Do You Ride Horses? V.4

[Verdana]

Another question for anyone on this thread!
Since I'm interested in lessons, I'm guessing I'll have to buy my own stuff (helmet, appropriate shoes, etc.)
Is there any particular store(s) you'd recommend or any you'd say to stay away from? We used to have a local tack shop in my town, but they closed down many years ago.

You want a good pair of boots for sure. Hardy, above ankle, I prefer lace-up because they last longer. Boots take you far.

Some barns have helmets to borrow but it's really much nicer to have your own. We have multi-sporting goods stores like Decathlon that sell a nice, reasonably priced helmet.

Get a good pair of gloves. Invest in gloves.

Depends on what you do and where and who's teaching, but I think a dressage/'long' stick is a really important piece of equipment for groundwork and higher level flatwork. Depends, though: My most frequent horses rn don't need/benefit from a stick in work so I'm not using it atm.

Find good trousers that fit well and don't roll up/chafe. Also socks.

For the horse: If you start the leasing process, the first piece of equipment I'd get is a nice standard or rope halter and lead/long rope. Fits many horses, minimal adjustments, versatile piece of equipment. I wouldn't bother with saddles and bridles until you're at the point of full leasing or buying a specific horse.

For me, in order of priority to own: Boots n socks, gloves, helmet, trousers, long stick/halter/lead rope, horse, everything else lol

[Hime]

so i actually don't recommend steel boots, if one steps on you it can actually sever your toes!

Getting your toes chopped off by steel toe shoes is extremely unlikely to happen in stable setting. There's a Mythbusters episode on this actually with conclusion that if you get your toes chopped of it's not the shoe but the shape, weight and height of the object dropping on your foot that matters (sharp edged, very heavy, high and it will still glance off the steel toe and cut the normal material instead). Normal horse stepping on the toes will not make that happen, take it from someone who's had her toes stepped on several times in steel toe shoes.

[Angelus Gaston]

I don't really ride horses but I have worked with them in the past (police stables) and have done a ton of research on them towards my animal care qualification.

I have a question for you all in regards to a Youtuber Called Raleigh Link.

I use to really enjoy her videos but right at the minute she just seems to be nit-picking about the most simple thing's in the equestrian world.

If you stable your horse for any amount of time your abusive (her horse was attacked by a cougar yet she still leaves him outdoors in cougar country)
If you use bit's your abusive.
You use anything to help you control your horse, your abusive.
You do comps with your horse your abusive.
In her past few video's she seems to react to thing's without doing much research so has very biased opinion's and when you point this out your in the wrong and you know nothing.

It seems to me that if you use your horse for anything other than a pastor pet or pleaser horse your abusing your horse in her eyes, its frustrating how much of an influence she is having on her community and how they seem to follow her blindly because she is supposedly a vet student.

What's your opinion on these kinds of YouTubers, she is just coming across as entitled and a huge know it all ( without the proper research ) it's like she has lost her sense on real abuse and is just targeting everything that doesn't conform to her standard and it's starting to really make me wonder what this kind of behaviour is going to do to the horse world in the future with alot of her fans being young girls.

[darwins]

I don't really ride horses but I have worked with them in the past (police stables) and have done a ton of research on them towards my animal care qualification.

I have a question for you all in regards to a Youtuber Called Raleigh Link.

I use to really enjoy her videos but right at the minute she just seems to be nit-picking about the most simple thing's in the equestrian world.

If you stable your horse for any amount of time your abusive (her horse was attacked by a cougar yet she still leaves him outdoors in cougar country)
If you use bit's your abusive.
You use anything to help you control your horse, your abusive.
You do comps with your horse your abusive.
In her past few video's she seems to react to thing's without doing much research so has very biased opinion's and when you point this out your in the wrong and you know nothing.

It seems to me that if you use your horse for anything other than a pastor pet or pleaser horse your abusing your horse in her eyes, its frustrating how much of an influence she is having on her community and how they seem to follow her blindly because she is supposedly a vet student.

What's your opinion on these kinds of YouTubers, she is just coming across as entitled and a huge know it all ( without the proper research ) it's like she has lost her sense on real abuse and is just targeting everything that doesn't conform to her standard and it's starting to really make me wonder what this kind of behaviour is going to do to the horse world in the future with alot of her fans being young girls.

the internet is full of misinformation. so are youtubers.
i imagine most people who work with horses or have horses aren't watching her videos, though there are plenty that obviously do.
that being said, just like the news, everyone has an opinion. opinion is not fact. there are channels dedicated to flat-earthers who get millions and billions of views. there are channels for "vegans" who love to peddle *extreme* beliefs that lack scientific foundation. my opinion? ignore them. you can't stop them. it's a waste of time to try to talk to anyone who vehmently supports someone they hardly know who they only know by brief clips on the internet.

