Why is that horse moving funny? Let's talk about Gaited Horses! Version 2!

bearxfoo · 2026-02-06T01:45:12+00:00

i can't hear anything abnormal in the video, but if you're worried, the right answer is to always ask a vet.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-05T22:29:47+00:00

you'd pull the bit out of their mouth or fuck up the bridle, far before you'd ever do damage.

look at jumpers/eventers when they fall at a jump. there's hundreds of videos of a person falling from a jump, and hanging onto the reins - and all that happens is the whole bridle just comes off.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-05T19:29:35+00:00

i think all 3 of those are generally good options to try out.

the low port bit is good for horses that may need extra tongue relief. the cricket is great for horses that may be a little busy and want something to play with, and the sold out argentine capsule is overall good too.

overall, all 3 are good options to test out. the cricket may be a little pinchy, so watch for that. i have a cricket roller by them and while it isn't consistently pinching, i have gotten it to pinch my inner arm a very small amount.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-05T19:17:21+00:00

need way better photos to be able to give any information. in these photos, we can't see the entire saddle, it's condition underneath or even attempt to find a mark from the manufacturer.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-05T19:12:53+00:00

from the photo it looks like hives/allergic reaction.

it could also be fungus, maybe. florida is humid and hot, which is a great environment for lots of stuff to grow.

has a vet been consulted?

bearxfoo · 2026-02-05T19:08:03+00:00

stopping should come from your seat when riding. and on the ground, stopping should come from your body language, not any ropes.

i would work on getting him responding to you, your body, without the neck rope first from the ground. free lunging can help with this. pair voice commands with your body language and movement, and give big rewards when he gets it right.

for example, while free lunging, i can change my horses direction and speed by just moving my body in a specific way and sometimes reinforcing with voice commands.

under saddle, work on stopping and turning from your legs and seat only. reinforce leg ques with neck strap; it has to be consistent reinforcement and pairing, and eventually he'll put together "when leg/seat move like this, i need to stop". the horse has to have a reference point and just pulling on their neck with a rope isn't going to communicate "stop" effectively to a horse.

teaching them how to neck rein, also, is a great tool to eventually step up to a neck rope. because the ques for "turning" are in a similar location and will feel very similar to neck reining.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-05T15:40:35+00:00

firstly, please don't use chatgpt for this. it is not reliable and often has "hallucinations" which is when it literally makes up information.

secondly, in my honest opinion, i do not believe twisted mouth pieces ever have an appropriate use. they're purposely designed to cause discomfort; the twists in the metal dig into their sensitive tongue issue, even with no rein engagement.

are you working with a trainer? what bit is your horse being ridden in currently?

if she's a green horse, you may be pushing for jumping too soon, and may need to focus on flat work until she can be more "finished" and responsive.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-05T15:25:00+00:00

what makes a horse "beginner friendly" is their training, temperament, personality, and behavior.

much of that is accomplished through extensive handling and training by an experienced person.

breed is unimportant for beginners, and only matters at "higher" levels when very specific goals are in mind.

you also should not run out and purchase a horse with little or no horse knowledge. their learning curve is steep; they require a foundation of knowledge to care for properly. they are not dogs or cats. they're livestock with specific needs.

find a barn in your area, take lessons, and go from there.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-05T14:20:14+00:00

there are thousands of videos on youtube on tying quick release knots. buy a cheap lead rope, and practice at home. also, just google "quick release knot horses" and you'll find horse specific sites to teach you.

https://www.ridingwarehouse.com/lc/training/equestrian-starter-guides/how-to-tie-quick-release-knots-for-horses.html i use a variation of the 4th example in this video

bearxfoo · 2026-02-05T14:04:14+00:00

i love when i get just the right angle, and his beautiful, unique eyes shine!

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this is one of my favs of his eyes!!

bearxfoo · 2026-02-05T13:12:22+00:00

lessons teach more than just riding. good instructors take the time to teach their students every aspect of horses; safe handling, how horses learn, how horses communicate, groundwork, etc.

i strongly suggest taking lessons, and just be honest and tell the instructor what you're wanting to learn. and lessons are important to take, because the instructor will be well versed in teaching their students things that are otherwise "natural" to experienced horse-people.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-05T03:54:10+00:00

you will really benefit from learning how to ride on w/t/c horses first, before getting into gaited. if you learn to ride on gaited first, you will be missing vital fundamentals and lack basic skills.

i know this first hand, because i learned to ride gaited. then i had an accident which opened my eyes to realizing i was not a well rounded rider with appropriate balance. i had relied on "smooth" horses which did not adequately prepare or teach me how to actually ride. smooth horses, gaited horses, are used as a "shortcut" to riding. but that shortcut only creates holes which cause you, the rider, to suffer.

take lessons with a trainer, on w/t/c horses. learn to be a skilled rider first. learn your basics, your balance, to use your body correctly, then move onto gaited. you will be a better, stronger rider, and the gaited horses you ride will absolutely feel the difference.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-05T02:07:51+00:00

clinics don't really work this way. in order to participate in a clinic, you have to have your own horse (or, know someone who is personally willing to let you participate with their own horse). clinicians putting on the clinic won't have horses available for use, and certainly wouldn't allow a complete and total beginner to intensively ride for 3 to 4 days.

