Your Drive Day

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MajorClementine

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Okay, paintponylvr gave me a great idea to start a training thread. So I thought I'd expand that to training and drives. In short, a thread for "your drive day". A chance to share what you did from letting your mini smell the harness to competing in a marathon drive. Pictures are always a plus! Share away...

After 9 miles between Saturday and Sunday the only driving related thing I did was wipe down my harness today. Not as much fun as driving but it must be done
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Worked with my new pony last night. He is a 4 year old and is coming along nicely! Well, I think he is anyways ;) He is doing great with just pressure of one rein, and started to use my out side rein off and on last night. He picked it right up! I think hes going to be a fancy Country Pleasure horse.



He is ashamed, he's a little plump and has to go on a diet! He told me its just FLUFF!

 
p- sorry to hear about you having the flu. That's not any fun. Cleaning harnesses is what I do when the weather is crappy out
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S- Your new guy is adorable! Glad to hear he is coming along so well.

It was cold, windy, snowy here today so I worked on my new sulky. I decided that black wasn't much fun so I decided to paint it my signature color! When I was sanding it I noticed that it used to be red. It's pretty much the same sulky she was trained in. I'm excited to try it out. Here's a before and after pic of my sulky and a pic of she and I with the sulky she was trained in.

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Had to skip working Hercules on Sunday because of a migraine, but made it out yesterday. I realized it is REALLY hard to try and video and take pictures while trying to ground drive a green horse by yourself! But I got some for you guys! I am thinking he is going to make a cute Country Pleasure Horse like his dad Meridians Dyna Tempest. I am still waiting to get his papers in the mail. I know he is AMHA registered, possibly AMHR. I am going to register him pinto too (obviously he has enough white haha).

I just started to add some outside rein off and on to help with drifting and to start to get him to understand that concept. He has the basic steering down. He is such a cool horse to watch! Remember this is my first mini I am training, with tips and help from a pro of course
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but have been a trainer of "big" horses for quite some time.





https://instagram.com/p/946-vJixiKo6oUQQQKmKTVS6T0LYsyrh4Aa_00/

https://instagram.com/p/947SwvCxifsTE_2TyVu5xU4Y7dRiEwhnT7LFo0/


He is also now on a diet.... this was at feeding time, I thought it was cute!
 
Bwahahaha! Love the piggy picture.

I'm wishing that I had a covered arena or somewhere to work. We got an early snow storm and I'm kinda outta luck until it melts off (lets hope it does). I did, however, fit my new green cart to Clementine. I think it will work good. I do need footmans loops but other than that we are in good shape. It's pretty well balanced for me and my weight but when I put my dad on the cart it made the shafts want to shoot skyward. But since I'm the one that will be driving it I think it'll be okay. Happy driving!
 
I am excited as this week we get to start him with the cart. We have a very tried and true process that we take at getting them used to it, ground driving while hooked etc before we actually get in the cart. Hercules has prooven to be a super good boy and has taken everything in stride. Fingers crossed it continues
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I am about to start that same process with Major (weather permitting). I'm so glad Hercules has been such a good boy for you. It's so much fun when they just seem to "get" it and enjoy it.

Sadly the weather has been cold and windy here. The only thing I hate more than wind is cold wind. I plan on doing some driving over Thanksgiving since the family is coming up to my place to eat. We always go out for a drive when we get together. Crossing my fingers for sunshine days!
 
Well last week was a bust, we had a very bad wind/rain storm and I was stuck in my house with no power. Tuesday night a tree fell and took out our power lines and fell across our driveway. We were stranded unless we wanted to hop a fence an walk.

This week we are going to start the process with the cart with Hercules. I ground drove him like normal and tied him up to the wall and brought the cart up to start getting him used to it. I will do this for a few days until he isn't phased (which he wasn't at all last night but want to be sure). Then we will walk him with it behind him (not hooked all the way up just resting in the straps). and see how he does. I am thinking we will probably do that tomorrow if I go out to the barn (Thanksgiving and all) or Friday. Another gal at the barn is going through the same process with her new horse but shes a few days ahead. I am so excited!!
 
So sorry to hear about your stormy week and power lines vs. tree incident. I hope all is well now.

One thing that I was taught to do when getting Clementine used to the cart was to verbally let her know the cart was coming. I still tell her "Clementine, cart on" as I bring the cart up. This way she knows it's coming even though she can't see it because of her blinkers. After a drive I tell her "Clementine, cart off" before I take the cart off. I don't know if this really makes a difference or not but it made sense to me.

I haven't been driving at all. I hate the cold stormy weather. I am hoping that our snow sticks to make a good base for getting out my sleigh. I did also get some new leather conditioner I'm going to try on my harnesses while the weather is bad. It's Skidmore's brand. Anyone used it?
 
Well I have been ground driving him and going through our process of hooking up to the cart. He's taken it so well!! The past two days we hooked him and I was ground driving and one person was at his head with halter/lead rope and we just walked around. The first day we actually hooked him there was a lot going on, big horses running around and other minis driving. He spooked once but stopped and settled right back in. Yesterday I shaved his head and neck hoping this would help with his sweating and taking so long to dry. He grew such a long coat! He is from Reno and now is up here in Washington, it has been pretty cold lately, but now i have to blanket him for the winter. If the head and neck clip doesn't help enough I will probably do a trace clip on him. He's been a little cranky with cinching up the harness. I am thinking it is pulling his hair and he doesn't like it so I may just do a trace clip anyways...

Here's a picture of the clip! He looks like a different horse!!

 
It's been gross here too but I am blessed to be able to board him at Patty Cloke's barn (she's retired now but her barn is set up amazing for minis and driving, with a covered arena and mini tack up area). I always wish I had my horse at home but its also nice to have people to drive with and a covered arena!

