss record on the wall each year, so my victims could see how I'd done in court.

It's my understanding that OP and Grataan have been to the same horse shows recently. And that OP tried to get Grataan to stop representing herself as a vet long before this thread started. To no avail. So flaming the OP for deciding to tell, well. And I understand that others who knew Grataan were suspicious.

[BuddyRoo]

I just think that kindness and grace is in order here. If no one was harmed, can we just find grace and let it go? I mean, I get the funny stuff and have been enjoying it. But the fact that nothing has popped up in defense makes me think that the OP isn't off base. That means that there is an actual human being out there who probably feels like her world is crumbling to some extent.

There is a time for criticism but there's also a time for grace.

[Heinz 57]

Is Grataan an Oregon resident, like the OP? Is the OP? I guess locations are relative in COTH Land, too... I ask because they would both be "local" to me (and many other posters here) and I wonder if I've met either of them IRL...

I agree, this is sad, if true. I enjoyed Grataan's posts for the most part.

Good question, and now that you mention it I do recall that. Which then makes me wonder, too, if I knew of either the OP or Grataan in real life. I would doubt actually "knowing" them, since I only have a few horsey acquaintances outside my immediate (Salem/Independence, OR) area and as far as I'm aware none of those are vet techs.

I've met a few COTH'ers. Most have been nice folks, but some are hiding behind fancy websites with pretty pictures and you'd certainly be surprised to see what the place (and the condition of the horses) looks like in real life.

[BuddyRoo]

Nope, it doesn't. LOL.

I don't even own a car anymore!

How in the heck did I get a thumbs down on this? Total sidenote, I know. But how is me not owning a car or not having a BuddyRoo license plate a thumbs down post? Good gravy. I will NEVER figure out this up/down thing!

[drmgncolor]

Random question for you - does your license plate have B-Roo on it? If so I saw you today!

I would wager money that license plate stands for "Bonnaroo". Didn't happen to be a VW by chance?

[Anne FS]

I just think that kindness and grace is in order here. If no one was harmed, can we just find grace and let it go?

Nope. There are things that are done, and there are things that simply are not done. Pretending to be a doctor when you're not is one of the things that are Simply Not Done. Period.

If any of you know who Grataan really is and can verify that she is indeed a veterinarian, then shame on you for not speaking up.

There is a time for criticism but there's also a time for grace.

Agreed. Posting as a veterinarian on an animal msg. board is definitely a time for criticism, though.

[Sonesta]

I just think that kindness and grace is in order here. If no one was harmed, can we just find grace and let it go? I mean, I get the funny stuff and have been enjoying it. But the fact that nothing has popped up in defense makes me think that the OP isn't off base. That means that there is an actual human being out there who probably feels like her world is crumbling to some extent.

There is a time for criticism but there's also a time for grace.

Wouldn't it be her false world that would be crumbling? Not her real life.

But I am all for forgive and forget and will do so if she comes forward and says "mea culpa and lesson learned."

[trubandloki]

Best post so far is Buddyroo's meeting Lex at the dog park story. Loved it.

[prairiewind2]

*L* Truly, I am not trying to upset any apple carts here! It seems to me that cummings capitalized certain words to draw attention to them. Me the victim accusing (Staring at) You the perpetrator for What you have done to me. The small i later in the poem is because i am bewildered, i am small, i am fading away as the poem progresses.

But! I absolutely do see your perspective as well and make no assertions that mine is the correct one. All along I've said that this is *my* interpretation.

Liz

[Horse with No Name]

I guess I'm wondering whether OP PMed Graatan about her concerns first, before posting. To me it seems like a blind siding.

I don't know Graatan. I don't know TiC/Alter horse.

[OneGrayPony]

Personally, I don't think it's a kindness to let someone be delusional. I don't think it's kindness to us NOR TO THEM. Because in there, really, is someone who desperately feels "less than" and that they need to bolster themselves with false representations of who they are. Now - if someone is schizophrenic and can't be helped, well that's entirely different.

Sometimes you have to hold a mirror up to it, as ugly as that is, so that they can see what's wrong. That's the only way to do it. Now Grataan has to confront that, and hopefully in that space, she can have a learning moment.

But the message that I would send is - Grataan, you're enough as you are. You're knowledgeable enough as you are, and there's no need to represent yourself as someone else.

And that goes for everyone else here too...

Now - about that popcorn...

[BuddyRoo]

I'm not trying to be a total limp cucumber here, but I just think that if someone has done something like this, there's more going on behind the scenes and the LAST thing they need is a witch hunt.

You just never know if your words or actions could be the difference between someone being okay and someone taking extreme measures.

If none of us have been harmed, and there's not actionable measure to take as a result, then taking note and moving on is probably the best to be done. For us and for the person in question. I would hate to think that I contributed to someone spiraling down over something like this where we should all have our antennae up and doing our own due diligence.

If no harm has been done, then best to let it go IMHO. Graatan has given a lot of good advice from what I've seen--though I've not been here that long--but what do we as a group have to gain from a witch hunt? Me? Nothing. <shrugs>

I'm more concerned about the human being who is perpetuating a myth and is tied up in it. THat means we have a hurt/sick person. And a hurt/sick person needs empathy and kindness. Not an attack. If we all know the truth (assuming it is) then we can protect ourselves from bad advice--which we should do anyway--but I see little evidence of anything actionable or harmful really.

That's just me though. I respect others' reactions.

[Anne FS]

How in the heck did I get a thumbs down on this? Total sidenote, I know. But how is me not owning a car or not having a BuddyRoo license plate a thumbs down post? Good gravy. I will NEVER figure out this up/down thing!

Maybe it means they're sad for you not having a car any more.

Or maybe it means they're disappointed that it wasn't you, because if it was that would've been a happy thing & maybe you two could meet. Sort of a shorthand thing of "Aw, too bad, I was hoping it was you. Bummer."

[BuddyRoo]

Well, I did roll that lovely car twice on I-96 and was lucky to get out alive, albeit with a totaled car. And I AM down to one car here. AND, it wasn't me with the BRoo plate. Perhaps you're right.

[cloudyandcallie]

I guess I'm wondering whether OP PMed Graatan about her concerns first, before posting. To me it seems like a blind siding.

I don't know Graatan. I don't know TiC/Alter horse.

I only know what OP told me. She was even very gracious and said nice things about Grataan. But she said she'd tried to get Grataan to stop representing herself as a vet. And she continued to do so.
By the time people post threads like this, most of them have done everything they could to not go through being doubted and questioned.

[Horse with No Name]

I only know what OP told me. She was even very gracious and said nice things about Grataan. But she said she'd tried to get Grataan to stop representing herself as a vet. And she continued to do so.
By the time people post threads like this, most of them have done everything they could to not go through being doubted and questioned.

Thanks cloudyandcallie, that was what I was wondering.

[OneGrayPony]

I think at this point most of us HAD moved on, to talking about wine, popcorn and the silly ways we aren't our usernames, Buddy. Although I've never heard anyone calling themselves a cucumber? What does that even mean?

[BarbaricYawp]

Aw heck I am just one of the long time invisibles around here, so it really doesn't matter who I am

Carry on!

Not ENTIRELY invisible... is this also your license plate? If so, I saw you on 66 during the Arduous Morning Commute this past week.