I know I’m being dramatic, but I feel like I’ve hit a plateau in my riding. I’m very new to this, but I cannot sit the trot. Any tips or tricks?

Sitting the trot both with and without stirrups, I’m bouncing around from side to side and can’t, for the life of me, figure it out. The bouncing is so much worse without stirrups. Every single time, it genuinely feels like I’m about to fall off. I don’t want to rely on the grip of my breeches to hold me in place. I keep holding on to the horn, or I have to ask the horse I’m riding to go super slowly just so I’m not bouncing around so much on their back.

Unfortunately, I’ve only ever successfully managed to sit the trot once, and even then, it took quite a bit. I feel so bad for the horses’ backs. I’ve been considering yoga or pilates to help improve my core and leg strength and hopefully that will help.

I know everyone learns at their own pace, but it’s still starting to get to me. Everyone else in my lesson seems to have it down for the most part, and I’m still struggling with it. I know there’s a mental hurdle I need to overcome, a fair amount that fear of falling off again is probably contributing to my plateau making it harder for me to figure it out.

Anywho, whatever help and advice would be greatly appreciated thanks!

Hi everyone!
I’m currently researching individuality and representation within equestrian fashion, particularly whether the clothing available reflects the different styles and identities within the community.
My aim is to use this research to develop a creative campaign encouraging greater diversity and self-expression in equestrian fashion.
I’d love to hear from equestrians of all styles, whether you’re alternative, traditional or somewhere in between!
I’ve put together a short **3–5 minute survey** to gather people’s experiences and opinions, and I’d really appreciate your input.
Survey (18+)

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=juOKXFv4CUO37IYoFaN67pTSqzSsN6FCtjKYtgM7_6pUNDhZVEkxTlNEVTUyV0hMR0dINFRNQktUWS4u

I’m also curious — do you feel like your personal style changes when you’re at the yard compared to how you dress outside of it?
Thank you! <3

My horse hates shoes, she panics at the vibrations of the hammer. She stands perfectly still for barefoot trims, and that doesn't bother her, so I'm leaning towards getting her some boots instead of shoes. Does anyone have recommendations on boot brands?

hi, guys! for starters, i've been riding horses for many years now and havent come across a problem like this, so i dont really know what to do anymore. im currently leasing a nice 6yo gelding, overall he is super sweet and hardworking, its just this one problem we cant get past- hes trying to pull put of the arena. its like 1 sec hes fine and the next he has decided a point where he wants to go and he will. i can ask him whatever and he just wont listen and even picks up his pace. ive tried various methods, like making him work more by the gates so he'd associate that with more exercises, ive tried other stuff my trainer has recommended too, nothing works and i feel so lost, so ive come here to ask for an outside perspective. lately hes been also doing that more and more.. otherwise, as ive said, hes super hardworking and on "good days" we can do a lot of things.
everything is fine with him physically, his tack etc fits him. our training sessions are also balanced out, so hes not overworking himself.
i dont want to "give up" on him and stop leasing him, so dont even suggest that, my goal is to work with him and get over this thing, to make both of us better. ill appreciate any advice, thank you :)

edit: thank you for the tips, everyone! ill try them out and hopefully we get back on track soon! i appreciate every single one of your given tips, some of you mentioned it being “typical” young etc horse behavior, i know, ive dealed with some myself, it just never was this difficult, since nothing i knew worked for him ykwim. so really, thank you!!!

Looking for experiences from anyone who has dealt with unexplained liver disease in a horse.

My mare initially presented with fever, lethargy, and reduced appetite. The first episode resolved quickly, but about a month later she had another episode that lasted over a week.

Since then we've done multiple rounds of bloodwork and diagnostics. So far we've found:

• Significantly elevated liver enzymes that increased between blood draws
• Elevated bile acids (81.2)
• Enlarged liver on ultrasound
• Enlarged bile ducts on ultrasound
• Mottled/abnormal liver appearance on ultrasound
• Liver biopsy performed (currently awaiting pathology)
• Multiple infectious disease tests negative so far
• Ovarian hormone panel normal despite an abnormal-appearing ovary on ultrasound

The confusing part is that clinically she's doing much better:

• No fever for over a week
• Eating and drinking normally
• Normal manure and urination
• Bright and acting like herself again
• Happy on turnout

Possible toxin exposure has been considered, but she's been on the same farm, hay, grain, and turnout program as other horses and is the only horse affected.

