I have a limited show buget, I recently bought a used show saddle but when my horse wears it he becomes a bucking bronco. I think the skirt is too large for him, It seems to be a normal size and I can't find anything smaller that is affordable. I can't afford to go custom, Is there any other choices out there?

In 2005 a "total disk replacement" became available. It is not the same as a disk fusion and works better with less recovery time. The problem is that there are limited doctors that do the surgery and not all insurances pay for it. Recovery time is nothing compared to a fusion. Football players can play again after this type of surgery compared to a fusion. I ahd a fusion in1992. I still ride but am treated for constant pain.. A friend had a similar surgery recenty but it was a total disk

The training advice is great! Since he has always been sensative to the bit have you had his teeth checked by a horse dentist?

We are building our first arena and are having trouble with what is the best footing. Our dirt base is heavy in clay. No one in our area is into jumping. I would like to have a footing that is safe for jumping but also not rediculously expensive. Has anyone had good luck in a similar endevore?

When the saddle was fitted did you ride her? A lot of new riders tend to put the saddle on too far forward which can cause a hors to hump her back up and which can also cause the girth to be in the wrong place.

In the June issue of "EQUUS" there was an article about ex-race horses. The author of the artilce also had a book called "Beyond the Track' U don't know if it will be helpful or not.

Thanks for the info. They are on fescue and orchard grass. They actually are rotated between two 20acre pastures that are mostly grass. we fertilize and weed controll every spring and testn their hay for nutients before we buy it. The one thing I have noticed is they mostly chew on the bark when it is hot and sunny and they are standing under trees for shade so may be boredom does play a part. What do you meen by a loose stock mineral. My feed stores here do not seem to know a lot about supplements

My horses are destroying my trees by eating all the bark off. It is impossible for me to fence off the trees. Does any one know what they might be missing in their diets? They have a good quality pasture, 11% sweet feed and access to salt/mineral block. I've tried adding "Quit Chew" to their diet but it is costly to feed to 9 horses.

I hope there not bored. They have 20 acres and they get exercised when it's not raining. They run and play alot witheach other also.

I had a very similar problem. I had 8 horse and bought a mare that was only used as a brood mare and hadn.t been handled much. I was told she was an alpha mare and would chase off other horses when feeding. My horses are also on 20 acres and not all of them get barn privileges. She was impossible to catch at first. I first had to "join up" with her As taught by Monty Roberts. Then every time I went to get her in the pasture I had to join up again which sometimes took time running around