Horses are no different than ourselves in many ways...If you wonder what your horse feels...think of you in that situation..

So often, I hear new horse owners being bombarded with information immediately upon entering into the world of "Horse Ownership". They become overwhelmed pretty quickly. Barn owners, trainers, equine professionals of all sorts, and opinionated fellow horse loving people all have the Be All End All answers to everything you are experiencing with your horse...given generically in every situation. Answers repeated endlessly from text books written 10 years ago that lists and ailment and a treatment outdated and often ineffective. Very few people stop and assess the situation at hand and make an educated judgement based on their exploration and understanding of the situation at hand.

...And here is just a beautiful video of Jesse's Girl learning to jump. She is a Polo Pony Rescue.

My personal method is to always listen to all opinions and think them over... gauging the likelihood of  the suggested advice helping to improve my horse or my horse's situation. There is something so bizarre about the equine culture. In some ways it can be so stagnant and steeped in "Traditional"  practices it is barbaric in some cases, the pain of a bit against gum tissue in inexperienced hands, spurs that dig in and say nothing to a inadequately negotiated with horse. Does your horse want to be with you in what you are doing with him. I like to call this "High Class Horse Abuse". Jess (The above horse) is from this world. Polo is a fancy, high class, "Sport of Kings. Many of these horses, and many horses in all equine sport disciplines experience an abuse that is painful to them but somewhat ignorable to the humans involved. 

I recall going to the Equine Affair in Pomona California in 2007 or so...I needed to charge my phone so I snuck into the back of a lecture hall of 500 or so people... the speaker was a late in life cowboy of limited scope...he said "Horses do not have emotions"...I literally spit by accident into laughter. Anyone that loves their horse knows that they for sure have emotions...and dramatic ones at that.

"What is good for the horse, is rarely convenient for the human"- Inge Halliday

In conclusion, you will ultimately have to be the one to decide what is best for your equine friend. Basically all you have to do to figure out how your horse feels; is to think of yourself in the same situation. It's that simple. You want freedom. You want Love. You want understanding. You want food. You want water. You want somewhere nice to sleep. You want fun. You want friends. You want peace....and sometimes yer in a shitty mood...if there a difference between horses and humans?