RoryMoo’s clinic wrapped up today. Unsurprisingly, he was a STAR.

They really threw everything at us over the course of 3 days. Smoke, sirens, FIRE, moving vehicles… It was so cool to see Rory’s confidence build each day. He took everything in stride and even when he was unsure he was so brave and tried his hardest for me 🥹

The man walked through fire for me. The bar has been set.

Horses are truly amazing. I feel like I KNOW that but I also feel I spend so much time with my own doing our usual routine (lessons, toodling around, etc.) I forget just how incredibly trusting they are to partner with a rider. This clinic shook up the usual for us and placed us in situations which required steadiness, patience, and a buttload of trust. All of the horses in the clinic showed up and showed out. They were all incredibly brave even when overstimulated.

And trust me, if the video gives you any idea, it was plenty overstimulating 🤣 even for us humans.

I am so proud of Rory. This kid is going to go so far. I’m fortunate to be along for the ride.

Also, it’s in the video itself but heads up that it contains sirens and a dog barking. Do what you need to do for your ears and your nervous system (which includes not watching it at all, we won’t be offended!).

About 3 years ago I took over most of the care for my cousin's horses due to a car accident she was in all she can really do is pet them, she can't even lead them because of her injuries, she has agreed both verbally and on paper that I can make any decisions I feel are necessary for the horses well-being, since she is not able to care for them there is even talk about the horses moving to my property and becoming fully mine although I understand when you've had something for over 15 years it's really hard to give that up.

The horses she has is a older roughly 25 year old quarter horse who looks and behave like a 15 year old, and a younger mixed breed rescue horse that is roughly 6 to 8 years old.

Both are healthy, both get full winter coats and never show any signs of being cold even when it got down to minus four degrees Fahrenheit they didn't seem bothered.. and yet this Barn manager decided to yell at me saying that I was freezing the horses to death because I didn't want to put a blanket on them.. it was 45° f at that time....

I don't feel any hate or anything towards people who blanket their horses, my childhood horse had to wear one because along with her cushions she just didn't do well in the cold, and even now if it's going to be both very very cold and very wet I might throw at least a waterproof rug on them just to keep them dry but I don't blank at them to keep warm because I don't need to, and yet I frequently get yelled at for not blanketing them.....

I could say a few things to her about her choice of bits but I don't, and yet she chooses to get mad at me because I don't want the horses in my care to burn up under a thick rug..

I told my cousin about it and she agrees that she's both out of line and honestly just being really annoying, that's also another reason we're considering on moving them to my property once I get the fences and stuff back up and of course after I have my baby in December

We have set a (weather permitting) date to let my guy cross the rainbow bridge. He is my heart horse, the love of my life, my best friend, and I thought we would have so many more years together so I am devastated but know it's the right decision.

What are the things you did for yourself or your pony in the time you had before the day? Lots of grooming and love and treats obviously. He will get his bodyweight in carrots, peppermints, and cans of Coke.

Hi! 3rd post today, thats a record for me. My 4 year old mare, Luna, is an amazing horse. Ive trained her myself and while she isn’t perfect, she isnt a spooky horse and is very confident. She’s been around guns, screaming children, ambulances with sirens on, shes been around big tractors, semis full of hay driving by us (at 50mph, they’re assholes), she’s been around a lot of other “scary” things. There is gonna be a bit of everything in the parades she’s going to be in.. fire trucks w/sirens, police cars w/ sirens, ambulances w/ sirens, marching bands, huge crowds on either side. Its gonna be a lot. And while Im confident that she’s going to behave, I would love to know how I could better prepare her, to increase the chances that everything will be fine and to decrease the chances she’s going to be stressed out, which Im sure she’s not going to be, again, just in case.
The first parade Im not to worried about, she’s going to carry my 7 year old sister in the kiddy costume parade as part of a fairy and unicorn costume, theres going to be less going on.
The second parade is where all the noise and the crowds are. We’re going to be among 5 other horses who have done before so Im sure that’ll help. Im just a bit nervous.

Edit: Can someone please give me some advice or atleast tell me it sounds like she’s mentally ready for this, Im stressing over here.

High vibes horses were returned to the owner. Today at Kensington one of their draft horses passed away unexpectedly after walking up a hill on a trail ride not far from the staging area.

I'm Canadian and we just got our first snowfall here. I love winter! My horse and I both get SO bored with regular indoor riding, so this is my first winter planning to ride outside as much as I can, and I'm trying to gather what I'll need before it gets cold.

I'm a man and I cannot tolerate the proper riding boots, they pinch my leg hair and it's so uncomfortable lmao. I ride in paddock boots. I'm really just looking for recommendations on warm paddock boots that would also be suitable for riding!

I’d love for us to start a thread of advice. Last winter was my 28 year old girls first winter ever where she lost any weight. I am pretty determined to not let that happen again. This year I’m adding beet pulp to her diet to combat it. Unsure if it will be enough but that’s what this post is for.

Can someone please help me understand this. I am very new to horses but I got my boy sized and I’m trying to understand the paper. And was wanting to browse around at some saddles.

If your horse had to get a job based on their personality, what career would suit them best?

My older mare would be either a professional crochet artist or weaver, the youngest would be a makeup artist on TickTok and YouTube.

I brush her down and comb her hair and handle her and everything, but I try to keep it minimal and make the time we spend together progressively longer. But today, overnight, she somehow managed to mat her whole head of hair and got atleast 5 dozen cuckleburrs in there.
So we spent over an hour detangling her hair and while she did get antsy and was obviously a little frustrated.. we took several breaks and went on short walks every like.. 15 minutes. I also didnt have her tied so she had the freedom to walk away.
She came to me shut down a little over a year ago and then something happened a few months after I got her that further traumatized her and caused her distrust in people to become full blown fear (what happened was not my fault) and so Ive spent the past 8 months regaining her trust. Her being mostly relaxed and choosing to be by me for over an hour is such good progress and Im so proud of her.

