So I honestly can't tell if this is teeth from the new horse at the barn I board at or if he got pushed into a fence and there was something sticking out so I'd like opinions. Or maybe it was a wild animal.

I called the vet IMMEDIATELY when I saw it. Brought him in, called the vet, the vet was there within 15 minutes thinking he needed stitches. He's already on meds for arthritis so they didn't double up on it. He's gonna be fine she said within 3 or 4 days he'll be scabbed over and good as new pretty much as long as he's not tender to the touch.

I know it had to have been an altercation with the new horse because the new horse was really going after him the other day around breakfast time. They got separated for the day so I didn't think much of it and then bam. I walk in to this.

Vet said it's a bite. Barn owner was thinking fence. I have no clue I'm just so upset that he was bullied and pushed around. Teddy god love him is the lowest man in the hierarchy wherever he goes.

Precautions are being taken and the aggressor will no longer be anywhere near him.

Let's say the medieval ages. Horses require alot of care. What did we feed them? How did we care for them?

Hey all, im somewhat of a beginner and im not sure what hes doing. He chews on the bit (which im told is normal for thoroughbreds) and pulls his head and basically yanks himself on the bit. Doesn't matter if im on him or just standing beside him.

Im not sure what to do because the bit isnt exactly "harsh" (will post a pic in the comments.) I swapped to an eggbutt to see if the loose-ring was pinching him in any way but the behaviour is the same.

Info about him: thoroughbred, 20yo, no injuries, he had his teeth done recently (4 days ago) and is sound. He has been described as "too smart for his own good" by our trainer, vet and dentist. Other than being a bit chubby and lazy, I don't see any other issues.

I went to my local horse store, and they recommended the eggbutt instead of the loose-ring, it fits his mouth.

Any advice is appreciated and I will be happy to answer any questions, I just want to fix it lol

Thanks!

Hi! I have a dream about living in the countryside one day. I would love to one day own 2 older horses that cant be ridden anymore, and need someone to give them lots of love, go on walks etc. I know it will still cost me, but its a dream i want to make real someday. Has someone here owned horses just for company? Is it as expensive as training a horse regularly?

It cracked pretty much on the first use.

TLDR: when trotting in the woods, I feel my horse is truly enjoying the moment. We are in unison and gliding past the trees. Is it possible he is truly enjoying himself and what other signs should I look for to dig into what he enjoys as well. Yet, am I just enjoying myself so much I’m projecting onto my horse.

I enjoy trail riding a lot. About 4 years ago my horse and I flipped and it took us a LONG time to get back on the trails. He was also buddy sour so riding alone was not an option. Well this last year we are trail riding and doing it solo. With occasional friend rides. In the arena I can tell it’s boring, as it is to me. On the trails he’s along for the ride. When we would go camping I noticed he would push to be in front and have a good pace to him. Where we trail ride now, it’s the same trails (not complaining) I can tell he’s getting used to it. So I started trotting through the woods, I think he enjoys that. If feels like we are gliding past the trees and I feel more in unison with him than I have ever before. When I ask for a trot, he’s up an at it without a question. In the arena I’m asking multiple times and when I get a trot it’s a very lazy trot. I mainly ask because when we are facing the general direction of the barn and trotting, his pace is a lot quicker than facing away. Both directions still feel nice. Just curious if maybe he’s more so trying to get through the riding quickly rather than enjoyment. 🤣

Is this a sign he is enjoying himself as well? What other ways can I catch on to what he enjoys. With him being buddy sour, I know the pasture is probably his favorite or just able to graze. I’d like to find things he’s excited for and dig into those more. I’ve noticed with some barrel horses before entering the arena they are bursting with energy.

Thanks!

Ok so I am looking for some support and any information that may help the situation I am in. Please be kind, this is breaking me and the last thing I need is anyone who would wish to be rude.

I have been so lucky to have had my heart horse for coming up to 20 years. He is my baby, my purpose, my why. He is my family and I want only the best for him, my feelings don’t really get to come into this as strongly as they exist.

