Find Your Lane
Trainer/Owner
Trainer/owner
The Essentials
- Name your horse. Talk about who they were, not just what happened.
- Let people feel what this horse meant to you. Authenticity cuts through.
- Name all the people connected with your horse.
- You can say what you know but don't speculate.
- Let people know if they should expect to hear more.
Your First Three Moves:
1
Name your horse and other connections.
2
Say what they meant to you.
3
Say what you know and what comes next.
Social Media Manger
Social Media manager
The Essentials
- Don’t get into a tit-for-tat. Inflammatory content gets the most engagement — don’t feed it.
- Use the word open-minded.
- Query their information source.
- Default to specific data and facts, not vague reassurance.
- Invite them in — curiosity beats combat.
Your First Three Moves:
1
Pause before replying.
2
Check the source.
3
Bridge to a fact.
Stable Team
STABLE TEAM
The Essentials
- You knew this horse. It's okay to say that and mention your connection.
- If you don't know, say that. Don't fill the gap with guesses.
- Stay calm but don't hide your emotions. Be authentic.
- Point to an official channel for more information if you're not comfortable responding or are unsure of an answer.
Your First Three Moves:
1
Talk about your relationship to this horse
2
Defer to other official channels for further information
3
Stay calm but authentic.
Racetrack & Club Comms
Racetrack & Club Comms
The Essentials
- Silence creates a vacuum. Get something out before someone else does.
- Stick to what you know. Don't speculate.
- Be clear about what you don't know yet and say exactly when you'll have more information.
- Lead with progress: what's actively being done, not just what went wrong.
- Make it plain that everything is being done to understand what happened and stop it happening again.
Your First Three Moves:
1
State the facts you have, fast.
2
Name what you don't know yet and commit to a follow-up.
3
Communicate the action already underway.
Executive
EXECUTIVE
The Essentials
- Sometimes you're the spokesperson. Sometimes you're not. Know which before it happens.
- When you do speak, lead with empathy. The facts matter, but so does showing you feel the weight of it.
- Stick to what you know. Don't speculate, every unverified word becomes the story.
- Be clear about what you're committed to: finding out exactly what happened and making sure it doesn't happen again.
- Use a bridge. Know your recent wins, your welfare improvements, your investments and how to move toward them naturally without sounding defensive.
Your First Three Moves:
1
Find the facts and relay them clearly.
2
Don't forget empathy.
3
Commit to investigating and change.
