ABSTRACT
In previous chapters I have focused on the lived, physical horse world, that which is experienced daily, bodily and corporeally by human and equine actors. In and through this social world human members construct horsey identities, and develop close relationships through their encounters with horses. The horse world is a context rooted in physical locations – such as the yard – as well as social encounters between different humans and horses. In the preceding chapters I have stressed the embodied nature of the horse world, and of human-horse interactions. However, in this chapter I move away from discussing these material, palpable encounters and instead turn attention to the online horse world, that which exists within the virtual environment of the internet. The online horse world is very much a part of the physical contexts I have been discussing already and although horses are not actively present in the virtual environment, their presence is very much evident. The online horse world represents an extension of and an important contributor to the overall social milieu discussed within this book and, although the absence of horses as active agents on the internet prohibits any direct human-horse interaction, analysis of the online horse world is revealing about the nature of those relationships and the construction of equestrian identities. I begin the chapter by considering the idea of ‘community’ as applied to online environments generally, and the horse world specifically. As an opportunity to express group affiliation, assimilation and camaraderie, the online horse world is an interesting site through which to examine identity formation, consensus building, support, and, as with the more material aspects of the horse world, frequently conflict, disagreement and competition. The horse world has an extensive and diverse online presence, ranging from informative sites, to shopping, to social media, with personal profiles, blogs and opportunities to engage in debates and discussions. Another important aspect of the online horse world, to which I turn in the last part of the chapter, is formed around equestrian ‘celebrities’ – high profile human and equine figures who have an active online presence, engaging with fans. The role of such celebrities, and responses from fans,
is illustrative of the importance of the online environment to the construction, development and maintenance of the shared norms, values and behaviours of the horse world.
