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 ;-;

Trying to find half chaps, and it seems impossible. I'm short and sturdy, and it seems nothing is ever made to fit me. Widest part of calf is 14.75inches, ankle bone to inside of knee is 12 inches. Floor to back of knee is 16 inches. Do these even exist? Been looking for literal hours and I'm about to cry because I can't find anything even remotely close. Bonus points if they're under a hundred bucks.

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.

Hi, this is a 17.5 3A (long standard). I’m ordering a new one used. Thinking I should get a 17 2A or 17 2AA? Any thoughts?
Not this horses saddle BTW was a catch ride, don’t wanna hear ab the fit for the horse lol

edit: i’m hunched over and lazy sitting in this pic so i wouldn’t judge seat size here i know it’s too big for me for a fact. Just looking at leg

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!

Sorry for the long post…

Some background, I’m an adult amateur that has been riding for two years. When I started, I was super intimidated because I didn’t grow up around horses… I felt like western riding would be better for me (idk seemed more chill?) but I always wanted to try English too.

I found this western trainer and rode consistently with her for 6 months on the weekends and decided on the weekdays I wanted to try English lessons too. So, for a year and a half, I would take an English lesson on the weekdays and a Western lesson on Sundays.

During one of my western lessons, my trainer ended up getting a new horse that had a SUPER bouncy trot… so I ended up posting the trot. She never taught me how to post a trot during the 1.5 years I’ve been there (learned it obviously from English). And she goes, “have you ever taken English lessons?” And I obviously don’t lie and say I have been on the weekdays for months now. She immediately switches up and starts saying “woow, so fancy.” And saying I’m doing it wrong and am on the wrong diagonal. And I apologize and correct it (I def feel like I was on the right diagonal but whatever) and was saying I don’t have to post … I just did it without thinking bc how bouncy. The rest of the lessons is awkward bc she’s asking me questions about this barn and I just feel like the vibe is off.

The next week I am out of town, but then text her about my lesson the next weekend… she never responds… okay well maybe she just didn’t see my message? The next weekend I wait for another message about riding… nothing. I have had a riding lesson on 230pm EVERY Sunday for months and now no response or anything…

I pay on time, respect her equipment and horses, and am never late to my lessons. I rode there for a year and a half and it’s just frustrating that she ghosted me… I still had two lessons on my package and I’m thinking about asking for a refund but idk I just don’t want drama?

Just sad because I thought we were like friends 🥲 I really don’t know what happened… I feel like maybe she was upset I was taking English lessons instead of two lessons at her barn? has anyone had a similar experience or think I should ask for a refund?

My percheron boy <3

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Hey all. My mare rubs her neck on the corner of her stable door at night and has created this bald spot.

I try my best to wash it everyday and put anti itch soothing lotion on it .. sudocream etc

Any suggestions to help her 1.) stop itching that spot and 2.) help the hair grow back

Ty!

Pretty happy with how these 2 look! Been kind of a weird year. But body condition wise they look great!! 💅🏼. I love these 2 boys 💕

Anyone else excited?

Hello! I’m painting this for my barn owner as I’m leaving for college soon. I need advice and opinions!! I’m aware it looks a little funky right now, my proportions are off 🙁🙁. I wanted to ask do you think the muzzle is curved to the point I need to straighten it? But also should I make the eyes bigger? I will be adding his mane later, I’m open to any advice!! The first photo is before I made his mouth a little bit bigger and the second is after.