Equine Myth

Pointing out whats wrong in the tumblr equestrian community. we track the tag equinemyth There are two mods on this blog; Mod Z and Mod C.

[speakhorse]

I'm simply curious, but what do you and your horse accomplish within a 15-20 minute ride? Do you walk and trot around? Do bending/yielding exercises? Do you ask your horse to canter or jump? Within 15 minutes, warm up, do all of that, and have enough adequate time to cool off? Because honestly, if you really had your horses well being as a priority, you would know that 15-20 minutes is not nearly enough time for any of that.

You can always warm up on the ground by walking around and trotting in hand. So when you get on, you can begin by walking a few rounds, trotting a few rounds, loping, then you’re ready to do a few jumps because you’ve already had warmed up your horse a lot beforehand.  When I ride I usually either do short walks in the pasture, or in arena work I do walking/trotting combined with work on backing up, flexing, disengaging the hindquarters, and we circle things and weave through whatever is in the arena.  

There is a horse/hot walker at my barn so I can always attach Destiny to that, but I prefer to cool her down myself by walking her out and in the summer I hose her down if she got sweaty and then I let her roll in the sand.  She loves it because it cools her down and every horse likes to roll around.

[equine-myth]

The purpose of a riding warm up is warm your seat up as well as the back of the horse.

The only person to claim that riding causes a lose of circulation is Alexander Nezvorov who self publishes and is not peer reviewed. He is not a proper source. Horses that are ridden properly actually gain muscle over their top line and are less likely to form sway backs.

Disengaging the hind end is incorrect and will cause a sway back. The whole purpose of proper work is to engage the hind end, bring it under the horse, and to lighten the forehand. If you disengage the hind end, your horse will carry itself on the forehand and have a hollow back and develop long term issues over time.

[speakhorse]

Im not going to sit here and tell you why you're wrong about your training methods or barrel racing. This is also not me agreeing with you. Everyone has their own opinions. As equestrians we owe it to each other to at least be respectful to each other. This includes not starting fights and not saying insensitive things. If you don't agree with whips, don't use them. If you don't agree with Spurs, don't use them. If you don't agree with barrel racing, don't do it.

Yeah I agree, but I simply posted my opinion and one person decided to insult me and then everyone else started doing it, too.  Everyone posts their own opinions on things online.  Anyone can reblog it and say whatever they want, or share it on any website for others to comment on.  But it’s wrong.  

[equine-myth]

The issue with your “opinion” is that you equated the sport to a terrorist attack that cost 3000 people their lives in one day and countless more in the war that followed.

Your opinion is uneducated. Your opinion is also grossly problematic. People are not mad at your opinion. They are mad at your comparisons and your obvious lack of education

[speakhorse]

Pressure is force

Pain is force.

[equine-myth]

Actually, pressure is a force divided by an area. 

Any sort of pressure is considered negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement is the use of anything uncomfortable, such as pressure, until a desired behavior is reached and then the complete release of that pressure. 

You seem to be preaching positive reinforcement but instead use negative reinforcement. This is wrong in terms of clicker training.

[speakhorse]

Obviously this is a pretty rare situation, but what if your horse needs colic surgery and won't get on the trailer? Or if there is a fire and he won't leave his stall? When even a few minutes can make a difference, isn't it ok to force them?

Where I live, the vet goes to the person’s farm to work with the horse.  I’ve never heard of anyone trailering a sick horse, rather than just having someone come over where the horse already is.

If a horse is very afraid of the fire going on and won’t get out, if you’re asking gently, then force definitely won’t work.  Because the horse is already completely unwilling to go out with his own free will, it would be extremely difficult to try and force a 1,000 horse on the ground (it’s possible, but keep reading why it wouldn’t in this case), while you are most likely losing oxygen because the smoke is filling up your lungs so you’re weaker, and he’s terrified to death so in the scenario he’s probably gone into freeze mode and is just standing there and doesn’t move when you ask.  

