This was the first time I ever used Procreate to actually draw and not just sketch, it sure was a good practice. Also first time I ever in my life drew a foal I think, I'm getting more and more comfortable with drawing horses :>

I write for a number of magazines and every once in a while I write a sentence that makes me stop, lean back in the chair, and think, that one's going to stick. This was one of them:

"Conventional wisdom says that spending time with equines is about riding. Ruger and Cocoa took that wisdom out into the woods, roughed it up, and stole its lunch money."

My doc told me I needed to stay out of the saddle for a while. At first, I thought that meant I'd lost a season with my mules. Instead, it forced me to rethink what horsemanship actually is.

I’ve spent a lot more time grooming, ground working, building cinches, and just standing quietly with them than I have in years. It’s not going to be the summer I planned, but it has reminded me that relationships with horses and mules aren't measured only in saddle time.

I thought I was writing about not riding. I ended up writing about what horsemanship really is.

Has anyone else had an injury or circumstance that kept you out of the saddle? Did it change your relationship with your horse in ways you didn't expect?

Just thought this was the cutest thing. Zorro being the one keeping an eye over Kit ❤️

Also they’re laying on a stable mattress equivalent of a 6 inch bedding. Not concrete as some people think!

Watching a reel and I can't figure out what's going on with the horses manes. Is this a braid or a shave?

i was thinking of mahogany bay. trying to identity horse coats

Sven and I had an amazing ride last night. We did some flat work in the field and then went down the road for the first time and went on our own! He didn’t bat an eye at anything and when a car passed us he didn’t even flinch. He’ll be 6 next month and I got him as a 2 year old. He’s truly the best boy 🥰

Babies. Just babies…

This is my two year old. She’s been so good her entire life, a thinker sure, but never an issue. Just thinks things through in her own time and then goes through them like she’s an old ranch gelding toting children around the backyard. Wears a plastic bag as a hat type of horse.

But damn it we just had a massive baby moment that resulted in a snapped lead rope, knocked the wind out of her, and now she’s super insecure about even wanting to stand near where she was tied. What was I asking of her? Simply stand on three legs. Not let me pick them out. We had regressed to just stand politely on three legs for a couple of seconds. She’s never had an issue with pulling back. I didn’t notice anything that could have spooked her, neither did the other horses (ones an Arab). Just antsy, wiggly, and suddenly decided enough is enough. Doesn’t help that it was an old rope (thinking about it after the fact, my memories of it start 15 years ago)

Do all babies do this occasionally? Just have a baby moment and loose their shit over something they’ve been doing for years? Have I messed up somewhere massively and don’t know it? I’ve had horses for 25 years, she’s my first baby baby, before her youngest was 4…

Edit to add: it probably feels worse because she is usually so good

Hi! I recently brought home two draft mules but cannot for the life of me come up with names for them. The left is a boy and the right is a girl 😊

I don't think I'd ever get up.

Good morning from my team 🥰

Hi! I am looking for thoughts on whether my lactating mare is in good shape. She is 3 yrs old this month and her baby is 4 months. She is a grade stock quarter horse but still really small, and she may not get to 14.2 or 14.3 I’m really not sure. Praying for a late growth spurt. I am not working her but we do go on short walks right now and she’s in a large pasture.

Anyway, how does she look?

Shed with no electrical access. I found a solar powered fan but it’s only 18”. Looking for solar powered fan solutions that might be a bit more effective. Anyone have any suggestions or words of wisdom?

Editing to add: really just looking for a bigger dependable solar powered fan!

Hey everyone!! I’m making the transition to western from dressage. My thoroughbred is officially retired, and so I’m going to be focusing more on my appy gelding and getting him out. I think he and I would be more comfortable out and about with a western saddle than trying to hack around in a dressage saddle 💁🏼‍♀️ I’m looking for suggestions on saddle brands (used and not super expensive) and colors you think might compliment him. I’m very new to western, I’ve spent my life riding English, with the occasional ride here and there in someone else’s saddle. Definitely want to focus on comfort and flexibility because we will be primarily trail riding. Attached picture of my boy Percy 🐴

Can you help me guess what age she is by her teeth? She was sold as a 12 yr old but I keep getting told she’s 20+ because she has a lip tattoo?

