Pretty much accurate what the website says, the exercise list is a great starting point. I have used it after my shoulder separation surgery on to keep myself loose, I watch TV on it when I’m motivated. It is great for keeping you centered and doesn’t let you get away with sided-ness. It is nice looking in the house. I rode it the first time at VHC, and I was hooked. I think I’ve had it 6 years or so.
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Does it help w general fitness?
I think so. Mostly your core. If you ride it too much when you first get it, you get sore. LOL
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Thank you!
I have to wait to get it to see how much some dental work will cost me, then we need to determine if the hurricane causes us many problems that cost money.
I told my riding teacher about it. I warned her she may end up giving me a lesson on mine just to get me lined up right. I promised to take it out to the barn so she could see it. We started day-dreaming about the possibilities. She does not have an inside riding ring. I started imagining a “lesson string” of the Home Horses so she could still give a riding lesson even if it is pouring rain outside. Her comment was that it could pay for itself quickly.
I am looking at my two Crosby saddles. One NEEDS a seat saver (the sling bands in the seat are stretched out and I end up on the edges of the saddle tree), the other one is newer but it is not my ancient beloved saddle I rode Hat Tricks in, the one that fitted me like a glove compared to all the other saddles I rode in back then over 40 years ago. Maybe I should get a ThinLine seat saver for this my ancient saddle. Since I am allergic to Neoprene I probably need to get a ThinLine Contour pad I can use instead, I have stirrups and I am sure I can resurrect some of my older stirrup leathers. I would like to get another set of double bridle reins, the bradoon rein with the rainbow stoppers, and the longer 1/2" notched reins so they are the same as I use now on horseback.
But first we have to make sure we have enough money to get the Home Horse. I am excited, I will be able to “ride” even if it is snowy, icy or rainy, or if Debbie has to do something she can’t get out of on my lesson day. My oldest son has told me he will try to make up any shortfall we have so I can go ahead and get it.
I am SO EXCITED!!!
Now we just have to dig out some of our old rock and roll albums so I will have a beat to ride to. Riding to Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, the Cream, the Doors, the possibilities are endless.
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Well from here I went down the hole of 'mechanical horse. I have no idea of price, but there is one that walks, trots, canters, extends, piaffes and passages and tells you if you are giving the correct aides for halfpass.
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Is this the one you have in mind?
Yes, the dressage one was the one I saw for a review of an instructor who had tried it. She said it helped a lot because in the gait it is the same every stride.
It would look great in a tack room. Only the same as a house deposit!
There is no way in the world I could afford to buy one of these “mechanical horses”, however much they could help my riding. For that price I could buy what I REALLY want (Davenport Arabian gelding at least green broke, 9 years old or older and at least serviceably sound), AND be able to board it at my lesson stable AND afford hoof and veterinary care for the rest of my life or that mythical horse’s life (I’m 71.) I have no need for a perfectly trained horse or a breeding quality horse.
The BIG thing about the Home Horse for me is that I can save up my money for a few months and afford it. I got the saddle, I got the reins, and we can carve out enough space for it in my house. It might not be a perfect mimic of equine movement but it looks promising for keeping me fit enough to ride a real live horse even after weeks of not being able to get to the stable.
I wish I could afford a mechanical. I am supremely grateful that I will be able to afford this one.
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I have one and highly recommend it as a way of curing your “one sidedness”. I did the trick of standing with a foot on two scales and realized I tend to put more weight in my right leg, which obviously shows up when you ride. The Home Horse lets you know right away that you’re lopsided.
It’s fun to use and the bonus is that it’s really helped stretch out my hip flexors which were contributing to piriformis syndrome. I’ve also used it when recovering from injuries and been unable to ride.
Yes, the mechanical horses are great, but they are too expensive and you’d need a special place to put one. There’s a barn not too far from me which you can rent time on, but the HH sits quite elegantly in my living room.
If anyone is in the Boston area, they are welcome to come sit on mine.
