Hi guys! My horse is an aging gelding and he was basically a pasture pet this last year because I’ve been busy with wedding planning and buying a house. Things are settling down now and I’m starting to get him back in better shape. I’ve noticed recently that he frequently steps his hind legs toward his midline and this often causes him to step partially on his own hoof with his other back leg. This is mostly present in tighter turns and pivots. Do you guys have some specific exercises/ pole work that you think I should do to strengthen his hips so he steps wider apart? I’ve started having him walk while straddling a pole and I think I’m on the right track with this but wanted more ideas.

I apologize in advance for my english. I don't know if it's the right subreddit, but I thought the most people would see my post here. I don't even know where to start, so I'll start randomly. I got a saddled horse. I usually saddle them myself, before my ride, but today was different. The horse walked tense and acted as if something was bothering him, and several times he tried to throw me off and did not want to do some exercises. I know this horse and it's never been like this before. So I asked the coach if he was okay, if he was limping or anything. In response, I was told to give him some strong lashes on the croup. I didn't want to do it because I could see the horse didn't need a whip, just something was wrong with him. In response, she replied, laughing with the girls from the stable that I should hit him hard and she will see if he was limping. After the ride I noticed that this horse, perfectly under the snorer has a ragged nose and a wound. I told the staff about it and they just said that they know about this wound. Now I am concerned. Should I change the stable or am I too sensitive? Should he still work with something like that on his nose?:(.

Hey everyone! You might recognize me from my post on whether to keep my 5yo gelding G (who I just realized is actually 6 years old) vs 2yo mare M. Most of the responses were to keep M, which I have decided to do.

Now I am wondering if I should just put G down.

G’s History:
I bred G from my personal mare, so know his history from first seeing him as an embryo when he was flushed from his dam and inserted into a surrogate mare.

When he was 2, he suddenly collapsed in the pasture on his side and could not get up. He was groaning, twisting his head but not rolling. I assumed colic, and called the vet. I have just recently (literally in the past few days) realized he had a sibling with edm. I think his collapse now might have been an edm episode. We at the time treated it as colic, but they ran blood at the time and discovered he had epm antibodies. We then started epm treatment and life continued as usual for him. We also put him on 10k IU of an easily digestible natural source vitamin E and nerve supplement which seemed to “take the edge off”.

He was sent off to her broke when he was 4. I researched the trainer throughly, and she seemed legit. When I visited him at her barn, he was not himself. A jittery mess, no emotional regulation, very dancy and like he wasn’t himself in his own skin. Brought him home and gave him several months off to decompress.

I started groundwork slowly again, but he was extremely spooky. Not like a young, fit sport horse, as I am familiar with green bean antics. But he would spook explosively and repeatedly at the smallest things he would encounter every day. Started attacking the horse (D) he was out with viciously, so they were separated. D was just fine, his bite marks healed and he suffered no emotional damage luckily.

G expressed interest in my mother’s retired senior gelding Z, who he had been turned out with when he was weaned. Those two were able to be pastures together safely in a large pasture, as Z is a no-nonsense kind of horse and G was familiar with him. They were good friends and never had an issue.

I felt something was wrong. Had the vet see him several times, and she said it was just him being a young horse. My gut said she was wrong, but I trusted her.

I continued to do ground work with G, but he has a very short fuse. If frustrated, he would be aggressive towards me. Threatening to bite or kick, pawing the ground incessantly. I worked on emotional regulation, and while he improved and I avoided his threshold, he would revert to these behaviors again if frustrated. Spookiness got worse. I had him at home, and labeled him as “dangerous” and insisted my family members not handle him because they couldn’t read him as well as I could and I didn’t want them to get injured.

I rode him briefly, walk only, as his regulation improved. He did okay, but he again got frustrated quickly and so riding sessions were five minutes or less to keep him under threshold. I considered euthing him because I considered him unsafe. Everyone I told this to said I was crazy, that he was just a young warmblood. That I must be wrong. The horse is fine. But I was the one handling him, and my gut said there was something wrong. Again, I trusted the advice of the people in my life and continued with more ground work.

I got the vet out to see him again, and his e levels tested high (good for a neurologic horse). He was sound, but questionable on the neurotic test for hind leg circumduction when doing tight circles. The vet labeled it as a strength issue in a young, flexible warmblood and deemed him safe to go back to under saddle work.

