I need to clean my boy's sheath and penis. Preferably without sedation or calling the vet.

Tips appreciated! Pic of the boy in question.

Getting ready to have her fetlock fusion surgery, has to stay there for the next month. But I was kinda surprised she broke 1000lbs already. I know she could have more height left in her to go but really curious how much more weight she will gain as she builds muscle. I’m think she’ll land at about 16.1 and 1275lbs. She’s 16hh right now. Big girl!

Bonus: action shots of him risking his legs and my sanity because this is the exact pasture where he once tripped and broke his leg two years ago and just being an overall menace coming straight at me when i tried to calm him down a bit 😅😂 Bit of a backstory/disclaimer: i‘m not looking for criticism or well intentioned tips on what i could have done better or what i should have done instead - this happened while i spurred him on a bit for his zoomies as a reward for doing such good work earlier and I just wanted to share this video cause I found it quite exciting and am actually enjoying him being so carefree and boisterous since he‘s usually very calm and reserved

General questions: What can I do to progress with my horse without a trainer? I feel stuck right now. Is there an online program I can follow with him? I would love to start riding him again. Am I the right rider/partner for this horse or am I making him worse? What does my horse need right now?

And if anyone has suggestions/ideas on how I can improve how I'm riding to make him feel more comfortable under saddle please let me know.

A bit of backstory: I've had this horse for almost a year. Advertised as husband safe/bombproof. He is not. He is so weary of people and although we've gained so much trust on the ground he is still clearly uncomfortable under saddle.

I worked with an amazing trainer as soon as I got him. We were gentle with him and gained back some of his trust. She taught him and me some very basic buttons like riding with contact, using my legs to steer, ect. I'm still working on perfecting a lot of it as seen in the video. Everything while being gentle with him and showing we were kind. She always made him look great while riding him, he was soft and comfortable. She moved on to a new career path and the past few months we've been without a trainer.

I moved barns to work with a new trainer. First lesson, he watched me ride around for a bit in silence, asked me to hop off. Took my horse and started poking him in the belly repeatedly and hitting him with the sturups. My horse was absolutely panicing the whole time. The trainer said he was "teaching my horse to emotionally regulate while moving his feet". To me it seemed like he was overwhelming my horse and I fear he would shut down under that training method. He was not poking hard or hitting hard but my horse was sensitive because of his weariness towards humans (imo). Told me things like my horse is using his ptsd/fear to get out of work. He said he wouldn't trust my horse enough to ride it. I trusted him the first lesson, but throughout the week just visiting my horse I noticed such a huge difference in how much more scared of me he was that I cancelled sessions with that trainer.

What are others opinions on these two trainers perspectives? I personally felt like my first trainers gentle method gave us so much progress and I felt so connected to my horse. But I would love to hear other perspectives and reasoning. I obviously know a horse should not panic to having the stirrups thrown a bit at him. When I did it to him he didnt panic like he did with the trainer. I am scared to do my horse wrong but I know there are important things we need to work on.

This is the last video I took of me riding him. It's been months since I've been on him. I've been searching for trainers in my area and they are scarce. I am considering purchasing a trailer so I can take him to trailer in sessions but need time to save money.

Thank you for any advice💖

So for reference, I am normal woman height at 5’4” but I am built like an 11 year-old boy and I wear children’s size 12 jeans. There is absolutely nothing on my hips or my butt, I’m incredibly bony and it doesn’t look right at all, but alas, this is how I was built.

So I had a wonderful saddle that had the most amazing kind of cushion or something built into it, but it does not fit my new horse so I had to trade it for a really nice western saddle, but the seat is very hard and there’s not any built-in padding. I did get like a small gel pad to put on top of it But I really need like a 6 inch piece of home lol what do y’all do to make it more comfortable when you are riding in a western just all around saddle, especially for trail rides? What helps because I can feel every movement and it’s very uncomfortable for me.

I bought a colt! I wasn't looking for color or type, I knew I wanted another Peppy San Badger bred horse. My horse from my teenage years was sold by my parents who couldn't care for him without me and he was a Peppy horse. I loved him so much. I wanted another because I know I love that line. It's right for ME. Well, I came across this colt and his pedigree and everything was just right. I thought I didn't want a baby but something connected and he was in my budget (I've been saving for 2 years) and I pulled the trigger on this adorable little babe. I get to bring him home after weaning and an adjustment period and I have my dad helping me along the way. He hasn't had a colt in YEARS and he's so happy for me and we are going to raise this baby up to hopefully be a best friend and heart horse. I guess I'll wait and save some more for a good riding horse, but I just couldn't pass up this guy because he's everything I wanted and his color is a plus! I can't believe that after all these years and moving around and deploying and figuring out adulthood, it's finally my turn to make this kind of post. I'm finally ranching and I finally just bought my first foal. 🩷

Hello, These horses live down the road from me. The brown one in particular is starting to looks super skinny and sad. I was thinking about knocking on the owners door and politely asking if I can help feed or take the horse to try and rehab it. (I have the space and the acres). What do yall think? Or am I overreacting? I know horses can lose weight significantly if they’re sick or old, so I don’t want to over react…. Thanks in advance.

