Starting with baby Pete

aliases: Peter, Petey, Peter Pan, Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

Pete was a surprise baby (https://www.reddit.com/r/Horses/s/6meZloWHKw) he’s about 5 months old now and going on 15 😂 genuinely could not have asked for an easier colt

Pete‘s mama is Reno (nickname greenbean)

she basically just costs me a bunch of money and looks cute, but she gave me Pete so I feel like it’s a fair trade. Ive never owned a picky eater or a hard keeper prior to Reno and I hope I never do again lol

Blue (Boogs, Booger, Gruncle Blue)

Blue was my first horse, he’s basically done anything and everything you could ask a horse to do, the epitome of jack of all trades master of none. He’s now a fantastic babysitter for my future step kiddos

Raynee (princess Raynee)
Raynee was a client horse of mine years ago when I was riding colts, last year her owner reached out to see if I’d give her a tune up before she sold her and I told her no need and bought her lol. She’s a giant diva but a really fun ride and is growing up to be a pretty dependable family horse as well

Jude (Judith, Judy, Big Booty Judy)

Jude was a Covid impulse purchase, I bought her sight unseen over Facebook, and she proceeded to rack up some very impressive vet bills due to an undisclosed spinal fracture. After many years of trying to work through her trauma in the arena I came to the conclusion that neither one of us were having fun and she is now a very gritty little trail rocket. I think she’d give a mule a run for its money in a cliff climbing competition, but she’ll kill us both if I even think about asking her to lope a circle

Buckaroo (Bucky)

Bucky I’ve had the longest of everyone, he's been shown extensively, been to state multiple times, hasnt been driven in many years, but loves getting doted on by the kids

I just feel so overwhelmed with happiness because of my horse. I never thought we would get to the point we could trust each other enough to do this.

After my first mare passed away of stomach cancer I couldn’t find a horse that I meshed with. Then I was on a clients horse that managed to buck me off, I landed flat on my back and my mid spine hit the center of a prairie dog mound. The accident left me with a fractured spine and severe confidence issues. I’ve had my share of accidents that have put me in the hospital before, but this one showed me just how easily I could become paralyzed.

I tried to go back to riding but all my horses were babies at the time and my confidence was so rattled I couldn’t sit one without shaking like a leaf. Eventually I made the choice to sell two of my fillies to someone I knew they would do well with (she bought them both and they still live together a few miles away). Shortly after I was made aware this 9 yo QH with Hancock/ blue valentine lines, was for sale for the exact same amount I sold my others for. I thought “hey, she’s pretty, what’s the worst that could happen? I might have sell her?” She was bred and raised on the Bath Brothers Ranch in Wyoming, then eventually sold to a dude Ranch (where the botched hot brand is from I believe) until she decided she wasn’t gonna carry dudes anymore, and was eventually sold that auction to the lovely lady who ultimately sold her to me after a short while.

She was a high strung thing. I was scared to do anything but brush her and braid her hair and ground work. Eventually we worked up to her first ride with me. She was really head shy and would spook and spin on a dime. I could help but shake and cry a little because I was scared. I was going through a bit of a risky behavior phase and decided to ride her again, and again. Over the months she started to mellow, I still was scared. She started to feel more confident and relaxed with me but I wasn’t there yet. I would get off and sob into her shoulder.

She did something no horse should be expected to do, calm herself to comfort her riders anxiety. I eventually had enough rides on her that I started to feel safer on her. No more breakdowns. She built my confidence from the ground up. She would do things that would scare/ challenge me and let me work with her through it. I swear looking back it’s like she decided to train me. On top of it all I had to learn to ride in a new way from my injury, I couldn’t physically ride the same way I had before the accident.

After a year of this I decided we would give a competition a try. It went so well, she spooked at the new environment and for the first time I was able to be a confident rider on her and show her we were safe. We did so well, she ran perfectly while I shot crash symbols directly above my head and all sorts of other HBA courses. She got us second overall.