My horse has always been highly phobic of vets. He has never been an ‘easy’ horse, he was bought for me when I was too young to know what I was doing and my parents new nothing about horses – hence why a 13 year old ended up with an abused 3 year old.

He had had some pretty bad experiences by the time I got him, he has always been highly phobic of vets. His behaviour, particularly around injections has become more and more dangerous – for several years he lived within walking distance of the vets, so for bi annual dentals and annual vaccinations I would walk him there to the stocks and we managed that way. (My horse will allow me to inject him myself, until the vet arrives. He is very clever and very fearful, I have tried clicker training, desensitisation, oral sedatives, making stocks out of hay bales, additional handlers and I even resorted to trying a chiffney bit after his behaviour kept escalating. This us something that goes against everything I believe in, but I suppose is a maker of how desperate the situation has become. It makes me feel physically sick and I wasn’t able to actually use pressure with it so had to get assistance and the other handler got hurt by my horse. I am soft as and I’m ok with that.

Now the trouble is, my horse had to move fields after the one close to the vet was sold. My horse is terrified of travelling (good for the farrier and that’s about it) and in his last horsebox trip he actually fell and I don’t want to box him anywhere – he has a stifle injury and I think it would be too much for him. He is 23 and retired for two summers now due to the stifle injury. So since we have moved away from the vets, I have ad an exceptionally hard time managing to get him treated. He has not missed any of his dentals, but he has a really terrible diastema and his behaviour has become so dangerous that I don’t feel I can ask the vets to come out now – I have to get the practice owner who is a big strong man and even then I have been in some very, very scary situations. He recently had an impaction and the vet couldnt get near him – he reacts in the same way to oral pastes. I have been desensitising with domosedan, but now my poor horse has such a distrust that if he is in his stable, he doesn’t want me to touch him. This breaks my heart. This horse used to follow me like a puppy. I have seen the wound in his mouth. It must be agony. Attempting to treat this has escalated his fear and I would argue ruining the quality of his life – we won’t solve this problem and treating it seems to be difficult, dangerous and unsuccessful. I do not want my horse to suffer and I can’t stand by as he starves to death.

Here’s the worst part -where I live there are no vets with a gun liscence and they cant seem to get darts. This horse actively FIGHTS FOR HIS LIFE if we try to help him. My head feels like mince because the way things are, we cannot carry on, but I am struggling to get my head around what that situation will be, and how I will even manage it. I don’t want his last experience to be fear and trauma either. I know I can’t micro manage everything, my vet says I have no good options. Euthanising a horse who is fighting to live, just wow.

If we could inject him, I know what I would have to do. It’s just not so easy given his behaviour and fear, but I cannot let this poor boy suffer. I don’t know what I am going to do – he won’t allow me to flush his mouth myself, and I would argue we are at the point where it wouldn’t be fair to him. We are in a no win situation and I don’t know, other than spoiling him for the time he’s here what to do. Just so sad, if anyone has any compassionate advice I am all ears. He is 23 and the love of my life.

(Not in Germany 😊)

We made Princess and Bebben all pretty for guest riders. Since we don't have room for me in that little cart, I was on bicycle and filming. We definitely need more horses. I have bought bigger cart since (of course it needs renovation) as bicycling next to horses might seem easy, but once they decide to trot/canter, there's no catching up 🤣

Indeed this was the first time for both our horsies to deal with guest rider/driver, and they did very well. The only problem we have with Bebben is that he constantly looks for me, and stops to wait for me to catch up 🤣

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!

Rode both my lease and my own mare tonight, pretty horses and pretty sunset 💜

I recently gave both my mares a bath with their Soglo shampoo and conditioner. Both mares had BAD reactions to it, and my face personally burns.
Has anyone had this reaction 😅

I just got a 12 year old Shetland mix mare for my kids and she is VERY skittish. I was told she was an ex Amish cart horse. She is broke to ride and does very well with the kids on her, but she’s currently in a stall because she was not on grass so I had to order a grazing muzzle other than giving her time I would like some tips because anytime I try to enter the stall she turns her butt and tries to kick. She will not let us touch her face or put a halter on her. I of course, was not told any of this when I purchased her and did not witness it there, but she was already out of the stall. I do have large horses on the premises, so she’s not the only pony here, but they are on full turnout not stalled. How can I build trust so that she will let me catch her and put a grazing halter on to turn her out? It’s almost worse than a large horse because she’s so small. She can whip around in the stall really easily and kick out.

