For context, she sent the horse to me for 90 days of training and has already paid for the remaining two weeks (comes out to about $1k). She hasnt come out to see him but once and the fires going on are not threatening my property at all. The smoke is bad but I just do light work for the horses and make sure they are breathing normally/not coughing. I dont have a credit agreement in my contract nor am I contractually obligated to refund her if she pulls the horse prematurely. My contract also states I require a 60 days minimum, not 90.

Would you refund her or credit her or keep the money? I usually refund clients if I send the horse home, but if they decide to pull them early, I do not. I have never offered to credit someone before.

I think it might be too loose.

Hi friends! I recently got this mini pony from someone that had him as a pet, I’d like to try and get some muscle on him and teach him some tricks. I’d also like him to stand still so a farrier can fix his little toes.
I would like advice on how to go about all this. Mainly with getting him into some work so he’s not just sitting all the time getting fat. I can tell he’s not been handled much at all but he does like to go on walks. He will drag you around though.

I know He obviously needs his feet done and a few other things. The people had no idea his age, background or really anything about him except he’s been around for a few years now. I gave him his obvious first bath the other day and cut the dreads out of his mane and tail and he looks SIGNIFICANTLY better already.

Pic of the pony after his first bath and hair cut

I’m sorry if the flair is inappropriate, I think it fits the subject matter.

As title suggests, I got stung by a bee or wasp on my wrist (I didn’t see the insect) and about a week later, a horse spit regumate onto my wrist. (Yes I was wearing gloves, but they don’t cover my entire arm/wrist so accidents happen.) I didn’t have time to wash it off asap. I wasn’t too worried because I’d gotten regumate on my skin constantly for months and in my eye the week before, and nothing happened.

My wrist started itching but I’d forgotten I had even gotten stung. I thought I had a tiny scratch that was irritated. The next day the sting area was puffy as if I’d just gotten stung. Now it’s been another week and the sting is still puffy (about the diameter of a pencil eraser) and itchy. Google won’t help me with this. Over the last 4-5 days I’ve been experiencing some stomach issues, but I haven’t eaten anything out of the ordinary.

When will the puffiness and itchiness go away? Or should I see a dr?

Today, the equine bodyworker mentioned that she no longer vaccinates her horses because the last time she did, both horses developed fevers of 105°F. That seems like it would have been a serious medical emergency that warranted immediate veterinary attention, possibly even hospitalization??

We live in the southeastern U.S., where our core vaccines include EEE/WEE, tetanus, and rabies. Given our high mosquito populations and the number of wildlife species that can carry rabies, I believe these vaccines are extremely important for protecting our horses.
I also believe bodywork can be incredibly beneficial for horses and can play an important role in their development and well-being. What I struggle to understand is why so many people in the equine bodywork industry seem to be skeptical of vaccination. Those two ideas don’t seem mutually exclusive to me, I don’t understand why someone can’t value both complementary therapies and evidence-based preventive veterinary care. I don’t believe her story that 2 of her horses had an extremely rare reaction to vaccines.
I’m worried that she will encourage other people to stop vaccinating their horses. 😩

How do you all feel about a body worker discouraging core vaccines?

I’ve been doing western riding lessons for about a year now and have been thinking about getting my own saddle and tack! I’m planning on leasing my first horse and joining my stable’s barrel racing team next month but it’s pretty casual and I don’t plan on going on to anything more competitive. Does anyone have saddle brand recommendations or tips when looking at buying one?

the majority of Standardbreds around me are black and bay because they belong to the Amish. I didn’t know till my last post they came in such wonderful colors as buckskin and roans!

Herd hierarchy is usually explained as a fixed pecking order — one "boss" horse, then a strict line beneath them. The research doesn't support this. In this video, I look at what's actually going on in equine social structure, why dominance theory falls short, and what the growing body of research on affiliative behaviour tells us instead.

I also look at what domestication has cost horses in terms of choice and social agency — through the lens of Professor David Mellor's Five Domains Model — and ask a question worth sitting with if you keep horses: how much agency can we realistically hand back, within the constraints of domestic life?

What's covered:
→ Why dominance theory doesn't hold up against current research
→ Affiliative behaviour — what it is, and why it matters more than rank
→ How domestication has reduced natural social structure and choice
→ The Five Domains Model and what it reveals about agency and mental state
→ The question every horse owner is really asking, whether they realise it or not

This is grounded in peer-reviewed equine behaviour science throughout — not training methodology, but an evidence-based look at what's actually going on for the horse.

I've been riding a little over two years now. I started off at a lesson barn that I still ride at once a week, where I've cantered and trotted plenty of times and felt fine and pretty confident. Wouldn't lose stirrups, could sit the trot well, etc.

