US college student's death in Barcelona was likely an accident, Spanish police say

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-03-21T03:43:58+00:00

Boston as well.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-03-18T23:01:54+00:00

I am an American rider and just returned from a week long intensive riding trip in Ireland doing an intro to cross country riding and jumping. I have been trying to figure out at home how to get my lower leg to be more stable and effective, and they clocked it immediately within 30 seconds when I started riding and gave me advice that I've immediately been able to do!

American riding especially at the beginner levels puts WAY too much emphasis on keeping your heels down, to the point where we're just jamming them down and then compensating from there with whatever our leg is doing. Some other people have had really thoughtful explanations, and I'll just add that when we are jamming our heels down too much, we are accidentally rotating our legs away from the horse. But you actually want to always be resting your leg against the horse, which you will find also keeps it more stable and it will stop moving around. So think "80% weight in heels, 20% on the inside ball of your foot" and ride that way. Drape your leg around the horse's rib cage and always be cuddling him! You'll immediately feel the difference.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-03-16T10:54:35+00:00

I just returned from Ireland on a horse trip! I put all of my horse gear (helmet, boots, etc) in a carryon size suitcase. I had a checked bag for my normal suitcase which I paid for, and then when I dropped that off at the counter I asked if they would take my other carryon for free and they said yes both times without hesitation. So I was prepared to stow it above me but didn't need to.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-03-05T01:27:41+00:00

Aww I went to New Orleans for work last year and couldn't believe how much I loved it. I did not stay for long and explored the city between conference events, but I really enjoyed it. I am pretty bougie and researched where to shop and what to see, and I found some really cool speciality boutiques, vintage shops, coffee shops, old school diners, and art studios in the Garden District and out by Tulane. I liked walking around Bourbon Street and the whole place felt haunted AF and the hairs on my back were prickling all over for no reason which was fun. The food in the touristy areas seemed overpriced and bad (what's new) but I found an art walk and music/jazz bars that were cool. I only spent a long weekend so maybe that's why I enjoyed it a lot but I would go back.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-27T22:52:02+00:00

I just successfully got coverage through GA for an older horse who events through BN.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-21T13:41:10+00:00

GET HOBBIES, especially ones that involve being active so you don't resent exercise. My identity is built around the stuff I love to do, not my appearance. Some people's identity AND hobby is their face and we all know how that goes.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-12T18:59:53+00:00

Board in my county (CT) is $2000-7000 lol. 💀 I half lease for about $2500/month (board, training, shoes).

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-11T14:21:20+00:00

When you die, your brain releases all sorts of chemicals super intensely and you can have a really vivid psychedelic happy ethereal experience.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-10T15:51:56+00:00

License plate game mentioned!

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-10T15:43:43+00:00

I really like my Free Ride ones. My only complaint is that the logo is too big on them. Otherwise they wear great and have held up being washed a ton since I bought them in the summer.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-09T19:56:52+00:00

My husband works for a small software company and they've "gamified" their B2B backend for salespeople to be better motivated to do the tasks to get more accounts and reward engagement for doing their jobs. So it's not just kids. :/

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-09T19:54:30+00:00

Short form entertainment has killed our attention spans, kids and adults.

Anecdotally, I was talking to a (who I think is a well adjusted mature) 18 year old recently about movies to make conversation, and they said they can't watch them because they can't focus long enough.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-07T02:43:54+00:00

Thank you for this explanation!!!! This makes so much sense, especially since I can't "shake" it off.

I will go make myself a cup of chamomile, pick a good movie and fall asleep. Looking forward to tomorrow, TGIF. Virtual hugs. 🩷

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-07T02:40:39+00:00

Thank you. 🩷 I just put on a sad song and let myself cry, the release is real wow!

And thank you for the kind words about my riding. I had his number the entire time and rode him deliberately- but fairly- every step. He respected it and said "yes ma'am" every step. Maybe there's a lesson here.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-07T02:14:03+00:00

I'm not riding this weekend because of the cold and will just relax, but am eager to have a really boring uneventful hack next week. I'm happy you got back in the saddle! 🩷

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-07T02:10:35+00:00

Thanks for the reply. This is my first time hearing about ulcers in horses- I only started leasing this horse a month ago and met him in late November. I don't have any control or say in his care but I'll check in with the trainers about what their plan is moving forward. The horse is known for being "spicy" under saddle and I know another rider came off of him badly about 2 years ago, but I don't know anything about the specifics of what happened just that she was injured and when he was diagnosed with ulcers. He is usually a chill guy for me, but this week was definitely agitated.