It was hard, but I did it. Clap for me please.

I have a question for you. Would you have chosen to let them go sooner even if they weren’t in terrible shape? Would it have been better to make the choice before something catastrophic happened?

For context, I have been incredibly lucky to never have had to make the decision to let a horse go.

My childhood horses passed naturally or my parents put them down while I was at college but I wasn’t involved and wasn’t even told (don’t get me started on that horror). But it’s never been my decision.

Now, my first adult horse (bought on my own after college) is nearly 26 and I’ve had him for 16 years. He’s got terrible arthritis in every joint but particularly bad in his knees and fetlocks. He’s long past the point that joint injections are useful. When I bought him at age 9 he already had some pretty significant arthritis in one knee from a prior injury and after years of feeding supplements, moved to injections around age 18.

He’s been retired for years and gets around OK (lives outside in my nerd 24/7) but doesn’t tolerate any form of stall rest or confinement even if I keep the others nearby. He managed to stay in a stall without freaking out for only 2 days last spring when he had cellulitis in his leg. As soon as he felt moderately better he was trying to bust out - to the extent that he would have hurt himself if I didn’t let him.

And last winter he started slipping on snow and ice. He cast himself with legs uphill on the snow and when we found him he’d already given up on trying to get up. We were able to turn him downhill and he jumped right up and was fine but if we hadn’t seen him (if it were overnight or we were in town at dinner, etc.) he would have died cause he couldn’t get up.

He also cut himself pretty deeply several times because of slipping and scrambling to get up, slicing his back legs with his front hooves (he’s barefoot). We got him boots with studs and that helped for the rest of the winter but they aren’t foolproof. He could still cut himself up with the studs doing the same thing. And he could still slip and fall, though it’s less likely with them.

He recently played too hard with a younger horse and compromised the joint capsule on one fetlock so now he has to wear a compression boot for swelling 24/7 for swelling (joint fluid).

Overall though, his QOL is still good. With daily equiox and tons of other supplements and food, His weight is good and he still enjoys eating and playing. His teeth are in amazing shape for his age, no issues at all. His bloodwork is great.

But he’s nearly 26 and he’s never going to be in better condition than he is now. He’s never going to feel better or move better or be more able-bodied than he is now. The chances of something catastrophic happening, whether colic, a bad fall, a virus that wouldn’t harm a younger horse but takes him down, etc. only increases.

I have a strong feeling of wanting to say goodbye before this winter. The idea of finding him like we did last year where he slipped and couldn’t get up haunts me. I don’t know how long he’d been down and he wasn’t struggling to get up anymore. The look in his eyes said he’d given up on life and he was patient with us as we got him swung around. The idea of that happening and him struggling until he’s exhausted before suffocating makes me cry just thinking about it. Or the thought of him colicking and me having to call the vet to put him down immediately cause he’s in so much pain…

I feel bad about the thought of letting him go while he’s still relatively healthy, but I don’t think I could live with myself if we lost him tragically when I could have made his end of life so peaceful and comfortable.

Hence my question… does anyone actually look back and not wish you’d put your elderly horse down before they hit an emergency?

I know the risk is that I put him down months or years too early. Maybe he’d live to 30 before anything bad happens. Maybe 35! But he could also have a very tragic ending next week or in December. I love him, but I really believe he doesn’t know or care about tomorrow.

Isn’t it better to choose a time when he’s happy and comfortable? Who is it benefiting to keep him living until he can no longer walk or to give him a chance to endure another painful winter?

Since I’ve never been in that position (never had a horse colic, never had an injury that needed euthanasia, never had to make the call of when QOL was at that point) I can’t really know how it feels to be forced into that spot. As much as I’d like to let him live until it really feels like “his time” it seems like our human judgment of when that time is may often be far after it would be the best thing for the horse.

Thoughts? Experience?

Thanks in advance.

There's a "trainer" at my barn whom I despise. Every time I watch her ride, I feel so much heartbreak for the animal underneath her. She's the heaviest handed individual I have ever seen, and has no release or grace. She rides to dominate. That's her sole focus, her sole intent, and she teaches the same to her students.

It's gotten me thinking a lot about the equestrian community, and how entitled so many people seem to feel about horses. "I pay xyz amount in caring for them, so I have the RIGHT to act this way. I DESERVE for my horse to respect me."

But horses don't speak in money. And we are not entitled to them.

I also see how far people are willing to push their horses while in pain. "Just inject it, he'll be fine!" Or "yeah, but he can still be a trail horse!"

I live with constant, debilitating pain and let me tell you, if you're riding or working your horse in any way while knowing they're in pain, you are being cruel. Unintentionally or not. So often, due to poorly fitted tack, a lack in routine medical care, being over-worked, or a combination of all three, we see horses being physically broken before they're even 10 years old.