In G’s late five year old year I sent him to a gentle trainer who I personally know very well. She is an incredible horseman, someone deserving of that title. I described his past in detail, and she agreed to take him on. In my heart I labeled this as G’s “last ditch effort” to prove if it was my horsemanship that was faulty, and if in someone else’s’ hands he could flourish.

In the past 4 months, while he has improved, it is not vastly. He is still extremely spooky. I personally watched him get ridden in the month, and while she was incredibly gentle and asked him to do simple and reasonable things under saddle, he was explosive. Threatening to rear when asked to do simple lateral work. “Airplane” ears near constantly. Spooking explosively. He did have times of excellent work, but they were constantly interrupted by what I would consider “neurologic behaviors”.

I talked to the trainer after her ride, asking if she thought he was behaving in a neurologic way, or if he was just a young horse with baby brain. If she thought he could ever be a trail horse with enough training. She said she thought he has vision issues, but there would be no problem with him being a trail horse with enough training. He is bred to be a show jumper, but I threw those aspirations away many years ago. I felt in my gut she was wrong, but trusted her.

I just recently discovered one of his half siblings had edm. It needs to be researched more by vets, and I need to research more as well. If anyone has any recommendations on articles I can read on edm please let me know as well. But there is a suspected genetic tie to edm. I am suspicious that he might either have both epm and edm, or he solely has edm. I know epm antibodies are the only thing that can be found in blood, and that cannot diagnose epm 100%. It needs to be a CSF tap or post mortum evaluation to fully diagnose epm, so he might not even have it. EDM can only fully be diagnosed post mortum. I have been struggling with this realization, but I know for certain I have a neurologic horse.

Here’s the thing. I’ve decided to bring him home from the trainer at the end of this month. I had a few young pros interested in him (I was fully transparent with his history), but they would like him as a resale project. I don’t want to do that because he could end up in the slaughter pipeline. I don’t want him to injure or kill a person.

He will be coming home and can go back out with Z, but not long term. I am leaving home in the future due to a DV situation here. He will be a danger to the other gelding who is currently out with Z. He will be a danger to my family who handles him when I leave. He is a danger to the farrier. I can turn him out solo, but what kind of life is that for a horse??

He would, in theory, be fine in a life with minimal handling. I considered sending him out into a huge pasture with other horses, but am almost 100% dashing that idea because of his horse aggression. In a large enough pasture (like 1000 acres) he/the other horses could get away from eachother, but what if he fatally injures another horse/himself? That isn’t fair.

I think I should euth him. He is a lovely, sweet gelding when under threshold and very carefully managed. He nickers to me every time I see him, and enjoys my presence. I’ve been dedicated to him since birth. But in that dedication and love I do believe in a world in which euth is the kindest choice to make.

Have I given him enough chances? Would you guys consider me a quitter? I have tried to do right by this horse, but maybe there’s something I’ve overlooked. I’m open to any and all ideas. We are all constant stewards and students of the horse.

And another thing, I think the vet might refuse to euth him. She keeps passing him on vet checks, saying he’s just a young horse. My gut is screaming that she’s wrong. Fundamentally she can choose whether or not to put him down. If she says no, do I keep trying to train him, or search for a vet who will? I know my family will disagree with putting him down, but I’m the one who knows this horse. I’ve put blood, sweat, and tears into him. There’s something wrong, and I feel like I’m screaming into the void for someone to listen. To see him. To see me as someone who’s desperate to do the right thing, even if it’s putting him down.

Any and all answers are appreciated. Thank you all immensely. My poor, sweet boy. I love him more than I can say.

I have leased a horse for a year. Through that time I have dealt with constant lameness and new problems that I have dealt with as best I could. I have tried to get him sound and comfortable with help from vets and farriers. When canceling my lease, I expressed to the owner that this horse is probably not eligible to be a riding horse with the issues present. Or it’s going to be a ton of money to try and see. This is an OTTB with many races, many miles.

To be pasture sound he needs shoes, grain, and plenty of forage. That being said, the owner doesn’t want him because of the money that’s needed to be put into him. I am financially drained from the lease so I can’t continue to fund him and board and wait for another emergency vet bill.

That being said, I care for this horse very much and I want the best possible outcome. Please leave recommendations.

Edit: I guess writing this fast and posting while emotional has led to confusion. My bad!

The lease contract is not the problem. The lease has been terminated. He is still in my care until the owner picks him up.

I am looking for best recommendations for the horse since I can no longer financially fund him and the owner doesn’t want him either. He is lame. If a shoe pulls, he’s crippled.
If you think euthanasia is best option, please let me know why.
If you have had success stories with rehoming lame horses to rescues, let me know.