Sadly it would be unlikely the horse would even come out, with a person that is inhaling smoke and is weaker because of that, trying to force a frozen horse to get out of a burning barn.  Most horses can do it (there are stories of people going in and saving horses from burning barns) but if a horse is absolutely terrified for his life, he’d rather rely on himself than someone else that’s not even of his own species.

[equine-myth]

A barn is not a sterile environment thus surgery cannot be performed there. People must trailer in for a surgery.

It is important to first of all train your horse to trailer. If the time comes and they do not load well but must be trailered, there are sedatives (not recommended for colic issues) and there are also twitches and chains you can use in emergency situations.

As for allowing your horse to die in a fire rather than use force, that is completely ridiculous. I would rather cause my horse some harm than allow them to burn to death. If you cannot lead your horse. try a blind fold. If that doesn’t work, grab a twitch, chain, or whip and force them to at least leave the stall. From there, they can most likely get out of the barn by themselves.

[eventingarab]

Sweet old lady! Her shoulders and chest have filled out so much!

[scarlettjane22]

Malysh & Malysh Tierfotografen

[equine-myth]

http://annemaeve.hubpages.com/hub/Would-your-horse-make-a-good-therapy-horse

Decided to do a bit more research on therapy horses as our previous collective experience was apparently not enough.

If you want to know if your horse would be suitable, please check the list and talk with local professionals! The link even has an interesting point about how a therapy horse should handle scary and new situations!

[sdequus2]

I tried donating Dallas to some local therapy barns and they said he was too tall for their programs at 16 hands.

They were trying to keep their horses around 15.2 and under and just opted for stockier ones rather than taller. I think they had like one or two larger horses if that but yeah it was sad because other than that he would’ve been amazing for the program.

[blitzkriegloveshock]

Too bad every barn has other requirements. I rode at a therapy barn for years, and the trainer would never have used a donated horse. Preferably, she bought them as foals from a breeder, where the horses background could be thoroughly checked. Now i don’t know about other countries, but here you and your horses require certification to be called therapy.

All those therapy horses were little shits when ridden by normal students btw. They sure know when to behave.

[equine-myth]

Of course all barns have different standards, but these findings were from two different websites and there were more with nearly equivalent standards. This list is pretty much the norm from what we have found.

It's interesting that you rode at a therapy barn that didn't accept donated horses. Was it a non profit? I'm asking out of curiosity as most places discuss how horses are usually donated and how to pick which horses to accept.

[equine-myth]

http://annemaeve.hubpages.com/hub/Would-your-horse-make-a-good-therapy-horse Decided to do a bit more research on therapy horses as our previous collective experience was apparently not enough. If you want to know if your horse would be suitable, please check the list and talk with local professionals! The link even has an interesting point about how a therapy horse should handle scary and new situations!

[sdequus2]

There’s a huge difference between actually training and bullying your students. Some trainers do not seem to understand this.

[johnny-is-a-winner]

I was forced to leave?

Just for the record, I was never forced to leave. I never even really left. I was tired of showing up for lessons to be ignored for hours on end and only receiving maybe 15 minute lessons. I purchased both Forrest and Johnny, and refused to hand Johnny over to you for you to “train”. After purchasing them you stopped talking to me because you were pissy over Johnny and the fact that you burned the bridge with his actual owner. I realized the true you and that’s when I chose to drop my ties with you. Thanks.

Incase you would like proof of all of this I still have all of the texts.

[equine-myth]

As someone who has literally spent the past four days with TCH, her gf, her boss, and spent hours with the kids she teaches... You are an asshole. You know know nothing about what you're saying. So do yourself a favor and sit down, and shut up. The horse was donated to New Hope. So they didn't SPEND money on a unfinished horse. They were DONATED a horse who in the mean time will make an amazing in hand helper, and in the future be added to their list of amazing rideable therapy horses.

Okay, so if they were donated the horse then why would she need to ask for donations for the horse? That seems a little odd to ask for more money for a horse that is supposedly free.