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I tried the Home Horse and loved it. It has been. Game changer for me and many of my friends. I bought it from a booth while at Fitches Corner Horse Trials. I was traveling with horses doing a ton of driving and wasn’t able to do my normal exercise. Using the Home Horse saved my body during this time as driving takes a toll on my hips and back. And it easily fit in my rolling muck tub holder so it was easy to move around.
What I love is that I get a core workout without strain on my neck. My friend loves it because she has vertigo and has trouble laying down to work her core.
During COVID I used it as my desk chair and found it helped improve my balance and gave me a better seat for riding.
I highly recommend getting one. It’s has more than paid for itself in keeping me fit for riding and it looks cool. 
. Everyone who comes in my office asks about it and a couple of clients have bought one too! No one I know who has gotten one has been disappointed. It even came with rein attachments. Super helpful!!
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I have 2 things I had to wait on to make sure I did not have to wipe out the little savings I have for this.
I made it through Ian fine. The little bit of the 10 acres I live on seem to have come through unscathed. Whew!
Then I am waiting to see if my dental insurance will pay for my teeth guards, or how much they will pay. Waiting is.
Then I have to save my spending money. I would have had more but the elderly lesson horse I ride NEEDED both of his riders (me and leaser) to have saddle pads to help his 28 year old back. Mission accomplished but my savings got depleted.
But I am a third of the way there, maybe I can save some by not getting the neoprene pad that comes with it (neoprene gives me BAD contact dermatitis symptoms, I have some small scars.)
From what I have read above by COTH people who have one this looks like it may end up as one more item of ESSENTIAL equipment needed to learn how to be a good, effective rider with a secure, stable seat. At least it is cheaper than a decent saddle.
I can’t wait to get one. Oh well, maybe before New Years day, maybe next year, a Home Horse will end up “living” in my bedroom (along with my “tack room”) after I shift bookcases around. At least I won’t have to feed, muck out, groom or pay for farrier and veterinary work. It looks like I will have to tack it up only once, then that saddle and those reins can stay on Home Horse and save me energy.
Thanks for listening to me ramble. .
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Thank you for this post. I have nerve damage in my neck from radiation for Hodgkin’s disease. I am constantly trying to get my core stronger to help stabilize my neck without putting strain on it.
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My HH is supposed to arrive soon. I’m very excited to give it a try again.
Just FYI: Chris said he is going to be at the Liberty Festival that’s happening in Lexington, KY October 22-23. If you live nearby or are going to the Festival, it might be a good time to try one and talk with him!
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I saw him at Equine Affaire last year in Springfield and he was giving “lessons” on the HH. It was very interesting to watch. I’ll have to see if I still have the video I took because it gave me more ideas on how to use mine.
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While I don’t have enough money yet to buy a Home Horse my fantasies are running wild.
I bought a bunch of Sylvia Lock dressage books last year or the year before. I will not practice this on a live horse because my balance is horrible and this would raise so many misunderstandings between me and the horse, besides abusing the horse’s back.
BUT the Home Horse does not feel pain in its back or suffer pain from various arthritic joints. I can experiment all I want with my seat, see the effects on my/the HH balance, and not worry if I am too abrupt with my rein aids. I can experiment with the effects of various seat aids without worrying about the horse. I will have to get my dressage saddle back (not in active use now) and I won’t have to worry if my dressage saddle fits a particular horse. The Home Horse does not care.
You see after a few rides the lesson horses accept that I am not a perfect rider. They acknowledge that occasionally my body does something that I have little control over (sometimes my legs jerk all by themselves.) When I try a new aid what I pick up from the lesson horses is:
Is this really an aid or is Jackie being her usual klutzy self?
What in the world does Jackie want me to do with this never before felt aid?
Why in the world does Jackie not feel it when I give the minimal response to the aid?
Why in all creation is Jackie unbalanced enough that I cannot obey the aid immediately?
