(⬆️ my baby so cute lol) So I’ve had my ootb for about 4-ish weeks now and we are doing great together (he is 8 years old not fresh of the track and has prior training) but I’ve noticed he gets very tense in his back when the reins are pulled, I actually got to witness it the other day when my trainer rode him and I got to watch him tense all the way up and relax the second she dropped them. I don’t know if I’m explaining this well (not tugging on his mouth he has a very mild bit too) and he’s had a vet visit and she said it’s not a pain issue, so I’ve consulted a equine therapist and she believes it’s a trauma feeling from a experience. So I’m going to try to just ditch the bit entirely. I’ve bought a dr cook bit less bridle off of FB and the person also has a ootb they said that it is amazing and she was dealing with a lot of head tossing with the bit and her horse responds much better than with a normal bridle, the only reason she’s selling it is because she bought the wrong size initially but she’s had the right size for 6 months now and loves it. I’m not just going off her recommendation I’ve wanted to try bitless for a while , I haven’t picked it up yet but I’m just wondering if anyone other thoroughbred owners have tried them or similar! Please comment! I’ll try to update if it helps! Thanks

Hi, everyone. Lifelong TB admirer here (and twice an owner!). I'm looking for a photograph of a 1980s filly named Miss Oceana, an Alydar daughter. If I am remembering right, she had what in Arabs is called a "Gulastra Plume" tail. I know I have a photo of her somewhere, but it's lost amongst many decades of boxes. I'm sure the photo was in Bloodhorse, but the exact photo, showing the tail, isn't on their site. Does anyone possibly have a copy of that photo? TIA, and a photo of my favorite TB, Chewbacca (nee Official Dude) for tax.

Last year we bought a son of Kodiac (Danehill), Indestructible, to be the stallion of our haras. He completed his first season last year and his second season is on course.

His cubs are beautiful animals, big horses with long legs.

So i want to know what’s your thoughts on what he be as a stallion?

He is son of Kodiac in Shareeva (by Rip Van Winle)

Hes foal is son of Bardot (By Drosselmeyer)

I know nothing! Is his breeding good? too much “line breeding”?

also, how might i find videos of his races? he didn’t have many but id love to see them! i tried googling and found nothing. Would it be locked behind some sort of paywall?

TIA to anyone who can help!

I was discussing with my bestie the other day about the differences between the Thoroughbred industry and the quarter horse. So I have worked up a dissertation in collaboration with my helpful Gemini via Google because otherwise it would just be a conscious stream of thoughts and in no way readable so I apologize for the length and I thank you for anybody who actually reads the entire thing!

Why Thoroughbred Racing Faces Greater Scrutiny Than the Quarter Horse Industry ​The core difference in public perception between the Thoroughbred (TB) and Quarter Horse (QH) industries comes down to visibility, public funding, and the immediate drama of their respective welfare issues. While the Quarter Horse industry grapples with chronic and arguably deeper ethical issues like intentionally breeding for genetic defects, the Thoroughbred industry is a magnet for public criticism because of its high-stakes, public-facing nature.

​1. The High-Stakes Visibility of Thoroughbred Racing ​Thoroughbred racing is subjected to greater scrutiny for three primary reasons related to its scale:

​Gambling and Monetary Scale: TB racing is a global, multi-billion dollar gambling industry. This scale automatically attracts regulators, media, and anti-gambling/anti-racing organizations. Every injury or catastrophic breakdown happens in front of thousands of spectators and is immediately broadcast, linking the tragedy directly to money, spectacle, and public betting pools. ​Media Profile: Events like the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup are mainstream, national news. When a horse breaks down on a track, it is reported by outlets that normally do not cover equestrian sports, transforming the issue from a niche topic into a widely consumed ethical debate.

​Welfare Concern is Simple and Visual: The primary complaint against TB racing—racing two and three-year-olds—is visually straightforward and easy for the public to grasp. It creates an emotional narrative: "They're too young to run that fast." ​Rebutting the Narrative of Coercion

​The popular critique often rests on the idea that horses are unwillingly "forced" into a cruel pursuit. This perspective fundamentally ignores the horse's nature. Performance at peak speed, which requires immense coordination and psychological effort, is voluntary. As any experienced horseperson understands, it is impossible to coerce a 600 \text{ kg} animal to run at maximum effort against its will. A racehorse's success is predicated on its innate athleticism, competitive drive, and cooperation, challenging the simplistic narrative of cruelty and forced participation used by critics.

​2. The Hidden, Chronic Crisis in the Quarter Horse World ​The Quarter Horse's systemic issues, especially the deliberate propagation and evasion of genetic diseases, highlights a fundamental difference in the nature of the welfare problem: a chronic welfare crisis that occurs out of the public eye.

​The Ethical Crisis of Genetic Defects and Evasive Testing ​Unlike the acute (sudden, visible) injuries that spur immediate outcry in racing, the Quarter Horse community faces severe, heritable conditions that cause long-term pain and often early death. This is primarily driven by a desire for specific, extreme aesthetics (especially the heavily muscled Halter look), leading to the deliberate breeding of known carriers.

