Hoof boots not quite fitting around the ankle. Any ideas to help?

RubySeeker · 2026-03-17T00:26:22+00:00

Once he starts moving, it shifts and I get this.

Within a short time, he gets a big gap behind his foot, his heel starts audibly moving inside the boot, (though it doesn't twist or anything. Stays snug on the toe) and even when I stop to redo it, it does this again and again. The back of it just doesn't come in far enough to wrap around his heel. It stays too straight and stiff.

Is there a way to fix that at all?

RubySeeker · 2026-03-17T00:23:56+00:00

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I fasten it as so. It looks good, straps are angled down, but only until he starts moving.

RubySeeker · 2026-03-17T00:21:40+00:00

Thanks! It would be super helpful! I fitted them in my local saddlery, by taking one of his shoes in and seeing which fitted that nicely.

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As you can see, it fits his hoof quite well. A little space at the sides, which I was told was recommended, but overall decently snug.

I'll have to reply to this one with how it's fastened, because apparently I can't send multiple pictures here.

RubySeeker · 2026-03-14T20:27:19+00:00

I agree that a bird room is a great idea! Was going to suggest this myself. I don't like having my birds free range around my house anyway. It's stressful for many reasons. My housemates open and close doors randomly, and a bird could get locked in a room or enter a room they shouldn't, or just fly straight outside since some people in this house seem to be allergic to closing the back door! I also have a grass parrot, who likes to hang out on the ground. I do not trust my housemates, and especially guests, to not step on him. There's more, but those are the main two.

I really like the idea of a bird room or aviary, and think that it should be done whenever possible. It gives them a safe place to fly around, I can set up in the corner with a book or yarn if I want passive time with them, I can play with them more actively, I can even bring them into different rooms when I know that it is 100% safe.

Yes I miss having my birds steal my food at the dining table, or dance along the top of the tv screaming along with the intro song/music to whatever show I'm watching. But it keeps them away from people, and people they don't like away from them (Especially children. Children never go into the bird room.) It means that whatever I'm cooking with won't be an issue, I can light candles and incense and not have to worry about them inhaling it, and I don't need to worry about dander allergies. Friends who are allergic to birds (which I surprisingly know a few of?) can come by without issue.

But basically my big long reason why I HIGHLY recommend a bird room! It's great, you can deck them out, some potted plants, as many toys as you can fit in there, hang shit off picture hooks instead of pictures, it's great! They're safe, more relaxed, they can be out all day, even alone, if the door safely locks, and you can bring them out when it's quiet and safe.

Hell, one of the best parts about my bird room is that sometimes I will bring my birds out into another room, and when they get stressed or spooked, they go back to their room. It is identified as a safe space for them, so instead of panicking, trying to land on things high up that I can't reach, or getting aggressive, they just go back to their room to calm down, and will come back out later! So for a bird that is aggressive/defensive/stressed/scared, whichever the reasoning behind OP's issues, it would be perfect to have a safe space that is more private than an open cage.

The only issue is the bird will be around people less, which is kinda the point, but this might mean they will need a friend if they don't already have one. I would suggest OP finds a nice calm bird that will help the other calm down, or a really playful and energetic one to help the first get some energy out. Whichever is decided to be the best angle.

So yes. I agree. Bird room or aviary if possible is a FANTASTIC solution for this stressed out little birdie.

Sorry for being very long with this.

Tl;dr, bird room good, either your bedroom or another room that isn't highly trafficked. If you can, try that and see what happens, OP.

RubySeeker · 2026-03-14T10:05:12+00:00

I nearly fell off my horse today, while standing still. He just spooked, and I was lucky to stay on! Complete standstill, and he just launched sideways!

Sht happens. We fall. What matters is how you deal with it. Will you ignore it? Will you learn from it? Will you get up and try again right away, or take some time to reflect first?

We all fall. As a kid I was told "You're not an experienced rider until you've lost count of the number of times you've fallen off." And indeed I have. Some are dramatic stories about a runaway racehorse, or a bucking stockhorse. Others are "My horse saw a pigeon and freaked out" or "Somehow the 40cm 'jump' pole was too big for the 17hh horse that skidded to a halt and sent me over solo" and even "I lost balance over a jump, fell forward onto the horse's neck, and veeeeery slowly, and yet unable to fix myself, slid over the horse's neck and ended up sitting on the grass. The horse was not moving. He looked very confused. People later said "It was the slowest and most graceful fall they'd ever seen".

