Do You Ride Horses? V.4

[beignet]

hello! i just discovered this thread! Im Ash and I have one horse named Bitsy who is a bay qh mare that i barrel race with. She was a cow horse for quite some time before i got her and we are working on some jumping just for fun

i love your sig

[Skyet]

Hey there, thought I would do a little intro as I've never really been one for posting anywhere outside the RP forums and lurking on others

I've worked as a live-in groom/yard manager now for three years for the same woman since I graduated from my undergrad (BSc (Hons) Animal Health and Welfare) and while studying for a Masters in Animal Nutrition. While doing my undergrad, I did a placement year working at a livery and rehabilitation yard run by an Irish Paralympian (dressage).

Horses have always been a passion of mine, and my parents both say I've asked for a horse for every birthday/Christmas since I was two. I had the odd riding lesson or pony ride as a kid and started to help out on the weekend at a riding school when I was 12 until I left for university. I would have the odd lesson or get to have an hour playing around on the riding school ponies but never had serious lessons until I went to university and joined the Equestrian club. On placement, I also got to ride a variety of horses, and these years gave me more confidence and confirmed that I for sure wanted to work with horses.

Currently, I have a private lesson weekly with a Grand Prix-level rider and a second private lesson at a local riding school. I've ridden a few BD Novice level tests scoring 60%+, and schooling some Elementary movements.

My boss and I are thinking of setting me up as an independent equine nutritionist next year (once I've finished my Masters and after my wedding) based at our yard, as there are not many in our area or they are reps for a feed company. There is also only one or two vet practices with a weighbridge and most of the reps will only come to yards with a certain number of horses as they come up to Scotland from England.

Looking forward to my many years in this industry

[rubbertreefrog]

Alright, this is my first post on here and on all the forums in general, so this is kinda a sorta intro post lol!
I'm Band, and I don't have any horses, but I do enjoy collecting Breyer/Schleich horse figurines, playing Horse related games, as well as learning facts about horses.
This seems like a cool thread, so I'm looking forward to chattin' with y'all!

[beignet]

yall ive had my spicy little 5 y/o grade paint mare for almost 6 months now.
im deeply considering adopting a 2-3 y/o mustang gelding out of my local holding facility. i wouldnt be gentling it myself right now though, i would send him to a trainer ive been speaking with to put 90 days of groundwork training on him and then ill continue him undersaddle...
i adore him already, just giving myself some time to really think about if this is the best decision to make right now haha.
i would like to do a lot of backcountry trail riding or packing this summer so im wondering if this is a decision that might hinder that. i would love to pony him over the summer in the mountains while continuing his undersaddle to education to prepare him mentally and physically for riding.

anyone here own a mustang?

coming up on our 1 year anniversary<3 turns out my mare is turning about 7 years old in september.
she is so boogery and baby-minded though. i have worked very hard to help her feel comfortable and allow her personality
come out; suffice to say that has worked out...

she has changed me in so many ways already, im grateful for her. i pivoted completely from the old western schooling style that the trainers i was working with tried to impress upon me and went towards a holistic and emotional approach to my horsemanship. its required a lot of work on my part and i've given up riding temporarily until she makes more progress, but im grateful to have her and to bust my butt trying to do right by her.

[Pluto_eclipse]

This is my first time on this thread, but I have question and it's been bothering me, and I can't find any simple explanation. Basically, what is the difference between a chocolate Palomino and a silver bay? To me they both look the same so idk what the difference is. And idk where else to ask lol.

[trip ♡]

we won a mustang at this last BLM auction that just ended, we pick her up sept 20!

[sunny*days*ahead]

This is my first time on this thread, but I have question and it's been bothering me, and I can't find any simple explanation. Basically, what is the difference between a chocolate Palomino and a silver bay? To me they both look the same so idk what the difference is. And idk where else to ask lol.

Genetics! One way to tell a difference is from the horse's genes - basically they can test a couple strands of hair (or sometimes blood sample) and find out the exact genetic code for their color. But, another way to tell is that a "bay" horse will almost always have black on their legs, crotch, and nose (if it isn't covered by a marking). Idk how to post photos on here, but a chocolate palomino will not have black points. I hope this was at least a little helpful! (: If anyone else knows more, feel free to correct or chime in.

[Hime]

This is my first time on this thread, but I have question and it's been bothering me, and I can't find any simple explanation. Basically, what is the difference between a chocolate Palomino and a silver bay? To me they both look the same so idk what the difference is. And idk where else to ask lol.

Genetics! One way to tell a difference is from the horse's genes - basically they can test a couple strands of hair (or sometimes blood sample) and find out the exact genetic code for their color. But, another way to tell is that a "bay" horse will almost always have black on their legs, crotch, and nose (if it isn't covered by a marking). Idk how to post photos on here, but a chocolate palomino will not have black points. I hope this was at least a little helpful! (: If anyone else knows more, feel free to correct or chime in.

Something along those lines, but I will expand a little. ^^
To be more specific, 'chocolate palomino' for start is very poor labeling of color and can sometimes mean silver black, sooty palomino or silver smoky black. All of those colors are little bit similar looking, yet not really, and all have different genetics.
Silver bay is easy to tell. Imagine bay horse with reddish brown body and black legs (also ear tips), then change the mane and tail to blond or ombre-ish look with most of the many blond but the roots may show some dark grey color. Sometimes silver can also dilute the legs to more of darker grey tone, but they still tend to be dark. Genetically it is a bay horse with silver gene(s).
Now as I said chocolate palomino can refer to basically three colors from my understanding.
-Silver black has usually dark grey colored body and legs, sometimes it can have slight brown tint, and mane and tail are pale (in some breeds slight ombre look, similar to silver bay is possible). Dappling is common but not certainty. These horses are genetically black with silver gene(s).
-Sooty palominos are tricky since they can be vary in their expression. Low/medium sootiness usually shows the underlying palomino coloring (so yellow toned body) in some part of the body and the mane and tail remain pale blond. Sooty can cause darker legs but usually the coronary bands and pasterns are not as uniform in dark color, which can be used to tell horse is palomino and not something else. Sooty can also form dappling patterns on the body. Very sooty palominos are hard to tell. They can be very uniformly dark brown-ish grey-ish yellow on the body and the craziest versions I've seen have even relatively dark mane and tail, though some have blond mane and tail. But even still there's usually some hint of yellow body and legs can again be tell tale that horse is palomino, and if all else fails newborn foal pictures. Palominos are red horses with a cream gene.
-Silver smoky black are most similar to extreme cases of sooty palominos, but again not quite. These horses usually have sort of grey-ish brown (can be lighter or darker brown) that has yellowish tint to it body and legs, and mane and tail mainly are ombre with lighter blond at the tips and roots close to the body color. From what I've seen dappling isn't as common for these horses as it is to plain silver blacks. Genetically black horse with silver and a cream gene.

Key to telling these colors apart is often newborn foal pictures, breed (silver is quite rare), pedigree/parents' colors and if all else fails genetic testing.

(I haven't posted here in ages, but couldn't resist color related question XD )

[ʀʜᴀᴇɴʏʀᴀ]

I ride horses! i own a paint pony, and just bred my friends mare for a may 2025 baby!

[ShortyTheHobbitess]

Very, very long time no post! Took my old mare & one of the younger ranch horses to the fair yesterday, old lady Shorty was a perfect angel the whole day & is always a doll at the fair. Placed 2nd in the aged mare class & won our trail class. The ranch horse Dorse had his first outting & was as expected a marginal night mare so that was prime. He got a lot of time tied at the trailer & he didn’t kill me, so I count that as a win for the day