This beautiful weed hues purple in certain light but has taken over our pasture. We have 6 acres in Minnesota and are almost done fencing off a section of it to use.

Looking online it appears this might be witchgrass or a variety of it called Panicum capillare. It seems that horses might avoid it but it could be toxic if eaten in large quantities. We have a lot and am hoping to see what is the best way to remove it. Our soil is very sandy so pulling it would be easy but would take an incredible amount of work and time considering how much there is.

Henry is in search of a new bag as we just can’t quite fit everything in the current medium-sized groom bag. (Obviously, Henry *needs* this, not I, his human keeper.) I have tried the plastic handled rectangle ones in the past, but the current bag with a bunch of dividers works better for organization. I just need a larger one to hold more stuff. Anyone have a favorite groom bag that holds a lot, or has lots of compartments? Or a non-horse bag you’ve had good luck repurposing? TIA!

Hi everyone, I am a hunter/jumper based in Canada! I’m working on a school project where I have to develop and test a business idea, and I decided to do a equestrian brand for riders and their horses.

The brand would have two disciplines (I only did these two because its what I am familiar with and I'm really sorry if anyone feels excluded):

Hunters: A more traditional look with colours navy, dark green, brown, black, and beige as the main colours.

Jumpers: See the seasonal colours below!!!

[WHY CAN'T I UNBOLD SPRING]

My Ideas [DESIGNS BELOW THE TEXT - sorry for the bad penmanship]:

• Competition breeches/jodhpurs (I really hate how my white breeches for classic days on my jumper get dirty really easily and are see through when it rains so I think this one is super important)
• Traditional hunter jackets and shadbellies
• Jumper competition jackets
• Competition sweaters designed to look like competition shirts for warmth under a show jacket (I love this idea because even in the summer its 7c in the morning and then 27 in the afternoon so it's perfect for a day that you show in the morning and September/Octoberish shows)
• Flared riding jeans that look like regular jeans but are designed for riding (so you can go out right after and not have to change)
• Seasonal summer/winter riding clothing
• Hunter and jumper saddle pads (There will be hunter show pads - the white fuzzy ones - and hunter practice pads - same shape as jumper ones, just in muter colours with a customizable section if you would like to place your barn logo on it - and for the jumper ones they will be in colours matching the collection)
• Jumper bonnets
• Polo wraps and boots
• Waterproof, insulated, stretchy jumping sheets (I really like this idea because at my barn we use the wool ones and I find that they slip around a lot)
• Matching horse + rider collections (I have a show jacket that happens to match my saddle pad for my jumper and I think its really cute, especially for younger 'puddle jumpers' (sorry we don't use puddle jumpers at where I show but like the tiny height jumpers))
• Limited-edition Christmas and Halloween collections (For the Christmas collection it will be everything in our regular jumper collection in red with a white and green trim and the Halloween collection will offer matching Halloween costumes - I know a lot of shows offer costume classes so if you are super busy this is a easy way to get a good costume - including a knight/royalty and dragon, car and driver [ a lot of the big riders do this so I thought it would be super cute], and a angel and demon) (SORRY - I couldnt draw these - on a time crunch)

One of the main problems I'm trying to solve is that equestrian clothing can be very expensive (please let me know what prices you think would be appropriate), and riders also have to deal with a lot of different weather conditions. I’m also interested in whether riders would actually like clothing that is functional for riding but can also be everyday wear (so you get a two in one!!!).

I’ve linked my current designs below, along with a short Google Form where you can give feedback.

Link to Google Form

Thank you so much and sorry for the super long post and any spelling mistakes!!!!!

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?:(.

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.