Horse Browser
The research browser I built for my ADHD brain. It's not just another browser with a different coat of paint—it actually changes how navigation works.
What it is
Horse Browser is a research browser built around something I call the Trails® system. Instead of the traditional "address bar, back button, and tabs," it shows you a visual tree of everywhere you've been and how you got there.
I built it because regular browsers make my ADHD brain feel chaotic. You know that feeling when you have 47 tabs open and you can't remember how you got to any of them? Or when you're researching something, go down a rabbit hole, and then can't find your way back to what you were originally doing?
"Horse Browser works like my brain does. I can go off on a tangent, and when I come back, I know exactly what I was doing before."
That's what one of our users told me, and it perfectly captures what Trails does. It externalizes the browsing context that neurotypical brains hold internally. When you have challenges with working memory or executive function, that visual trail isn't just helpful—it's calming.
You can follow tangents without anxiety because you can always see your way back. No more frantic back-button clicking trying to reconstruct your path.
The system works with almost every website under the sun, which was actually the hardest part to build. Good design is invisible, so nobody really notices this massive technical challenge I had to solve.
What I built
The Trails® System
A completely novel approach to browser navigation that shows you a visual tree of your browsing session. Not just "Tree Style Tabs in a new jacket"—this is genuinely different.
Universal Website Compatibility
Made the system work with virtually every website on the internet, handling all the edge cases and quirks that come with modern web development.
ADHD-Friendly Interface
Designed every interaction to reduce cognitive load and anxiety for neurodivergent users, making browsing feel calm instead of chaotic.
Cross-Platform Native App
Built as a native application that works on macOS, Windows, and Linux, with proper system integration and performance.
Current Status
Horse Browser is my main focus right now. I'm working on growing it to $10k MRR, which would let me transition from freelance work to focusing on my own products full-time.
The response has been interesting. For most people, it's a curiosity—they recognize it's novel but it doesn't click with their workflow. But for neurodivergent users, especially those with ADHD, the reaction is often near-maniacal love. One user recently said they'd pay our entire MRR by themselves, that's how much it helps them run their company.
It took me a while to accept that I'd built a product for ADHD. I'd spent my whole adult life hiding my diagnosis, and I didn't want the product to be "about" ADHD. But after interviewing our most dedicated users, the pattern was undeniable—they all had ADHD or it ran in their family.
So I finally updated the homepage to say what it is: Horse Browser is the browser for ADHD. And you know what? It feels good to be honest about it.
What I learned
Building Horse Browser taught me that sometimes the best products come from solving your own problems. I didn't set out to build a browser for ADHD—I just built something that worked for my brain.
I also learned the importance of talking to your actual users, not just the people who talk to you. When I started logging usage data, I discovered that some of my most vocal "fans" barely used the product, while our most dedicated users were people I'd never spoken to.
The technical challenge of making a completely new navigation system work with the entire web was enormous. But the bigger challenge was accepting that I'd built something for people like me—and that there's nothing wrong with that.
Most importantly, I learned that hiding who you are doesn't make better products. Being honest about what Horse Browser is and who it's for has led to much better conversations with users and a clearer direction for the product.