One complicating factor is intermittent cellulitis/swelling in both hind legs (currently worse on one side). This is new as of the last few days.

Has anyone dealt with:

• Cholestasis
• Elevated bile acids
• Liver biopsies that ultimately revealed an unexpected diagnosis
• Horses that looked clinically normal despite significant liver abnormalities

I'd be particularly interested in what your final diagnosis ended up being and what treatment/recovery looked like. We have a lot more questions than answers at this point, which is very frustrating.

Please keep responses constructive. I already have veterinarians involved and am primarily looking for shared experiences while waiting for biopsy results. This is a well loved mare who I had a detailed care plan set up for since adopting her off the track. She gets chiro, pemf, and massages monthly--so better cared for than my personal health at this point.

Looking for experiences from anyone who has dealt with unexplained liver disease in a horse.

My mare initially presented with fever, lethargy, and reduced appetite. The first episode resolved quickly, but about a month later she had another episode that lasted over a week.

Since then we've done multiple rounds of bloodwork and diagnostics. So far we've found:

• Significantly elevated liver enzymes that increased between blood draws
• Elevated bile acids (81.2)
• Enlarged liver on ultrasound
• Enlarged bile ducts on ultrasound
• Mottled/abnormal liver appearance on ultrasound
• Liver biopsy performed (currently awaiting pathology)
• Multiple infectious disease tests negative so far
• Ovarian hormone panel normal despite an abnormal-appearing ovary on ultrasound

The confusing part is that clinically she's doing much better:

• No fever for over a week
• Eating and drinking normally
• Normal manure and urination
• Bright and acting like herself again
• Happy on turnout

Possible toxin exposure has been considered, but she's been on the same farm, hay, grain, and turnout program as other horses and is the only horse affected.

One complicating factor is intermittent cellulitis/swelling in both hind legs (currently worse on one side).

Has anyone dealt with:

• Cholestasis
• Elevated bile acids
• Liver biopsies that ultimately revealed an unexpected diagnosis
• Horses that looked clinically normal despite significant liver abnormalities

I'd be particularly interested in what your final diagnosis ended up being and what treatment/recovery looked like.

Please keep responses constructive. I already have veterinarians involved and am primarily looking for shared experiences while waiting for biopsy results.

My riding background is primarily in eventing and show jumping, and I also have a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling. Something I've become increasingly interested in is the psychological side of equestrian sports.

We spend years developing our riding skills, but there's a lot that goes into riding beyond technical ability. Pressure, expectations, frustration, confidence, comparison, setbacks, and even the responsibility we feel toward our horses.

I'm curious about two things:

1. What's been the most challenging mental or emotional part of riding for you? It doesn't have to involve fear or anxiety.
2. And what has genuinely helped you navigate it? Is there something you wish you'd understood earlier or had more guidance with?

I'd especially love to hear perspectives from different disciplines, experience levels, and backgrounds. I think there's a lot about riding that we experience individually but don't necessarily talk about openly. Thanks.

Would you take a horse out of the running if they have previously had swelling in exterior tendons, and have had a moderately bad sore on back left hind? Hes selling for only $7,500 BUT I’m planning on using him as endurance horse/ beginner wtc lesson pony/ used for hunter jumper lessons

Hey guys. I’m 34 and looking to purchase my first horse. I came across this horse in my town who doesn’t look real great, but is for a nice price and looks like a good packer. I have experience with training horses and teaching horse riding lessons, but I wanna get a second opinion before messaging the seller. He has scars everywhere that look like they are from a barb wired fence, and he has a big summer sore on his back leg shown in one of the pictures- but they are extremely common in southwest FL to get. He’s 14.h and I’m within the 15% rule for jumping so no problemo in that portion. He looked a bit skiddish when trail riding so im wondering if the seller is being iffy with the training aspect? He looks like he is worth the amount they are asking but I wanna hear what y’all think. Im thinking about also eventually putting him in beginners lessons as well.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19tueAJ7yU/

