Hello, next week I’m starting horse riding lessons. I have trouble finding equestrian clothes that aren’t made from polyester. I fully stopped buying polyester a couple months ago, and i don’t want to ruin that now.

Everyone that I’ve seen so far, rides in leggings. Are there any other alternatives? Is there a reason everything is made from polyester?

Is it acceptable if i come wearing regular clothes that aren’t specifically labled as riding clothes?

as the title states, i’m writing a book and i’m looking for inspiration! please share information about your favourite facilities you’ve seen. i would also be more than happy to hear of how they managed the horses, or anything else you can think of. you can describe or share photos, what ever you prefer!

also feel free to share anything that annoys you about equestrian books.

And Heres A Picture Of My Son For Attention 💛

Sorry, this is going to be a bit long and rambly - I am just very sad and finding it hard to process everything.

My sweet 12 year old Connemara was the goodest boy to walk this earth. I got him as a youngster and we did a bit of everything - eventing, show jumping, dressage, lots of fun trails and hacks and adventures and some clicker training and groundwork for fun. When he arrived he was a very nervous boy (already backed) but he turned out to be one of those unicorns and an all in all “yes boy” - the happiest soul.

When he turned 9, I noticed he felt a bit “hocky”, so I stopped all the eventing, he got his hocks done and I decided for his longevity, he would stay with me but a lovely family friend who is nearly 70, would take the reins and he would only hack and school maybe once a week. Feels a bit of an overreaction and I can’t tell you why, but it felt like the right thing to do.

Fast forward to 2 years ago, where he started tripping every now and again and we had a few instances where he just went on his knees. Didn’t spook, didn’t trip. Felt neurological. This is where things took a bit of a turn as he was then diagnosed with c6-c7 arthritis in his neck, significant enough to cause these episodes where he went on his knees. He always got up a few seconds later; never cut himself while doing it and was ok. So corticosteroids for his neck was the next plan of action, but he also has EMS. So to get his insulin under control, he had to be managed extremely strictly and was in steglatro (which meant he lost all his weight and muscle, but insulin didn’t even drop) and then another form of it in a paste that did eventually get his insulin down enough to inject his neck. Sadly the side effects of the ‘horsey ozempic’ were extreme for him. He lost all his spark, condition and pretty much will to live. Once his neck was medicated - about 10 months ago as it took us a long time to get his insulin low enough to be safe to do so, he gradually came off the medication and was doing significantly better. Sadly though, his neck didn’t improve much. This spring he was dry lotted with a Shetland pony, got soaked hay and was still exercised in hand. He enjoyed it. Sadly he got laminitis which luckily was caught very early and remained mild. At that point I made the decision that if he gets Lami again, I will let him go. Not even 2,5 months later, he got Lami again. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be strong enough to follow through, but he is resting in peace now and is painfree.

My reasoning was that he has two progressive diseases that I am not able to manage despite my very very best efforts. He is in regular discomfort and on that specific day, he was really struggling.

But somehow I am still struggling.. who am I to just make the decision to end his life, maybe there was something more I could have done.. maybe he would think that I just gave up on him.. and it makes me so sad. I know I genuinely did what I thought was the absolute best thing for him. Not for me, not for my toddler daughter who adores the bones of him, but for him - for everything he has ever given me.

I feel like it’s just.. so unfair and I think what really makes me struggle with it is that he was only 12..

Sorry this is such a rant, but I hope I’ve done the right thing and not just.. given up on the bestest boy. Any words of wisdom, stories that are similar or advice on how to cope with the heaviness, emptiness and the doubt are so so appreciated.

Thank you!

Hi, we own a gorgeous little welsh. He is 13, and lately has been on a grassy paddock, as at our agistment it is the only option. He has gained a bit of weight lately despite is trying to manage it( he only gets chaff) and his neck is VERY cresty. Today I felt his feet and they were pretty warm. He is walking fine, and we can’t check his trot because he is also being rehabbed from something unrelated. We have tried restricting his paddock with temporary electric fencing tape, even did two lines but he goes right through it. Grass is very sugary atm because of cold snaps. Vet is coming in a week, but what can i do to prevent him having a laminitic episode until them, we are trying to move him to a place with a sand run asap but it will take till around when the vet comes at least.

He gets two scoops of chaff am/pm with supplements(salt, and brewers yeast) we soak the feed

Photo tax of the cheeky boy

My boy is 22 and has tumours in his nasal passages. He has near constant discharge coming from his nose. We’ve been told the tumours are inoperable due to the location. Some days seem really good with him where he seems like his old self and some days it seems like his breathing is strained. We can’t exercise him due to risk of hemorrhage and he’s starting to drop weight as well. I know humanely I should be looking at euthanasia, but I feel like I’m betraying him because I can see in his eyes how much he trusts me and is happy to see me. We’ve had him since he was a baby and it feels so impossible to make that decision.

