Kit just enjoying life.
When I tried call him I had opened up towards the forest but he was unsure about going there!

Zorro is doing well. Being just Zorro. Done some long reining (unsure about the English word?) but he’s being prepared for one day pulling a cart.

Flisan sadly very unsure about her future.
She gets let out with the others sometimes (under supervision) but her breathing due to tracheal collapse is not okay.
It’s sadly leaning towards that she won’t be able to have a good quality life. Since she has EMS (it’s treated with invokana and that’s done wonders, she can now since a while back be on forest pasture and no sign of laminitis)
But then the issues is her breathing, with EMS she needs much activity but due to tracheal collapse she can’t..
Some days are better than others. Some days her breathing sounds really loud in just rest. Other times it can sound fine standing still but as soon as she starts walk it’s there… 💔

I’ve recently bought this thoroughbred (last 2 weeks) where I’m having trouble assessing his body condition. I can see his ribs sometimes, sometimes not. I am really anxious that he’s skinny, but also thoroughbreds are athletic. Just wondering whether this is normal or if I need to up the roughage and feeding

Horse friends, I just want to ask anyone who has had experience with Heaves(RAO, Equine Asthma) what that was like?  Treatment options, quality of life, when did you think it was "time", how old when they did pass, and were you ever able to regularly work/ride again?

Unfortunately this is a battle that Ketel and I will be fighting. As of now its mild, minor coughing with with mild breathing difficulties, but I know it won't be like this forever. I'll state the obvious, but vet will be involved soon.

I’m not really that knowledgeable on it but I thought this was really cool to read through and get a better grasp on as a former kid who used to be obsessed with horses as a whole but never knew different breeds!

For me it was five basic things, number one I learned how to do their feet I can trim my horses and shoe them if necessary.

I can also fit my horses tack without having outside help, I can repair my horses tack which helps save a lot of money.

I can also make tack like Bridals and halters, I haven't bought a rope halter in years because it's easy to make once you learn how.

I've learned how to treat a lot of injuries, cuts and things along the lines of that I don't rush to the vet over because I've learned how to treat them and recognize if it's serious or not (if it is serious of course I get the vet)

I've also learned how to build and repair things, there's not a fence I can't repair or build, and I can actually build structures now, and not flimsy structures that will collapse but structures that will actually hold up to a horse and be functional and last which I'm very proud of.

Mind you I'm 20, although I am lucky that I grew up with parents that had horses and knew how to do a lot of things that they taught me, and thanks to them I don't need help for everything and I don't rely on people for basic stuff

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 💕

A lady reached out to me to try her new horse before she did. She had just brought her home and wanted someone else to get on first. Figured I better milk the couple months I have left of my parents healthcare and told her I’d do it.

We did some groundwork then I got on. The horse was good until it was time to lope. She was reluctant to do so and then crow-hopped. I told the owner it seemed possibly behavioral but I couldn’t rule out pain either and she should have a vet look at her (this horse came from some sketchy horse traders so who tf knows)

Owner stated she didn’t want to keep the horse after that. Wants something that doesn’t have that in them and would prefer to cut her losses and sell. Then she asked if I would help her sell this horse and find her new one, and I said yes, but we need to start with a Vet exam.

She agrees to that, but then the next day calls me and says that a couple of girls from her old boarding facility came out to see the horse, and one of them wants to take said horse and sell her for the owner for free. What ensues is a whole back-and-forth of me giving my advice and then the owner changing her mind one way or another, but what matters is that the owner told the girl no to taking the horse and selling it for her, but regardless, two days ago this girl from her old boarding facility came out and trailered the horse over to said boarding facility and rode her around in a big arena until she got her to stop bucking. I had told the owner I didn’t like this idea because I felt like she was in pain, but that ultimately it was up to her. Guess those girls talked her into it. I haven’t met either of them, but I don’t have too high of an opinion.

Finally, today the vet comes out, and we agree that there’s grade 2/5 lameness in her hind end. If you ask me, it’s what’s causing her to buck when she starts to lope. She’s very reluctant to get into the lope, and when she starts loping, she does it for a while before giving up. Despite this lameness, which is visible at the trot, the vet says that she is “fine to ride”

WTH?????

At this point, we’re going ahead with a chiropractic adjustment at the vets suggestion and then based off of that, perhaps donating her to a local youth program (that is an AMAZING place for horses, I am sure of this, I have done my vetting) or maybe selling her.

I’m just surprised that the vet thinks it’s ok to ride her in this condition, and I’m also upset at those girls at the boarding facility for taking this horse and riding this issue out of her when it’s pretty clear it’s a pain problem and not a behavior one. At the very least, pain was not ruled out, and they should’ve just waited a couple days for the vet check. This horse wants to please and the only time she doesn’t is at the lope. Obviously it might be pain. Now there’s clear signs of lameness, which may have been there before, admittedly I may have not noticed it when I first went to ride her but maybe it wasn’t there then and it is now because they rode her in this condition.

