1. Pre-request stalking. At this stage, you've not yet befriended your instructor on facebook, but you want to. Maybe your parent is friends with them, or you see them tagged in posts on social media. You've not quite gathered up the nerve to send a friend request, but that doesn't stop you from snooping. You go full FBI mode in order to gather enough information (common friends, number of friends, number of pictures posted, content type and frequency) in order to calculate the probability of this new friendship. But spread your little wings, young grasshopper, and hit that request button.
2. Questioning your choices Oh, dang. You did it. You really did it. Now what? Now is time to question your life (or social media) choices. You check your profile to make sure it looks "horsey" enough (but not too much). You wait and wait and wait. Still no approval message. Now you question again. Am I worthy of friendship? Will they accept? What if they don't? Am I even 'allowed' to add this person on facebook or is there some kind of rule that prohibits it? Okay, time to google...
3. Excitement. Finally! That long-awaited approval message. It's like a sign from the horsey gods above. You were meant to be together--as facebook friends, at least. You walk with a little pep in your step and make everyone aware of your new facebook friendship.
4. Stalking again. Now is the time for the good stuff. You order a pizza and prepare for a night of going through every post, every picture, every tagged item that was once hidden from non-friend view. You feel entitled, but still a little sneaky. It's kind of like going through someone's closet, except that you are kind of friends and this person is usually kind of cool.
5. TAG IN ALL THE THINGS. OH MY there are so many things out there that your instructor must see, and you must tag them in it now. 52 free thoroughbred horses? TAG. Had a good or bad lesson? TAG. Really cool outfit, socks, bridle, saddle, video? TAG. How have they lived their lives without you as a facebook friend?
6. Complacency or "Can I ride tomorrow?" At this point, you've gotten so comfortable and complacent with your new "friend" that you don't even think about it--until you remember that you need to cancel your ride, or pick up another lesson. Who needs a phone when you have social media?
Aside from getting your first blue ribbon, befriending your instructor on facebook is probably one of the coolest moments of your life.
So if you haven't already, hit that dang friend request button, order a pizza, and prepare for a long night of stalking.