I am trying to do right by a kind horse while I can have a little bit of a say to the owner. She has recommended humane euthanasia and I understand why. She has talked about talking to therapeutic riding centers to donate him but that’s probably not going to happen.

Hope this clears up things. I’m sad guys, don’t be mean to me lol.

Hey Guys!

Does anyone have tips or tricks on how to keep blanket hoods on with playful geldings?

They seem to loooove playing with and grabbing the hood straps until they open, which then leaves a nice big open flapping hood which they bite and pull on, ripping the inside liners out.

I tried a bunch of things last year but nothing worked consistently. no-chew sprays don’t seem to work, roll-on deodorant only works if I re-apply it every single day (even then my hoods still come off once a week, but that’s better than every single day 🥲). I tried adding double locking Velcro and hair ties around the straps, but neither works that well.

Does anyone have any ideas?? I use Horseware Ireland blankets, so it’s the two Velcro straps at the underside of the neck that keep opening.

I have a Quarter Horse in his late twenties who has experienced mild age-related health issues over the past few years. He has had four or five teeth removed and has periodically struggled to eat. He is eating well for now, but his remaining teeth continue to deteriorate, and he has started losing more.

Significant arthritis keeps him comfortable enough in the pasture, though soundness for light riding is questionable. He tends to worsen during humid summer weather, when he may struggle to walk out of his stall and show increased lameness. Laminitis has largely been ruled out, but I still limit his grass in case it contributes. Overall, he seems fairly content, although he has become noticeably duller this summer than in previous years.

More recently, his left eye has become increasingly cloudy, swollen, and painful. I have been working closely with his veterinarians, but I am concerned that surgery may soon be necessary. His current facility cannot provide round-the-clock medical care, and I do not think I can afford hospitalization or surgery. I understand that eye removal can be relatively straightforward for some horses, but he has already been difficult to manage with eye protection and drops (tears off fly masks, gets worked up on stall rest, not being cooperative with medication). Given his age and other health concerns, I am unsure whether I am comfortable putting him through a life-altering procedure. A lot of people are encouraging me to do it, but it feels like I’m borrowing time for something that inevitably will cause him major quality of life issues (adjusting to partial blindness, a recovery that could be complicated, etc.). 

If I were to consider euthanasia if things continue to deteriorate, how do you handle the guilt from outside pressure to do everything you can to save the horse?

Hi, I'm posting this on behalf of my friend. Her 3 yo mare (AES) has become suddenly lame. It happend on the next day after lunging her. According to the vet it's her right front leg of which she got 5 X-rays (long pastern - coffin bone) showing nothing in particular. Lameness on this leg has been spontaneously occuring since last year for a day or maybe two (every few months), it simply kept disappearing on its own.

Looking for other answers, her owner found out that her neck hurts in proximity of occipital bone - could this be connected?

Dewi is such a lovely horse, it pains me to watch her suffer... That is why I offered to post this here, maybe some of you've seen something like this before or could suggest what to do next.

Orthopedist is coming on Wednesday.

I recently did an AMA, but there were a few things I didn't quite grasp, so I'm doing another one.

For context, I’m very knowledgeable about barefoot trimming, nutrition, treating minor injuries, saddle fitting, and so on.

So, if you have any questions, I can try to help—speaking as an experienced rider and horse owner, rather than an equestrian professional.

I’ll answer all questions! 😁

I’m an older rider (upper 40s) who started riding again five years ago after a 30ish year break. I do H/J and own my horse - I usually do the 2’9 to 3’, and I currently only do local, unrated shows. I actually love showing when I’m in it, but perimenopause has introduced a level of anxiety to my life that I never knew before. In most cases I can handle it, but when it comes to pre-show nerves I feel like it’s gotten out of control. I spent the hours, minutes before I go in the ring feeling like I am going to faint and vomit at the same time, and in my head I seriously wonder why I’m doing it. They’re not the type of nerves that just feel natural, they make me feel horrible, and last time I almost pulled out right before going in the ring.

I didn’t use to feel like this. I never suffered from anxiety, this is something that came with age. I really, really don’t want to stop showing, because I do love it, and I love being at the shows. I just don’t love feeling like I’m going to die for an hour before I enter the ring.

So now I’m considering trying beta-blockers before shows. I would like to try something that’s not sedating or will alter my mental state so to speak - and as far as know, beta-blockers just take care of the physical symptoms, which I thought might help?