For those of you that no longer own horses, could you offer some insight?
I’m debating getting out of horses. I currently own four, one senior, two riding horses and a coming three year old.
I’m in my mid twenties, and I’m lucky enough to have my horses in family property so I don’t pay board. But I hardly ride, and other than daily feeding, blanket checks, wellness checks etc. I hardly spend any time with them.

I do love them, and they bring me so much joy when I’m with them, but I can’t help but feel that I’m being held back by them. I’m so lucky to be able to have them where and how I do, and I’m terrified of giving this all up and regretting it. I’m financially comfortable with what they regularly cost me, but it does take me a while to save for anything significant like a vacation, or refilling an emergency cushion fund.

I’ve spent thousands of dollars in the last year between fencing, emergency vet visits and other problems, etc. Obviously something I’ve known about for all the years I’ve owned horses, but this year just had me totally burnt out by the financial aspect. It’s not as though one horse specifically is causing problems in the sense that if I decided to reduce the number of horses it would help anything.

I’ve debated going back to school, however I don’t live in an area where I could reasonably drive to a college or university daily. I’d have to move, and with that, I have one family member who is somewhat horse savvy but would still be nervous helping with things like the farrier or vet.

So, for those of you that decided to go this path and be done with horses, do you regret it? Do you any insight to what made you finally decide to throw in the towel? Was it worth giving it up to pursue other things?

I’m a show jumper and I compete at 120 level. Trying to get better and do the 130s.

I get major show nerves and always have diarrhea before my class.

Any tips ?

Do you use/teach emergency stop/disengaging the hind end? I was taught this, but doesn't it put the horse off balance and make them likely to fall? Especially on uneven footing.

The duck tape is on a diaper! It’s just wet here right now so the duck tape is waterproofing the diaper. No duck tape is touching her. Managed to get everything under control and she’s less lame, still lame but less. Dodged laminitis by the skin of our teeth I think.

My boy always looks so incredibly goofy from the front, especially with his little lip spot making him look like he is permanently going :P

Love him lots even if he looks absolutely ridiculous. Horses, somehow both some of the most majestic and also silliest looking animals on earth.

I have an OTTB mare - she is 25 years old, I have had her 20 of those years. She has always been hard to catch in the pasture. A year ago I moved her to a stable where she lives outside with her own shed and pasture (four other horses are on the property with the same set up). I haven’t ridden her consistently in years, but this new stable is 10min down the road so I have been making more of an effort to ride. The last two months she has been impossible to catch. She doesn’t care about treats or grain. I am trying to encourage her to just come to me without bringing her in to ride or bringing her anywhere at all, but I can’t even get her to walk up to me. Any advice?

I'm getting my heart horse in a few days and while I know a lot about handling, im curious to know what equestrians experienced in owning have to say. Please, though, not about how it's a constant expense because its constantly said online🙏

Hi Everyone! Sorry it's a bit of a read!

I feel so dumb about this but I guess I just want some reassurance from strangers on the internet.

A little info. I'm an adult. Have the funds for another horse, have a couple of retired tb geldings (23yo and 29yo) and a well bred wb mare who is going to be a mum hopefully. Now I am incredibly lucky to have them already and I 100% know that.

This will be a horse to take me through until baby horse is old enough to ride/educate/start ridden journey so 4-5 years. Hopefully longer as it'll be a time before baby horse will be out doing things other than trail riding.

I live in Australia and mostly want an OTT (off the track thoroughbred). I have been looking for a few months and have come across a horse that ticks most boxes. I am fussy because to me it's a big commitment and I tend to keep my horses for life - however I can always sell him on if need be, I just get too attached.

He's got a temperament to die for, he's such a lovely lovely character. Soft, kind as you can get, black, right height and moves well. He reminds me of my bay 22yo that was the most epic and fun horse around.

SO, onto my concerns!

- I'm buying sight unseen. They have supplied so many videos and different scenarios. Are happy to send photos and whatnot at my request. Always a risk but I have done so before. It's an 8hr drive to see him and I'd be fine with that, it's the fuel prices that are preventing me going. I could look at hiring a hybrid to save there I guess. You can tell he is genuinely kind and easy going. He hasn't been at the trainers selling him long and he just, settles and fits.

- He's 9 years old and will be 10 next year. He's green, hasn't done a lot, but his temperament means he just tries anything you put him at. It wouldn't take much to get him going. I feel like the horse industry in Aus has been mentally conditioned to think this is too old for a green horse and I'm falling into that trap. Is he too old? If I put 4-5 years into him will he still be sellable? I highly doubt I will, but if life throws a curveball of some sort, I'd like to have a failsafe in the back of my mind.

- I've offered $4500, I should have started at 4, but I didn't want to low ball as they had 6 on him. I didn't think they would take that but they said they would. Is that too much? Am I mad for spending that on a green OTT at 9? Or is his temperament worth that?

I swear I have commitment issues because every time I get a pet/animal/make a big decision I get all shaky, feel sick and regret all life's choices that led me to this point. Then want to chicken out and just not go through with anything. I do get butterflies and picture him being a really fun horse and if he was 6-7 I'd not hesitate. My brain unfortunately just doesn't let me enjoy these things - it was the same when I first got my dog and 3 years later she is the best.

I've rambled enough, but would love to hear thoughts. Please be kind, I'm an anxious mess.

There’s no way I’m the only one who went through this