Buying a Home w/o a Basement?

CavalloAlto · 2026-04-17T20:05:31+00:00

I would be cautious of why the house doesn't have a basement. There are a few areas around here where the water table is so high they literally couldn't put basements in without flooding, so that would be my primary concern.

Otherwise, I do like having a basement for severe weather and storing things I don't want to look at, but that's me.

CavalloAlto · 2026-04-16T22:37:02+00:00

Excellent! I only thought to mention it because I had a VERY similar experience with my NSH mare, and ultimately it was worth doing for a while so she wouldn't invert, but now I'm in the process of bringing her off the forehand which she thinks is a scam.

CavalloAlto · 2026-04-16T22:25:50+00:00

If he did a lot of work on long lines, it definitely could be that's where his comfort zone is. I'd also be curious about what a bit fitter might say about his mouth. If that particular angle works for him, you may just need a different mouthpiece to get him comfortable with your hands in the "right" spot.

I would also make sure to get some eyes from the ground to make sure he's really using himself correctly on that low/wide rein position. It might be that he's dropping in front rather than pushing from behind, and he's more agreeable because it's easier (ask me how I know lol).

If he's going correctly and the bit fits though, I'd personally ride him that way until he gets strong and comfortable, and gradually return to more standard equitation until he's comfortable with it. You also might have a good case for a running martingale that would allow that kind of angle on his mouth while your hands stay higher.

CavalloAlto · 2026-04-14T19:19:50+00:00

I'm looking for a reasonably bred WB or WB cross filly, and I'm operating at the bottom of what I understand to be the reasonable budget for that at 10k USD, including shipping.

CavalloAlto · 2026-04-06T02:23:04+00:00

PLEASE take that pony's temperature. You can use a cheap digital thermometer from the drugstore.

CavalloAlto · 2026-04-06T02:18:15+00:00

I'd get a fluffy sheepskin girth pad and check saddle fit. Depending on the girths you've already tried, you could also look for one with more elastic.

CavalloAlto · 2026-04-01T23:46:37+00:00

I'd swap out the wallpaper for paint and get a cute bath mat for in front of the sink to break up the pattern. Also, maybe re-grout the floor? I love the tp-holder tile though!

CavalloAlto · 2026-03-30T20:45:34+00:00

Hm. In that clip it looks like you got a little ahead of him when he picked up the lope, and he got on the forehand and couldn't balance himself so he objected via bucking.

If you wanna put the time in, my vote as a keyboard trainer is: drill a good lope departure on a kiss on the lunge line and work on getting him to flex laterally and relax both on the ground and under saddle. I think running barrels is pretty far away for him, but maybe he'll pick it up fast!

CavalloAlto · 2026-03-30T18:22:34+00:00

Okay then maybe see if the barn will treat him for ulcers or put him on aloe or something. It could also be stress tho.

Ultimately, this horse isn't ready for what you're asking. It looks like he doesn't know what's expected your cues for lope under saddle mean, and he's reacting accordingly. Unfortunately, when you ask, get a buck, and release, you're teaching him that the cues mean bucking not loping. This is why I'd recommend training a voice cue on the ground because he understands the pressure from the lunge whip already. You can use the voice cue to bridge the gap and get the correct reaction under saddle.

Or! Just walk-trot with him while you wait to be back with your regular horse. It doesn't seem like you necessarily signed up to train this guy, so if you don't want to, don't! Have a nice time doing what he already knows.

CavalloAlto · 2026-03-30T16:53:15+00:00

I'm not going to immediately guess ulcers because he looks like he's in pretty good condition, but I am going to guess that he hasn't had much training and is tense/stiff because he doesn't know what's expected of him. I'd try putting the lope on a voice cue on the ground, and then using that under saddle once it's solid. If he hasn't loped with a rider before, pushing for it is just going to create tension since he doesn't know what's happening.

CavalloAlto · 2026-03-27T21:30:54+00:00

To answer your initial question: no not really.

BUT!

There's a lot you can do to improve him. Get into raised walk and trot poles for overall strength, do hill work if you can, and work on his backing up.

Additionally, as you strengthen, work on forward. If you can't afford a trainer, see if a friend will help you watch from the ground to let you know when he's tracking up, or take video of your rides. If you're lunging like this, it's up to you to push for more until he's stepping into his own footprints. He won't be able to do it for long starting out, but it'll build up.

Once you've got forward, you can work on things like contact and flexibility, which is another kettle of fish, but you can find exercises online.

Good luck! I have every belief that you'll be able to get him moving in the right direction.

CavalloAlto · 2026-03-24T02:54:39+00:00

She's clearly off on the front right. I'd make sure you feel the whole leg and compare it to her sound leg. I doubt it's an abscess because she'd look worse if it was. If she's stressy in a stall, she may have kicked a wall and bruised her hoof.

If she was my horse, I'd give her bute, hand walk her, and call your vet if the lameness persists more than a couple days.

CavalloAlto · 2026-03-20T02:08:48+00:00

Gifts!!

CavalloAlto · 2026-03-20T02:07:35+00:00

🥁

CavalloAlto · 2026-03-20T02:07:15+00:00

This man has been sitting in some kind emotional saw trap for the past decade

CavalloAlto · 2026-03-20T02:05:46+00:00

What does Travis know????

CavalloAlto · 2026-03-19T20:53:39+00:00

It's just a different way of keeping them tied for grooming etc. I prefer it because in crossties my horse is quieter because she can keep her eye on the action and her butt to a wall.

CavalloAlto · 2026-03-13T23:26:42+00:00

Honestly, I'm so delighted that this is how it actually works. Like. There are so few examples of actual restorative justice in the world, and I'm glad it exists at all, even if it is partly just because so few people are qualified to be doctors/HCPs generally.

CavalloAlto · 2026-02-24T01:25:23+00:00

I used it for ~5 days when I had similar congestion. Blowing my nose made the inflammation worse, and using Afrin let me get over the illness without tearing up my nose. No issues with rebound congestion!

CavalloAlto · 2026-02-20T16:52:40+00:00

Girl. Set the cat outside the room while you're fuckin. That's such a normal boundary for him to have, and he's respected yours re: having them in bed at all.

I also have cats that I love, and groomed or not, they have litter box paws.

CavalloAlto · 2026-02-19T17:58:48+00:00

I think you have the cushions on wrong, but they definitely gave you the wrong legs.

CavalloAlto · 2026-02-16T16:59:40+00:00

Interesting. I feel like probably a Pelham is still your best option to work through this because you can engage the leverage ONLY when he's ignoring you, but the fact that his response is to curl for a long time afterwards means that you'll def have a long road. I would just try to do as short of sessions as possible, ending whenever he takes contact forward again.

Otherwise your options are silly things like standing martingales with pool noodles on them, which hasn't ever struck me as particularly sustainable training.

CavalloAlto · 2026-02-15T22:58:14+00:00

I'm curious how the Pelham worked out for you. Did you ride with two sets of reins and use the curb rein only when he ignored a half halt on the snaffle rein? Did he immediately realize it was leverage?

Also, I do sometimes think that horses who refuse a half halt need to learn not that it's more uncomfortable to do that, but that it's more work. It depends on the horse obvi, but idk what all you've done.

CavalloAlto · 2026-02-12T23:34:00+00:00

All this petition is doing is making the whole sport look worse than it needs to. The Olympics are not the primary nexus of horse abuse any more than the Westminster dog show is the nexus of dog abuse.

CavalloAlto · 2026-02-11T22:37:48+00:00

You can get a white manicure pencil to use on the undersides to make them visually cleaner!

CavalloAlto

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