"Needs an update" means that goal will not show as complete until after 8am GMT the following day after the site updates.
The Howrse update is always from 7am - 7:30am GMT and New Hampshire is currently 4 hours behind GMT, so the update takes place there from 3am - 3:30am.
To the top right of your page you will see both your own local time, and next to it the GMT time which Howrse goes by. These times update automatically.
When you click the button to feed your howrse, it will indicate how much fodder it needs.
you cannot Actually with the new December 2013 update you can, my unicorn has it! =D
For that goal you must wait until the next day's update.
All the races use dressage.
It should automatically update the first time you go on it and it needs to update.
because it needs to get set up for the next day
Where I live (Australia, Victoria), Howrse is under maintenance from about 5:30- 630.Hope this helps! ^^Howrse undergoes maintenance to update to the next day from 7am - 7:30am GMT every day.
Horses age two months at a time every day on Howrse. They age after every update which occurs at 7-8am GMT time every day. You can also use ageing points to age them without waiting for an update. You can buy these from the store, or by using a pass, and you can find them now and then when working your horses.
You don't, the grooms work every morning at the update and increase the cleanliness by 10% each day.
Either the server needs to update or you need to update.