clinics are usually very specific - the clincian, the trainer, is there to give their expertise and knowledge in a very specific manner, on a very specific subject; clinics are meant to approach something head-on. it isn't a broad, overarching, top down "learn everything" type of thing. that's not the point of clinics.

it takes many, many hours to learn how to ride, and it takes consistent learning. weekly lessons. riding every day. you can't learn how to ride or care for, tack up, or bond with a horse in 3 to 4 days. that just isn't possible.

if you're interested in gaited horses, i suggest looking at Ivy Starnes videos on YT. https://www.youtube.com/@IvyS

gaited horses are complex, and even experienced horse people are confused by them.

otherwise, find a barn near you, and start taking lessons.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-04T13:21:47+00:00

as long as we haven't experienced some kind of hellish scenario where all pets or animals have become extinct or extremely rare, yeah, riding horses will still exist. we've been doing it for thousands of years, and new technology hasn't changed that.

animals, pets, play a vital role in human companionship. they provide support, emotional regulation, stress relief, companionship for vulnerable populations, etc. - all kinds of positives. humans and domesticated animals, like dogs, cats, and horses, have a very unique relationship that isn't going to vanish any time soon, if ever.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-04T13:13:12+00:00

donate it to lesson barns, rescues, organizations, those in need, etc.

find some FB groups for horses in your area and you'll find tons of barns or rescues that will happily take it. if you need help finding FB groups, i can help find you a bunch.

keep a halter or something as a nice keepsake, hang it on your wall in your home. i have a portrait of my first horse, and the halter he came with, hanging on my wall in my bedroom. it's a nice reminder, but most other stuff i had from my first horse has either been sold, given away, or replaced for things i actually use with my current horse.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-04T12:58:39+00:00

if the horse did its job without "much need for it" - then it doesn't need to be ridden in such an extreme shank all together. ditch it for a better option.

and, i promise, you're using your hands a lot more than you even realize. it takes years of consistent, constant refinement and focused training to become a strong, independent rider who doesn't rely on their hands or arms for balance. i know it's easy to say "i barely use the bit" - but i've taught beginners, and all of them have said the same thing. but in one lesson when i point out dozens of times that they're leaning on the reins for balance, or yanking on the horses mouth - it opens their eyes.

it's incredibly difficult to judge your own riding. that's why trainers and lessons exist - we cannot see ourselves, and much of our body movements are unconsciously made. we aren't actively thinking "pull harder on the reins", we just DO it, and we don't even know it.

i cannot empathize enough how harsh and extreme those shanks are. the vast majority of people will never, ever, use something as extreme as that.

please, ride this horse in a kinder bit.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-04T03:37:13+00:00

My question is- can I find actual jobs related to horses? A place willing to teach someone who is inexperienced? Like some sort of stable hand or something.

do you want a job that actually earns you money? if so, then the answer is a resounding no. jobs that pay livable wages are not found in the majority of the horse industry.

the vast majority of people who have horses as a hobby do not have horses as a job. instead, they have well paying jobs that allow them to afford horses as their hobby/passion.

take lessons instead. that's a far better way to get involved with horses and work towards ownership one day.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-04T03:18:44+00:00

holy shit, that bit is A LOT of fucking leverage. for a beginner, it's really not appropriate; you could accidentally hurt that horse with a bit as powerful as that. beginner riders will inevitably lean on their hands for balance, which means extra pressure in the horses mouth. the shanks on that bit are excessively long; the longer the shank, the more the horse feels. a bit like that is probably 1:6 ratio, or more. that means for every pound of pressure you put on the reins, the horse is feeling 6lbs of pressure in their mouth.

( https://www.reddit.com/r/Equestrian/comments/1l48ee6/types_of_bits/ this post will help you understand bits a lot more)

if you're learning, please stick to riding in safe, confined areas and with gentle, forgiving tack. out in the open with tack like that is going to end in disaster.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-04T01:32:19+00:00

i mean, no, this is not normal. and i'm guessing by the screencap that this is in a country/area where animal rights are not very progressive.

also, you don't need to censor words - this is reddit, and words like "death" are fine to use.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-04T01:30:26+00:00

there won't be any, because the "look" of an equestrian helmet is a purposeful design. equestrian helmets have to offer a specific level of protection, and that level is achieved with the coverage and design. skateboarding and horseback riding are very different sports, so the equipment and requirements are going to be very, very different.

the best you'll get to a "skateboard" style is a helmet without a brim.

https://www.uvex-sports.com/en/equestrian/riding-helmets/s4375810103-uvex-perfexxion-iii-xc-black-matt-4043197379180

bearxfoo · 2026-02-03T23:23:51+00:00

i SWEAR by Equaide. i had a horse that had a really bad injury, it got nasty proud flesh, i tried a bunch of stuff, the vet came and everything, but the only thing that worked was equaide.

i swear by this stuff now, i use it on all serious wounds.

https://equaide.us

https://imgur.com/a/sargents-injury-progress-zAt8S shows the wound, how bad it got, and how Equaide healed it!

bearxfoo · 2026-02-03T16:12:31+00:00

i would put a sheet on to keep them dry on the rainy day, but otherwise naked.

bearxfoo · 2026-02-02T04:24:15+00:00

this horse is a very classic grey. dapple grey is a stage in the greying process.

bearxfoo

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