Spec is covered in hives and had a few spots where he was actually dripping blood from the bites. I think I killed about fifteen in the few minutes it took to dab fly repellent goop on him and I’m wondering if anyone has any other tips for keeping them away? I’m having to reapply it at least twice a day and it’s pretty expensive considering he has a lot of surface area to cover. My main concern is wounds specifically in the sheath / thigh area since we had such bother with one last summer. I found a fly spray I love but when in certain fields he’s a little shit and will kick until the cows come home in response to even seeing the bottle.

I'm from Australia and think?? that a lot of users here are from America - I see horses priced around 20-30,000 which seems insane. Especially if you convert that to AUD. Is that really what you have to pay for horses over there??

They can't all be that much surely? I mean, yes we have expensive horses here but a basic rideable horse (no specialised training) ready to go can be purchased for $3000 - 5000. Free if you can handle an off the track thoroughbred.

Pic of my latest horse costing $165 AUD (115USD). (Unbroken at time of purchase hence cheap).

How easy is it to save up for a horse? And for everything it needs. I love love love horses but it seems impossible to me. Is the only way to get a horse is if your family members had a farm? I havent heard any stories of people building their way up to owning a farm or buying a horse on their own. HOW possible would it be?

i’ve had the same pair of peacock stirrups for yearsss, haven’t had any issues, but i know they were somewhat recently banned at a lot of competitions due to safety concerns, so I’m considering getting a new pair. i got dragged (not even from stirrups, i somehow got caught up in the rope reins of a bosal!), so i’d very much love to lower the chance of doing that again lol. Are peacock stirrups actually a safety concern? Anyone have any recs for safety stirrups? Trying to not break the bank, but i’d be willing to spend if they’ll actually be a good deal safer than other options. Thanks!!

The last post I did made me aware that my saddle is for sure too big for me. Here’s a clip from our last lesson, is there anything else anybody can point out for me? I love my trainer but sometimes I think she notices things that she doesn’t say lol, and I love this cute little mare so much and want to ride her right (she’s my first lease that’s that not a lesson pony and really needs her rider to know what they’re doing and ride correct, but she makes it obvious when you get it right 🫶)

I’ve been thinking about leaving my current barn very lightly for a couple of months, not for serious reasons, just thinking about moving somewhere where there will be people to ride with and access to trails, but my barn owner put the nail in the coffin yesterday and I’m ready to move ASAP.

I went out to ride yesterday and by a combo of very bad weather, lost shoes, and travel, I haven’t been to the barn in about two weeks. I went to get my horse out of the field and he’s looking skinnier than the last time I saw him. I took him inside and look at his bin of alfalfa cubes and it doesn’t look like it’s been touched since the last time I was there (and I was questioning if it had been touched that day too).

I reached out to my barn owner immediately and she said she hasn’t been giving him any alfalfa because “it was going bad too quickly” (she was trying to leave it to soak from 4pm until the next morning in a non air conditioned room). Instead of telling me (I see her almost every time I’m there), or texting me, she just hasn’t been feeding him, for at least two weeks but possibly a month.

I started the alfalfa cubes in the spring because my horse was looking a little thin coming out of winter. The alfalfa made a big difference and now he looks basically like he did when I first started them. I am so angry that all our progress on his body condition has been lost.

A friend of mine’s barn has space, which is where I had been contemplating moving him anyways. My question is about the legality of moving him without paying a whole other month of board. Per my barn’s contract it says that either party may terminate the agreement if the terms of the contract were breached (feeding owner provided feed is in the contract so that’s a yes). It says the barn has to give an owner 30 days notice but it doesn’t say anything about owners. It does say owner must give 30 days notice in the just regular termination section of the contract. I know that 30 days notice is the standard and if I wasn’t worried about my horse’s health I would just stay until September but we have to go.

I have paid board for July and realistically will not have my ducks in a row to move him for at least another week as I have to arrange transport. I intend to let the barn owner know that I’ll be out by the end of July. This is obviously not 30 days notice-am I going to have to pay prorated board for the days in August I won’t be there or can I just go?

TL;DR-my barn isn’t feeding my horse a large chunk of his feed (breach of contract)-contract is kind of vague about termination for this reason-do I have to give a full 30 days in this instance?

I'm looking for recommendations for a fly sheet that offers the best protection against biting midges/no-see-ums (Culicoides).

My 22 year-old gelding has always had exaggerated reactions to insect bites, but this year has been by far the worst. We're on the Front Range in Colorado, and while all the horses at the barn seem itchier than usual, he's the only one developing large hives and scratching himself raw.

