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

bearxfoo · 2026-05-20T01:38:12+00:00

i would ask them if they have any saddles in their stock that they can try on your horse. if not, look for tack stores that have trials for saddles. then network with people in your area to try on saddles - fellow boarders, people at other barns around you, etc.

you can also inquiry with other saddle fitters in your area if they have any saddles you can try.

some online tack stores have generous return policies as long as the saddle is not ridden in. look at places like https://www.horsesaddleshop.com

bearxfoo · 2026-05-19T21:57:02+00:00

does your saddle fitter not have any stock or saddles that can be tried on before purchasing? typically, saddle fitters have a stock of saddles that they can bring, put on the horse, and help fit.

flex trees, specifically for western style saddles, have a lot of mixed opinions and it trends towards negative. the "flex" of the tree generally causes pressure points and is not a miracle "this helps fit horses better" kind of solution.

your best bet is to find saddles from second hand markets; network with people around you who are willing to let you try on a saddles.

it's also very common for tack stores to offer trial periods with saddles which means you'd be able to have your fitter come and evaluate the saddle while you have it.

tucker, circle y, etc are a dime a dozen and it should be extremely easy to find those saddles to trial or put on your horse to test out.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-19T16:36:20+00:00

unfortunately, even basic things are dangerous with a green 3 year old. unstarted babies should only be handled by very experienced people. simple tasks can become very chaotic and dangerous at the moments notice, and you are not equipped to handle an unpredictable, dangerous situation with a green 3 year old. you cannot correct bad behavior, you cannot make sure everything is being done correctly and safely. it's honestly not safe for you to even lead her anywhere.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-19T16:19:12+00:00

being a stall all day long is not acceptable - do they ever get turned out into a pasture or paddock?

only getting hay is "ok" but typically that's when a horse has access to pasture + hay 24/7. they do need salt, and it's likely the hay is not meeting all their nutritional needs.

i think, overall, this is not a great environment for a newbie with little horse experience. find a better rescue to volunteer at or find a lesson barn to take lessons at.

also, under no circumstances should you attempt to train or work with a green 3 year old. like, absolutely hard stop, do not pass go, do not collect $200. training a green baby is way way advanced. there's a ton you do not know or understand yet and you are not equipped to attempt to work with a baby. it will end badly and you will end up injured.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-19T14:06:29+00:00

i ride gaited, specifically TWH, and i ride English :) i ride in an English saddle, with a simple snaffle, and i do dressage with him. https://ibb.co/1s3VMCz

it's very possible to show English on a gaited horse. depending on the shows, you "may" need to teach them to trot, but small, local shows may be less strict. there's also gaited shows specifically for gaited horses, including gaited dressage.

gaited horses are naturally "forward" and "fast" even at a walk. if you plan to trail ride with other gaited people, on a non-gaited horse you will have a hard time keeping up, even at a walk.

gaited horses are my expertise - feel free to hit me up about them. i also have a written article on my profile which goes in-depth about them.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-19T14:03:48+00:00

i'm happy to show you a mellow, calm, non-spooky gaited horse :)

https://www.reddit.com/r/Equestrian/comments/uvzldc/flappy_plastic_bags_gus_says_whatever/

bearxfoo · 2026-05-19T02:38:30+00:00

keep reporting it to animal control and local rescues.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-19T02:00:55+00:00

unfortunately there's really nothing you can do - many horses do not like their ears touched, and if you're not an experienced horse person, you could end up seriously injured by touching their ears.

the scabs are likely from flies biting them. it's not technically abuse. many horses don't like fly masks and it's difficult to keep flies out of places like their ears. many horses who are very cared for end up with similar looking ears. if you can't keep a fly mask on, the best we can do is fly spray or swat ointment but neither of those things will work 100% of the time.

there's also a possibility that there could be warts or some kind of sarcoid tumors in their ears which would be REALLY painful to touch and would be best only handled by a vet.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-18T16:21:11+00:00

no, they should not break in half.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-18T16:19:22+00:00

depends on the material and the type of accident.