everyone has their own way of working with horses. and there are still people out there *who actually abuse horses through fear tactics and physical abuse*. bits and stables are not abuse, they are tools. i would love to watch her train a wild mustang without a bit. though she would probably make a point to say that she would never touch one because the BLM is corrupt (wild mustangs are being rounded up, we have no control over that, the best thing horsemen could do is train them and help them find wonderful homes!). it's also an EXTREMELY *privileged* thing to say and assume that everyone who has horses can just let them roam in an open field. not everyone has access to that and that's why there are TURNOUTS and trainers to enrich your horse's life.

she is *absolutely* entitled. she's also ignorant and COMPLETELY irresponsible to be using the internet to share her misinformed opinions. she should just use tiktok instead.

horses are *domesticated animals*. just like cats and dogs (cows, pigs, sheep, goats, etc). would she say it's abuse to collar and leash her dog? there are plenty of dog trainers that would be flabbergasted. even saying that an "gentle leader" or a prong collar is abuse. it's not (unless it's used *abusively*). they are tools. horses are also athletes. they're all muscle. they're highly intelligent creatures. if we accept the responsibility of owning and caring for one, we have to exercise their mind and body. we can't go back in time to when they weren't domesticated. if she wants a pasture pet, that's her prerogative but not everyone is obligated to view the world in the same (ignorant) way.

[Angelus Gaston]

I don't really ride horses but I have worked with them in the past (police stables) and have done a ton of research on them towards my animal care qualification.

I have a question for you all in regards to a Youtuber Called Raleigh Link.

I use to really enjoy her videos but right at the minute she just seems to be nit-picking about the most simple thing's in the equestrian world.

If you stable your horse for any amount of time your abusive (her horse was attacked by a cougar yet she still leaves him outdoors in cougar country)
If you use bit's your abusive.
You use anything to help you control your horse, your abusive.
You do comps with your horse your abusive.
In her past few video's she seems to react to thing's without doing much research so has very biased opinion's and when you point this out your in the wrong and you know nothing.

It seems to me that if you use your horse for anything other than a pastor pet or pleaser horse your abusing your horse in her eyes, its frustrating how much of an influence she is having on her community and how they seem to follow her blindly because she is supposedly a vet student.

What's your opinion on these kinds of YouTubers, she is just coming across as entitled and a huge know it all ( without the proper research ) it's like she has lost her sense on real abuse and is just targeting everything that doesn't conform to her standard and it's starting to really make me wonder what this kind of behaviour is going to do to the horse world in the future with alot of her fans being young girls.

the internet is full of misinformation. so are youtubers.
i imagine most people who work with horses or have horses aren't watching her videos, though there are plenty that obviously do.
that being said, just like the news, everyone has an opinion. opinion is not fact. there are channels dedicated to flat-earthers who get millions and billions of views. there are channels for "vegans" who love to peddle *extreme* beliefs that lack scientific foundation. my opinion? ignore them. you can't stop them. it's a waste of time to try to talk to anyone who vehmently supports someone they hardly know who they only know by brief clips on the internet.

everyone has their own way of working with horses. and there are still people out there *who actually abuse horses through fear tactics and physical abuse*. bits and stables are not abuse, they are tools. i would love to watch her train a wild mustang without a bit. though she would probably make a point to say that she would never touch one because the BLM is corrupt (wild mustangs are being rounded up, we have no control over that, the best thing horsemen could do is train them and help them find wonderful homes!). it's also an EXTREMELY *privileged* thing to say and assume that everyone who has horses can just let them roam in an open field. not everyone has access to that and that's why there are TURNOUTS and trainers to enrich your horse's life.

she is *absolutely* entitled. she's also ignorant and COMPLETELY irresponsible to be using the internet to share her misinformed opinions. she should just use tiktok instead.

horses are *domesticated animals*. just like cats and dogs (cows, pigs, sheep, goats, etc). would she say it's abuse to collar and leash her dog? there are plenty of dog trainers that would be flabbergasted. even saying that an "gentle leader" or a prong collar is abuse. it's not (unless it's used *abusively*). they are tools. horses are also athletes. they're all muscle. they're highly intelligent creatures. if we accept the responsibility of owning and caring for one, we have to exercise their mind and body. we can't go back in time to when they weren't domesticated. if she wants a pasture pet, that's her prerogative but not everyone is obligated to view the world in the same (ignorant) way.

The funny thing is she complains about movies, and companies and photographers using horses as props and getting money yet she does the exact same thing with Link. All her content on Link is behind a pay wall on Patreon and YouTube. She doesn't have tiktok or Instagram any more she gave a reason why but I think she was getting to much stick from actual horse people.

The only reason I use to watch her was for the fact that she use to bringing to light the big lick which actually put weights on the horses hooves to get that extreme high step and her actual cases about abuse in the horse industry.
It's basically turned from an informative channel bringing to light the abusive side of sports (like big lick) in to a platform for her to bully and abuse people and her fans (mostly young girls) eat it all up.

