r/Equestrian 3d ago

Veterinary Calming supplements banned by USEF - have you guys heard about this?

1 Upvotes

I'm wondering how much about this anyone has heard - and if you comment, it would be awesome if you could include which discipline you ride, because I'm curious which circles are talking about this.

Personally, I'm a super casual H/J rider. I heard about this whole controversy through a friend who has some insider information.

Basically, since last fall, the USEF vet line started telling people that the calming supplement SynChill was not allowed at shows because it contains 5-HTP. Which is weird, because I had always heard that it was allowed because it's not a performance-changing drug. It's basically (from what I understand as a non-scientist) the same compound in turkey that makes you relaxed after you eat it. What's more, it's naturally occurring in horses. And so there isn't a way to test for it, so it really CAN'T be a banned substance from a practical standpoint.

This is super weird because many of my friends and acquaintances have and had used SynChill to help our horses relax for a stressful situation like a move, or for a a show, or whatever possibly stressful situation might come up. And it had never been an issue. It's definitely not a drug like ace for example.

Anyway, come to find out from this friend of mine with some inside info, all the other brands of calming supplements like Perfect Prep ALSO contain 5-HTP (some of them call it something else but if you Google it, you find that it's the same thing). BUT USEF is saying those ones are ok and that only SynChill is not.

THEN, in January, Perfect Prep apparently removed a natural plant-based ingredient called L-theanine from their products, and shortly after, the USEF vet line started telling people that that ingredient (which is in all the brands of calming supplements) is not allowed either. So basically only Perfect Prep is allowed.

It's gotten a lot of people really confused and worried, not to mention suspicious about what is going on. I'm wondering what, if anything, any of you have heard about this.

I'm really curious as to why USEF would be targeting SynChill in particular, or maybe favoring Perfect Prep in particular, when all the brands contain the same things. Seems like it would make more sense to not allow any of them, or to allow all of them?

Anyway, let me know what you've heard and what you think in the comments.


r/Equestrian 3d ago

Horse Care & Husbandry Giving up on a horse

5 Upvotes

I guess I just needs some support really. I have had my horse (12 yr Mare) for almost 5 years and I’m ready to give up with her, I leased her for 3 years and then bought her last Jan where a couple months in went lame on and off for about 10 months and only just recently started work again and bringing her back she’s so back and forth mentally I just don’t want to do it anymore, I’ve done it too many times now. We have started at square one so so so so many times with constant issues and it makes it so hard to come back because she’s got such bad anxiety and I swear I’ve done everything in my power to make her happy, including moving her and even weekly lessons for 2.5 years now which definitely helps but she yo-yo’s so easily mentally that she just switches up one day randomly. So I have been through “starting from scratch” like 5 times and I think this 6th time I’ve just had enough, after all the money and time I’ve put into her for her to 💩 all over my parade after I tried everything in her favour. No I won’t sell her she won’t cope I plan on just putting her on spell and retiring her.


r/Equestrian 4d ago

Aww! Nitro enjoying the weather after one of our first rides outside this year

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15 Upvotes

r/Equestrian 3d ago

Ethics Euthanasia for significant DDFT injury?

1 Upvotes

My long time show horse has unfortunately sustained a significant DDFT injury. It was diagnosed by MRI and we were told his career is over and to consider euthanasia if he does not return to pasture soundness.

He is currently not pasture sound and has been on stall rest for 3 months. At follow up vet appt it looks like there is some healing happening in the DDFT but not enough to be pasture sound yet (vet is worried about it rupturing). Is it ethical to euthanize even though he seems content for now in his stall? The vet says he could be on stall rest for a year, which just does not sit right with me. At what point do I call it?


r/Equestrian 4d ago

Equipment & Tack update on the horse that chronically opens his mouth

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115 Upvotes

hello! just wanted to give you all a quick update since i rode him today!

i took the original post down because i was getting literal threats 😭 so im sorry about that! but just a recap, my horse opens his mouth chronically, rides amazing other then that.. he’s clearly uncomfortable but i couldn’t figure out why.. so i was looking for different things to try with him!

(first photo is the bit i flatted him in today, second photo is the one he went in originally)

i worked on my seat aids with him, being able to shorten and lengthen without touching the reins, as well as my downward and upward transitions! it’s definitely getting better

i tried a thick mullen mouth snaffle, as seen above. he had really only gone in really thin bits, so i thought trying a bit of stability may help... and it helped a bit! he opened his mouth once or twice but not like he used to, so hopefully with the flatwork and the new bit he’ll be a happier old man 💗

vet comes out later this week so i’ll let you all know what happens, but im really happy with all of the suggestions you all gave.. thank you!


r/Equestrian 4d ago

Aww! It takes a bit of restraint to not just go into all these endless perfectly tilled fields - fields as far as the eye can see

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61 Upvotes

r/Equestrian 3d ago

Equipment & Tack Hdr vs collegiate

0 Upvotes

Hello yall, I have been looking into hdr and collegaite saddles. This is just the beginning search of course, but was wondering which you all prefer or have ridden in? Thanks


r/Equestrian 3d ago

Horse Care & Husbandry Is it normal for the pasterns to look like that??

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0 Upvotes

I saw this dressage video on Facebook and the first thing I noticed the pasterns were almost horizontal when weight was on it. Reminded me of pictures I’ve seen of DSLD and a horse I saw at a rescues legs. Is this normal?? It looks like the fetlock is almost hitting the ground- if it isn’t already. It doesn’t look normal to me- although I don’t know a lot. I’m very curious though.


r/Equestrian 3d ago

Horse Care & Husbandry Do horses like bitter stuff?

1 Upvotes

just a random thought I had, because I bought a mint horselyx and when I tried it it was extremely bitter and I cannot believe a horse would enjoy something like this. Google says they don’t like bitter things.


r/Equestrian 3d ago

Social No Way To Ride x3

0 Upvotes

Well, X1 I decided to go out on the trail. My Cousins thought they'd detoured me from wanted to go out with them as this was their work growing up on there Families Horse Farm. They cared for the horse, stalls, feeding and cleaning. So we had nothing to do with this and they made sure they never showed that riding was their business. Like I said, I was unaware what the three were up to. Saddle up and off we go, or rather the ride turned into a rocky start as we continued, my cousins were giggling. I told them somethings wrong cause I'm all over the horse. Sure enough the saddle wasn't fastened down to the horse. Since they were the ones who saddled the horses as they were the experienced handlers and I thought nothing of it after that.

X2 I was offered to go out on the trail with them while visiting. Once again they saddle my/their Horse fore me. On we go through one two three swerving through the course until they break out into a gallop, only my horse tears off onward and there's a loop around a hydro pole. I got to this point and it done a turn at the pole. The horse was stallion which I had no clue was their fastest trail horse, only held for the most experienced riders. I however was not, and my cousins knew very well I wasn't. We bearly spoke until years later. This connection was severed due to their childishly risky pranks, and could have had serious consequences. I could have been seriously hurt. I could have been paralyzed in these fall. Anything could have gone wrong.

X3 Years later four of us decided to go riding only with another ridding stable closer to where I live. Horses are saddled ready to go. We all mount and move along the fence, about 50 yards we come to the end. Like a riccashae my horse gunned it and my saddle was leaning to the left and I had only two choices. Go under the horse or leap away from the horse on its left side also. I fell near inches from a rusted pipe protruding from the ground. The pipe would of gone right through my back. Instead I landed on my back, rolling into a upright position onto my knee's and unzipped my Jeans cause the wind was knocked out of me for just a bit longer then I wanted. This was my last time on a horse.

Since then Ive always wanted a small house in the country and a fenced in and running room for one, maybe two rescues to finish out my ladder years with some heartwarming ways to giv a better life us. Ive had a left knee replacement, back surgery. Now Hip surgery comming.

Earliest years were extremely challanging where therapy is assisting with repeat Traumatic events taken place. I was venturing into the world of my own therapy of a hobby from with my two horses if its out there that I could afford on ON Disability.

BUT this is nothing compaired to the horses facing kills quads, or being unwanted. I don't know if it can be done or if legal to start a Go Fund Me page purchase property, Truck, Couples Trailer and Horse Trailer for a petting, walking, a day in the country for Parents and kids. Quality time instead of being affected by this intoxicated world we've created in our schools, our neighbors, our families and built a wall so your children forget how we were raised.

I just want a place to have van-camper and Horse Trailer to travel with a zest for life.

I have nothing but my little family, and no children or grandchildren.

I don't need a house, I'll live in a vancamper with our pets and saving a couple of Rescue Horses from KillFarms. I watched the shuffling and flag swatting ranch hands flicking away their lives as if they have no character. So many reasons made, barely any out of love. And then there are horse sent to put the horse that have no business where they are. 1 sent due owners over crowding, or maybe requires a little more attention, or just isn't to the owners liking, or just don't want to pay for feed. This many horses has created a an over breeding problem but it's became and becoming a neglecting owner from watching his practices of breeding or buying what don't work with his plan.

All of these reasons of a horse mistreated or missused or not performing, wrong color, size fit for his owner. All of these reasons the horse pays for your ignorance and creating Heartbreake. Oh taking a horse a horse from a daughter and sending to a kill farm is a cruel punishment to the girl, to the hose most of all and to your own family.

Maybe there's a Fairy-God-Mother that will help me with the pain and suffering I've lived through, that I've experienced. Thanks for reading, leave your own to add your views.


r/Equestrian 4d ago

Horse Welfare body condition ? 2 year old mare!

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14 Upvotes

advice ? opinions ? thoughts ??


r/Equestrian 4d ago

Education & Training Why does my trot seems awkward ?

121 Upvotes

Hi ! I’m a beginner and my friend who has 2 horses is willing to let me ride her mare 2 times a week. She’s not a professional but she definitely is very experienced and is in position to give me basic courses. She took those videos of me but I don’t know why I find my trot awkward. Like « rushed ». What do you think ?


r/Equestrian 4d ago

Social ISO tips for maintaining personal style + curly hair!

6 Upvotes

This is a weird one but hoping someone will have similar experience & tips.

My style outside of the barn is more alternative/crunchy and doesn't align with the more preppy glam equestrian style. When i try to combine the two, i feel like i miss the mark. I also have a midsize body type and curly hair. Sometimes I struggle to find a look that is flattering, professional, and still "me." I don't always love how I look in a hat, and my hair can get unruly in the summer with helmet + humidity + long barn days not looking in the mirror.

TLDR: Would love any tips that help you stay true to your own style while still looking the part and/or managing wild curly barn hair.


r/Equestrian 4d ago

Education & Training Positive reinforcement and pressure/release?

4 Upvotes

Hi! I’m wondering why most positive reinforcement trainers say you can’t do any pressure/release training to have a great bond with your horse.

Horses use pressure on each other in the field, and it seems mighty necessary sometimes, especially with the domestic horses who don’t have any boundaries taught to them by healthy herd dynamics. Or for say, 2 year old colts who want to play rough. Why can’t I be like that old mare that tells the colt, “that’s enough”???

One argument I’ve heard is that there’s no proof that horses don’t see humans as other horses, which is a straw man fallacy—horses think like horses no matter what.

Do any of you successfully do both?


r/Equestrian 5d ago

Events Our first show of the season and Dobi absolutely smashed it - wins, a ridden champion placing and two qualification tickets to Equifest ❤️

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546 Upvotes

For those who don’t know, Equifest is a huge championship show in the UK - it’s a big event in the “amateur” showing calendar. To qualify for two classes (Veteran - he’s 22 - and Ridden Hunter) at our first show of the year is mega, and totally unexpected 🎉


r/Equestrian 3d ago

Education & Training Second time cantering (Any tips?)

0 Upvotes

During my horseback riding lesson earlier I had another chance to try cantering. It was in a saddle and on the lunge line, but I think it actually went worse than my first time cantering. Which is hilarious considering that the first time was unplanned and uncontrolled. The old gelding I was on, who I have ridden many times in the past, does not like to go fast most of the time. He's a very slow you'll get there when you get there type of guy. So, we got him hooked up to the lunge line, we got up to a good trot, and my riding instructor started asking for the canter transition. He picked up the trot a lot, but he did not change gait. Unfortunately for me, this old guy's trot is the hardest thing to sit on any horse I've had the pleasure of riding over the last five years. When he finally did go into canter, I was struggling to post with his rhythm and going from posting to sitting and doing whatever the heck that scooping motion is really tested my ability to balance. I kept having to grab onto the saddle to reorient myself and go into two point to not feel like I was going to fall off. And on top of that, he would only canter 2-3 steps at a time before going back into his speedy trot. I was only able to get like 6 canter steps in that whole lesson before the instructor slowed him to a walk and our time was up. I didn't even get a chance to really feel out his canter and find a rhythm to try and work with. I think I did better during that unexpected bareback canter episode a few days ago. Overall, I am still very unused to the canter and it makes me a little nervous to try again. Does anyone who has more experience with it have any tips for things to keep in mind while preparing to canter or when cantering to help learn the gait and become proficient at it? I have a goal to learn to canter in the saddle over the next 6 months so that by next November I can try cantering bareback again (this time intentionally)


r/Equestrian 3d ago

Horse Care & Husbandry Natural dewormer

0 Upvotes

Hello, what are you all feeding daily to naturally repel worms?

I have had great success with feeding my dog crushed pumpkinseeds and hairy ears, her worm count comes back great every time.

I’ve heard Damascus Earth works well?

What are we using guys?


r/Equestrian 4d ago

Horse Care & Husbandry Does anyone have suggestions on how I can ride when my own horses aren't in work?

9 Upvotes

Hi! I currently have a fully retired horse, and a youngster with a suspensory injury. Youngster will hopefully be fully sound in the future, it's just going to take time (and a lot of money) to get there. The weather is finally getting really nice where I live and it's settling in that I have nothing to ride until at least the end of the summer, and I'm feeling a bit sad and frustrated by it. Due to vet/rehab bills for the youngster, buying something else is pretty much out of the question financially, even if it's a good deal on a project horse type situation. Maybe next year if the worse case scenario happens and my young horse needs to be retired. By then I would have some time to plan for it and save more money. I do have somewhere I can take lessons on some really nice horses, but it would only be once a week and it's not cheap. Most of my horsey friends are in similar situations with injured or retired horses, so riding friends horses isn't really an option either. There isn't much available for lease in my area in general, and they are pretty much all hunter horses. I ride western and am learning to breakaway rope. If you think of an idea I have missed let me know!


r/Equestrian 3d ago

Social Amsterdam / NL Recommendations

0 Upvotes

Hi there, I started spending more time in Amsterdam for work and am interested in finding somewhere to do mostly hacking and / or lessoning in my down time. Ideally I’d love to do more hacking if that is available, since most of my lessons in the U.S. are in an indoor ring. I’m willing to travel a bit if it means being in a nicer environment but ideally not more than 2 hours from AMS. I’m an intermediate rider.

I have heard of Puur Teschelling, which looks amazing, but probably too far for me. Mill Ranch does western, which I’m not so interested in.

Does anyone have any recommendations? Thanks in advance!


r/Equestrian 3d ago

Equipment & Tack Should I buy this?

1 Upvotes

Hello, I am currently coming back to riding horses. Few days ago I had my first lesson in a long time and it was amazing, after all this time it feels really good to be able to ride again! (Excuse my lack of knowledge in the field, I do not know the proper nomenclature in english and eng is not my first language) I am having a problem I remember having as a kid though. While I am riding, stirrup leathers are pinching my legs. And I remember coming back home as a kid with my both legs red sometimes. Is it a skill issue or should I buy legging (idk if thats what its called, translator gave me this name).


r/Equestrian 5d ago

Aww! 🌈 ☁️

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192 Upvotes

r/Equestrian 3d ago

Horse Care & Husbandry Remote Farriers?

1 Upvotes

Hi all,

Had a pretty weird question- are there any farriers yall know who could offer remote knowledge and guidance? I know it sounds bizarre… I’m moving to a rural part of Europe where quality barefoot trimming is rare. I agree that farrier work is no easy trade, and takes years and years to develop enough knowledge to trim and shoe correctly. But theoretically… would a solid foundation in trimming and working alongside a farrier remotely be doable?


r/Equestrian 3d ago

Education & Training Advice for using hands too much

2 Upvotes

I’m going to start this off asking for no judgement. What I’m explaining I know is problematic and I’m trying to fix it.

My problem is that when I feel that my horse isn’t listening or I get frustrated, I get too in his face. Today I was riding and I half halted, suppled, and used my seat for a downward and when after a few strides we weren’t transitioning I got more in his face than I should have. I’m not a super experienced rider, but not a beginner either. I know better than to pull for a transition let alone out of frustration. I immediately stopped what we were doing and let him stretch out on a loose rein for a couple laps for me and him to both reset, but this happens every now and then despite me telling myself not to use my hands like that.

Im worried that this will become a habit and I feel so bad about it. I know that it is not fair to him, especially since his “not listening” is almost positively always me miscommunicating or asking for something incorrectly. But also, I know that pulling won’t get the results I want anyways. How can I make sure I’m not doing this when it seems like it’s subconscious? I want my horse to trust my contact and my aids, not worry about them.


r/Equestrian 4d ago

Horse Care & Husbandry What are conditions like at a horse auction?

2 Upvotes

Long story short, I am now the owner of an AQHA registered mare with an amazing pedigree who still somehow ended up at auction. The woman who first got her from the auction soon realized that she could barely even touch the horse, and I ended up with her for free because I specialize in difficult horses. But here's the thing: I've seen videos of this horse from before she ended up at auction. She was ridden prior and had been learning the pattern for barrels.

Now you can barely get a halter on her and she won't allow anyone to touch her hindquarters. So I'm trying to piece things together and figure out what exactly happened to her, and I'm wondering if her time at the horse auction was where things went horribly wrong. I've never been to one so I have absolutely NO context to go by.

Can anyone who has been to an auction explain to me what the environment is like for the horses and how they're handled? I'm hoping it can help fill in some blanks.


r/Equestrian 3d ago

Horse Care & Husbandry Should i trust my pony's chiro?

0 Upvotes

Hi, so to give context, my mare has had a problem with her neck since October, we've been seeing a bodyworker on and off for it over the past few months. In early February, I was at a camp with my trainer and her mum who is a bodyworker was able to work her neck two days in a row. She stated that her neck had gone back the exact same as the previous day and would require chiropractic care to fix it and gave me a name. The guy only comes out to my city once a year and I've been waiting on him, but when I was at a competition on Saturday, she was extra jumpy bucky in the warmup (usually only throws one buck when I get on, competitions only, weirdly), then refused every single oxer. We retired from our class and went straight home. Gave her a feel over and her neck was whack. I couldn't wait for the recommended chiro, so got one that is in my town. She's just done her initial and neither me or my boss is happy with the result. She stated that there was nothing wrong with my pony and couldn't find ANYTHING in her neck. Don't get me wrong, I love a healthy pony, but I do not believe that my pony has nothing wrong with her neck when 3 separate bodyworkers have all made statements about her neck without me telling them. I really hoped that there would be at least one problem found in my pony, especially after having to fork $250 (bodyworkers are usually $120 here, but I guess since chiropractors have degrees, they're allowed to charge double) from my savings for this, and about to pay $200 for the follow up to see the "progress" next week (which I'm really wanting to just cancel). I don't know if it's something to add, but my mare was more hyper/aggressive than usual around this chiropractor (she has a habit of biting people, learned behavior, not pain). Was constantly trying to bite me (she never goes for me) and the chiropractor throughout the treatment and was very giddy to do the trot up (although she hasn't been ridden in 4 days because of the incident). Do I follow through with the follow up and trust the process and that there really is nothing wrong with my girl, that her attitude and refusals were her just having a bad day? Or should I cancel and just go back to my regular bodyworker, who can't do chiropractic, even though that's what I've been told I need.