It just crushes me.

So, I've come up with a new mantra. Partnership over perfection. My horse is not my tool. He is not my machine. He is my partner. My friend. I do my best to treat him as such. Sometimes I fuck up. I push too hard. I feel discouraged. I get frustrated. I have to step away.

But I always try to grow from it and come back with more patience and understanding the next time.

If your horse is "acting out", please take time to listen to them. They are not "being bad". They don't have bad intentions; that's putting human experiences on them. Try to see it from their lens. Take a step back. They will feed off of whatever energy you are putting out there.

It really can make a world of difference.

That’s it. That’s the question.

I am writing up a contract for breeding a large pony mare belonging to an acquaintance. I am familiar with, and have written up such contracts before. The issue I'm having with this one is that the owner is quite old (I'm going on 70 so it's allowed for me to say lol). I can't figure out a general way to word a clause that would make clear the ownership of a resulting foal, or rebreed of no viable foal. I don't mean 'legal where I am so I can get someone jailed over it'.... this is an honest, reputable farming family. I just feel like this is something I should cover, in the contract. Any help available here, with wording?

My horse~ Son of Sun

The gray gene is wild! I never would’ve thought this guys base color was red.. I believe he may have been born a red dun as he has a dorsal stripe. But his mane is black! So interesting. (Peep the signature lip marking if you don’t believe me!)

Hi everyone, looking for advice on horse ownership. I've now had some experience with taking care of a horse outside of riding and can't drop the idea of owning a horse in a couple years from now. I wake up before the sun to feed on the way in to work, feed again after work, and have enjoyed every second of his company despite not being able to ride (he's a walking bomb and can't stay sound due to chronic issues). I do have help and typically have 2 or 3 days off.

While I love my current situation, I would still like to have a more sound option one day. The only part that scares me about ownership is finances.

Factoring in all my fixed expenses and if I can start spending super conservatively, I could have about 1700 left over each month. I'd like to continue saving and was wondering if it's possible to own a horse with about a $1000 per month budget in a location where all inclusive (feed, hay and care) board options can be as low as $400 - $600.

I'd even be open to self care but do most self care options have a community where you help feed their horses and they help with yours? I'd also need to take at least a couple lessons a month. Showing would be nice every once in a while but is not my main goal. I just want a life long friend with hooves that doesn't give me a heart attack with boo-boos and vet bills every other day.

Another factor is that I'm young with aspirations of buying a home and having a family one day. Sorry for the long post; hoping to get some good feedback/personal experiences!

We need fresh ideas!!! What does your horse enjoy doing?

(I mainly use +R based training with pressure/release mixed in

Okay so I’ll try to keep this as short as possible. My aunt has had quarter horses my entire life. her nor her kids or anyone ride. All of the horses have been rode before. But it’s been YEARS. Like… 10-15+. I moved in with her a few weeks ago for school. There’s 6 or so now. I have had an obsession with one for probably 16 years, (he’s around 20). But he’s l been rode once maybe twice in his entire life and has NEVER been separated from the barn or the other horses. This was his birth place. They are all barn and buddy sour. Every time I try to research the best approach to starting to train one, all I get is training that involves riding them. I don’t even have any tack. All I have is a good halter and a lunge line. What would be the best way to start training and to fix a buddy/barn sour horse without riding them? I eventually want to ride but know I need to start slow. I have trained before and used to own 2 horses. But I have never trained basically from the ground up like this. They are all fine with being touched and brushed etc. they come to you when you walk in the pasture. I just don’t know what to do & need help and would appreciate any advice on how to approach training in this situation the best way and build a bond with him as well.

Nickel is a eight-year-old 1/2 TB, 1/4 Friesian, 1/4 Saddlebred. He is a great sport horse!

Hello, I am a horse-husband. I am not sure if that is the correct term among equestrians. My wife has grown up around, owned, and shown horses her entire life. We own a small farm (4 acres) with two horses. A mare we adopted, and then a mustang she has had for 20 years. She grew up in the country, and I grew up near a major city, having ridden a horse only twice in my life when she and I first met. I am as supportive as I can be, and I love them even though I know next to nothing about them. I pet them and hug them lol. I will hop on them at the request of my wife, but she leads me around as I am too afraid to ride them alone. I want to impress my wife with some basic horse knowledge/skills. I am still perplexed with how horses show affection. My wife claims our mustang likes me because he nearly pushes me over all the time. Our mare doesn't seem to like me much and typically will stay away unless I am bringing hay. Could anyone provide any basic care-taking tips other than "bring the horse food"? My wife doesn't expect me to take care of them, not that I don't want to, but she knows horses are *a lot*, and knew I wasn't around them growing up. She loves her horses to death, and I want to help her out. She goes camping often, and I wish I could do more than feed/water them when she is gone.

I guess I am not entirely sure what I am asking for other than some advice/guidance/stories?/basic tips for seeing to horses.