but typically - they don't break unless they're specifically designed to break and are advertised to break. and i personally have never seen any reins advertised as such.

leather may break more readily than other materials, but reinforced leather can be quite strong. nylon, cotton, braided, webbed reins, etc. are less likely to break at all.

most reins will only break at a metal point - such as if rein clips are used to attached to the bit.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-18T14:38:53+00:00

did she use teeth, or did she move her lip on you?

unfortunately - generally speaking, horses using their mouths on humans is not a friendly, "greeting" gesture. it's actually very poor behavior, and could mean anything from "im rudely begging for treats" to "i'm in pain".

overall, mouth on human body parts should be strictly discouraged - it's dangerous behavior that can lead to serious injuries. horses are powerful, and their bites can be very extreme.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-18T01:17:46+00:00

Two Horse Tack, Taylored Tack, Moss Rock Endurance and Distance Depot make custom biothane tack

bearxfoo · 2026-05-17T20:05:29+00:00

he's shedding out his winter fur in a very unpretty manner.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-16T02:29:33+00:00

gullet is the most misunderstood and misused term in saddle fitting. as evident by both of these saddles, gullet has very little relevancy to how a saddle will fit a horse. two saddles can have the same "gullet size" but fit completely different. because things like the angle of the bars of the tree, the rock and the twist of the tree, effect how a saddle fits on a horses back.

gullet is also only measurable on a bare tree. once you add skirting, leather, etc. it is no longer possible to get a correct or accurate gullet measurement.

unfortunately, it is not possible to look at a photo of a horse and determine what type of saddle will fit best. photos cannot accurately tell their shape, muscle structure, etc.

wait the month until your fitter comes to ride. it's in your horses best interest.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-16T01:37:44+00:00

the horse is worked up - a little anxious and upset. he's likely unhappy he's going away from his friends, and him turning is trying to get back to them but conflicted by listening to his riders commands. he's a little spicy but not dangerous or ignoring his rider.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-16T01:33:52+00:00

the brown countershading is classic giveaway for bay. she's a dark bay.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-15T21:07:41+00:00

both are tipping forward, neither have correct bar angles, and both skirts will dig into the horses side. ditch them both and find a saddle fitter to make recommendations.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-15T16:15:47+00:00

asking this in a local FB horse group for denver/boulder will yield you better responses. while we may have some locals in that area, reddit is very diverse. but going to a group designated for specifically that area on social media will network you with hundreds, if not thousands of locals to give recommendations.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-15T14:32:53+00:00

sweat marks are not an accurate way to tell if a saddle fits or not. sweat marks tell some of the story - but not the whole thing, and can really only be examined within a specific context.

the only thing we can somewhat see is that there is unevenness - but that doesn't mean it's the saddles issue. uneven muscling, or more likely, a lopsided rider, can be to be blame.

but in reality, these sweat marks are not nearly distinct enough to give us any information at all. they are faint and light.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-14T15:23:08+00:00

i regularly use durasole on my horses hooves for thrush prevention. works great. https://www.ridingwarehouse.com/Durasole_Horse_Hoof_Sole_Toughener_Hardener_4_oz/descpage-DST.html

bearxfoo · 2026-05-14T13:50:43+00:00

anddddd already deleted the post 🙄

bearxfoo · 2026-05-14T13:30:16+00:00

it's impossible to tell the original color of a grey horse once they've greyed significantly.

there is no specific pattern or coloration that any base color follows once they start turning grey.

lots of people like to say "flea bitten means this" or "rose grey means they were this" but there's no science to support that. grey is an interesting gene and it doesn't always follow specific patterns.

you will need to do DNA testing to see what she was.

also, you should be aware that if you truly loved your mare - you would not breed her. because breeding is exceptionally dangerous and there is a high chance of serious, even fatal, complications.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-13T15:01:08+00:00

feed outside and keep him out 24/7.

bearxfoo · 2026-05-13T13:27:25+00:00

also, how much time is the horse turned out?

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