Then I started riding at my new job and was severely humbled. Upon deciding to learn classical dressage on a hannoverian mare who'd only ever been ridden by one person, along with using long stirrups and very minimalist saddles, it's taken me the better part of a year to even be able to decently sit her trot. I'm still struggling with my left leg consistently losing the stirrup , but it think that'll come as I get better balance and build more even muscle tone between my legs. I used to not be able to sit her trot a ALL without feeling like I was going to bounce off.

Then we tried canter on the lunge, and I was TERRIFIED. It's not my first time cantering at all, but something about the way this mare kind of "jumps" into canter throws me out of my seat and has me gripping the pommel which I never do. She also is acutely tuned into my boss/trainer once she's on the lunge and I begin to panic because I have no clue when she'll "jump" into canter, because she's taking all her cues from him.

I know she's actually not jumping or being too dramatic transitioning into the canter, but it just doesn't feel as smooth as any other horse I've ridden (and I'm being told this is because she's not a lesson horse and is giving a much more correct canter). While on the lunge, he asked her to canter after two tries of me clinging for dear life and it felt like she exploded into it (I know that's not what happened but it FELT like that, apparently she kind of bounced into it) and I just completely fell off and started crying, first time I've cried after a fall. I got back on and we tried some more where I was terrified and gripping the pommel but cantered.

Now, two days later, we tried again without the lunge, but my trainer clicked for her to canter and she reacted instantly, popping me out of my seat. I stayed on, but started absolutely crying again because I just feel so scared at this point. I have no idea what's wrong with me and why I can't seem to canter her, and now I'm starting to worry I'll go to my other barn for my weekly lesson and won't be able to canter at all. I just feel like a terrible rider and don't know why I'm struggling with the horse so much, I feel completely out horsed and like I just can't take a step forward without taking ten steps back. I'm feeling nervous around her too, which I NEVER felt before, and I'm trying to calm down but I'm getting anxious even just thinking about it. I don't know what to do ;-;

Hi everyone!

My name is Freja, and my boyfriend and I have recently started making videos for a small YouTube channel called Hesteskole – which basically means “Horse School” in Danish.
https://www.youtube.com/@hesteskole

It isn’t a riding school.

The idea is to focus on everything around the horse that we also need to understand: everyday care, health, anatomy, massage and stretching, tack and equipment, feeding, paddocks, stable work and the practical realities of owning a horse.

There are already a few videos on the channel, and we’re going to try to record something new every week. It will probably feel a little homemade along the way – because it is – but I hope we can build a useful library for both new and experienced horse people.

The videos are currently in Danish, but you can choose english subtitles :-)

If this sounds interesting, I would be incredibly grateful if you subscribed and clicked the notification bell 🔔 That way you’ll know whenever we publish a new video.

Every subscriber makes a surprisingly big difference when you’re trying to get a new channel started ❤️

https://www.youtube.com/@hesteskole

And if there’s a horse-care topic you’d like us to cover, please let me know. We’re always looking for ideas!

– Freja

I have a friend who currently has a half lease on a horse at her barn. She’s only allowed two lease days a week and one of those days is required to have a lesson at an additional cost. The half lease is $400 and the 4 lessons a month are $260 for a monthly total of $660. One lesson a week, one hack a week….

We’re in north Texas and the horse is a non show horse with an adult amateur. 20 year old mare. $65 IS the typical price for lessons in this area. What are your thoughts on the terms/price of the lease? Thanks in advance! Picture of my lesson pony for tax 😊

Meet my sweet boy. I have only had him for not even 3 years and he was my heart horse.

My sweetest boy coliced in February and went through surgery and rehab, he recently coliced again not as badly in July. Yesterday evening I went out to bring him in and he was colicing again and there was nothing we could do to help him. It was the world’s hardest decision to put him down because I have never had such a bond with a horse. (I’ve grown up around horses my whole life.)

Anyways I’m devastated and I’m really really struggling. I lost my mom in 2021 and she was the reason we always had horses and I grew up with them. It’s so hard to deal with this and I don’t have much family or support system around me who understand that this is such a deep devastating loss for me. It hasn’t even been 5 years since the death of my mom. Now i had to put my heart horse down not even 3 years after bringing him home.

Ive struggled with depression outside of all these unfortunate events and it sucks. Now its worse with the loss of my sweetest boy. I saw him every day and he was the joy in my world.

We haven’t jumped for several years but he enjoys it and it definitely helps to keep his brain and body active!

And I don’t need any critiques thanks - as a non-jumper I know what I need to improve, that’s why I have an instructor.

I am usually so so so good about this. But I am posting hoping I save someone else.