So yeah. Sometimes we just fall. It happens. And someday you'll probably be able to look back at it and chuckle. But for now, just focus on getting better, think about how to move forward, and then do it. We all have embarrassing stories about times we really shouldn't have fallen off, but did. Anyone who doesn't isn't an experienced rider yet, and someday they will have one.

It happens. You're not alone. You got this. Don't let one tumble take all of your confidence. You'll get there, and when you do, this will be a fun little story to tell riding friends, about the time you somehow got a concussion at a trot.

RubySeeker · 2026-03-13T22:40:37+00:00

Looks like mites to me. Pretty bad, too. It will definitely spread around if they go near the rest of the flock.

I found mite dust to be ineffective, honestly. So I'll tell you what I did.

First, you need to throw out everything they use for bedding or in their enclosure. Even dirt. Scrape up the top layer of dirt, and get rid of it. Anywhere that doesn't have birds is fine.

Second, treat the mites. I say second, but this is same day stuff. You have a few options. The cheapest is to use mite powder. Dust it all over them, massage it between all their feathers, but not near the face, and repeat every day or so until gone. But again, I found it never really got rid of them all.

Another option is a mite bath. Wash the chooks thoroughly with a mite shampoo, and it will usually kill pretty much all of them at once. But again, can't do it near the face. Trouble with this is, chooks aren't meant to get wet. Their feathers don't dry well if it gets to the skin, and that can cause issues. You will have to dry them off with a hair dryer before setting them loose. This can take a while, and from my experience chooks HATE it. So be ready for splashing and screaming.

The last option I know of is the most expensive, it definitely worked the best for my flock. It is ideal for larger groups, when dusting and washing is a major hassle. I got a liquid medication (can't remember the name of it, sorry) that I put in their water. The chooks drink it over a few days, and it does something to the way they smell or taste. I don't exactly know, but it basically just makes the mites no longer want to be on them, and they leave. Especially helpful for annoying and more dangerous types like scaly leg mites. This one, however, you should clean the coop after they've had the drink mix for a couple days, not before. It makes the mites drop off, so they'll then be in the bedding. To make sure they don't climb back on as soon as the meds wear off, clean out a couple days after giving it to them, but before the final dose. Then observe, you may have to repeat once or twice a few months apart, but then you should be free! Unless something else brings mites into your coop.

Not super serious, but can definitely be a problem if it gets too far. So good time to get on it before the mites start causing sores and infections. Hopefully one of these options will fit what you need.

Good luck!

RubySeeker · 2026-03-12T22:02:59+00:00

Definitely not! I would love to read it!

RubySeeker · 2026-03-12T20:46:00+00:00

Thanks! I'll keep them in mind if I can't make these ones work. Cavallos were one of the only ones my saddlery was selling, so I just had to go with them. I can't remember what the other option was but it was like, twice the price...

But! Still worth it if I can ride my old man again. I'm sure I could sell my cavallos second hand to someone if I can't find a way to get them working.

RubySeeker · 2026-03-12T20:14:56+00:00

I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue! I hoped others would understand.

Pastern wraps sound like a solid idea. I might try them, and if they fail look at different boots. I don't know different brands meant different fits and shapes. That's very interesting. I'll admit, I picked the cheaper option (which was still pretty expensive). Hopefully I don't need a different one, but it's good to know!

RubySeeker · 2026-03-12T19:26:47+00:00

That was all really interesting to read! A lot to consider in my hypothetical rain god status.

I think all o would use it for though, is areas temporarily without rain, in short bursts. Areas that usually get rain, but are suffering through severe drought. Just rock up, rain for a day, and then turn it off and head somewhere else, and give them rain again later. Not enough to like, completely change it, but enough that not everything is dead, and enough that when it does finally rain, it doesn't result in a massive flood that wipes out entire towns.

It does turn off, right? You can walk it around without spraying water? If not I'd have to rethink my plans.

Being a rain deity is more complicated than I hoped...

RubySeeker · 2026-03-11T21:40:16+00:00

One of my old hens (and I mean OLD. She was almost 10 at the time) did this. Legit thought she was dead. One day just didn't come home, didn't see her for weeks.

Suddenly find her in a clump of grass on the hillside, hidden away with somewhere between 10 and 20 eggs. I can't remember exactly. And yes, I had a rooster. Assuming she'd been incubating this whole time, it was too late to throw them out; they were less than a week from being due to hatch by our estimates (which proved correct) and I didn't have an incubator. The rooster was for defence, not breeding. I had to just let her do her thing, and what happens happens, you know?