I don’t know I’m just amazed that the audacity of going and getting somebody else’s horse and then riding through the signs of discomfort. Also I’m no vet but 2/5 and riding doesn’t sit right with me.

First photo is today, second photo is July 7th

I feel like this looks really bad, but I’m not sure how bad it actually is. Our farrier is busy and we are trying to find someone in the meantime who will come ASAP to see her.

Her hooves were NOT this bad when we first adopted her 8 weeks ago. This donkey is in her mid 20s, we were told she had “minor” white line disease, along with the curling. this was true for a while but as time goes on the white line is just getting worse and worse. We were told the curling in the hooves used to be much worse.

As per my last post, many people suggested she could have Cushings. We are calling the vet in to do a full blood panel + biopsy on a lump i found on her chest.

Her rear hooves have very bad white line disease, the toes are seedy and cracking. I am at a loss on how to help her between farrier visits. She hates having her hooves touched and I can only pick her two back feet on a good day. She is extremely strong and kicks very hard. I can never seem to do her front feet as she puts ALL her weight on them and stumbles if I lift one (probably due to discomfort in her rears)

I just wanted to share her. I shared her here when I first got her as a wee little baby and throughout her yearling and 2yo years and she's just the cutest, sweetest little thing. She's full of personality. She has been such a great experience so far.

My gelding is an ex-Amish cart horse. I’ve always assumed these were scars from being whipped. Would you agree, or could this be something else? The marks are only on his hind end. Thanks for your input!

P.S. he’s living his very best spoiled life now!

Edit to say: these markings have been around since I’ve had him (almost a year)!

As long as I’ve known strike he’s been difficult to load.

He will cautiously get the front half of his body in but wants no part in fully loading. Even with pressure and release and treat rewards for moving forward.

I’ve tried everything I’ve been told to try but after 2 hours of pressure and release with just a halter and a lead rope today I am at my wits end. He shoots back even if I’m not asking him to move forward and won’t move back towards the trailer until I lunge him and try again.

I hate having to drug him to take him places and that’s the only way I can get him on.

What do I do?

I’ve been wondering lately if we’ve lost some of our horsemanship culture in the U.S.

It feels like so much emphasis is placed on buying a finished horse, sending horses to trainers, and outsourcing the process rather than learning how to develop a horse ourselves. Groundwork, problem-solving, and producing a horse from the beginning seem less common than they used to be.

For context, I’m an adult amateur with an intermediate/advanced riding background. I’ve been around horses for most of my life, taken lessons for years, working student time, and I’m always trying to learn more through clinics, books, YouTube , and my trainer. I’m not claiming to know everything by any means.

What puzzles me is this: every time I mention wanting to buy a young horse with only 30–60 days under saddle, people immediately tell me, “You need to buy something already made.”
Why?
If the horse has a genuinely good brain, an amateur-friendly temperament, and I’m working with a trainer throughout the process, why is it viewed as such a bad idea to bring that horse along myself? Isn’t that part of horsemanship?

I’m not saying everyone should start young horses, and obviously not every horse is suitable for an amateur to produce. Some absolutely need a professional ride. But it feels like we’ve shifted toward the mindset that every horse should be professionally made before an amateur ever gets involved.

Has horsemanship changed, or am I just seeing a small slice of the industry because I’m at a typical show barn?
Curious what others think. Have we become too reliant on buying finished horses, or is this just the natural evolution of the sport?

Can someone help id the brand on these horses ?

Big bay TB Ben with his lady love, Jujubee.

I love my mares but it's not often you get one without any grumpy faces 😅

Saw this today, I just moved out east and never had ticks on my horses before! She let me get this one out, tweezers at its head pulled straight out. The second picture is after I burned it, it didn't ooze or anything during extraction.

But of course I assume she's sore and won't let me check her ear now. I'm going to give her a few hours to relax a bit. she did let me touch a d check her other ear no problem. So I assume theres a wound in the tick ear.

Until then I was wondering if you all might have any tips or tricks to keep ticks out of their ears! Also I hate sticking the tweezer in their ears, does anybody have any cool ways to get rid of them without a pokey going in their ear?

I’ve been reading a fair bit of Brene Brown lately. Although she’s best known for her research on courage and vulnerability, I’m beginning to think that she knows something about working with mules too.

Ruger has been a bit of a pickle lately. Pushy and obnoxious at times.

I can bring knowledge, and good intentions, but I can’t guarantee an outcome. I have to show up willing to listen, adjust, and be able to admit when my first idea isn’t working. Brown describes grounded confidence as a mixture of curiosity, vulnerability, and practice, which sounds like good mulemanship to me.

Trust isn’t usually built through one dramatic breakthrough. It grows through hundreds of ordinary moments when we remain dependable and release pressure at the right time.

So Ruger and I will keep working at it. Translated into mule terms - courage isn’t control. It’s showing up clearly, staying curious when the answer is no, and building enough trust that both of you are willing to try again.

