I second the advice to call the vet, especially if this is a horse that ALWAYS cleans up food and DOESN'T spend much time napping down. It might be nothing, but I wouldn't want to risk the pregnancy, or the mare, and time could be important.

If you've been riding in a deep-seated dressage saddle, you are indeed in for a shock. Because jumping saddles are made with a shallow seat, forward flaps and in general less leather, you will probably feel like you are sitting on a postage stamp! It would be great if you had the opportunity to ride in several different close contact saddles BEFORE you even start shopping... just as in dressage, there are MANY variations in style and comfort (not to mention sizing for a variety of back shapes). In

As an instructor, I would advise you to request: - lessons only in the enclosed arena, where the horse doesn't have a problem - a different horse for riding in the un-enclosed arena There could be a variety of reasons why the Paint is bolting, from fear or rider imbalance or pain or ??. In any case, it it not your young, still-learning-to-ride daughter's job to fix the problem. If the bolting didn't bother her and she was confident in learning how to ride through it while the trainer tries to find

It's always hard to comment accurately without seeing a rider in person, but I think I can help... I believe you have a basic balance problem and Tonto gets upset when you: start to bounce to one side... then have to grip with your legs and (probably) reins... and perhaps also bounce back into a more sensitive area (anywhere further than 6-8" back from the rear of the withers). So, what to do about it?? First, make sure you are not wearing slippery clothing! Skin on fur has good grip, so shorts can

I fully agree with those who say this is a respect/dominance issue... and also agree swift discipline is important. Just be careful, especially if your mare is between you and the stall door. Since she clearly believes herself to be the "boss", she could easily escalate and come back after you if you whack her. If you feel at all uncomfortable or threatened by her behavior, please have a confident, knowledgeable friend or professional help you regain your position as "herd leader". Also... some mares

You can't really change your horse's (or your) conformation, but you can switch to a stick to enhance your forward-driving leg aids. Spurs should really be reserved for lateral movement, anyway.

It can take horses many months to truly feel comfortable in a new environment. Think how you would feel if you and your best friend moved to a foreign country together - I'll bet you'd stick "close" for quite awhile until you got comfortable in your new surroundings. You can find a happy medium between keeping your horse safe and manageable and promoting his return to sanity - when you need to do something like farrier or vet work, bring his girl in, too, to keep both calm. And continue grooming

You must fit the qualification requirements of the FEI in order to be considered for selection, which happens as a result of placement at National and/or International events as well as subjective decision-making by a committee. There are no classes for minis in FEI competition.

To avoid the appearance of conflict of interest. A judge should always remain impartial, so even though you may be asking an innocent question - or simply commenting on the weather - other competitors may not see it that way. You CAN talk to the judge (if he/she is willing)... but you should always go to the Show Manager with your request. The SM will approach the judge, then introduce you when the judge agrees to the meeting. This is pretty much an "American thing", by the way. In Europe, there

When I moved to Indiana, I was surprized and appalled to find out there is no Coggins requirement here, either. Yes, your horse can get EIA in between tests, but testing is what TREMENDOUSLY lowers the chances of having that happen! Especially now, when it's so easy for horses to be transported around the world, it's more important than ever to be on the lookout for disease. And Equine Infectious Anemia is a bad deal... no vaccine available, non-curable and very debilitating. Being infected with