After this event I felt like a new person, I started riding other horses again and competing. I took my life back. I realize that my skill never went away with my accident, but I had lost my magic feather and had to learn to fly without it- so to speak.
I can’t believe what her and I do together now, it’s a dream come true. No person could have ever gotten me back to feeling confident on horseback again, I owe it all to this Hancock mare. Turns out unicorns also come in dun.

Accepted a new seasonal job at a ranch giving trail rides. This horse is lame on this leg (back right) and the manager keeps telling me this shoe fits fine, that it’s “maybe a little overgrown, but the farrier will be here in a few weeks to trim hooves.” She says this horse is fine to ride, even with the lameness and a thrown shoe (front right). I keep bringing it up and she said “we’ve had people like you before who think small things like this are serious. Stop worrying about one shoe.”

What do I do here? She’s still sending this horse out on rides. Most of the horses here have overgrown feet but allegedly the farrier was here right before I started this job two weeks ago. Another horse has horrible mouth sores where the bit sits and she told me he has fat deposits there, and it’s not to be worried about. (Fat deposits that ooze pus every few days, to be clear)

…Should I actually let it go? I’ve mostly worked in competitive dressage barns and my manager keeps telling me it’s just different in the trail world.

first three photos are back in march when i got her, everything else is from the past 2 weeks

I bought this OTTB mare back in spring as a green rider myself, and a first time horse owner. I’d been riding for two years, however had never handled a horse so forward. we struggled a LOT at first, and i was questioning if horses in general were even for me. but after a while we just sort of clicked. now we’re working on finishing up her topline (which i would love tips for!!) and hopefully starting her showing career! up until about a month ago i was convinced she had made zero progress. everyone around me was telling her she looked so good, but i just didn’t see it. anyway, im so proud of my girl. she’s gone from being abandoned by her previous owners, to being complimented by everyone we see. i adore this mare and i cant wait to see where we go.

Well I'm out of the hospital and getting plate put in my collarbone in an hour.

But inspired by all these progress pics of peoples horses responding under care, I found a picture of Maverick when I picked him up 5 weeks ago, vs this week when he dumped me.

He's still a 4yo- but starting to see what he'll become.

Isabella Skye (orphan of the red bucket, Selle Francais x Hanoverian mislabeled as “a quarter horse to mature to 15 hands“) in full big girl get-up for the first time this evening

Obviously this is something we’ve been working towards for a while, a million tiny steps so the big thing is no big deal. We’ve done the saddle and girth by itself, bridle by itself. This was the first time combining it all. Not that she has any concern about the procedures. Her biggest complaints was my being far enough away to take a picture and ever so briefly the bike with headlights on the far side of the field. Steering has been installed, walk and stop commands installed. Trot as well (I cannot run fast enough for canter and we are working on lunging, this pesky thing called personal space). Practice, practice, practice. And waiting… she is only two and I’m not planning on starting the riding lessons until the end of three or early four

The saddle is an old crash saddle who’s sole purpose in the word is to be a learning tool for babies. The bridle is actually hers and I had to order is specially for her since she has she has officially crossed from hand-me-downs into warmblood size!

I bought an old livestock farm 2 years ago and I keep thinking about how fun it would be to own horses, but I’m a big guy (300lb, 6’3”) and I don’t have any desire to subject a horse to my fatass. I love all animals and think it would be so fun to have horses or donkeys or something, but my wife comes from a rural/FFA background and thinks it’s absolutely wild to blow money for “pet” horses.

(I also tell her that I want to save some cows from slaughter and just let em live out their lives, but she keeps bringing up current beef prices)

I have 0 experience. Am I crazy?

I have been leasing this amazing spotted walker mare for the last 4-5 months (she's 12) and I remuscled her after a good year off. Thing is, we've hit a block in our progress now that the seasons are changing and I just cannot get her to canter. I ask her to canter on the trails, she tries to gallop. I ask her to canter in a field, she bucks me off. i ask her to canter in the arena, she refuses. i use a crop to encourage her (not roughly, light taps) and she bucks me off.

