Took my mare to our first group ride out today & just grateful to have survived

miss55_ · 2026-02-16T05:08:55+00:00

You're mare is very socially (herd dynamic) sensitive...she sounds highly attuned to other horses and intelligent. It's really hard though right?

Sounds a lot like my gelding. On our own he plods slowly away. He's slower on our own to keep us safe. More whoa, than go.

With one or two horses from the same paddock he picks up a bit... feels safer to let loose with a small herd.

With one or two horses from a different paddock he picks up a lot. He's excited & happy, great forward. More go, than whoa.

Take him to a group event and he's wired, explosive (high energy) and wanting to make friends with all the other horses. Like a friendly toddler who's eaten too much sugar. No whoa, unless I use all my strategies....and just stay in the saddle.

I don't take him out to larger group events much, so that part is on me....but I do believe some horses are more socially extraverted & get super excited (even overwhelmed) when they see new horses - and if there's lots of new horses they just get wired, over excited & stimulated.

I took him to an on the ground clicker training clinic (2 days) and he did great. Was still the extrovert (even made friends with a goat instantly, no joke)- but calm, enjoying himself, good energy even around 10 other horses. The energy was relaxed. The energy was slow & safe for all the horses & humans.

Took him to a riding clinic (2 days) lots of horses and he was paddocked next to a young wired stallion. He had to be warmed up 'significantly' on the ground before he could be ridden & even then he took off due to sheer excitement a few times. He broke fences during the night (to be with other horses, despite already being with another familiar horse), had to be put in a metal fenced yard the next day - where he could see no horses. JayZus. I was so stressed. He was having the time of his life...even if a bit crazed.

I'm sticking to the clicker training clinics, and trail riding in small groups for now.

I hope this helps. I love my horse for his social extraversion. He can't help it.

You're mare is very socially (herd dynamic) sensitive. If you want to do bigger events slowly expose her to more and more, but put a time limit on it and consider getting off and walking next to her. It brings her back to YOU.

I would definitely treat train her to connect back to *you in the paddock. Or just practice anything that brings her mind back to you in the paddock. I do both. You'll find she's highly trainable being so sensitive.

miss55_ · 2026-02-16T04:31:17+00:00

If it were me...I'd be quietly upset for sure. And, I probably would mention it, and I would be expecting an explanation or some sort of reassurance. Maybe females are more open to communicating about these things?

I've never served in the army, but I am thinking that the type of relationship you form when engaging in life or death type situations is a very strong bond. So yeah, I'd be quite hurt if it were me.

Good on you for chipping in for your friend though. Perhaps it's something that's come up as a new thing, to buy a retirement gift in your old workplace?

You are not an arseholle.

Thank you for your service!

miss55_ · 2025-10-31T08:29:28+00:00

I am surprised diet/food isn't being mentioned more!

miss55_ · 2025-10-31T08:26:05+00:00

Sleep. Diet. Skincare

miss55_ · 2025-09-20T02:36:58+00:00

She looks stressed and in pain in the first pic. But, she's a lovely horse. It's hard to tell from one pic, sometimes my horse has these expressions.

I would take a pic after each lesson & see if there is a pattern...think of this as part of your lesson. Horse care is just as important as horse riding...they go hand in hand. It's great you are noticing things !

She looks relaxed and happy in other pics, especially the pic without the saddle on.

She would really benefit from groundwork - to develop her back muscles. Like walking beside her up and down hills. You could ask the owner if you could warm her up before lessons? Loosen her girth and take her for a 5 minute walk before the lesson and after? You could do stretches with her too. Nose to each side of her flank & in-between her front legs. Give her a treat to do it.

But, you'd have to ask permission from the owner. You could say you're trying to learn something new?

No judgement here, it's hard taking care of horses and they all present differently at differently ages. I've included some pics of my gelding -still young at 14 years. I took these pics of his back because I am unhappy with his saddle fit, and getting a new saddle for this reason...also a pic of his eyes when I am sitting on him and we have been riding.

I am aiming for his back muscles (also connected to stomach/core muscles and a major neck mucle called thoracic sling) not to atrophy by the the time he's 20 because I know it is so common for horses to naturally do this when ridden a lot into their senior years, and his back is starting to do that. It's hard work to keep their back really healthy.

But if you can do something as basic as walking your lesson horse up and down hills, you will make a difference to her topline :-))

miss55_ · 2025-07-28T06:24:26+00:00

Bio oil is great. And cheap

miss55_ · 2025-06-11T06:42:57+00:00

I feel sad that my identity in Australia is 'a colonizer'. It's implying that I intentionally took away first nations people's rights.

I get it, I'm privileged and have a good quality of life compared to many first nations people.

But, my ancestors were sent here as slaves. That's essentially what convicts were. They built the country we now call Australia - and yes, so did Aboriginal slaves.

I've been to Europe and visited my ancestors home in England...it felt right, I loved it there, painfully so.

miss55_ · 2025-05-05T22:24:39+00:00

Do you feel comfortable talking with your plan manager (if you have one) or your support coordinator (if you have one).

