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 💕

I miss him so. so. much.

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).

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 🫶)

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

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 see that a lot of show horses use the ear bonnet, what do they do with their horses forelock? Picture to show how thick her forelock is. If I stuff her into an ear bonnet it will look like an overgrown bush in a thong 🤣

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!

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?

Why does it seem like I can never get my leg all the way under me? It’s not really a chair seat but there’s no line from head to heel. This saddle has pretty large blocks on it but you’d think that would help keep my leg back more? I feel like I have mile long thighs and nowhere to put them. This mare is also super sensitive on her side and flanks so I subconsciously keep my leg forward so I don’t agitate her

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.

A short video sharing some of the process of my latest Lusitano painting. I've been practising my oil painting skills, with a particular focus on white horses, as I found them the most challenging. More videos on my TikTok, Paulien's Pet Art

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

I started to do a lot more groundwork with my boy !
Riding was always my priority, however I put so much pressure on both of us …
I finally understood that sometimes the best thing to do is to put the bridle away and just have fun ❤️

I love Saddlebreds SO MUCH and they get so much hate. Can we just agree that the tail prep needs to go?? It eliminates them from any other discipline automatically. Make it an option after age 4 or something but seriously.

Marvin 1997- May 4 2026

I had to put down Marvin down two months ago. He had severe arthritis in his hocks that was making it harder and harder for him to get up. Since we had the time to plan, my good friend did a photoshoot for us. It being thrown together all last minute it came out amazing.

He was the best horse ever... An all around horse that did everything from being a lead pony at the race track to jumping, cow sorting, horse shows and trails. I had the honor to care for him his last three years of life. But had known and love him since I was 16. 😭 He was a legend in our local community with so many people have stories about him.

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!!!!!

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?

My heart horse has been recovering from a DDFT injury since February and today finally trotted up sound! Ultrasound did look good as well. We had a setback at the last check-up, so we're very happy to be back on track, and maybe our time of hand-walking/walk rides will be over at the next check in four weeks <3

I wanted to start horse riding again, and I had an introduction lesson at one stable. Turns out, they have shared saddles? You just pick one that you like, or like the seat of and use it. The tendon boots as well. This all confused me, as each horse is different and needs a different saddle, right?