[shirepower2012]

Oh my god. Literally EVERY therapeutic barn asks for donations towards horses. BOTH of my barns do it. Most horses that are offered to therapeutic barns are ancient or lame and we have to turn them away. The ones that aren’t may not work out and are sent back/rehomed.

We apply for grants, fundraise, have donation buckets, pay pal accounts all wired for fundraising and donations.

They were donated the money to buy the horse based on the posts I read. Go find someone else to bother, seriously.

[yourlocalsona-equestrian]

I’m pretty sure every therapy barn asks for donations. Stop arguing about what you don’t fucking know anything about.

[zooophagous]

Is there really any such thing as a “free horse?” Like sure, you get given a horse, but it’s not like they keep themselves. One horse can cost a shitton to take care of. It’s not really all that surprising for a nonprofit organization to need monetary donations on top of materials (or animals) that are given away to them. It’s not like this shit works on the barter system.

[equine-myth]

The question is why they would be asking for donations for a $4700 animal that is a pure breed, registered, and just turned 2.

Yes, non profits work for donations, but those donations rarely go towards buying one of the personnel's dream breed. The money instead goes toward purchasing animals that are of immediate use, taking care of the animals they already have, and adding to their facility.

I have never once heard of a therapy barn raising donations to get someone their dream breed from states away. That's where the question lies. Why would a therapy barn want an expensive horse that they cannot even use for years?

[equine-myth]

Posting screenshots and asking questions is not bullying. If someone chooses to deliberately lie to people and then throws a tantrum when they get caught, that’s their own problem.

[equine-myth]

As someone who has literally spent the past four days with TCH, her gf, her boss, and spent hours with the kids she teaches... You are an asshole. You know know nothing about what you're saying. So do yourself a favor and sit down, and shut up. The horse was donated to New Hope. So they didn't SPEND money on a unfinished horse. They were DONATED a horse who in the mean time will make an amazing in hand helper, and in the future be added to their list of amazing rideable therapy horses.

Okay, so if they were donated the horse then why would she need to ask for donations for the horse? That seems a little odd to ask for more money for a horse that is supposedly free.

[equine-myth]

Posting screenshots and asking questions is not bullying. If someone chooses to deliberately lie to people and then throws a tantrum when they get caught, that’s their own problem.

[equine-myth]

theothermazthespaz

“Whether it’s helping get Ginger...... We are deeply thankful for any and all financial help we get”

Certainly looks like asking for donations for the horse.

[equine-myth]

TCH continues to lie in order to further her own agenda. This filly is not "almost 3", she just turned two three months ago. Why lie about the age unless you're planning on starting a 2y/o and want to avoid hate for it? Furthermore, purchasing a baby for $4700 doesn't seem like a wise choice for a therapy program. Why spend that kind of money on an inexperienced and unproven horse and then just cross your fingers and hope that it will end up being suitable? Even with the calmest horses, if they're young and inexperienced, they will always be unpredictable. So, J, please enlighten us on why it is a wise business choice to purchase a literal baby for a therapy program when you could spend under 5k and get a proven, quiet horse for the same money. Also why beg the public to pay for it? Another untrained and unsuitable horse?

[equine-myth]

TCH continues to lie in order to further her own agenda. This filly is not "almost 3", she just turned two three months ago. Why lie about the age unless you're planning on starting a 2y/o and want to avoid hate for it? Furthermore, purchasing a baby for $4700 doesn't seem like a wise choice for a therapy program. Why spend that kind of money on an inexperienced and unproven horse and then just cross your fingers and hope that it will end up being suitable? Even with the calmest horses, if they're young and inexperienced, they will always be unpredictable. So, J, please enlighten us on why it is a wise business choice to purchase a literal baby for a therapy program when you could spend under 5k and get a proven, quiet horse for the same money. Also why beg the public to pay for it? Another untrained and unsuitable horse?