Dana

I know most people would jump right to it with, "yes yes YES!! Why would you even question it? It has so many benefits." But here is my delima. I have a horse who I love very VERY much. I go up to see her everyday and couldn't imagine my life without her. That being said she takes up a lot of time. I don't want to give up seeing her most days but I really want to do a high school sport! My friend does track and it sounds so fun. Just the idea of being part of a team and having people support you and making new friends sounds great. But I can't just abandon my horse to do a high school sport. It would be easy to see her in the beginning as track practice is not too long. But later in the season it gets longer and longer, so I probably couldn't see her those days :( What should I do? Should I try to do the sport or not?

I am 14 and have had my period for a bit over a year and a half. My period was always really irregular but I haven't had it that long. Around august I this year it finically started to become regular. It was about every six weeks give or take a few days. That was how my mom was too.

But now all of a sudden they have gone from 6 week to coming every 3 weeks. My lay cycle was 24 days. This one is 22. I know I'm young and they are still getting regular but is this normal?

My horse is a 24 year old OTTB. She is now in a paddock with two other older mares. I have been thinking about moving her back into a pipe coral.

The paddock doesn't have grass its just a big dry area. It has one tree that provides very little shade. It has a water trough that is split btwn her paddock and the one next to it. My mare is so prissy when it comes to water. She won't drink out of it unless there ar eno horses near there. I have to stand there and keep the other horses away while she drinks (including the geldings on the other side of the fence). Water is cleaned weekly. I think its cleaned once a day not sure.

She was in a pipe coral when we first moved her to this ranch back in April. Its 20x30 and half covered. They get alfalfa grass alfalfa for feeding. The waters are cleaned daily. I can put bedding in these which my horse likes very much.

The thing is that we have had a weight problem with her in a paddock. She looks okay now, but still a bit ribby. I am feeding her so many supplements though and they seem to work okay but not great. She is also getting an extra flake of hay every day. All this is turning out to be more costly than having her in a pipe coral. I just want my horse to be happy.

I think shes happy now. She comes to the gate when I come and nickers at me. She still is prissy about somethings though. She has been in a stall almost her whole life so she still is getting used to some things about paddock life.

She also stands in horse manure/pee almost all day b/c the other horses go to the bathroom right infront of the feeders, which is where she spends most of her time.

She eats all day practically too ( though she is getting no more than 4-5 flakes a day, if even that). She was just checked by vet and doesn't need teeth done and is in good health.

Should I move her back or not?

My TB mare is 24. She hadn't gone into heat for a while that I could tell. Then she got moved to a paddock which has another older TB mare and an older arab mare. She started acting a little like she was in heat maybe a month or two ago. Then today I thought she was in heat, and sure enough she probably is. She's winking, peeing right next to the boys in the pen next to her, and being friendly with one of the boys too (she usually hates that horse). Today when I was walking her she also put her tail up and wouldn't put it down when we walked by this really young mare who used to be in her paddock.

She seems to go into heat randomly now. Could changing hay influence this?(barn just changed its orchard grass hay provider).

So why is she in heat now since shes pretty old?

For a year or two now my knee has really been bothering me. It used to flare up occasionally, but would never be too bad. My left knee has been hurting really bad for about the past week and a half. I am in a dance class and we do a lot of yoga which is usually when my knee starts hurting. Then we dance and do spins without and sort of shoe to help us spin easier.

It has really been hurting to walk around and to bend a lot. It also makes popping and crackling sounds sometimes.

It usually flares up with running and stuff; this time it has lasted for a while and hurts pretty bad.

Should I see a doctor?

Today I went to see my horse. Her left eye was all swollen and puffy. It was also tearing a lot and very red. It was cloudy too. We called the vet and he said it was probably a scratched cornea. He is coming out on Monday to take a look. He called in a prescription for an eye antibiotic. We put that in and gave her 2 grams of bute, which is what the vet told us to do.

Has anyone ever dealt with this before? I am just worried about my baby. And what do they usually do for treatment?

