u/Illustrious_Stage351

Hello! I might be adopting a (what we’re pretty sure) is a ridgeback female from a friend. I currently have a cat and another dog in an apartment. I think I have a good lifestyle for the breed the issue is this do is INCREDIBLY skittish. She currently will not leave their home other than maybe to potty. She is not leash trained, around 2 years old, unfixed (which I would be getting her spayed). She currently lives with dogs and cats and an issue with another dog is why she’s being rehomed.

I’m trying to learn more about if you all have dealt with any of your dogs being awfully skittish, very anxiously bound to their people, etc and how you all helped them gain confidence. I’d be of course looking into training if needed

Wasn’t sure about the flair. Basically,
I’m pretty sure this is a bad idea but would love to know if anyone has any ideas because I’m getting a LOT of pressure from my barn.

I’m at a very small boarder barn, 8 horses total, 6 horse owners including the barn owner. I own 2 of the horses. Another boarder, let’s call her Martha, also owns 2. And it’s been no secret that she and her husband are REALLY struggling with money. She had a 6 year old really really nice quarter horse and a 26 year old quarter horse. She could likely easily sell the younger one but understandably wants to keep both. I get it, times are hard and some of the financial issues hitting are not her fault. I’ve tried to help where I can and so is the barn owner who’s letting her work off some of her board and I’ve for the last month been paying for grain and electorates for her two horses, another boarder payed for her last farrier bill, and someone else is providing fly spray.

Well, starting yesterday she’s let everyone know she can’t afford board. And she and the barn owner are now trying to convince me to basically do a care lease and she’ll pay me back when they’re on their feet in a few months. I’m not going to do that. I own 2 horses of my own, I don’t want to cover bills for 2 more when they don’t actually know when they’ll get on their feet. Everyone is being very pressuring suddenly claiming that I could afford this, which although is true, is not anyone’s business.

Other than selling the horses, given I’m not taking these two on, what sort of resources are out there that I can pass onto her? I know when I really firmly set the boundary tomorrow it will not go well and I’d really like to pass on any options you all can think of, because I can’t think of anything other than selling one or both.

Hey everyone! Long term lurker, jealous of everyone with a Dalmatian. Excitingly, it may be my time to join the owner gang and I’m considering getting a puppy (of course, I’ll do my research on breeders). I’m familiar with a lot of the health issues and diet specific requirements that tend to go with the breed.

Lifestyle wise, I think I’d be a good fit but want to gut check with you all. I live in an apartment but run marathons and ultra marathons so runs and walks are already well into my routine and my rescue poodle mix is a happy companion for a mile or two before calling it quits and I’d love to have a dog more eager to do a little more with me. Outside of my work from home tech job, I’m dealing with my other Dalmatian, a big spotted horse haha. I’m curious what y’all’s experience has been with Dalmatians in barn scenarios? It’s around 60 acres, full of horses, other dogs, chickens, donkeys and goats. The dogs have full roam and it’s a big part of me and my current dog’s life since we’re out there 3-5 hours a day and I’d love any future dog to be able to come. They run, play, get into mischief, race the horses and anything else they can figure out. How are your Dalmatians with barnyard animals? Assuming I do all the proper socializing and training, how easily do you feel like they adjust to new dogs? Does the combo of a running in mornings (I average 60 miles a week, obviously they don’t need to come for all of them haha), and 3-5 hours of barn time a day feel sufficient for exercising realizing that the rest of the day we’re in a pretty average 1,000square ft apartment working?

I just shared this in a comment on a post, but realized someone might find use in it. I have a couple bio chemistry degrees i don’t really use, my mom is an herbalist and I was sick of paying $26 bucks a bottle of fly spray (the Pyranha in the yellow bottle), that I was going through at ungodly speeds. So I combined forces with my mom, some scientific articles, and a lot of research (shout out to my entire boarding barn who were my “test group”).

A few notes: this comes out to about $2-$3 a bottle if you’re refilling a Pyranha bottle. I will say you have to pretty liberally douse your horse. I go through about a bottle a week on my two horses, but at $3 a bottle I don’t really care. I was comparing against Pyranha which works the best in my area, we usually had to apply it 2-3 times a day. I consider mine “successful” because it too only needs to be applied 2-3 times a day. But this isn”t like a perfect recipe. Our control group used Pyranha and we compared to its success because our barn of 50 voted Pyranha was the most success. So if Pyranha works for you, this probably will too.