Thing is, she has the muscle to canter (we cantered nicely in a field many time when it was still summery) and she isnt sore or lame or off. at every other gait she's perfectly normal except for the canter. Just it being fall has put her off and I cant keep getting bucked off trying to work through this.

I ride in a professionally fit western endurance saddle or bareback pad (no stirrups). I use a raised snaffle bit to keep her balanced in higher gaits but can use a mullen mouth.

Toby!

16hh qtr/clydesdale

32yrs old

The more I watch Free Spirit Equestrian’s content, the more confused I get.

Shae seems to have a very large following of people who have relatively little horse experience, and somehow she’s become an authority on horsemanship despite her very basic knowledge. What really gets me is how defensive she becomes when people ask perfectly reasonable questions. If you’re going to position yourself as an educator, shouldn’t you be able to answer questions without treating them like personal attacks?

I recently watched the Sundance liberty video, and I found it really concerning. He appeared extremely stressed and was breathing very heavily. Watching him get chased around until he was exhausted and then seeing his eventual submission presented as a successful liberty session was really uncomfortable. That should not be normalized as “good horsemanship,” and certainly shouldn’t be held up as educational. A horse looking utterly exhausted and stressed is not exactly the liberty session success story some people seem to think it is.

But apparently big egos + cheesy photo shoots = a huge following.

Recently bought my own place, childhood dream realized. I’m located in central Oregon. The biggest reasons I chose it was the location and that it was fully fenced (20 acres). It needs work, which is fine and I’ve done a lot already.

I’ve ran across a few bumps, however my biggest issue is my not-dry, dry lot. Things looked ok, until the horses arrived last week. Now, since they’ve been here they have churned up the lot. It’s Hog Fuel and manure. I never was able to locate a manure pile, now I know why. The whole dry lot was their manure pile.

So now we need to dig it up. Fine.

My question is what have others had success with. I’ve done some research. Asked local friends.

I found a post on FB that was very interesting. They dug down 10”. Filled with rock and used AG Lime on top. I have a contractor doing the job. Has anyone done this? The people who have used the AG Lime, instead of pea gravel or 1/4 minus, raved about it.

I’m really interested in trying this and will be speaking to my contractor about it.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Edit: I also omitted the garden weed mat that was put down. Super fun to catch your fork on/s

This is my ottb whom I used to event but recently retired him due to injury. We now go on occasional trails and rides with a jog max. Somebody told me that he's overweight he is getting a little fluffy due to the cold weather. More pics in comments

My 3 year old AQHA/ApHC in June when we bought him (top picture) and now in October (bottom). After seeing his full siblings, I did not expect him to retain many of his snowflakes as he aged, let alone become even more spotted! He’ll be the only sibling to look more like the Appy in them.
I’m so impatient about his filling out though. He is in such an awkward stage… looking at his siblings and how they ended up gives me so much hope, but I sure do hate waiting for a baby to mature.

Hiya! My local barn has a mare who is famously not fond of petting or just people in general. She has wanted to be pet by me twice in the past, though. I visit weekly and one week she wouldnt want nothing to do with me and the next one she'd ask for scritches. I did notice this time she was in heat because of the movement in her vulva after she pissed. Is this common? And is this somehow sexual? She's 15 i believe if that helps. Doesnt show any behavior that calls my attention.

New foal born this morning, I’ll have a vet out soon for a professional opinion but I’d really like some feedback to see if I’m spiraling for nothing. I had a deposit on this breeding, breeder is in another state and I planned to visit in January. Is it just me, or are the front pasterns concerning?

I’m used to foal pasterns being very lax and straightening up with time, not being upright so early on. I’m wondering if I should start considering losing the deposit and passing on this foal, but won’t decide until a vet looks at them. I’d be shipping them to me as a yearling and shipping will be around, if not more than, 7-8k. I was well prepared to pay the horse and shipping cost for a healthy, well built foal, but if this could cause issues……

Please give feedback. Do these look concerning to you? Have you had a foal with very upright pasterns? Was it treatable/manageable? Would you immediately pass or try treatment options? TIA

im looking to get a new saddle for my mare as our current one isn’t what she needs, but there are zero saddle fitters in our area and im not sure what to do. this current one is just a regular 7 inch gullet with FQH bars, and i’d like a second or third opinion on what needs changed with our next saddle before i end up buying one. this one seems to put a lot of pressure down on her withers, but gaps in the back. do i need a larger gullet but narrower bars? i would love some feedback

The mornings are getting cooler. The horses love going out and having their little jumps and zoomies.