My horse is 24 now. She is out 24/7 with other horses, except for when I come out to care for her (which is daily). She was moved out in July. She initially lost a lot of weight, but was moved to a different paddock and gained more weight. She was borderline skinny, her ribs showed and she had hardly any muscle. Then I started with beet pulp and she has improved a lot. She could be better but has improved.

She did a lot better in a stall though, no one can argue that. I just don"t know if I should put her back in a stall or not. I like her getting to be out 24/7 but would it be best for her if she was back in a stall? She basically has access to hay 24/7 because the other horses don't eat as much as her so she eats a lot. The horses are feed 4 flakes of hay a day.

If she was in a stall we have two options

Pipe coral- half covered and 20x30

Stall- 12x12 indoor part with 12x24 run

She would be fed 3 flakes of hay a day in these. She would also have daily care.

My horse is 24 so I know she's older, but I have been having some wight management problems with her. She was moved to a paddock with other horses in July. She then lost a lot of weight but put some on. Then I started feeding her beet pulp a few weeks ago. It has really improved her weight and muscle. But every time I ride her she looses some of that muscle and weight. Not a lot but a little bit. I know this shouldn't happen. What should I do about this? Is a paddock working for her or should she be in a stall (with daily care).

Feeding details

2 cups beet pulp

1 (3 quart scoop) of purina equine senior (regular)

About 4 flakes of hay a day (alfalfa; grass; alfalfa with grass)

I have a 24 yr old OTTB. She is the sweetest most perfect horse ever. In the pat few month I have noticed a bump on her head. It's on the left side of the forehead. It's the whole left side of her forehead too. It does go up and down, so I don't think it's a tumor. It also seems to be worse when her eye acts up. She has a damaged tear du t on the left side too so no fluid can really get through so sometimes her eye tears up a lot. Anyway it gets worse when that happens. Also rubbing it seems to possibly help. She doesn't mind it being rubbed or poked at. It has been there for a few months. I don't know if she's always had it or not. I just noticed it a few months ago though (but very possible it could have been there the whole time). She is also in a paddock with other mares, though I noticed it before he went out there.

Today I used the curry comb on her face ( I know I'm not supposed to but I do it gently occasionally because Sunshine loves it:) and that seemed to help too. It was almost normal size (the same size as the other side of her head) after I was done with her today.

What do you think it could be? Next wed she is getting her shots so we will ask the vet then to take a look.

Hi. I have a 24 year old mare. She is currently living in a paddock with two other horses. She has been out in one since July. It has been hard getting her adjusted. Well one of the horses eats her food and my horse is too skinny. She is borderline skinny. Her ribs show slightly, and she doesn't have a lot of muscle even though I take her out everyday. She is just low energy with the paddock and too skinny.

So I talked with the barn manager. I asked her opinion and she said that she did do better in a pipe coral and I am going to talk to her tomorrow.

I am just scared about moving her back in. The pipe corals are 20x30 so they are pretty large. She was in one at first for about 3 months and did very well in it. I just don't want her to get sad about loosing her friends and I am worried about her getting colic from not getting as much movement.

I do go out everyday and can spend quite a lot of time out there most days of the week.

Do you think she'll be okay if I move her to a pipe coral? Thanks :)

I have to swim in PE for three weeks at the beginning of the year and at the end of the year. I am worried about my hair and makeup getting messed up. Also having enough time to dry off and change. I don't know if we will have extra time to get ready but we have six minutes most of the time.

Anyone have any tips on how to look good after the swimming and PE in general? And how to make hair dry faster etc?