I just find it vile know how everyone of her video's seems to be trying to find the littlest thing to make someone or something look cruel and abusive even if its not. I agree any tool can be abusive in the wrong hands ( I'm a dog trainer Prong collars are banned in the UK but I still know how there supposed to be used, same as how to use a check chain correctly) but to her if you need them you have no horse sense or anything ( like her stand on helmets).

I had to laugh about her recent fake trainer video, she complained about what he was wearing like he needed to turn up in a suit to train a horse.
She was also judging like she knows what is going of or like she understands the situation when she does no research or anything on the video's she is reacting to. Her fans agreeing with her and eating it up like she is gospel on all things horse training.
The horse was skinny and slightly lame I will admit that but we didn't know if it was a rescue or anything from the video so in my eyes she shouldn't have been judging on his training methods as it may have been an emergency to get the horse out of there.
Or her blaming woman for men for how they view the sport.
As people have said on that topic woman can wear sacks and still have crude comments from men.

I've seen a guy called Rick Gore who is basically the same but absolutely seems to hate woman and he is a person she actually admires.

[Squecca]

.

[Squecca]

Hello!! I'm very interested in either buying or leasing a horse.
Could anyone give me some pros and cons for both? I've been doing my own research, but I'd like some personal stories/experience/etc.

Also, does anyone have tips or recommendations for owning/leasing/riding a horse when you have a disability? Some days I have very limited strength and mobility in my hands and fingers. I'm particularly worried about not being able to cinch the horse properly/tight enough for riding on days I don't have the strength. I could ask for help if someone is around, but I don't know if that'll always be the case
Is there anything else I should think about when being around horses with my disability?

I did not grow up around horses, but I did go to many summer horse camps as a preteen and have been avidly researching & soaking up everything I can about owning and/or leasing a horse. Any newcomer tips would be appreciated (anything that I haven't already read from hundreds of articles online)
Thanks in advance! <3

I think a therapeutic riding center would be your best friend! They're pretty common and they teach you how to care for horses and ride them with your disabilities and they'd also be more likely to understand if you can't make it to the barn some days or you need to go slower or something.

[huskyhiccups]

snip

I think a therapeutic riding center would be your best friend! They're pretty common and they teach you how to care for horses and ride them with your disabilities and they'd also be more likely to understand if you can't make it to the barn some days or you need to go slower or something.

I considered that, but of the two in my area, one only accepts children and the other I didn't "qualify for" (gotta love ableism for invisible illnesses)

[Squecca]

snip

I think a therapeutic riding center would be your best friend! They're pretty common and they teach you how to care for horses and ride them with your disabilities and they'd also be more likely to understand if you can't make it to the barn some days or you need to go slower or something.

I considered that, but of the two in my area, one only accepts children and the other I didn't "qualify for" (gotta love ableism for invisible illnesses)

Aw man that's a bummer. Maybe you could join an online horse group and seek horse owners with your disabilities who can give you advice? You could also join a group for people with your disabilities and find some horse people in there. There are a lot of helpful groups on sites like Facebook and Reddit

[alfiq]

Hello!! I'm very interested in either buying or leasing a horse.
Could anyone give me some pros and cons for both? I've been doing my own research, but I'd like some personal stories/experience/etc.

Also, does anyone have tips or recommendations for owning/leasing/riding a horse when you have a disability? Some days I have very limited strength and mobility in my hands and fingers. I'm particularly worried about not being able to cinch the horse properly/tight enough for riding on days I don't have the strength. I could ask for help if someone is around, but I don't know if that'll always be the case :(
Is there anything else I should think about when being around horses with my disability? :)

I did not grow up around horses, but I did go to many summer horse camps as a preteen and have been avidly researching & soaking up everything I can about owning and/or leasing a horse. Any newcomer tips would be appreciated (anything that I haven't already read from hundreds of articles online)
Thanks in advance! <3

hi! i also have a disability, but i've had horses for 8 years now. so its entirely possible! i started with a lease and board so i could potentially get help with daily chores and so i had something to fall back on if i wasn't able to commit to ownership. i ended up being fortunate enough to have my own place eventually, and currently have one horse and pony by myself. i do have a support system incase i have a very bad day or i get sick enough that i'd need hospitalization, but i do nearly everything myself.
i have a open solution for stabling(unsure about what the english word for it is!), so my horses can go inside and outside as they please which i've found limits how much mucking i have to do so i have more spare energy for other things. the horses are also far more calm and easier to handle imo, the more outside time they have. (enrichment does wonders)
but as others have said, lessons are the best place to start :)

i've personally not had too many issues with cinching, if the saddle fits as it should it doesn't need to be super tight. rollers on the buckle definitely help sometimes though