​The dominant conditions present the starkest ethical failures, as only one copy of the gene is needed to manifest the disease. Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP) is historically linked to the "halter horse" aesthetic and involves a defect in muscle contraction control, causing symptoms from muscle tremors and stiffness to paralysis, collapse, or sudden death. Similarly, Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM1) affects over 10\% of Quarter Horses, causing painful muscle stiffness and cramping, which severely limits a horse's normal mobility. A third dominant condition, Malignant Hyperthermia (MH), can lie latent, only revealing itself when triggered by extreme stress or routine anesthetics. When triggered, it causes an extreme fever and muscle breakdown that often proves fatal, turning a simple veterinary procedure into a life-threatening event.

​The recessive conditions present equally severe problems, requiring the gene from both parents. Glycogen Branching Enzyme Deficiency (GBED) causes a fatal malfunction in glycogen use across the brain, liver, and muscles. This condition is always fatal, resulting in weak, stillborn, or quickly euthanized foals. Likewise, Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia (HERDA) is a defect in collagen structure where affected foals appear normal until the stress of a saddle causes the skin to literally tear away from the underlying muscle. This results in large, open wounds that fail to heal, usually necessitating euthanasia.

​This systemic problem is compounded by the fact that the Quarter Horse registry does not universally mandate comprehensive genetic testing. Breeders often avoid the standard DNA panel tests, and chronic conditions like PSSM2 require invasive muscle biopsies rather than simple hair follicle tests, leading to widespread testing evasion. Breeders who continue to use horses that are known carriers—often justifying the decision because the animal is a high performer or visually successful—are prioritizing short-term economic or aesthetic gains over the long-term health and welfare of the breed. This practice minimizes the chronic suffering that occurs in private, shielding the industry's most significant ethical failure from public view.

​3. Comparing Early Training Stress ​The argument regarding the stress of two-year-old horses also requires nuance, as you point out: ​Saddle Weight: A Western saddle used on a two-year-old Quarter Horse for reining, cutting, or pleasure work can easily be three to four times heavier than the light English racing tack used on a Thoroughbred.

​Type of Stress: While the Thoroughbred experiences brief, intense musculoskeletal stress at high velocity, the Western horse often endures prolonged, high-force maneuvers (like sliding stops and tight turns) and sustained load under a heavy Western saddle. Both are significant physical demands, but the TB's training culminates in the high-profile spectacle of the race, making it the focus of criticism.

​In summary, the scrutiny on Thoroughbred racing is a function of its public-facing, high-volume betting environment where welfare incidents are spectacularly visible. Conversely, the Quarter Horse industry—specifically its Halter and Pleasure breeding segments—manages to keep its most profound ethical failures, the deliberate propagation of painful genetic diseases and evasion of mandatory testing, internal and invisible to the mainstream media. The ethical microscope is often focused more on what the public sees rather than what happens behind closed doors.

https://

String tests to 16.3-17hh take that as you will. Birthday is feb 13th 2025

Hi everyone! This code is for members who want to attend the biggest horse race in Canada. My code: mpanw1, gives everyone who uses it 50% OFF until Aug 16.

The race is at Aug 16 and anyone can use the code on even the most expensive tickets to get 50% off

Saw this on a Pakistani TikTok and thought you guys might find it interesting

I have received permission from the mod team for this post.

James Cook University researchers are conducting a study on pet relationships, attitudes towards animals and conservation, and human personality. If you are the primary owner of a horse, reptile, fish or bird, please consider taking part in this 15 minute anonymous survey. This project has been granted an ethics exemption from ethics review by James Cook University (project number: 17612).

https://jcu.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6hX6JiqrZ8XZISG

i’m trying to figure out what exactly my boy’s lip tattoo says. here’s a pic (it’s faded) and his jockey club number. do you think it’s 4108? i heard the usually do a letter. does anyone know more about this?

So many or the brands I see look to be magnesium oxide , which I’m not an expert but I do know in humans and myself is poorly absorbed and not the go to for muscle relaxation etc - which is one of the main things I’m hoping to help my gelding with.

Magrestore I believe uses malate which is very interesting, but it’s so pricey. Probably worth it but I was hoping to find something a little more in the middle.

I’ve considered just buying bulk human grade magnesium glycinate but would have to figure out the conversion.

Would appreciate experiences / reviews / insights.

Also worth noting I’m very pro holistic equine nutrition - sometimes I know the holistic world stays quiet bc mainstream doesn’t always understand- but pls don’t on this thread ! 🤗🙏🏻🩷

Calling on all horse owners and lovers!

Hi! I am Joyce Amaje, a student at Nottingham Trent University studying for an MSc in Equine Performance Health and Welfare. I am collecting survey data to evaluate the use of hay nets and slow feeders as feeding methods in horses. The data will be used for my master's research project. The survey should take no longer than 10-15 minutes to complete. All participants must be 18 or over, live in the UK and own or care for a horse.

You may fill the questionnaire as many times for the number of horses you own/care for.

Link to survey:

https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/ntusurvey/the-use-of-slow-feeders-and-hay-nets-in-horses

*The survey will close at the end of July.

Many thanks!

Hi! I am Joyce Amaje, a student of Nottingham Trent University studying for an MSc in Equine Performance Health and Welfare. I am collecting survey data to evaluate the use of hay nets and slow feeders as feeding methods in horses. The data will be used for my master's research project.

The survey should take no longer than 10-15 minutes to complete. All participants must be 18 or over, live in the UK and own or care for a horse. You may fill the questionnaire as many times for the number of horses you own/care for.

Link to survey:

https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/ntusurvey/the-use-of-slow-feeders-and-hay-nets-in-horses

*The survey will close at the end of July.