I usually don't get cramps but since I haven't had periods for too long it could be normal. I am getting cramps down really low in my abdomen. But when I get the cramps they are usually only on one side and they are alternating between sides. Sometimes the pain goes into my lower back on the same side too. I don't think it's ovulation because it has been 3 days and it keeps switching sides. My periods are still very irregular if that helps. Do you think these cramps are because I might be starting my period soon? Thanks

I had my first period when I was 13. It was really light and only lasted two days. Then I went 9 months without it. Then in January of this year I got it again. It was 7 days long and heavier but not too heavy. I had slight cramping that time too. Then I think in march or April I got it again can't remember. But anyway lately it has been 6 weeks apart. Not exactly six weeks but about that long ( my mom was really irregular and about 6 weeks apart till she had me)And it's really irregular too. I don't know if it will be heavy or light (usually light though and mostly brown blood). My last period was July 1-5 and was pretty normal. Had one day of heavier red blood and the rest was pretty light. Anyway I thought it was going to come on time this month but it didnt. I now have had some cramping really low around the pelvic region which I think is about where your uterus is. I has some earlier today and last night. The cramps aren't bad but I can feel them. I usually don't have cramps. I have also had a lot of indegestion. Could I be getting my period soon?

I am going to be a freshman this year and wanted some advice. Also how much homework do you usually get? Thank you!

My horse is 24 years old. She is an OTTB. She has good muscle on her withers and on the back of her back legs. But she doesn't have a lot of muscle on her hindquarters and back.

How do I build more muscle on her? She can't jump so don't suggest that please. Thank you!

I have an older thoroughbred. I was talking with a lady at my ranch who has older thoroughbreds and has raised them etc. she knew a lot about horses. She said a dressage saddle is good for them because it keeps the weight off their spine and distributes weight better. I have a synthetic western saddle now and I also ride bareback a lot.

I did want to switch to English riding. My horse has also done dressage before and knows how to do it, I just don't do a lot of dressage on her. Should I get a dressage saddle? Is it really better for her?

Hi. I am 14 and started my period about a year ago. I have only had 4-5 periods. I have a very light period though. I had one 7 day period but all my others have been 2-3 days. They have a lot of clots and are mostly brown. My last period had hardly and bright red blood. The blood is usually brown, not black. I had bright red blood towards the end of my period on my last period. Sometimes I do use light tampons but they hurt and are uncomfortable and I am using them right. I still don't bleed enough to make them full after 4 hours. And the tampons (even light ones) make my period stop for a few hours. My periods have always been like this except for one. So why are they so light? And will this affect my fertility in the future?

My horse is 24 and a OTTB. Recently I have noticed a bump on her head. It is on the forehead? I don't know what to call it but the part covered by the forelock where there are two small bump things. One is bigger that the other. It is the whole thing and it isn't much bigger, just noticeable if you look closely. It is on the left side. I don't know what it is. She doesn't seem in pain at all and people comment on how happy she looks. She does have a small dent on the right side of her face that she has had since I have had her (3 years). She also has a blocked and damaged tear duct on the side of the swelling. I am not sure if she just hit her head or if it is very serious. She doesn't show any of the signs that horses with brain tumors show. My mom says it feels like a knot like when you hit your head.

Any ideas on what it is?

I have a horse and she takes almost all my time. But I get out early and don't have to do PE if I do a sport. I hate running. I am also kind of afraid I the ball. Sometimes I curl up on the ground if something if thrown at me lol. I would do tennis. I need a lot of practice because I haven't done a sport ever. But I do have a horse and she takes so much time and my school doesn't have an equestrian team. So what should I do? I hate PE and don't want to do it but I wouldn't e very good at sports. Cheer and dance tryouts already happened and I would be best at those so my next option is tennis since it isn't very hard and intense. I tried to get independent for my horse but thy wont let me because I'm not nationally ranked(stupid). So should I do a sport or not?

I have a 24 year old thoroughbred. She is in amazing shape and people never believe how old she is. The vet thought she was 14! She is 16.1 hands and was a racer,then did dressage, then did lessons,then came to me. I think she did jumping before because when I ride her in the arena she walks up to all the jumps and wants to run over them and jump. I thought she was going to the other day. I would like to do amateur shows because I am probably going to join my high school equestrian team and they show. I would do either western equitation or English/dressage equitation since she has a background in English. She doesn't act her age at all and has so much energy!!! I probably wouldn't jump because she wants to jump but has a club leg on her front right. I walk and "jump" her over poles on the ground though.

Do you think I could show her in minor competitions? Thanks!