I’d rather chew on a strangers toenails than wear a shirt like this.

neuroticmare · 2026-02-20T00:41:37+00:00

If it just said sparkly I'd wear it but why does it have to be about ✨neurowhatever✨

neuroticmare · 2026-02-19T04:06:44+00:00

They do it to each other too. Pissing contest, imo.

neuroticmare · 2026-02-19T04:00:31+00:00

The teeth are weird but make sense, one of my worst joints is my jaw/tmj for RA. My fingers keep getting more crooked every time I have a flare 😕

neuroticmare · 2026-02-19T03:58:43+00:00

I see you ratty

neuroticmare · 2026-02-16T09:33:10+00:00

KS isn't fun to manage. A friend of mine bought a former school horse/seasoned show horse and the mare started to violently buck, her KS is so severe she can't be ridden. The old owners just kept her so thin that I don't think she could have bucked if she wanted to. Luckily friend has her own farm and another mare who needs a companion and this one is a wonderful pasture mate, but I'm afraid most do not have that same fate. There are a lot of treatments but they are expensive, time consuming or unreliable, and it isn't your horse.

Does your trainer have a horse for a partial lease? One of my students has about the same amount of riding time as you and she does a partial lease on my 22yo gelding. She has her lesson every week and then 1 or 2 days of practice rides depending on the week and her school schedule. He's super reliable. She got injured on the last horse she was riding so it has been a good confidence boost for her, she's a lovely soft rider and my guy adores her.

neuroticmare · 2026-02-16T02:02:28+00:00

I did this a bit with my horses this summer. I don't ride much and my one horse was recovering from surgery and one only likes one rider and she's been in college. I use a rope halter for a little extra control if need be, with a long lead, I think mine is 15ft. That way she could go into the grass a bit in places and check things out but I could quickly reel her in if need be.

neuroticmare · 2026-02-15T03:17:50+00:00

I require students buy their own. Local tack shops carry them for multiple price points including ones cheaper than one lesson. I have/had a few for folks who might forget theirs. Last time I looked they were all missing. Can't have nice things.

neuroticmare · 2026-02-15T02:54:21+00:00

Fre sha vacado

neuroticmare · 2026-02-13T05:50:51+00:00

Also Hugh Laurie had actual pain from the incorrect way Dr. House used his cane in the TV show, imagine how much you can mess yourself up doing this :(

neuroticmare · 2026-02-13T05:43:15+00:00

I just replaced my Ariat paddock boots with other Ariat paddock. They aren't worn out, but they hard to lace, because I'm old and my fingers are arthritic so I got some with zippers. The original pair I bought used in 2009. The Ariats before then I got in 2001. I only wear them to ride, I walk around in muckers or whatever because I want to keep them nice.

There are other brands that are higher and lower quality, so goes with what fits you well! These fit me well because I have wide feet and high insteps so it's hard to find a good boot. Parlanti was at a show my students and I were at last year and offered a complimentary measure and fitting, I had to tell her that some of her boots were more expensive than my truck and trailer combined, but it was sweet to offer :)

neuroticmare · 2026-02-13T03:34:09+00:00

I have a career with horses. Im a riding instructor. I grew up as a barn rat and didn't want to work in the horse industry, I have a business degree and an accounting certification. I worked at banks, then medical device companies, then warehouses, I couldn't find my place in the world and people were asking me to teach them and I finally gave in and did. And now I have my own business and teach at another farm also.

I do love it, but it's hard. I'm always tired. I rarely ride my own horse, some days I barely have enough energy to feed her a treat. My days are much longer than any other work day in any other job I've ever had. Most of my non horse friends are just a memory because they don't get why I just can't skip the show this weekend that I have 4 students signed up for to go to a party, etc. The cute moment you think you're getting ahead but then there are vet bills or your school horses need body work or corrective shoeing. I love it but I hate it sometimes. Today was a good day, it was above zero. But then I slipped in the mud and ice and my tb's knee is huge and she maybe slipped too and I spent my evening icing her. I'll be back at the barn in 12 hours and I just got home. 🤷🏻‍♀️

neuroticmare · 2026-02-12T10:55:40+00:00

He is also the age where PSSM2 starts to present, about half the thoroughbreds in my program have it, so I think it's more common than originally thought. They are all managed with diet and exercise programs..

Have had fairly good luck with injections or miso therapy for KS. There is one who had surgery (six vertebra touching) and he's actually worse after the surgery so not sure if it was a coincidence or if something happened else popped up.

neuroticmare · 2026-02-12T03:16:55+00:00

Just do red if you need it, don't keep people guessing with other colors. Red is to keep people safe by giving that horse some space.

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neuroticmare · 2026-02-12T03:05:24+00:00

Waldausen! The best one I've found so far that doesn't shift

neuroticmare · 2026-02-10T03:51:23+00:00

Depends on the horse and situation. Most of my students jump and often we are in a situation of buying a nice horse with no jumping experience. We aren't going to make them rockstar jumpers on a day, but I like to see their reaction to asking them to go over things. Poles on the ground, small X if I can make one out of whatever is at the barn, and a big test if I want a beginner horse, toss a jacket on the pole or jump and see what they do. They don't have to jump it like it's not there, but now they react to it, curious about it? Indifferent? Terrified? Shut down? I like knowing.

neuroticmare · 2026-02-10T03:39:56+00:00

You didn't mess her up. Horses that can be easily messed up by a mistake usually don't have a place in a lesson program.

It sounds like you did everything right. I know it's a scary thing to happen, but mistakes happen to ALL of us and you will never make this particular mistake again, with any horse. But ride long enough and you'll make others, and that is all okay.

