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hi, I have a youngster I am slowly training. I have a list of small goals/targets (e.g., moves hind quarters, stands still when tied, speeds up and down when leading etc) as I like order and lists and I feel it will help give me focus. I'm not fussed about doing the list in a specific order or...

Hi, my 3 yo youngster is a real good doer and I have had him in a muzzle for the past month or so to try and stop him getting too overweight. He is out 24/7 on established pasture (although the yard helpfully fertilised it!). We had an unusual burst of warm and wet weather and the grass went...

I bought one of the flexible filly muzzles a couple of weeks ago. I've been tinkering and it is ok at the moment but the headcollar I am using it with is rubbing. I decided to buy a different headcollar and another muzzle so I have 2 to swap between for cleaning/adjustments etc. But apparently...

My lovely friend is letting me ride her ID twice a week and during lessons my instructor pointed out his saddle was twisting. The saddle had just been checked and I did mention it to my friend but it is tricky when it isn't your own horse so you can't just change things yourself. Anyway, I...

hi, I'm just looking for ideas on what could be the issue. (Note this is a bit of a tricky situation as it is a horse I share/ride with a very novice owner who is away a lot. The horse is on full livery. I have already sent messages to the owner saying if it was my horse I would get the vet...

I recently bought a Pivo so have managed to film myself schooling a few times. The plan is to watch the recordings so I can see what I need to improve. Does anyone do this successfully? I'm not a very visual person and realised I don't always have a clear picture of what for example a great...

hi, has anyone taught their horse a release cue so that if you are leading them and it is ok for them to eat grass you indicate this? (So that you can have them eat/not eat depending on the situation) If so what cue did you teach them and how? Thanks

Last night I watched a webinar by Charlie Unwin and Anna Ross. It was really good and has inspired me to get my bum into gear and actually try and improve and *do* something. I recently retired the 25 yo quirky ex-eventer that I have on loan for 6 years. We just mainly hacked and did some...

I've recently decided to retire my horse and wondered if anyone had any advice on how to prepare him (but maybe more me?!) for retirement livery. (Apologies for the long post, you can probably skip the middle bit and go straight to the end if you want!) He is a 25yo TB who I've had on loan for...

hi, I have found a bottle of green gloop at the yard and was thinking of making some buckets of it up to have by taps and handles etc so they can be washed down regularly. I can't find out anywhere if it affects virus particles at all. I can't seem to find a an ingredient list so I can see if it...

I hope this might be useful to some other people .... I found myself in the middle of a field holding my youngster, with 2 other curious youngsters, an open tub of mud fever cream and a sticky mud fever tub lid. By the time my youngster had made it clear that no, he didn't want the cream on his...

hi, I wondered if anyone had any experiences/ideas/opinions they might be able to share with me. (Before I start ... the horse was seen by an experienced equine vet this Monday). Sorry in advance for such a long post. My 24 yo TB Barney has been not quite right for a couple of months, just a...

hi everyone, I bought a set of clippers last year and used them to give my TB a trace clip then 2 top up clips. He is old so quite hairy. Do you think my clipper blades will need to be sharpened before doing him this year?? Also where do people get their blades sharpened - is there a good...

My (nearly) yearling likes to push and throw his feed bowl around when eating. He only has a stud balancer so there isn't much in the bowl and I'm worried he is ending up wasting it. He is fed in the field and I have started looking at non-tip feeders. I don't want to use a bucket wedged in a...

Hi, I've had a look but it doesn't seem like this has been asked in a while. Does anyone self-insure/not insure their youngstock? I am buying a well bred weanling for £3500 so the insurance premiums for vets fees are pretty expensive. If i decrease his value on the quote the premium comes...

hi everyone :) I have recently gone a bit crazy and put down a deposit on a foal. He will be my first youngster. He is currently part of a small herd and I should get him at the end of November sometime. I am very excited but a bit anxious about what a steep learning curve it will be...

hi, I am thinking about getting a trailer and suitable towing vehicle next year. I am trying to read about it but am baffled by all the abbreviations. Does anyone know of a website with all the abbreviations on or mind explaining them?? Sorry I guess this kind of thing gets asked a lot...

Hi everyone! a friend and I have decided to enter a pairs dressage class that a local riding club is putting on. It is BRC pairs test 5 which seems to be walk, trot canter, some medium trot strides and a halt at the start and end. I wondered if anyone had any tips for choreography? I will...

hi, I just wondered if anyone had actually used one of the Husk saddle pads and what it is like? My horse is really sweaty and I want to make sure he is comfortable. I currently use a Nuumed half wool numnah as people said that would help but it hasn't! I have just used normal cotton before...

hi, I wondered if anyone had an advice about the FLWR to med walk transition? Whenever I pick up my reins after a free walk my horse sort of lifts and twists his head and is resistant. As a result I never seem to get my reins short enough and the next movement in a dressage test is always...

hi, my horse has been really sweaty this year under his saddle and I wondered what numnahs people use in the summer to help keep their horses cool? I know some of you seem to be numnah fanatics! I currently just have on a normal cotton lightly padded one. I do have a nuumed half-wool one...

hey everyone - I'm looking for some advice/sympathy/kick up the bum! This time last year I started loaning a 19yro ex-eventer. We have had fun but there have been some issues - two coughing/respiratory episodes which stopped riding for about a month each. I got the vet out and he had...

Hi, this is driving me mad! I have a Thorowgood saddle I want to sell but it is missing some of the girth buckle guards. It has the individual slot ones. I can't for the life of me find anywhere to buy them! Anyone got any ideas or will i have to resort to a multi slot one? Ta

hi, I have an ex-eventer on loan and thought it would be nice to get out and about a bit. He is 20 and looks well so I plan to have a go at the ridden veteran class of some local shows. I have never showed before and am generally fairly scruffy so need lots of advice about what is correct...

hi, I just wondered if anyone had any advice/ideas. My 20 yr old loan horse has had a dry cough for the past 10 days. No nasal discharge/high temp/any other symptoms. A couple of weeks ago the hay was particularly dusty and although I wet it thoroughly i wonder if this was the start. He...

hi, I got my share horse in this morning and he was soaking wet. After an hour at the yard doing jobs and generally kibitzing he still wasn't dry so i decided to come home and go back later. I just wondered if other people tack and ride wet horses. I can't seem to remember being told not to...

Hi, I wondered how well people can remember how their SJ/XC round went and if anyone has any tips to help me be able to! I know some people seem to be able to remember every stride - is it something they have always been able to do or does it come with experience and practice? Are that some...

I wondered if anyone had any ideas or success stories about overcoming lack of self-confidence affecting their riding. I am increasingly frustrated about my lack of progress riding. I can ride quite well but if I get on a horse which is even a bit lit up or nervous or look-y (but not...

I am trying to improve my jumping and it occurred to me that when I jump everything seems to pass in a flash. I think I need to try and make more things subconscious/habit so I free up some brain space. So I thought it would be interesting to hear what people have made habit/subconscious and...

Hi I wondered if anyone had any ideas/experiences of doing competitions without their own horse. I have had lessons for years and years and am very good at doing what I am told and riding quite well, sadly I am not very good at thinking for myself. I took my stage 3 exam last summer and passed...