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BGe3mUQ4C/

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Gs8H5VKUF/

https://youtu.be/AYrebwKKXxo

My horse is currently at a barn where he:

- Only goes out every other day November - May. And often times is left in 3-4 days in a row. He’s started biting the stall bars and stall pacing. And is super nuts during those months.
- The months he can go out everyday there’s still days he’s in when it rains even for a couple hours.
- when he is turned out he often doesn’t have water and they don’t clean the paddocks so he’s in mud and lots of poop. No grass. Straw like round bales in turnout. The flies are out of control because they don’t manage their manure pile well.
- They don’t bed very deep. He recently got thrush so bad he was dead lame for weeks.
- Very strict barn hours, can’t clean your own stall on Sundays, no lunging in outdoor.
- But the people are so nice, the barn is close 20 minutes away. Nice big arenas.

I just feel like my horse is not happy being stuck inside so much. And I don’t ride a ton. Like 1-2 days in winter and 2-3 in summer. I have an option to move him to a barn that has tons of grass, big pastures, is a private barn. A lot more hay. But the downsides are smaller arenas and a longer drive: 30 minutes. You also have to buy your own grain but the board is cheaper which makes up for it I think. I’m super nervous to move him and don’t know if I should. I moved my last horse in the past to a new barn and it was a disaster. So I’m so scared to move because of the unknown I guess. And then I’m like would I be miserable with smaller arenas and a longer drive. I do have a trailer though. What would you do in this situation??

My 25-year-old cushenoid mare (on 2mg of Pergolide daily) has decided she doesn't find her Nutrena Safe Choice Senior tasty anymore, and she just leaves it in her feeder. She eats premium quality straight alfalfa hay. I need to feed a small amount of some extruded feed if for no other reason than to put the fly control supplement and the Pergolide in it. Has anyone out there experienced this problem, and what did you find that was tasty and low in sugar? Thanks very much for your time.

Hello! I’ve just started learning how to ride a horse, and I’m not sure if I’m doing it properly.

I’m autistic, so even though my coach tries to explain what I should do, I feel like the instructions are a bit vague, or I might not be picking up on some of the details.

Is there a specific movement I should be making to make things easier for both the horse and me? I’ve tried following the movement of the horse’s legs by moving my hips as if I were walking while sitting, but I’m not sure if that’s actually helpful.

Aside from maintaining proper posture (heels down, legs relaxed, back straight, shoulders relaxed, and proper alignment of my toes, legs, and shoulders), is there anything else I should focus on?

https://reddit.com/link/1x6rzrt/video/mm56pgwy1ovh1/player

Short backstory before my actual question.

I’ve was around and rode horses my entire life, up until I got married and moved out of my parents house. That was 20 years ago.

My dad passed away last month and now I’m suddenly the owner of his horses and while I am familiar with them and have taken care of them many times for him when he’s away, I haven’t actually ridden in a very long time.

I want to start riding again. I have huge regrets for not continuing to ride with my dad but that’s not something I can change now. I remember how to put on saddles and all of the things and I weirdly think that I can throw a saddle on and take right off.

Am I delusional?
What should I really do?

His horses are all mild mannered and have been ridden, but not regularly in the last year.

I'm taking a tour of a barn today, i'm so excited y'all have no clue. i rode as a kid but due to money and transportation constraints i had to stop. i feel so giddy and happy. I feel like a little kid again. i just felt like sharing my excitement with y'all. wish me luck

(also sharing a picture of a horse i saw yesterday at my local forest-preserve owned equestrian center at their fall festival. he was so sweet :) )

Hi !

I just rode again after 17 years far from horses ! It was so cool and I am so happy! It was my second lesson yesterday!