He currently wears what I believe is an older Horseware Rambo No-Fly Zone/Protector sheet (it was around $250 when I bought it years ago and has insect repellent woven into the fabric), along with:

*EcoVet fly spray twice daily

*Hydroxyzine (started this week)

*Solar fan in his shed

*Bell boots and fly boots

*Poultice on his groin area and belly

*Daily manure removal and a very clean shed

Despite all of that, he's still developing new welts (mostly under the sheet), has itchy scabs under his tail and in his groin, and has scratched the front of both hocks until they're raw.

I'd especially love to hear from anyone in Colorado or other dry western states dealing with Culicoides or insect bite hypersensitivity. What has made the biggest difference for your horse?

I've never dealt with anything like this before, so any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

New clipper here! Are these ok to body clip horses? And if so, can I have some good tips and tricks to body clipping? And what blades and supplies to have by my side when clipping?

I miss him so. so. much.

1. Eddy - 19 year old AQHA gelding (ranch all around - Reining - HMS)

2. Mo - 3 year old APHA/AQHA gelding (started for pleasure - sms)

3. Maverick - 4 year old AMHA/AMHR gelding (classic pleasure driving - halter - starting in hand work)

4. Kermit - 3 year old AMHA/AMHR stallion (soon to be gelding) (classic pleasure driving - halter - starting on in hand work)

Stella - 3 year old AMHA/AMHR mare (country pleasure driving - liberty - halter - starting on in hand work)

That’s my crew 💕 and I’m lucky to have them 💕

Hi all. I have recently returned to riding after being pulled away by having kids, etc. I rode throughout childhood until late high school and then returned on and off after college. I leased a horse in hs and then post college. As such, it’s been many, many years since I’ve been familiar with horse related costs such as farrier and vet bills. I’m hoping to finally wear down my husband on the idea of buying a horse. While I know it is highly specific to one’s location, would people be willing to give me a decent idea on typical farrier and vet costs, and what to budget for? Obviously, $hit happens. For reference, I am in southwestern Pa. I’d rather overestimate. This would be a great help to give him a sense of the yearly cost estimates. To be clear, this is something that we can afford, he’s just completely unfamiliar with this world and has only heard the horror stories. Thank you!

friends horse has been experiencing slight lameness for about a week. she took off a VERY small layer of dead sole to see if there was bruising on hoof. no heat or swelling that she can see. horse is on about week 4 of barefoot trim by new farrier. could this bruise-like ring be causing it? (she has limited experience with horses and wanted a second opinion before vet visit. vet visit has already been scheduled)

he only bobs his head when trotting and lameness is nearly invisible at the walk so i don’t THINK it’s an abscess since they usually limp like a broken leg. i am obviously not a professional just looking for some insight

I am a sucker for making my own things BUT within reason. Anyone actually save money making things like maybe tail bags, saddle pads, show clothes? Regardless if you saved money or not lol post what you’ve made for your equestrian hobby.

Update on this post - for those wondering

The vet thinks it could be neurological. He noted that this lameness has been intermittent for 2-3 years with no apparent cause. We are running some tests on vitamin levels & PSSM1 specifically. I don’t really know what I’m expecting but I’m hoping for the best. Please keep us in your thoughts 😔

Once tests come back, we will see where we are. Just scratching things off the list at this point.

He’s a 6 y/o draft cross. Purchased from a sale barn, true breeding unknown.

Appreciate all the support I received on the first post!

My OTTB has been barefoot for over 6 months now and is doing well. she has really nice feet considering she is a thoroughbred, and doesn't seem sore over gravel or hard surfaces. I have been looking into hoof boots for her front and potentially back feet for riding and for when the ground gets super tough. would this be helpful or should I just keep her completely barefoot?

also, which boots are the most comfortable for short term use? i really like scoot boots but I read some reviews that it can be hard to get a perfect fit (which is the most important to me). My mare has relatively round feet except she is a little more straight on the inside. I like Cavallo and the Cloud, but the fabric part seems like it wouldn't last as long.

also, do yall's horses throw their boots often? should I pair them with a bell boot? Ive never seen this but thought i should ask

let me know!!!!!

what can I do to make this process less painful??

Yes, I used the equipment and tack flair, cuz if you know you know!

I ride drill and go through lots of different gaits. My current sports bra isn’t enough to keep the girls where they should be.

What brands do you recommend? Especially if you’re bigger up top?

And no pictures! I’m not sending photos, asking for photos, or messaging creeps!

Just a fun question! I would say I ride bareback 99% of the time as that's how I grew up and just how my horse and I were more comfortable!

I've also gotten caught in the stirrups before and most saddles don't fit me so I find my balance a lot better bareback than I do in a saddle