Why communication, acknowledgment, and respect build stronger communities — in rescue, in web, and everywhere else.
In rescue, in web development, and honestly in most of life, there are very few truly original ideas.
We borrow, adapt, remix, and repeat what works. We should — that’s how progress happens. The magic isn’t in having the idea first. It’s in how we share it, acknowledge it, and build on it together.
That’s where courtesy comes in.
Every organization has moments when another group they’ve mentored or supported launches something nearly identical — a fundraiser, an event, even the name. It happens everywhere. The feeling that follows isn’t about ownership; it’s about relationship. When you’ve spent years building trust, sharing ideas, and cheering each other on, it’s jarring to see that connection replaced by silence.
It doesn’t take much to change that. A quick message — “Hey, we loved your event and want to try something similar!” — turns what could feel like copying into collaboration. That small act of respect says, “We still see you as a partner.” And that makes all the difference.
I’ve seen both sides of it. Sometimes, when another organization launches an event similar to one we’ve spent years developing, it stings. Not because we “own” the idea, but because the relationship part gets lost. A quick “Hey, we saw what you did and were inspired — would you mind if we tried something similar?” changes everything. It turns quiet imitation into connection, and potential friction into collaboration.
When organizations communicate like that, everyone wins. The event gets stronger, audiences expand, and goodwill multiplies.
That kind of communication is how the Dakota Showdown Horse Trainer Challenge through Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue came to be. The concept wasn’t new — trainer challenges and mustang makeovers have existed across the country for years — but at the time, I was inspired by my friends at the Heart of Phoenix Appalachian Trainer Face Off in West Virginia. Instead of just copying the format, I reached out. I asked questions. I even traveled to West Virginia to attend and volunteer at their event before launching the Showdown.
That relationship became collaboration. We’ve exchanged advice, encouraged one another, and even discussed the possibility of growing the model regionally or someday holding a national championship. It’s a great example of how openness builds trust and strengthens the entire network.
Conversely, the year after our second Showdown, a few trainers from our event and from the Appalachian challenge launched a nearly identical competition a state away — even using the name “Showdown.” They didn’t reach out to either of us, and instead of excitement, it left confusion and disappointment. Not because they didn’t have the right to do it — of course they did — but because the relationship we thought we’d built wasn’t acknowledged.
That’s what courtesy protects. It’s not about permission; it’s about respect. A quick message could have turned frustration into shared momentum. We could have celebrated with them, cross-promoted, and helped the idea grow in a way that benefited everyone.
The same goes for how we talk about our work. Claiming to be the first at anything is risky business.
It’s easy to get excited about a new idea or program and forget that someone else might have been quietly doing something similar for years. Horse rescue is a small world — and so is almost every industry. Making public claims of being a pioneer without being absolutely certain can unintentionally build walls with people you’ve never even met. Those small oversights can ripple farther than we realize and quietly erode trust in relationships that could have been strong allies.
Courtesy prevents that too. It doesn’t take much to pause, ask, or acknowledge.
I learned that early in my career, back in the early days of the web. A few of us ran a site called Give Credit Where Credit Is Due, which focused on copyright and collaboration. The internet was still being invented in real time — every layout, every script, every rollover button was someone’s new discovery. I also ran one of the very first online communities for web designers and front-end developers, the Cyber Crew, which grew to more than a thousand members in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Back then, the community was small enough that when someone created something new, even if everyone copied it, everyone credited it. Tutorials included links. Designers mentioned who inspired them. There was an unspoken understanding that creativity and generosity could coexist — that sharing ideas didn’t mean stealing them.
That spirit of acknowledgment built trust. And that same principle still applies, whether we’re talking about code or community events, training programs or marketing campaigns.
Years later, when I shifted from web to rescue work, I realized that same culture of credit and communication was missing in many corners of the nonprofit world. We all say we want collaboration over competition — but true collaboration starts with conversation.
When we talk to each other — across states, across sectors, across disciplines — we make our shared ideas stronger. We keep them fresh, grounded, and sustainable. And when we don’t, even the best ideas can start to feel hollow.
Because courtesy isn’t about control. It’s about respect.
Credit isn’t about ego. It’s about acknowledgment.
And collaboration isn’t about ownership. It’s about community.
Every time we pause long enough to say, “We love what you’re doing — can we work together or learn from it?” we strengthen the culture around us. And that culture, built on respect and communication, is what allows every organization — and every person — to thrive together instead of competing apart.
Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash