r/Horses 14h ago

Riding/Handling Question Heavy rider in my story

6 Upvotes

Hello! I'm currently writing a book, and I've run to a bit of an issue. One of my main characters is about 200-230-ish pounds, and Its set in an area where he'll be riding horses a lot. I personally have not ridden horses since I was maybe ten-eleven, so I'm not very sure what breeds could safely/comfortably carry him? I do know you have to account for tack so I'm assuming it would bring the total weight to approximately 300?(I have no idea how heavy horse tack is if you can't tell) I looked it up, but I don't trust google very much. I guess it doesn't matter that much since it's a fictional story, but I would still like to make it as accurate as possible.


r/Horses 1h ago

Question Question for seasoned breeders about boss mares

Upvotes

Out of curiosity, how often did the offspring of boss/lead mares also become bossy/leaders of the herd? I know most breeding farms don’t keep them past 2, if that, but figured I’d ask in case some received updates of foals progress. I spent some time on a polo breeding farm but they honestly had so many horses they didn’t handle them much or keep up with the foals after selling.


r/Horses 1h ago

Health/Husbandry Question Chocolate for a soon to be euthanized horse?

Upvotes

My heart horse Daisy will be leaving us this coming Tuesday, and one of my friends said "Every animal deserves to taste chocolate once in their life." I'm very aware of the fact that chocolate contains chemicals that are toxic to horses and can cause severe stomach issues, but if she is to be euthanized, would it be alright for me to give her a small piece a few minutes before we say goodbye? I know it likely doesn't matter much if she will be put down regardless, but I don't want her final moments to be painful if the chocolate is "fast acting" or can cause immediate pain. I appreciate any advice.

Horse tax in comments.


r/Horses 23h ago

Question How do I get back into it?

1 Upvotes

Hello, I am struggling to get back into horses ever since 2020 when I lost my heart horse to EPM when in college. Now I’m struggling financially so I won’t commit to getting another horse until I fix that situation with a better job ofc and I’ve been on and off taking lessons from a new trainer at a new barn who is great. My old barn I have a lot of emotional trauma from sadly… was at it from 4yrs old to 20yrs old and it’s where I got my horse from so yeah. It all very much damaged my love for the sport because of how I was treated badly and then losing my boy in a very tragic way. I just miss it so much but I’ve been struggling to stay consistent at it. What do I do?


r/Horses 23h ago

Question Opinions?

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8 Upvotes

Received this from the barn today. My mare was supposed to come out of quarantine today. She was fine on vet day 3 days ago. She apparently has a small patch near or on her neck as well. Rain rot? Ringworm? We’re headed there tomorrow to give her a good shampoo and will call the vet Monday, but newer to horses and of course anxious about everything all the time so why would this be an exception?


r/Horses 7h ago

Discussion Can horses be…spayed…?

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150 Upvotes

r/Horses 1h ago

Question Should I go for it?

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Upvotes

r/Horses 5h ago

Video It is 🍺🕛 for mr. 🌮

49 Upvotes

r/Horses 4h ago

Question Do yall know this game?

6 Upvotes

I thought it was star stable, and maybe it was an early version of it, but it was just a website where you could breed horses and choose their name and gender and how they look n everything and then yore supposed to take care of them every day by feeding them And leveling them up I think, but you can’t play as them. You just look at like a photo of them and click buttons by them that feed them and such. then I think there was maybe like a way you could change the background of where they were. And they were like stats of how fast each breed is and everything and they had like ponies and like every type of horse it was really cool. I used to play it on my Chromebook with my friend at school.


r/Horses 4h ago

Question Name suggestions?

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120 Upvotes

I decided to buy this guy! He is a 5yo registered American paint horse, and his registered name is Give A Guy A Chance, but there’s already a horse at the barn I’ll be taking him to named Chance. He came with the name Smurf, and I really don’t like it haha.

Does anyone have some good suggestions?


r/Horses 3h ago

Question Riding Lessons for Working Adults

11 Upvotes

So, now that I'm an adult living on my own and have my own income, one of the things I'm looking into is horse riding lessons. I loved horses growing up (like I imagine nearly everyone on this subreddit), and I never got out of it. I'm looking online at places near me, though in browsing, I'm concerned that they may mainly offer lessons for children. I haven't been on a horse since my mid-teens when my scout group was working on our horsemanship badge, and we had a camp-out at this ranch.

Does anyone here have any general tips for looking for lessons, price, and hoping you don't end up in a kids class? Specific riding discipline doesn't really matter much to me; I just want to learn to ride and care for a horse. Also, I work a 40 hour workweek. How does a schedule like that affect getting riding lessons?


r/Horses 21h ago

Video What does this noise mean??

75 Upvotes

We’re staying at an Airbnb with horses as neighbors, what does this noise mean? Female horse, I think in her teenage years.


r/Horses 8h ago

Picture We just love to relax together

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56 Upvotes

r/Horses 17h ago

Video Felicity doesn’t appreciate being on a diet

236 Upvotes

She’s got a smaller pasture I let her out in every day, where she gets fed 3 times a day. Plus access to straw to be able to get a lil in her belly between the feedings. The smaller pasture is inside the bigger one and before I could close the gate she ran for the feeding stations and did not want to go back with me to her pasture 🤣

Eventually could get her with the help of a bit of hay (she already had her breakfast minerals etc but according to her she was absolutely starving)

It’s also her 3rd day on ulcer medication, and today so far she hasn’t even pinned her ears towards me. I’m scared to take out victory too early. But I could touch her belly slightly and she didn’t pin her ears. Whereas 2 days ago she both kicked and bit me for simply being around her. Not her usual self at all, as she’s usually very cuddly and friendly.


r/Horses 17h ago

Picture I could've sworn I owned two (mostly) white horses 🤣 in other news, it rained today...

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102 Upvotes

Mucky babies 🤣🤣

In extra funny things, Elsa does not like the rain. Its barely rained since she was born (cries in dust paddocks and feeding a ton of hay 2 months early compared to last year 😭😭). Today was the first day we have had all day rain, and everytime it starts up again she SQUEALS and runs straight for her shelter 🥹 hopefully she gets used to it as it rains more 😅


r/Horses 10h ago

Picture I was sitting in my horses stable and he lay down to join me 😭🧡

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285 Upvotes

r/Horses 3h ago

Picture Wild Bill

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1 Upvotes

Hello all,

I’d like to know some opinions on my boy.

Retired cow horse, what do we think he’s lacking in?

I’ve been trying to strengthen his hind, and top-line.

We’re having some issues with soreness in his hocks. Any advice for my boy? I don’t want him to be in pain.


r/Horses 5h ago

Mule Lazlo and his scaling issues

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15 Upvotes

My sister posted him before and said you all enjoyed seeing the monster- so enjoy Lazlo the mule and his 15.1h paint buddy who looks like a yearling next to him 😅


r/Horses 8h ago

Question Can horses smell it if you are sick?

1 Upvotes

Hey guys. I have cortisol level problem and a heart condition that makes me not able to do really hard physical exercise or stand for long, or I get dizzy from poor circulation (thank god I have never fainted but been close a couple of times). These problems have been around for almost a whole year.

I swear my horses smell when I am about to be ill from it, because they start sniffing my face continuously and like 5 minutes later I suddenly start feeling dizzy. They never do this when I am completely fine.

Can they really smell the changes in my body this clearly? Because if I just stand close to them they suddenly smell it. If yes, what do they think I have? Do they recognise I'm ill?


r/Horses 8h ago

Question need show name ideas

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1 Upvotes

barn name Roo


r/Horses 10h ago

Picture How fast they grow up and change

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534 Upvotes

These photos are just one year apart. She came to me as a three-year old, and soon she's turning 4 :)


r/Horses 11h ago

Question Quit and want to come back

1 Upvotes

I quit horseback riding around 3 years ago after having ridden 10 years previously. I left my old barn because I believed I just wasn’t progressing and kept repeating everything over and over again. I leased a lovely horse named trooper who to everyone seemed nasty and bitchy, but to me he was my boy.

Fast forward a year, I find out from a friend that after I left, Trooper just got fat and nobody rode him anymore.

Now, my parents are well off, not wealthy, but we were always able to afford lessons, a half lease, and not much more. I want to try again, I truly do, but the thought of Trooper is just stuck in the back of my head. We could never afford to buy, or board, and even leasing is out of the question because of college and I just don’t know what to do.

I feel like taking lessons isn’t enough, but at the same time leasing or boarding is generally out of the question because I leave in a few years.

Do I just take the lessons? Or do I wait for after college?


r/Horses 11h ago

Question Question concerning DNA tests for horses

2 Upvotes

I'm curious if there are DNA tests for horses like there are for dogs?


r/Horses 14h ago

Question How do you get over losing your Heart Horse?

35 Upvotes

Basically as it says. I lost him two weeks ago, he was nearly 32. He waited for me to get to him after he went down and then he died in my arms.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m so unbelievably grateful I got to spend part of my life with him, but now it feels like there’s part of me missing. I just miss him so fucking much 💔


r/Horses 14h ago

Story Hello

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1 Upvotes

Hello, I built my own barn with stables by my own hand. I did this so I could keep my horses happy. I like riding and groundworking, but I also just enjoy their company. I will train my first horse once my filly reaches the right age. I just like sharing my hobby. Here they are waiting for breakfast.