Recipe (double or triple as needed, double for an old Pyranha bottle):

- 2 cups white vinegar
- 2 tbs caster oil
- 2 tbs vegetable glycerin
- 1 tbs dish soap
- 1 tbs witch hazel
- 1 tsp neem oil
- 35 drops citronella
- 20 drops eucalyptus
- 20 drops peppermint
- 15 drops lavender
- 10 drops geranium
- 8 drops clove
Shake real good before applying each time :)

If you have any questions I can give justification for every ingredient so just let me know if you’re curious. I have a mustang with VERY sensitive skin who hates bugs more than anything and this works for him. But, if your horse is very sensitive, skip the clove drops. We call it the HWB (horse witches brew) and I hope it saves you money and keeps you sane this bug season haha.

Gosh, I’m feeling sad/worried about this today. I got my horse as a 2 year old, his mom was 15.2 and his dad was 16 hands. My hope was he’d be around 15 hands which was what the string test was showing. He was right around 14.1 when I got him. He’s now 3 years old and like 3 months… and still 14.1. I just measured him yesterday. I’m waiting till he’s 4 for any rides, but I’m now discouraged. He’s 890 pounds, and I’m within the 20% rule with tack, the issue is I’m 5’8” and long legged. This horse (breed, temperament, personality, etc) is my DREAM horse. I adore him. Any chance you all think he puts on 2-3 more inches of height? You think it’s going to look absolutely awful if I ride such a short horse?

Hey all! I’m 30 and I feel like I should be getting skin care routine advice from a professional, not Instagram/tiktok. Doesn’t need to be a fancy med spa, I’m not looking for Botox or anything like that but do want them to be licensed aesthetician. Interested in a place that offers a variety of facial options (looking for something monthly or quarterly) who does consultations to help me create a solid skin care routine and advise me on what sorts of skin care treatments are best and help me take care of my skin long term. Thanks!

This is purely a rant 🤣 I’m just ticked after the barn this morning and it’s haunted me all day haha.

I board 2 horses. One is a 20 year old good boy trail horse and one is a freshly turned 3 year old that I’m waiting to get under saddle at 4. I guess relevant, I have a trainer I’ll be starting him with at 4. A really incredibly dressage trainer who is very well respected and a personal friend, he’s been out a few times with “pointers” or to meet my little guy but we’re going pretty solo till he goes to “camp” at 4 for board and train. The trainer I will use for my kiddo, I take lessons at his barn a couple times a month on his fancy dressage horses to keep my skills fresh and continue my education independently of my horses. Right now we work around 20 minutes a day doing age appropriate things - light lunging, learning how to square up at the mounting block, being ponied on trail rides, desensitizing, ground driving, etc. he’s a goofy kid but I’m proud to say he’s safe and well behaved especially for his age with normal amount of kid brain. My plans for him are not secret. My 20 year old is a for fun horse. We mainly do trails and goof around now. He’s done many disciplines with me through his life (I’ve had him for 15 years) so he’s earned some easy fun rides doing things he enjoys. Plus he’s in charge of living with my kiddo horse and teaching him manners/ponying him. So he’s worth his weight in gold.

Tonight my barn owner (we moved here in Feb) came marching up to me out of the blue while I was working my baby horse saying how I’m doing him a disservice by not having anyone on him at 2. And how he just turned 3 and if i’m in over my head she’ll help. She’s hinted a lot that she doesn’t think “real” training can happen out of the saddle. I just dodge it. She then went on about how it’s okay for me to admit if I’m a bad rider (?) because “I’ve only ever seen you walk trot canter your old horse”. Yes? I’m not a jumper, never have been. And honestly, he and I enjoy a nice walk in the desert more than anything. Like I said, I take upper level dressage lessons fairly regular so I’m happy with just having a good time with my old horse. Sometimes we trot or canter but to be honest, most of our riders are walks and he, me and our vet are fine with it. He plays with the baby and I lunge him a couple times a week so he’s in fine condition. It was just frustrating, because while she was actively telling me that I’m not doing enough with my baby horse (who was rocking his training while we were talking), her horse who sho won’t even get on because he bucks like a bronco and has the worst food aggression I’ve ever seen in a horse (he killed her dog last week) was actively trying to drag her. She had the 5th trainer turn him down today unless he does board and train because none of them want to work with him unless they can work him daily. He’s 16 and she’s had him for 6 years and reportedly from her, was fine before she got him, she’s got three dangerous horses she can’t ride. All three buck like broncos, two of them are people aggressive and one of them flips all the freakin time.

I bit my tongue, I never comment on her horses other than to refuse to ride them (which is why she’s convinced I can’t ride). I stick to my story that my trainer is happy with my baby’s progress and I think he’ll be fine not being under saddle till 4 and that my other horse is happy and healthy and overjoyed to just go on long walks in the desert with me. But today was one of those days that really got on my nerves and I needed to vent haha.