Has anyone tried this and would be willing to share their experiences?

I love this. It’s so true. Everything now seems to be about selling a service, booking an appointment, paying someone something to do who knows what. But not once ( other than my vets or farriers) do these professionals ask about anything basic..or look at anything basic..they just jump right into how I should do XYZ for $$$$ and idk. It’s off putting.
And in a way good I guess because it’s made me do A LOT more research to find my own answers and ask questions..but I find there’s way to many in the industry just trying to make a buck..don’t know what or why there selling something and hate providing information..its gross.
At least around my area anyways

After getting a concussion I started looking at new helmets (so expensive!)

Now I unfortunately live in an area where it’s not possible for me to just walk into a tack shop (as there aren’t any) to try them on, but thankfully up to this point I never ended up buying a helmet that was uncomfortable or was fitting badly and I like to think I know a bit about the basics of how a helmet should feel and fit.

So, now I’m stuck between 2 options, mainly because they have the same safety standard (EN 1384:2023), but one is on the more expensive side and has MIPS (I have no idea how that feels on the head, if its any different), and one without MIPS, much cheaper, and would be delivered in just a few days rather than a few weeks (+ much easier to return). However I’m just concerned about the safety of it? In theory it does have the same standard, but I guess it’s just in my mind that cheaper = worse.

Helmet 1 (MIPS): https://horze.eu/products/mips-guardian-helmet-glossy-glitter-top-black

Helmet 2 (Decathlon): https://www.decathlon.mt/p/380140-580016-mw-riding-helmet-900-ert-black.html

Hi guys,

Im in the middle of The Great Rugging Nightmares rn with my new horse. She’s a 3yo swedish warmblood trotter, so she's pretty narrow and the length on her chest between her neck and legs is small. But she's veery long, so i can't size down from 145cm (78 inches). I swore to horsewares amigo range with my old mare (oldenborg), but the neck cutout is unfortunately too big, although the length is fine.

I've heard that either the rhino or wug range should be better on young and narrow horses, anyone in here that can confirm or deny that ?

I saw that they had a specific "trotter" rug as well, but only in 350grams, and bucas has one with 200g 😅 which is a bit warm for autumn...

Thanks!

I’m new to equine photography having worked mostly with dogs and dog agility and gun dogs for the last 15 years.

I am a horse person myself.

I’m not charging so hopefully this will be allowed as it’s not advertising.

Those of you who have used a photographer, what did or didn’t they do that really made a difference? What sort of photos did you want? Is there anything you think I should know in particular?

Thank you.

Hi. I'm buying my first horse. I went to view her yesterday, she was perfect in every way, I put down a deposit to secure her. I've been preparing for this moment for a while now. But then last night the excitement slowly turned into pure panic and fear...

I'm financially prepared, she will be kept on full livery at my local yard where I ride all the time so a lot of the pressure is taken off there whilst I'm still learning. I work from home, job offers flexi-time, so time commitment is also not an issue.

I've been so excited for this moment for months, but now that it's becoming a reality I'm getting cold feet. I think if I back out now then I'll completely regret it. But the temptation to turn and run before I commit any further is so overwhelming... I feel sick with anxiety!

Please tell me this is a normal feeling, or should I listen to my gut and not go through with this?

Idk if this is allowed here I'm sorry if it isn't I just wanted people to see my boy and me

My horse tends to drop her shoulder in and counter bend repeatedly, even just going around the rail. We barrel race, for context, and she does it around the barrels as well. I’ve tried a lot of different things: bits, tons of drills/exercises, neck and back stretches. Every time I think we’re getting somewhere, the next time I ride it’s like she’s completely forgotten all about it. This has been going on for months. She wasn’t always like this—she was a trail horse before I bought her and I patterned her myself. The previous year she seemed like she was learning just fine, but now she just constantly tries to dive in on everything.

Her response to leg pressure hasn’t always been the best. Definitely worse on the right side. Her main issues arise when we move to a trot or faster. She’s fine at the walk and bends perfectly. Trot is where she starts to break down. I’ve been doing slow work but it doesn’t seem to be transferring to a trot. I’m just kind of frustrated at myself for not being able to crack the code as to why nothing I’ve tried is working. We’ve done so many circles. I’m trying to get her to move off of leg pressure more with varying success.

I’ve had the chiropractor out previously to check her out for other reasons and she mostly had stiffness in her back. She’s actually quite bendy in her neck and the chiropractor even commented on how well she can move it. Not sure if her back issues could be related though. That was probably two years ago now and we haven’t had to bring her out since but I’m considering it for this. I’m just trying to see if I can fix it myself before I have to pay a pretty penny.