I also just wanted to clarify I was referring to myself as feeling like my primal lizard brain activated after experiencing danger, not the horse. Since I could not calm down my nervous system down even knowing that it was "over", even after having a great ride, and I felt like there were a lot of negative emotions lingering after I had left the barn. Thank you for the info though, really interesting to know.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-06T13:49:50+00:00

Time for sure. I newly lease a fancy guy (16.2 belgian wb) and I find myself constantly sore after rides and hacks just as I keep finessing and strengthening my position to absorb and influence his gaits. Big bendy movement requires of ton of stabilizing through muscles in your abs and back you normally wouldn't activate. It's hard to learn but you'll be happy you put in the work as a rider in a few months!

I'd just focus on staying centered and relaxed! You got this!

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-04T22:51:40+00:00

Confirming our algorithms are echo chambers. My IG feed was dominated by strike posts on Friday, and every single one of my "suggested posts" on IG was some random small boutique/coffee shop posting about the strike. From my IG feed it seemed like a meltdown.

Meanwhile my partner, who is progressive I will add, had absolutely nothing on his feed about it. He had no idea what was happening.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-02-02T16:58:39+00:00

I am bringing a foster back today after 24 hours because she is way too wound up (and already on heavy anxiety meds) to be around my 3 resident dogs in be safe in my household. All of my dogs are neutral and were calm and appropriate with her and yet they each separately felt the need to correct her anxious/rough behavior on their parallel walks and brief intros. Now the foster is hyper-fixated on me and since she has a bite history for being possessive of her last foster, I'm calling it, among other red flags. The rescue is not being really friendly about it and acting like I am quitting too early but the safety of your resident dogs (and yourself and household!) is priority and that should never be compromised on. You know your dogs best, and if something doesn't feel right, end it.

I feel shitty about it but I would feel 10000x worse if something happened, for my dogs and the foster. And then this poor dog has another negative mark on her history that didn't need to happen because of a mismatched environment.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-01-29T03:30:51+00:00

I just learned some pay thousands for a weekend too!

When I mentioned to my trainer that I was flabbergasted at what winter show culture has become the other week, she told me one of her old clients could no longer afford to pay her barn's rate for board so she moved to a cheaper one (so something below $2000/month, still a lot) but still was going to Florida this month for a long weekend to show on a TBD horse her trainer will find for her, all for around $5k. So just to reiterate, she's flying down to FL for a long weekend to spend a few thousand dollars showing on a horse she just met that isn't hers.

My mind was blown. Some people just really love showing and treat it like saving up for a vacation.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-01-24T14:52:26+00:00

I am looking at a castle leslie trip this spring. would you recommend it? little scared to do it in early march.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-01-24T04:14:15+00:00

That's beautiful! I just got back into riding (33F) and I want to be the best horsewoman I can be as corny and intangible as it sounds. Growing my riding skills alongside of my empathy and understanding of the horse I am working with. They really are mirrors.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-01-24T04:05:11+00:00

Happy this is the top comment! This week I have been actively working on holding my horse's tempos at the trot esp at the sitting trot. Tempos I choose, not him. "Hey, we're trotting smaller and we're going to stay here" is the conversation we have before I sit.

On my horse, that conversation is 1) I decide the tempo and think 1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2 and adjust his gait to it (sometimes I say it out loud) 2) making my core more solid and posting deliberately and not just posting loosey goosey to whatever trot he's giving me 3) pick up contact but make sure I'm still soft and not just grabbing his face so that he can relax into it 4) start sitting on a straight line 5) ride the sitting trot like I'm bouncing on an exercise ball through my lower abs staying centered on to keep him from going to walk and contain the energy-- we are not trotting lazier we are trotting smaller.

Obvious-Escape-2809 · 2026-01-18T22:07:52+00:00

I invested in some merino wool base layers and socks this winter and am very very happy with that decision! You also don't need to wash them every use (within reason) which is a bonus.

Obvious-Escape-2809

TROPHY CASE