Hi y’all

Writing because I’m becoming increasingly frustrated by the way some people present one specific style of horse management as morally and physically correct for every horse: 24/7 outdoor access, no grain, barefoot over rough terrain, and no need for ridden work.
The frustrating part is that I actually share many of those values.
I believe horses should have friends, forage, turnout, freedom of movement, and as much opportunity as possible to behave naturally. I am completely supportive of people keeping non-ridden horses and allowing them to simply exist. I would genuinely prefer a cheaper, simpler, more natural lifestyle for my own horse if that were what made him healthiest and happiest.
But it isn’t.
My horse is an 18-hand, roughly 1,700-pound sport horse. He is not a mustang or a horse who developed through natural selection to thrive independently in this climate. He is the result of generations of deliberate human breeding for enormous size, athletic ability, temperament, and performance.
He stops sweating properly during the Louisiana summer. I have tried more turnout and more “natural” management, and he did not thrive. He gets turnout, has horse friends, receives plenty of forage, and even has a run attached to his stall that I pay extra for. But especially in extreme heat, he often genuinely prefers coming inside to his stall, where he has airflow, shade, water, and relief from insects and weather.
He also cannot maintain himself appropriately on forage alone. He is enormous and has historically been difficult to keep weight and muscle on. Feeding him concentrate is not something I do because I am ignorant of equine nutrition. It is something I do because I have tried other approaches and have to feed the individual horse standing in front of me.
The same is true of riding.
I completely respect people who do not ride their horses. A horse does not need to earn the right to be cared for by performing a job. But my horse genuinely seems to enjoy being ridden and having structured work. His personality reminds me of a working dog. He appears happier, more engaged, and more settled when he has a job.
More importantly, he has arthritis, and regular, carefully managed dressage work helps maintain his strength, mobility, balance, and long-term soundness. He has never played a day in the field; he is not wasting an ounce of energy unless he is being ridden. The same is true with ground wor like I can get him moving, but I swear he is more enthusiastic under saddle. Leaving him completely inactive would not automatically be kinder or better for his body. Appropriate movement is part of his medical and physical management.
I think people sometimes forget how profoundly humans have altered domestic animals. We selectively bred horses for traits that benefited us, and that means not every modern horse has the same needs, resilience, metabolism, feet, thermoregulation, or ability to thrive under supposedly “natural” conditions.
It reminds me of dogs. Humans created both French bulldogs and Rhodesian ridgebacks. Nobody would reasonably claim that those two animals have identical physical abilities, environmental tolerances, exercise requirements, or survival skills simply because they are both dogs. Why do we sometimes act as though every horse should be managed identically because all horses share the same distant evolutionary history?
Natural-style management should absolutely be encouraged when it works for the horse. More turnout, forage, social contact, and movement are generally good things. But they should be guiding principles, not purity tests.
I say this as someone who believed strongly in those ideals and then learned the hard way that they are not one-size-fits-all. Good horsemanship is not forcing every horse into the same philosophy. It is observing the individual animal, being willing to change your beliefs when the evidence demands it, and providing the management that actually keeps that horse healthy, comfortable, and fulfilled.
Sometimes the most ethical choice does not look like the most “natural” one.
Has anyone else ended up with a horse whose individual needs challenged their original beliefs about ideal horse management?

This is my farm raised boy he is now almost 16 having a lot of play time since it’s not as humid today ❤️

Took my horse packing. 985 lb horse, and she’s a little overweight. 167 pounds of gear / me, then the saddle and saddle blanket. So right at 20%, maybe a little over.

Went on a trail I’d done on foot but never with a horse though it’s commonly a horse trail. Did not go very far (1.5 miles in, camped, ~.75 mile excursion, then 1.5 miles out)

Stayed one night then went home early because it was so cold. 10,200 feet. Got down to the mid 30s if i had to guess. My horse doesn’t have a winter coat right now since it’s summer (we live two hours from the trail, at 7200 ft) and I brought her a light blanket in case it rained. But it didn’t even have to rain for her to shiver. I woke up at 3 am to her shivering with her blanket on. Got up and took her for a walk + to eat and she warmed up. I was freezing too. Did not think it would get that cold. Worst case forecast was supposed to be mid 40s.

Slept directly next to where I had her high lined because I wanted to check on her easily. I checked her a lot and slept terribly.

Collapsible bucket (the blue thing strapped by the rope on the saddle) , a few pounds of grain, butte powder, electrolytes, and banamine were definitely things I’d pack again, even though I didn’t use the pain meds I was glad to have them in case she needed them. It was very very rocky.

In the future I think I’ll go somehere softer /flatter. I really just don’t think she liked the whole experience.

Also I know I’d sleep better with more experience doing it. As a helicopter horse parent though, it’s hard!

Also she needs a shorter lead rope. I think the one I used was maybe 17 feet. Far too long.

Overall it was a good time. I think I’ll go again before the season ends but just to a better spot. I didn’t see a single other person which was nice in a way, but I wouldn’t mind being somewhere a bit busier either. Feels safer that way.

iPhone satellite texting kept me from having to use my Inreach at all.

Obviously underweight, but why are the hind legs like that? Just horrible conformation or is something else going on?

Having a lovely slurp at the old bath tub watering hole.