We are now hooked up and ground driving with the cart fully harnessed
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Last night I sat in the cart and had him just shift his weight with my weight in the cart, didn't want to throw too many new things at him at once. Thinking tonight if he is good I might get in and walk him around. He's taken everything in stride so far, I don't expect it to be a big deal but with horses you never know!

Wishing more people posted about their training progress with their horses! Its fun to hear stories (success or failure!)
 
I'm envious, too!! To be able to work with your horse, in gross weather, after work or just in the evening - WOW! I have several of Patty's videos and enjoy watching the work she demos in that arena.

Well, the December weather here has been totally weird. Really warm. I've been sick since the week before Halloween - some kind of weird cold that I'm still not over. I determined today that it was time to "buck up", straighten our harness & clean what was necessary. One pair of ponies was pulled out and they were cleaned up, bp's were scissored and tails shortened. Knots were worked out, Cowboy Magic is a wonderful thing (in moderation).

Then Bell (now 23 yrs old) & her 5 yr old daughter, GG were harnessed. GG has grown in the past 14 months (the last time I hooked and drove any ponies right before moving). She is now substantially larger than her dam - the mini harness she used to wear no longer fits her at all. I did have a small pony harness that had been sized for her once before - had to let out several straps. Of course, while we were fitting the harness - GG's "group" - the Jr mares - started running around the pasture they are in (the fencing isn't done for theirs so they are still out on the perimeter/whole 7 acres). GG was a bit unhappy that she wasn't leading her group! But she settled w/o too much jumping around and the lines hooked up. Then I ground drove the pair around until I started coughing pretty hard. Stopped and hung over GG's rump while getting my breath back. WOOF! Took a bit.

Our grand daughters were so excited to be able to go in the wagon - they stayed in the wagon until I told them to hop out while I hitched the girls. They dd ok - GG only tried to move off once. Then the wagon was loaded w/ the girls and a friend of our daughter's family. The girls were full of get up and go, so since they'd already been warmed up, I let them walk a bit then went right into trot. The granddaughter girls thought that was quite cool - so I urged the girls into a canter around the pasture once we'd negotiated the first couple of turns... Then we stopped for them to have a break and Justin (SIL) to get into the wagon.

The girls worked hard! They did very well. We went down the road from our drive way to the main paved road. It's 7/10's of a mile, so the girls' drove about 2 miles in total w/ the first work around the pasture. With the weight in the wagon and them not being used to holding the wagon back with the breeching, I used the brakes to make sure they didn't get pushed/start moving too fast down the hill. Then they had to go up the other side.

When we returned home, we used regular towels to dry off the girls. It's supposed to be in the 70s over the weekend - so these two will both get baths.

Here's the drivers seat photos - FIRST DRIVE from the new property!!!

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Will post the video if it ever finishes loading into YouTube.
 
The girls will be groomed tomorrow and harnessed. We will ground drive some to stretch muscles that will probably be a bit sore. Though wet after the work out, when we rubbed them dry with towels there didn't appear to be any sore spots on them. They both got a good drink and then found deep sandy spots to roll in (ewwww.....).

I truly miss having my ponies trace clipped. I will need to see if Vicki's clippers are in good shape and if she would be willing to trace clip the ponies we are aiming to work now.

While Shane (daughter/SILs friend) and i worked on getting the mares groomed and harnesses ready for use, Justin (SIL) worked on the round pen we started putting up clear back in March!! I'm happy to report that our 60' round pen is now done, gated and ready to start using. Larry & Justin both feel that the tree needs to come out of it - guess so for safety, but I kinda like it there. There's enough room to work ponies around it - even hitched single or ground driving pairs. Would be a shady respite during the summer... We shall see.

I plan on grooming, trimming up and fitting the harness on other two trained pony mares tomorrow. Koalah (17 yrs old now) and Bit (24 yrs - Bell's full sister). Will let you all know how that goes.

Here's a pic of them driving in December 2012 - during the Broadway Parade.

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Then there are Ami and Cupid - ground driven a few times, but never hitched as a pair...

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and a whole lot of ponies who need harness, ground driving and hitch work... WEEE - have I maybe gotten started????
 
Marsha, I am truly blessed for sure! She's officially retired from mini's lessons etc because she is wanting to get her amateur card to show her gorgeous palomino Arabian mare
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but of course she's always willing to give me some input/help! I do call him Hercules, still waiting on his papers to get here but I know Patty showed his sire and dam to national/world championships (sire is Meridians Dyna Tempest, not sure on his dams name). I haven't watched her videos yet, I probably should!!

Paintponylvr- sounds like you guys had a lot of fun! The video is really cute! I am jealous you have your horses and can just hook up and drive down the road, that would be a blast! But having a lit and covered arena is truly a blessing! Especially with all the crazy weather we have been having here in Washington.

Well last night I got in the cart and walk and jogged Hercules! I was just going to get in and out and just call it a day but he has been so good so I asked him for a couple steps and nothing phased him! Man I love the temperament and train ability of this horse! He is still a stallion ( I dont plan on breeding but I grew up in the reining industry where you don't geld unless they need a "brain transplant" no one ever believes me that Hercules is a stallion, he's stalled and pastured next to mares and he doesn't bat an eyelash!).

Here are some pictures from last night, sorry about the dirty mirror!!



 
It's done nothing but snow, snow, snow here so I'm jealous of those of you who are able to work your minis. I'm thinking as soon as the weather clears I'm going to put the sleigh runners on my EE. We'll have a good hard packed base and plenty of iced over dirt roads to try out. I'm also thinking I'll hook her to our old wood sled and lead her while she pulls the kids around on it. She's used to dragging things and I think with me leading her we won't run into any problems. Gotta do something with all of this snow...
 

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