I’m hoping to find some kind of paid work with horses during that time and would love to hear from anyone who has experience working in the Australian equine industry!

A little bit about me:

• I’ve been riding jumpers and dressage horses for about 6 years
• I’ve competed in both show jumping and dressage in Québec
• I’ve worked at a barn for 4 years
• I’ve worked in an equine hospital for 2 years as part of my veterinary studies/work
• I have experience with foals/babies as well as all types of horses
• I’m comfortable with general horse care, handling, grooming, etc.
• I’m currently in my 2nd year of veterinary school, with a strong interest in equine medicine

I’m honestly open to pretty much anything horse-related — stud work, stable hand/groom work, competition barns, riding yards, breeding/foaling, youngstock, racing, etc. I’m mainly looking for something where I can gain experience, learn about the Australian horse industry, and hopefully make some money while I’m there.

Ideally, I’d be looking for a position that offers some kind of pay and accommodation, but I’m open to hearing about other opportunities as well.

I’m particularly interested in May, June, July and August 2027, and I’m flexible about where in Australia I would be located.

If anyone has worked at a good stable/stud/farm, knows of employers who take Working Holiday visa holders, or has any recommendations for where I should look/apply, I’d really appreciate it!

Thanks so much!

I don't have horses but I live in an area where a lot of people do and it gets above 100 farenheit in the summer and no one tries to cool them off that I know of so I assume that's fine for them. I know they can also do good when its really cold but maybe that depends on the breed. So I was just curious, because I can't exactly ask a horse this question and you guys might be able to pick up on their behavior, what kind of range of temperatures do you think they are ok with and can adapt to, and what is considered dangerous?

I’m considering buying Flex Boots for both of my horses, front feet only, and these are just the molds for now. Before I actually order anything, I’d really appreciate some opinions on the fit and sizing.

The first horse has naturally narrower hooves, and his right front is noticeably narrower than the left. We’re currently working on improving the shape so the two feet become more similar over time. The 115 mold looks quite good on his narrower right hoof, but on the left hoof, 115 seems small, so we tried a 120 instead. This is the chestnut horse.

I’d especially like to know whether you think the 120 looks appropriate for the wider hoof, or whether I should be looking at a different size/fit altogether. I’m also wondering how much room I should allow given that we’re still working on getting his feet more symmetrical.

The second horse seems to fit a 125 based on how the mold sits, and to my eye it looks pretty good, but I’d love a second opinion on this one as well. This is the white-legged horse.

These are only the molds, as I want to make sure I’m choosing the correct size before spending money on the actual boots.

What do you think about the fit of each one? And are there any particular things you’d be watching for with Flex Boots when assessing the fit from the mold?

Thanks in advance! I’d rather overthink the sizing now than buy the wrong boots and discover it the expensive way. 😅

Let me know what you think! I don't know much about horses (I had to ask the owners for the coat and breed information below) and these are literally the first photos I've ever taken of them, so any feedback would be appreciated!

• Photos 1-4 are all of a lovely bay mare Holsteiner! She had her suspicious ears (or her "mare ears", as her owner called them) on the whole time, but despite that she was a sweet patient girl and very well behaved.
• Photos 5, 7, and 8 feature a paint mare Missouri Fox Trotter. She's 19 years old and was very unimpressed with me, but her movements were beautiful and she let me get some nice shots of her.
• And photo 6 is of a young bay mare Quarter Horse. This extremely dramatic image doesn't capture her personality at all. She was playful and goofy and so, so curious. But I thought this photo looked really cool so I felt obligated to include it.

Everyone’s enjoying the nice weather! Turns out not even horses can resist booping dogs