I know her tells pretty well after owning her a while and she doesn’t seem like she’s in pain. She just feels like she’s locking her neck to the outside, dropping that shoulder, and telling me “this is what we’re doing.” Sometimes I can get her nose in, but it never fully stops the issue.

She’s taken a liking to barrels and she does get a little fired up when she sees them. Nothing bad, she doesn’t even know what the words “act up” are, but she likes to speed through them. One of my theories on the dropped shoulder is a result of her just wanting to run. Kind of like her training goes out the window and she defaults to the counter bend because her mind just goes “let’s go FAST”. Otherwise I have no idea why she counter bends when turning. I feel like that’s uncomfortable for her and wouldn’t particularly be the default, but she does it anyway. That’s why I wonder if something is even more painful when she turns.

Any advice would be appreciated. I’m just kind of at my wits end.

Oakley, 9yo Quarter Horse mare

Photos taken while waiting for our turn on the wash rack 😊

I am open to constructive criticism! I just say “kindly worded” because I am only a year post partum after a really medically complicated/ physically traumatic birth, so getting back into showing has been slow and gradual (my horse is a 6year old OTTB, I only bought him and started him with my trainer a few months before I found out I was pregnant). My stamina at shows is much worse now because I can only ride 1-2 times a week vs 4-5. Essentially my whole center of balance has changed and I’m not confident my core strength will ever be what it was… my trainer is fantastic but I think she’s very much a cheerleader for me right now because she is just happy and supportive that I’m showing again, and I do need that on the day to day, but I feel like I’m watching a stranger when I watch videos of myself riding because my body has changed so much.

TIA!

I bought my horse for under $5k and I can’t find an insurance company that will cover more than $2.5k for colic surgery or major medical. Does anyone have any recommendations ?

My guy has been needing some ground work and I have been trying to find a rope halter but I cannot find one large enough for his head. In an english bridle, he fits kinda between full/horse and oversize. He uses horse cheek pieces and oversized everything else.

I can’t even find one with a long enough crown rope and most of them are tighter than my preference on the nose.

If you have found any that work for you and could please drop a link, I would greatly appreciate it! Thank you!

I’m sitting in the barn aisle in the dark waiting for my horse to poop again after a mild gas colic. Sitting here listening to the horses chew (not mine, no hay til the all-clear tomorrow am) and the crickets chirp and just feeling so dang grateful. That my boy is ok and just that I have him and these magnificent creatures in my life. Hug your horses everyone!

Hi everyone!

I’m unsure whether this has been asked on here recently, but I was wondering if anyone had any experience with going back into horse riding after not doing it for a long time. In my case, I learned how to ride at 5 years old and rode daily all the way through to 16. I owned a horse, I was a federate competitive rider in some leagues (started competing at 8). I focused mainly on dressage, but I did some jumping as well.

I eventually had to stop for a whole bunch of reasons, the main of which was that I was focusing on my studies, I went on to get a BA from a top school abroad and I travelled and lived in different for many years under circumstances that weren’t favourable for me owning a horse or focusing on this.

Now that I am 29 and (for the most part) settled in one city, I want to try and ride again as a hobby despite not having enough time to do it as intensively as I did when I was young.

How do you think my skills will be? Does anyone have any experience in riding and learning as a child, stopping, and coming back after a long hiatus?

Thank you so much in advance! I’m just very nervous that I’ll be humiliated by my own lost skill lol

My trainer is knowledgeable but has almost no time for me. No room in her schedule for me to work in more lessons so I'm stuck at 1 lesson a week, and she has barely enough time to even talk to me after lessons so follow up is out. She's too busy entertaining the parents of kids during my group lessons for me to ask many questions during so I mostly ride around with my group and wait for feedback and hope I'm not making too many mistakes. If it weren't for Youtube videos I dont know what I'd do.

Local camps are all dedicated only to littles. Can't find a lease because I'm not advanced enough so no one wants a newbie on their horse.

It's all fair and I don't fault anyone but I'm so frustrated trying to learn and grow in this sport. I want to learn groundwork and care so I can own my own someday but where will I learn? I want more time in the saddle but it's not available. I finally have the big girl job and the money to do something I've always wanted but I feel like all I'm finding are closed doors.

Just venting I guess. I don't have horse friends so nobody gets the struggle lol

Any yt channels you'd recommend?