Qh- I used to have a girlfriend who would give me horse-slobbery kisses. They were romantic in a horsey sort of way but hell on starched shirts... Q-Pony- RONALD REAGAN?? He was a actor and politician...How could you ever be sure he wasnt just acting...or after your vote...? Oh, I almost forgot. From time to time, Admin will be out front, under the Horse Apples marquee lites, wearing an ES sandwich board, a-spreadin the good ES word as she sees it....Ive petitioned the courts for a gag order but I think she knows the judge. She also has an up to date sidewalk permit so I cant legally run her off...m<

I must respectfully disagree. Over the past 13 years I have seen the most beautiful love stories unfold, and the difference this site has made in so many people's lives. At the end of my reply is the Today Show segment that talks about Nitche Dating, and a Horse and Rider Article featuring a few of our success stories. What comes to mind first is Tim962, and the amazing parties at his house, and the support from around the country when he was diagnosed with terminal Cancer. Though the doctors gave him 6 month, he went 2 years beyond that, and I believe the love and support from this community helped create that miracle. Then there is Evelyn and George, whose love story is so memorable. It was a wonderful marriage and remained so until his death. I could go on and on with so many examples, in the thousands actually, of those who are still together. I can't tell you how many thank you letters we get, or photos of the many children born. Online Dating works! The facts say it is the most successful way people are meeting these days. Whether you are in a bar, equestrian event or behind a keyboard, there are dishonest people out there. The key is to be cautious and smart about it. As for gimmicks or marketing ploys they are more to do with being a "Nitche site" so that those who share the same interests don't have to weed through the masses on larger sites. Whether it's Horse related, God related, or Senior related, it just narrows it down to people with common interests. I included a great link from Horse and Rider that profiled a few stories, and there is the success story link or the message board announcement. And these are only a few in comparison who actually wish to share their stores. Horse & Rider Article: http://www.equisearch.com/article/cyber-dating-for-equestrians Today Show re Nitche sites: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/46309351#46309351

Cyber-dating, yes as a Veteran of 14 yrs of online dating I can say without a doubt there is very little honesty/integrity in the majority of candidates who present themselves as "all that and a horse or two". Be it out of date pics or those of someone's entirely, financial [in]security (read:broke & outta work), post someone else's truck & trailer as their own... there is more BS than an industrial manure spreader could handle. I often referred to Net dating sites as a Den of Thieves. And while I still hold out hope, after two major moves for fellas who were nothing like they represented themselves to be, this Pony has wisely decided that whomever is the "next best thing since sliced bread" must deal with matters of the heart on My Terms. Face it men, this Pony won't be saddled with just anyone mundane. You'd better be channeling your honest inner-self with some John Wayne, Ronald Regan, Sam Elliot, Roy Rogers, Chuck Connors, Will Rogers and Dexter Black thrown in for luck. It takes a whole lotta Horse sense to wade through all the non-sense on the Net. Horse Apples is only the beginning. It get's really thick down at the deep end of the pool. Be sure to wear a life-jacket and test the waters carefully before jumping in head first. Like the sign at the pool says: No Diving! PS: Monte thanks for the Red Flag List and success stories Admin. This Pony keeps trying,the Fool magnet that she is. I still hope there's a great one out there for me out on the wide open Range -somewhere over the Rainbow...

Horse slobbers...now there's a good topic...LOL!! Brushing out tails today, to snip a good piece out of each tail for a friend to make a piece of jewelry for me. Either I was sweating enough to be salty (very possible with the humidity) or the brushing was feeling mighty good to them, cause they each had to have a lick of my arms and hands. Love me some sweet slobbers from those two boys!!!

Thanks QH and welcome to the blog Every business, including online dating services, have a marketing shtick. Be it God blessed, for farmers only who are strugglin to keep the farm & lookin for seed money, a 1000 point match up system etc. It seems, if you can identify or separate a class or style of living it can be applied/exploited to an on-line dating service. Which is what is being done. I suppose, with a on-line dating site such as ES where community and horses are touted, at least in the end, if nothing else, you are apt to make some new horse friends and the love for the horses doesnt change, no matter what happens. (Now there's an horse slobbery ES plug!) And you always have your horses to come back to unless of course, he/she sells them to pay off a gambling debt that somehow didnt get mentioned in the personal profile... At that point, well, God help ya...Hey, is there a dating site for Gamblers In Debt yet...? >m<

Great question Mr. Monte. My humble opinion regarding this particular marketing ploy to gain memberships is just that, a marketing technique. I'm not saying dating sites aren't what they claim to be, I'm just convinced God can't and won't be put into a box or limited to a few particular dating sites. Like with everything in life, there are pros and cons. Even though His name is used in the advertising of particular dating sites, it doesn't guarantee we'll meet the person we desire or that God has anything to do with the decisions we make. As with any dating site, I would hope each of us would seek His discernment and guidance and take the time to really get to know a person before moving full steam ahead. Certainly there are always risks involved in relationships, yet whether God is involved or not, is dependent on the two individuals of the relationship not the dating site itself. Will God help us put our lives back together if a relationship doesn't work out? Yes! yet, we are ultimately responsible for our choices and the circumstances that arise from those choices. Some wise person once said, 'failure is only a negative thing if we don't learn from it'. An 'apple' nugget here might be...'it's better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all'....... :)

Ive got a question: Who out there thinks cyber dating is a good thing? A bad thing? It’s surely come a long way with all the available dating site venues but has it gone too far? OPINIONS ONLY PLEASE!! When one dating site advertises "find God's match for you...", gee, I dont know. Is God going to pay the Uhaul rental fee for the return trip back home and also help me get back the great job I quit, if it doesnt work out...? >m<

Welcome y’all, current and new members alike, to the The Horse Apples blog! A few guidelines up front and firstly. Being an old hand at ES, I’ve learned that a little cyber law and order is a necessary thing because without it we surely will descend into something resembling the mentality level of a cyber-teenage wasteland. Besides, no one wants the ES Queen riding thru, lopping heads, scatterin the chickens and generally acting all Royal and such, all of which could frighten off new members... We’ll be blogging without a net so those who choose to chime in need to be - responsible, civil, decent, thought worthy, compassionate and kind to all blog participators and above all, refrain from idiotic tendencies. You know what they say about the one rotten horse apple. The Horse Apples blog subject matter should remain within the topic arena of life, love, horses and yes, the all-encompassing –cyber dating. Yes, love has also been included in the Horse Apples blog as a topic. Fair warning: I have no professional training as to questions such as “Dear Monte, should my cyber-date bring his momma on our first date…?” I would most likely suggest you describe the entire evening on your personal profile and let other members take it from there. So, without further ado-isms; load the chute, yank the gate and let’s get on with the ES Horse Apples Community blog. >m<