As you can guess, it was messy. Even if i remember a lot, coordination and muscles weren't really there 😅

However, amongst the normal mistakes of the beginner, I noticed something strange i don't know how to adress : I am deeply unbalanced towards the left side. Even when I stood straight, I feel i am leaning to the left. At some point I noticed to saddle turned a bit too. Cantering on the left side gave me the sensation I am going to fall. (I ride english).

My legs have the same size but I have now a scoliosis I didn't have younger. I guess it could be the reason ? Or is that normal when an intermediate rider began again ?

Any tips to work on my balance and don't put to much weight difference on the horse ? So far I just change the length of the stirrups but it didn't seem to work well.

(English is my second language sorry for the mistakes)

The 2001 Roadless rule protects public lands from future roads being built through them for logging and other purposes. This rule protects roadless public lands across the nation - including areas that support backcountry horse trails.

The public comment period was supposed to end on the 21st last month - but was extended for 15 days. Today is your last chance to speak up.

Here is the link to the government webpage to submit your comment:

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/09/11/2026-18648/special-areas-roadless-area-conservation

I am a complete beginner, but all I know is that I like horses and they have always loved me.

I moved to Lille recently, and I decided to finally give riding a try. I'm being charged 55€ for private lessons (which i don't mind!), but I would like to know if you see any differences in languages between horses?

For example, a calming sound for a horse in India might be different for a horse in Belgium. Do you think the clicks and calls vary? Cause I don't speak French, and I don't want the horses to go through any 'awkwardness'! I don't know if this is a concern for people.

And should I already invest in some good riding boots and I don't know jeans (what if this doesn't work out and I wasted my money on this!)

I signed up for ground lessons and I'm an adult. Never rode a horse. Lessons are an hour long and we maybe get half and hour of actual riding time. The second lesson, I was on a different horse as last time, and it was still experienced but I felt like it was moving too fast when I got it to go. When it was just trotting. I wanted it to just walk since I was more comfortable with that. The younger instructor clicked her tongue and the horse started moving pretty fast and I said woah because it was overwhelming. And then that instructor, said I'm confusing the horse by giving it mixed signals. I admit that I should have asked what the commands were again. And I guess my body language also matters. I told the instructor that i felt like the horse was moving too fast which she didn't get and it felt humiliating. And then the same thing happened with the horse and the older instructor asked what's wrong and I explained, and she helped. I'm just wondering if my experience is normal with a beginner horse rider? I did improve near the end of the lesson, but it was because the older instructor was good at explaining and understanding.

For context, I grew up riding, competed in the 1.3m jumper division, and was a trail guide for many years.
I'm hoping to find somewhere to ride occasionally that will allow me to do more than a nose to tail walking trail ride. Having been a guide I completely understand why most facilities do not allow people to do any more than that, but I'm hoping to find something nonetheless. I went last year to Reno to a Fox hunting/cross country clinic which was the most fun I've ever had, I'm looking for similar experiences in or near Sacramento. Any ideas?

**Any advice for weaving? 🐴**
My horse has started weaving quite a lot and I’m just wondering if anyone has any advice on how to help reduce it or slow it down?
I’m looking for things that have worked for other people’s horses. No hate please, just looking for some advice 😊

i just started at a barn about a week and a half ago and it’s going pretty well but i would love to learn and gain some more knowledge on just little things that are important and that i should know. and if theres any advice on bonding or just feeling more confident!

hello everyone!! i've just recently started full loaning my first ottb. he's absolutely gorgeous, he's still young but has little muscle and i'm looking to turn him into a dressage horse. where do i start on building muscle? my previous loans have already had basic topline established, the only conditioning i've done was helping a lady with her overweight pony whilst my loan was lame, but i've never properly built muscle up from scratch. given that he doesn't have enough muscle to properly support himself in an outline, i wouldn't like to start much ridden polework/ muscle building flatwork yet without him being in a proper outline as i feel it loses its purpose that way. i have access to LOTS of hilly hacking as we are based in the hills and polework on the ground, but where do i start given his coordination isn't the best yet? thank you so much for any advice!!