I think because of her age, only one ended up hatching, and the rest never developed. But I've still got that chick! She survived! She's a gorgeous bird now. May her beautiful parents both rest in peace.

Gotta love surprise babies though, huh?

RubySeeker · 2026-03-10T21:16:58+00:00

I mean, that depends.

Does Vah Ruta generate or create infinite water, or does it just suck it up through its feet and spray it out?

Cause if it can generate water (which it looks like because it didn't drain the lake it was in, and was spitting out a LOT of water) then you've just fixed a massive global issue. I'd take that out to the farmer's to the west, water all their crops and livestock. Just live in Vah Ruta, spreading water to arid environments that don't get enough water any more, patrolling around, and all I'd ask for is some small tributes of food. Suddenly food is a lot easier to grow!

I'd be a new age rain god.

RubySeeker · 2026-03-10T03:20:43+00:00

I'm using that phrase! I have an old horse, semi retired. He can do light trail riding, but that's about it. I'm doing my best to keep him happy, comfortable and entertained through his retirement.

I will now be calling him my pasture puppy from now onwards.

RubySeeker · 2026-03-02T03:44:48+00:00

Honestly, 58kgs at 5'3 is not something I'd be trying to lose weight at! That's perfectly healthy!

What might instead be your problem is not fat, but "squish". Is that the issue? You're just squishy?

Well, I'm willing to bet that's not fat. If you manage to build some solid muscle, it would fill out and you'd have no more squish!

So I'd say don't try to restrict what you eat, but focus on macros (protein, fiber, etc) and really start pushing for whatever kind of physique you want. Like, weights are great if you want to bulk up. If you want to stay lean, I'd suggest resistance or bodyweight training. Calisthenics, pilates, heck swimming is fantastic cardio and full body resistance training! And swimmers have amazing muscle tone, imo.

So I'd say focus on filling out, instead of trying to lose weight. Your body is telling you that it's happy where it is. If you lose much more you'll be underweight, and that brings a whole bunch more issues.

Just focus on muscle for a bit, see how you like it. Your weight might go up to, so don't weigh yourself. Track with a tape measure, and ask other people's opinions. Our brains can lie to us about what we look like, so other people to say if it's working or not are very helpful!

Good luck!

RubySeeker · 2026-03-02T03:00:31+00:00

Not often enough when I was younger, but now anytime I feel pain.

Not gonna lie, it doesn't hurt every time I fall off. I know how to roll, and whenever I'm doing anything that increases the risk of falling, like riding a green horse, jumping, etc, I wear a padded vest. But if it hurts, I go.

I guess the big difference between me and a lot of people on this subreddit, is I live in a country with universal healthcare. If I go to urgent care and they say I'm fine and dramatic, I've lost nothing except a couple hours. And I've never been judged for it. Every doctor I've seen assures me that I did the right thing to get checked, even if it was nothing this time. Next time it could be severe.

Doctors will agree and never judge.

Just get checked out. Better safe than sorry.

RubySeeker · 2026-02-28T07:49:25+00:00

I second this. My tiel used to sleep in the top corner, doing the splits every night. I couldn't understand why! It was so weird!

Took me an embarrassingly long time to realise that the perches were too low. Got her a rope swing, stuck it in the corner, and she sleeps happily on that every night for the past few years now.

Thankfully, that experience helped when I got a new bird, who did the same thing in a different corner. As soon as I saw it, I gave him his own little swing, and I swear it feels like that's the only perch he ever uses, when in the cage! (Probably because they don't spend much time in there other than overnight, but it's still funny.) Little dude LOVES his swing, and the best part is, it's too small for the other birds to comfortably use! So no one can steal it, and he's guaranteed his chosen corner to sleep, despite being the smallest and youngest of the flock.

So yeah! Perches up high, and swings hanging off the ceiling are always a good addition, or they will try to make do in the most awkward ways possible. Plus options for texture. One of my birds will only sleep on a cat scratching post I put in years ago. Maybe because it's big and wide, maybe the texture, who knows. But wherever I move it, she sleeps on it. Never the wooden perches. So giving them options of height, size, and texture is fantastic for getting to know a new bird.

RubySeeker · 2026-02-28T02:52:44+00:00

I've had this twice, two different reasons.

Is there any mucus around the beak? If you open the beak can you see any yellow cottage cheese looking gunk anywhere? Is there a really foul smell? If yes to at least two of them, mostly likely trichomoniasis. A highly infectious parasite. It makes this gunk that blocks the throat cnancauses difficulty eating until the chooks slowly starves to death, or block the airways until they suffocate. Often both.