And the usual–my back is creaky, my leg joints are creaky, I have a neck spasm, and why in the world do you want me to do something different when I am pretty obedient to your usual aids?
When I finally get my Home Horse I will be able to try stuff without the guilt that comes from wondering if I am irritating the horse.
Since I do not ride dressage on a live horse this sounds like a safe way to dip my toe into the field of riding more centered on the horse’s back, sitting up straighter, the effects of weighing a seat bone and understanding better how using my upper thigh can affect my balance and the balance of the horse.
Meanwhile I am saving my money. I finally got the lesson horses what they need to be more comfortable under me, next year my spending emphasis will be on me. I am also looking at the Equicizer again, maybe I could end up with two different riding simulators, one with a Crosby jumping saddle and the other with the dressage saddle. Then I want stabilizing stirrup leathers on each saddle. Maybe I should get safety stirrups so my foot does not get caught in the extremely unlikely chance of me falling off a non-living “horse.” Even 5 minutes a day on a simulator might help me when I get up and ride a real horse.
Thank you for reading my fantasies.
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It took me a while to get back here, but here I am. My Home Horse came in and I love it! I’ve been sitting on it a little bit every day. I’ve not been sore yet, but I also haven’t really done any the exercises that come with it. I’ve just been getting comfortable with getting on and off and doing a few circles both directions. I definitely need to make a habit of using it daily. The first time I used it, my back felt much better. (It wasn’t sore, just stiff and I get a crooked feeling sometimes.) I also bought the snaffle bit attachment, so I set that up and tested it out, but I’m not using it quite yet. I will soon, but I think there’s enough to do without it for now! Thanks everyone for your perspective–it was all very helpful!
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Thank you @kanter for your report.
I had my first homework ride in months today. After the first five minutes of grooming all I could think was if I had a Home Horse I would not have to all this stuff that leaves me exhausted. I had been thinking that it would be best for me just to start with 5 minutes every day I don’t ride a horse, and that there would be no way that I would groom and tack up a horse for just a 5 minute ride. The Home Horse does not need grooming. I could just mount and “ride” and not start the ride totally exhausted.
I have to save more money.
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I’m getting very tempted to buy one of these. Does anyone use it as their main office chair? I WFH 4 days a week and my computer is on a riser with the keyboard on the bar-height counter in our basement. I could put a keyboard tray below the bar to adjust the typing position. At one point I had a spare saddle on a stand and would sit in it for a few hours of my workday, but it seems this might be more beneficial.
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I tried it out as an office chair earlier this week. I have a non-mobile typical saddle stool that I usually use, but the Home Horse was nice because I could fidget by doing some circles or something else when I was getting tight. I have a standing desk, so my desk adjusted to the height just fine. I replaced the neoprene pad with a Thinline bareback pad that I have. It was more comfortable, but the wood of the seat was definitely noticeable through the pad after some hours. You would probably be better off with a saddle. I will keep using it as my office chair for a while. It is a bit tough to drag across my carpet to my desk, but worth it, I think!
My back still feels pretty good as long as I use the HH at least for a few minutes every day, mostly doing circles, +s, and Xs. The more time I spend on it, the better I feel. I still haven’t been able to get serious about the exercises, though. Hopefully I’ll have time to concentrate on them this weekend.
I rode a real horse for the first time after getting the HH yesterday, and I was very pleasantly surprised that I didn’t feel as stiff in the saddle as I had been. I didn’t seem to have quite as many tension issues as I usually do. (Note: it was a new horse and new saddle, so it could have been more than just the HH, but I really do think it helped me some.)
I did notice as soon as I first got on my HH and started trying exercises that some of the bad habits I have in the saddle, like trying to hover out of the saddle when the motion gets too much at the canter, came out on the HH. I’ve been able to work on that at my own pace without bothering a real horse, which is awesome, and that bad habit in particular never happened in my latest lesson. I think it’s very cool.
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