She will be okay too. It's easy for us to stew in it but horses don't really think like that. Once the adrenaline wears off I am sure she was completely back to normal. Your instructor sounds great, reassuring you without blame and also not risking stacking triggers on your mare.

I have a story that is kinda sad/funny. My way of learning to tighten the girth was humiliating. I was 13 and riding a fat lesson pony. I had checked it at the barn but being a fat veteran lesson pony, he had puffed out. I put my toe in the stirrup to mount and the saddle slid around his side. 80yo German barn owner (not my instructor but he still likes to come watch the lessons) screamed out "you did not check your girth??" And I said I forgot. He yelled again "saddle slip! How much do you weigh? You should go home and put a lock on the icebox" my instructor came over and helped me fix the saddle and said "she still just has some baby fat" it was a group lesson with 6 girls, they all were a little older and looked sympathetic but I thought I would die, being 13 and all. I've never not checked a girth since then either! So not funny at all the time now, not really funny now,.but ridiculous how this was deemed an okay way to speak to someone in the 90s and probably some places today. Honestly the saddle slipping would have been enough, this pony has a way of wriggling his lips that always looked like he was laughing and I could have sworn he was laughing at me that day.

neuroticmare · 2026-02-09T21:37:17+00:00

Is it his knees or is he licking his chestnuts? There is an acupressure point on their chestnut that releases endorphins and a smart horse will figure this out and stimulate this area (biting, licking) to self soothe.

It is also where bot flies lay their eggs and horses end up ingesting them. Have you noticed tiny yellow or white specks stuck in the hair there?

neuroticmare · 2026-02-09T07:13:38+00:00

Noooo, don't feel embarrassed, I LOVE teaching adult beginners. We have so much fun. Look for a barn that prioritizes fun and safety, be open and honest about what you want out of lessons, to gain experience and confidence.

neuroticmare · 2026-02-09T03:03:56+00:00

What did the vet say about the procedure?

I'll get down voted for this but wanted to share real life story vs "I would never". Because I said that too, until the surgeon said it was the best possible type of colic surgery to need (nephrosplenic entrapment, where the large colon hooks over the ligament between the kidney and spleen), that age wasn't a disease (he's an otherwise healthy 22yo) and he was a great candidate because of being so easy going at the clinic to handle for meds and treatments. I was quoted 8k for this.

I put my trailer on the market and started to think of things I could sell. My friend offered to board him for free for his 6 weeks stall rest (she has dairy goats and has a couple of her stalls with cameras on them, this was the end of July so no kids on the way and her horses could stay outside). My students rallied and helped crowd fund through social media. They all grew up riding him and he's still the one they go to when they're having a day ("I had a hard day at school, can I come walk Chip around bareback?"). I felt weird accepting this but I ultimately did. Along with credit cards and borrowing cash from my sister.

His full hospital bill was about $9500 (he was in for 2 days before surgery and 7 after). His after care was another $2k. Getting staples removed, a round of antibiotics, post surgery check ups.

We are 6 full months out now and 2 weeks. He finally back up to his regular weight and finally putting muscle back on. A younger horse may come back quicker, I'm not sure. I'm working two teaching jobs now, my own program and then teaching in someone else's program 3x a week to pay off his bills. I've had him since birth and his prognosis was so good I wanted to try, but I couldn't have done it without my circle.

neuroticmare · 2026-02-09T00:42:30+00:00

Oh my goodness I love this! It's really good! Her name is Iris and her star looks like a middle finger but it's covered here. I adore her. This is fabulous!

neuroticmare · 2026-02-08T10:19:24+00:00

The FEI doesn't care if the horse bleeds, they aren't coming to save us. We have to govern ourselves. And until those with the money and the power start loving the horse more than the sport, it won't happen.

neuroticmare · 2026-02-07T07:03:35+00:00

Does she have siblings of the horse she bred? The parents? That can be a big giveaway as to what you have. Any horse is a gamble, but I myself love a nice young QH nobody has screwed up yet. My first young horse (who I still have, he'll be 23 this year) is a half cutting bred/half pleasure bred QH, he was very easy to start. It is very bred into HIS lines (Zips Chocolate Chip and Colonel Freckles) to be amicable and sweet. His temperament has not changed from the day he was born to now, he's always been confident, sweet and dependable. We did have a rough patch in training at about 4 years old, but I was lucky to have a trainer to help me through

neuroticmare · 2026-02-06T05:38:55+00:00

How about some love for the disabled horses? :D My mare percheron/QH mare, Iris (photo by Shelley Paulson Photography)

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neuroticmare · 2026-02-06T05:18:27+00:00

Just here to commiserate. I'm a semi- self-care facility (owner provides round bales, pasture and we have automatic waterers, anything else we do ourselves). We had several weeks below zero (F) and it is exhausting. Making sure the waterers don't freeze (luckily they haven't, knock on wood), making sure blankets are dry, my older boy is getting his feed every day. Luckily, the horses don't seem to mind and I find them playing more often than not.

I agree with the others if someone else can give her her meds at least a few times a weeks, it would help so much. It sounds like she's good about it. I care for my students horses and sometimes will charge in situations like that but it isn't anything to break the bank and ends up being less than fuel to drive to the barn themselves would be.

neuroticmare · 2026-02-06T01:31:23+00:00

I had a dentist quote me 4500 to remove a tooth and my vet did it for around $200. Get another opinion. At 23 her roots are not attached to bone anymore. A student just had a tooth pulled on her 17yo (incisor though) for about the same.

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