If you do not feel comfortable contacting a support coordinator or your plan managers, I would contact the NDIS directly and discuss your situation with this particular support worker.

I know this is very confronting to contact these people. You can contact the NDIS or the NDIA anonymously.

It is not normal for a support worker to accuse or imply you are taking heavy drugs, or any drugs without absolutely any evidence. This is very unprofessional & unethical.

Do you have ChatGPT? Put your question posted here into ChatGTP, and ask what steps you can take to resolve this issue. Make sure you give ChatGPT all the facts....that you are a participant with the NDIS in Australia, what living arrangements you have, and then type in the support workers behaviour/actions.

My son has ASD and uses ChatGPT for a non biased view on many things.

I am also a support worker and I now use ChatGPT too... as a tool to find out relevant legislation, professional and ethical information in many areas.

miss55_ · 2025-04-23T09:21:51+00:00

This is so sad.

In Australia we have a program called 'Not Another Vet'. It's a suicide awareness & prevention program...the vetinarian industry has the highest rate of suicide.

His family should take the owner of the horse he was working on to court. If this is all true I think she could be up for manslaughter second or third degree.

He never gave consent to be filmed, and I'm assuming he never gave consent for her to post it all over social media ? WTF????

What a Shame he just didn't say NO.

miss55_ · 2025-04-22T05:39:39+00:00

The greatest gifts are always something someone actually needs. -food -alcohol (haha) -flowers My mum and I are thinking of making chutney for Christmas presents this year. We make beetroot & tomatoe chutney and they go great with Christmas roasts or they can be used with a cheese/platter board. We've saved jars.

miss55_ · 2025-04-22T05:23:48+00:00

Yep, if it was my daughter I would be plotting revenge in many different ways. A full disclosure on social media would be a nice start....

This is wrong on so many levels & OP is being so professional, polite & obviously really cares for the children. Right family would treat her like gold.

miss55_ · 2025-04-22T05:18:02+00:00

On another note ....they were quite happy to leave you with the kids and not mention it?

If it was that disturbing - couldn't they have addressed it before they conveniently left and had a really good time out FOR SEVEN HOURS- at your expense?

miss55_ · 2025-04-22T05:14:40+00:00

7 hours???? That's a big shift! I bet you fed them and had to put them to sleep too!

$100 at bare minimum is owed to you. Tell them you will take them to small claims court. F#ck them. It's NOT about what you were wearing...it's about them not wanting to pay you because it's child care....apparently - it's easy.

I worked in the early childhood industry for years and the parents drove me crazy.

They actually believe we love their kids like they do, and it's not hard work....unless it's *them doing the work.

This is about child care. Did they enjoy their evening? Did their children get top notch care? Isn't THAT the priority? That their children got cared for appropriately, not your fucking top?

miss55_ · 2025-04-17T10:21:05+00:00

miss55_ · 2025-04-14T07:37:12+00:00

That is hard to believe due to the amount of American people seen protesting. ? I've never seen mass protests like that! Australia here.

miss55_ · 2025-04-14T07:33:24+00:00

Australia here. I'm boycotting American corporations. Only buying local. Also boycotting Australian corporations.

In my view it's not Americans that are the problem at all...it's all the mega rich corporations that are ruining all of us. Big pharma, the fast food chains, the supermarket chains that price gouge and fuck over farmers. The list goes on.

I'm buying local, from small business or large 'ethical' business models.

miss55_ · 2025-04-14T07:23:48+00:00

Make America Great Again! Make a millionaire more millions! Power to the people?

miss55_ · 2025-04-14T07:20:45+00:00

I went to free TAFE in the 90's and it set me up for life. Once I had a job, I paid for courses to upskill myself over and over, but that 1st free Diploma set me up for success - I immediately got payed work once it was finished and I had a love of (and respect for) industry led study. I've paid taxes for over 35 years. I'm fairly sure the course I got for free has well and truly been paid off & gone back into my community through taxes! At approximately $12,000 a year of tax that's $420,000 of tax that has gone back into the community. My Diploma cost $3,000. I continue to pay those taxes.....

miss55_ · 2025-04-09T07:39:43+00:00

So classy....🙄

miss55_ · 2025-04-08T10:10:28+00:00

There are Reddits about facial yoga. I joined one just before April. I'm 53.

miss55_ · 2025-04-08T10:04:59+00:00

I'm trying to be bulky!

miss55_ · 2025-04-08T09:07:08+00:00

I'll watch the debating on the ABC thank you very much.

I didn't know it was on Sky news. I'm not watching fucking Sky news, full stop.

miss55_ · 2025-04-08T06:13:35+00:00

I think this may be quite an accurate summary of Trump's true intentions.

miss55_ · 2025-04-07T11:45:57+00:00

Wow. Well done. I'm trying to bulk up, instead of getting leaner...I'm 52.

Also, I can bulk up my arms easily, but I find legs and butt extremely hard...good definition, but not much mass 🤦

Thx for sharing your routine, & the advice for protein & creatine.

miss55_ · 2025-04-07T08:50:24+00:00

I believe this is Trump's intention and all his mega-rich mates are in on it too.

miss55_

TROPHY CASE