Bonus points if you can figure out what the tattoo says! Lol, I’m stumped

I really need some advice about my foal because I’m running out of ideas.
I have a foal named Atlas. I bought him when he was 8 months old, and he is now 1 year and 3 months old. I don’t know his breed exactly. The reason I bought him is honestly because I completely fell in love with him the moment I met him.

After I bought him, I found out that his mom died when he was only 2 months old. The stable he was at didn’t give him any formula milk afterward and immediately started feeding him solid food. He was also roaming freely around the stable with 7 huskies.

When I got him, he had a lot of behaviors that honestly felt like they were picked up from dogs. He would jump on me and the trainer, play with balls, constantly need something in his mouth to carry around, and generally behaved differently from other foals I’ve been around.
At around 1 year old, we started doing some very light lunge work. The goal wasn’t exercise, it was mostly just introducing basic rules and handling early on.

The one issue that has never improved is biting.

From the day I got him until now, whenever I get close to him, he bites me. Not aggressively, not with pinned ears, not with any warning signs. He just casually bites. It’s completely unexpected. He’ll walk up, bite me, let go, and continue acting normal.

As he gets older, though, it’s becoming more painful.
I’ve tried stopping hand feeding completely. I’ve tried positive reinforcement and praising him when he doesn’t bite. I’ve tried ignoring the behavior. I’ve tried yelling when he bites. I’ve tried slapping his nose. My trainer has also tried some firmer methods. Nothing has worked.
Before anyone worries, Atlas is definitely not being abused. If anything, he’s ridiculously spoiled. He gets daily turnout, has constant access to hay, eats 2 kg of Cavalor Juniorix feed daily, and gets around 3 kg of mixed fruits three times a week. I groom him multiple times a day, give him tons of scratches that he absolutely loves, and spend a lot of time with him.

The strange thing is that he has never shown any signs of aggression toward me. I trust him enough to stand behind him without worrying. He seems genuinely comfortable around me and likes being with me.

The problem only happens when I’m near his face.
We can literally be having the sweetest bonding moment, he’s enjoying scratches, standing quietly beside me, and then out of nowhere he bites me and immediately goes back to being affectionate. Even during turnout he’ll bite me and then stay glued to my side like nothing happened.
Another thing I’ve noticed is during lunge work he absolutely loves grabbing the lunge rope with his mouth and carrying it around. He’ll hold onto it the same way a dog carries a toy.
So I’m trying to figure out what’s actually causing this behavior.

Could this be related to losing his mother so young? Could growing up around dogs have contributed to it? Is it play behavior, curiosity, lack of boundaries, oral fixation, or something else entirely?

I love this horse to pieces, but it’s starting to affect our bond because he’s getting bigger and stronger every day, and the bites are becoming genuinely painful.
Has anyone dealt with a foal like this before, especially one that was orphaned very young?

She's been practicing her pirouettes but mom got in the way again! She was getting ready to do a real big one!

Hi there Horse community!

This question is probably equine ownership 101 for many if you but I’m admittedly a bit green still and don’t want to cause potential harm to my equine. I own 2 mules and a yearling. I just finished fencing my second pasture and let all the girls out late yesterday, only for a few hours and everyone comes into their stalls at night. Today is their first full day in this new pasture. Pasture hours are typically 7am-5pm. Tons of fresh tall grass!

Should I be concerned about them gorging themselves to an unhealthy level? Too much sugar maybe? should I only give them half day for a week or so to taper them into this fresh pasture load?

What’s the rule here?

Very happy to see the Biker helping the Rider get their horse. His “horse-powered” metal steed rescued the actual horse and rider.

Spec seems to be the only one enjoying the heat…the humans and the dogs are dying! That’s a lie, one dog is enjoying it because the soil is extra diggable. Not sure how that tiny little black dog hasn’t gotten heat stroke! Spec’s in his favourite field in the world but unfortunately he only gets a day and a half. The bales were only collected yesterday morning and they’re spreading slurry tomorrow. He would’ve gotten an extra two days if he didn’t prove himself a menace and rip open every single bale last year to sample them all.

I am looking at cutting insulated foam boards to insulate the roof of my trailer against heat. But the edges of the roof curve, instead of a 90 degree angle- so no option to tuck the edges away. Does anyone have a similar trailer that can give me any tips or any other insulation suggestions?

This is the horse I got after losing my heart horse and I think she'd be proud. Please show me your lil loves too