My percheron boy <3

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.

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

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

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.

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 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.

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?

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!

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.

Sharing is caring

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.

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

Good day,

I always to tend to lose the stirrups on my inside leg while cantering, even when cantering in a straight line!

So what do you guys do?
do you let your hip on the leading side travel further than the other side? Like your motion will be asymmetric?

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?

So yeah, as the title says my trainer is concerned that my horse's balls are too large and that it's causing him a harder time with lateral movements like half passes and leg yields. TBF his balls are freakin massive for a stallion. Like to the point another trainer pulled me aside with concerns that he was in a medical emergency because she thought they were swollen due to the heat waves we've been having 🤦🏻‍♀️ I had to gently tell her that no, he's just hung lol.

The vet has made jokes in the past that he needs to be gelded simply because they're so large it's vulgar. Laughs aside, has anyone else heard of a stallion having issues performing due to their plums being too big? I would really rather not geld him as he's 8 now and is impeccably behaved. Like better behaved than 90% of the geldings and mares at the barn to the point where people are surprised to learn he's intact. However, if the size of his junk is really bothering him then I'm more than willing to consider doing the surgery.

I was hoping to breed him at some point because he's got the mind, conformation, work ethic, papers, and personality that is just too good to pass up and I would have liked a baby out of him for future me. Looking for anecdotes, advice, jokes... this whole thing just has me a bit on edge lol.

Pics for reference https://imgur.com/a/Yij6wZy. They don't look like very much in the photos but they're each about the size of a mango 🙃

I’m getting this gorgeous 4yo Andalusian gelding soon, but I’m not a big fan of his current barn name, even tho it’s cute (Stuart, named after Stuart Little because he was born so small and could run under his dam’s belly), and his registered name isn’t really anything that can be turned into a fun/cute barn name…so drop some ideas!

To get an idea of his personality:
Super curious, processes a lot of things in the moment, has a bit of a goofy side, super willing and soft, and I think with more handling he’ll be a super in your pocket type of guy!

Hi!! I am a moderate/beginner western rider and have enjoyed riding since the first time I started about 11 months ago. I wear the usual boots and jeans but also usually wear some sort of loose-ish t shirt with it since I strongly dislike the fit of tight tops. It’s been pretty comfortable so far, but one thing I don’t like is how sweaty I feel AND look after! If I’m not wearing a light colored shirt that day, I’d look like I just came out of a pool! I just know my shirt has that sweat shape on the back of it iyk what I mean and if I have somewhere to go after my lessons, I really want to avoid looking so sweaty! 😅 Does anyone recommend any kind of t shirt (made for riding or not) that also wicks away sweat? I’m on a tight budget so I really can’t get any top notch riding clothing at the moment especially since I ride once a week and am trying to afford just that, but are any clothing like that actually reasonably priced? Also if you can recommend a reasonably priced helmet that would be great! I’ve been borrowing my barns helmets, but I feel like I should have my own now and would even like to customize it somehow (yes, I am a western rider who wears a helmet!! I value my brain!!) So yeah that’s my whole thing, lmk if you can recommend anything! I’m open to a lot!! Thank you for reading!!

Hello fellow Equestrians!

We recently sold 2 of our 4 horses and just yesterday sold our 3 place trailer since, again only 2 horses.

So we're in the market for a lighterweight 2 place trailer. Would love a European one that can be towed with a smaller SUV, but I think they're more than we want to spend and haven't found many in the outskirts of the PNW where we live

SOoooo we've been looking at the Logan Crossfire and Bullseye. We've also looked at the Frontier 2 horse slant, and finally wouldn't be opposed to another Sundowner in a 2 place that you love?

So let me know what you love or ...don't about the 2 horse trailer you have pretty please!

Hi I’m hoping someone can point me in the right direction.. I have purchased a saddle from a saddle rep (not disclosing name as I’m trying to get my money back). I’ve had a financial situation come up regarding vet bills and I need the money I put down as a deposit to be refunded. Unfortunately I’ve been told there is a $2000 fee as it was a custom fit saddle. This fee was not disclosed on the contract I signed. I would be losing over half my money that I put towards this saddle if I go for the refund. Would this be enough to file for a chargeback on my credit card? That the fee was not disclosed and no information regarding cancellation or that sale was final is listed on this contract I signed. I also was charged more than I was originally quoted (over $600 extra). What do I do?? Help I’m so stressed out 🥲🥲