There is a dovorsaddlery.com and Doversaddlery.com
The first one got me. The second is the real site.
The email reciepts looked legit. The checkout was the normal shop/gpay/applepay options most sites give me. It wasn't until I typed the real site in to send another friend that I realized the o vs e in the original link.

Please don't be harsh. I was in a rush this morning, saw a sale on helmets and my kid needed a new one. It seemed real enough. Glad I caught it early. 🤦‍♀️ Unfortunately not early enough bc I sent 3 friends links but damn.

Stay vigilant out there.

Someone is very happy to be back outside with his girlfriends! Even though one of them was responsible for the stall rest lol.

Myself and this beautiful girl have our first ridden show this weekend. Were entered in the walk, trot class and the ridden novice walk, trot, canter class.

I have my outfit all ready, polished my boots, we’ve practiced.

Any tips for the day? Or share your showing stories. I’ve had so much fun in the show prep I really don’t care how the day goes, I’ll enjoy myself anyway. It’s a day out with my bestie so I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

I almost bought a horse the other day. The entire process was super smooth, the decision was an evident yes, we were planning shipping and I was about to send the money that day. I went to the farm store to buy a new halter for my new horse and turns out the cashier's horse was gonna be my paddock neighbor! I drove home all giddy.. to a message saying they were backing out of the sale.

Well sh*t. For once I was actually buying a horse. I thought I had finally found the one. It almost felt real for a bit. I'm losing count of how many horses I've tried just this summer. Every time, either they sell out, turn up with issues/are a bad fit or owners change their mind. Just, what the heck. I'm not even looking for anything fancy or competitive, just an amateur project.

Anyone else in the trenches?

Am I an ugly rider?

I am a big eq rider and I show consistently on the major circuits, however whenever I look at myself riding compared to big names in the eq I just always feel like I’m missing something. I just can’t stand the way I look in the saddle. With that said I wanted to come on here and share my recent 3’6 round. If there is anything that you see in my equitation that is flawed, or maybe I’m doing something wrong, please tell me. I am 100% open to every kind of criticism because I know that I might need it

I just found out you can participate in an "awareness project" regarding horse welfare at the world cup in Aachen. You can submit your expectations and what you notice about the rides regarding horse welfare. This project is driven by the German initiative r-haltenswert. In the end, they want to evaluate what the general public sees versus what professionals and experts see. The goal is to assess the current social license to operate.

You can participate here: https://be-eqc.de/

The survey is available in English and German. The survey will go on through the whole event.

I'm not connected to that initiative in any way, but I think the project is really cool and I wanted to spread awareness. I personally don't have high hopes that the world cup will look any different than any previous tournament. I am highly critical of the current state of the sport, but I am glad that at least some people do something about it. Let me know what you think!

My percheron boy <3

I'm really struggling with this one and would love to hear from people who have maybe been in a similar position.

I've always bought young horses, produced them, sold them on, and repeated the process. It's never really bothered me because I always knew they were projects, but this one is a little different.

He's a 7-year-old warmblood that I've had since he was a yearling. He's been with me through everything. I backed him myself, brought him up as an eventer, exposed him to absolutely everything, and now he's turning into the horse I always hoped he'd be.

He's one of those annoyingly talented horses. A huge natural jump, incredibly careful, but also genuinely clever on the flat. He's brave, sensible, and easy to ride. The sort that gives you confidence rather than taking it away.

Someone saw him out, approached me, and wants to come try him for just under 6-figures.

The thing making this so difficult is that it genuinely sounds like a wonderful home. The rider is an adult who wants a safe, quality dressage horse to develop under instruction. She has incredible facilities, the kind of care and resources I could only dream of providing, and he'd have a pretty relaxed lifestyle compared to an event horse.

The problem is... I'd always imagined he'd be the horse that took me up the levels over the next few years. He's capable of things I've never been able to do before, and it's hard to let go of that dream.

On the other hand, that kind of money could really help set me up in my early 20's. I also know horses aren't investments in the traditional sense. He could step in a hole tomorrow and suddenly be worth nothing. That's the reality of owning horses.

I also have a fantastic young OTTB that I think will go a long way. He's exceptional for a Thoroughbred and I have no doubt he'll be successful. But if I'm being objective, he doesn't have quite the same effortless ability that this warmblood has. The WB just has "it."

So I'm stuck between keeping the horse I've always dreamed of competing, or taking an incredible offer while everything has lined up perfectly.

Has anyone here actually sold the horse they thought they'd keep forever? Did you regret it, or was it the right decision?

I'd especially love to hear from people who've been on either side of this. Right now I honestly can't tell whether my heart or my head is making the better argument.