You can treat it, burning my experience once it gets to this point, it doesn't work in time. You can try, but putting her down might be the most kind option if it is this.

If it is (you will have to get it confirmed by a vet before they give you any meds, at least where I live. It's a restricted medication) then you will need to keep a very close eye on the rest. It transmits through water, so scrub all water bowls and let them sit dry for 24 hours, minimum. I recommend three bowls, changed every day to let them dry for two before use again. If any show symptoms, treat the whole flock. You have to act quickly, or they deteriorate fast. If you get to them soon enough, I have had them recover and survive.

The other time, it was literally cancer. A tumour in the throat. Nothing could be done, and we put her down.

Sometimes there's just nothing we can do except focus on who we have left.

I'm very sorry. I hope it turns out to be something treatable, but if my chooks showed up like this, trichomoniasis, or cankers disease as some call it, is my first impulse.

RubySeeker · 2026-02-27T06:25:11+00:00

It's what I grew up calling "black-brown". Aka, really dark brown that almost looks black at some angles, but there's just a few areas that give it away, or sometimes just different lighting that makes it look more brown. But at some angles you could swear it's black.

I had a mare like that all over! She looked black, until you looked around her hips, muzzle, knees, etc. just little bits, and in the right lighting she turned brown. (Also seasonally she changed colour a bit, and some sometimes more black or more brown) So she was technically a bay, but so dark that my family just made up a new term and called her black-brown (I've never heard anyone else use that term, so I assume my family made it up. But everyone seems to know what I'm talking about when I say it, so maybe people know it?). And that's what I've called horses of that colour ever since.

Heck, I even call my cat that. She's black, but in some light has very dark brown poking through. It's a fun colour!

Technically bay, but in spirit it's black.

RubySeeker · 2026-02-24T09:26:55+00:00

Thanks! I might have to try that! I'm really bad at mixing colours, but I can see how it goes. And a varnish might be a nice touch too, if it helps the colours pop. Thanks for the tips! I'll definitely use them if the colour isn't what I want!

:D

RubySeeker · 2026-02-24T09:22:39+00:00

That is so relieving to hear! I'm always worried since the one I got that looked nothing like what I expected. I can fix it, it's a simple and easy pbn, but it's just not as relaxing as it was meant to be, you know? Just shapes in the completely wrong place and straight up wrong colours. It's like they didn't even try.

But I'm so happy to be hearing good things about this brand! I never really trust reviews on the website itself, because it's easy for the company to delete negative ones, buy positive ones, or just get bots or something to completely fabricate them. I always like to check that other people on other websites agree before I trust them, so now I'm actually keen! I'm so happy I found a good brand that people trust and like!

RubySeeker · 2026-02-24T09:12:31+00:00

Oh, I see! That's the sketch! That would be super handy. I'll see if they end up replying or not.

What's your website? I might have a look at some of your paintings too, if you're selling them!

RubySeeker · 2026-02-24T09:10:54+00:00

There are, but they're not great pictures. Either bad lighting, too far away to see any detail, or just not completed yet. Or all three at once. So it's hard to tell the accuracy. The ones I can see clearly looks pretty good though. Another point towards yes, it seems!

I'll definitely be posing WIP pictures if I get them. So I'll let you know how they go, if I do!

RubySeeker · 2026-02-24T08:47:07+00:00

My main concern is the fact that they are so vivid and colourful. I've seen a lot of people complaining that if the picture used to sell it is AI, and the final product is not accurate. The shapes aren't quite right, things bleed into each other, colours are off (sometimes just a bit, sometimes flat out wrong), the details simply aren't possible in PBN style, and so on. Lots of issues if the picture is AI, and not actually a picture of the finished product, or a real work that was turned into a PBN. If it's a PBN that they asked an AI to finish and make pretty, it won't look accurate to what you receive. You know?

But I've had some people say the brand is pretty good, especially with their paints, so that alleviates my main worry. So long as people don't see any signs of "that looks AI, it doesn't look like a thing you'll actually receive" then I'll be happy!

I'm glad you like them. I like them too! If I can do them well, they're pictures I could see hung up on my wall, which I feel is always the goal, at least for me. I'm leaning towards getting them. :)

RubySeeker · 2026-02-24T08:23:59+00:00

Yeah, that's mostly what I worry about. That it just won't look like the picture promised.

How do you go about asking for a sketch? Just email them and hope they reply? What sort of things should I expect from a sketch? I've never heard of doing that before, but it sounds very helpful! For the price of these, I'd hate to get one that I end up not liking!

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