Recent content by ironbessflint

I have a gelding whose stifle locks only when he's really limited on movement. He's 7 and was new to me in July, and during the summer when he was out 24/7 and getting driven regularly, we never saw a hint of a problem. Come fall when they're in the sacrifice paddock near the barn and stalled...

Mine solar fencer works just fine with our tape?? I've got two (one full size) that will test and they DEFINITELY do get shocked. Showing plenty of voltage on the fence tester too.

I've had a lot of success with my big horses liking the Sprenger KK bit, so when I went bit shopping for my mini I tried this out from Pony and Carriage (UK, but ships to the US from their store or ebay): I've been very happy with it and the pony sure seems to like it. The size options were...

Yay!!! Congrats!! How excited you must be

Wow let's see...I was very fortunate to start driving by introduction from a fabulous coworker, a third-generation draft guy, now working with Haflingers. He really turned mentor and was wonderful in teaching me to drive. I'd been working with him and using all his equipment with my mare for...

Well just a bit of an update... Henry progressed to ground driving in the big scary world with no fences...and didn't care. (And not ONE snatch for grass! Definitely has my big mare beat there!) Then on to dragging the tire all over as well. Grass was no biggie, the gravel on the other...

stella and seven...here you go! http://www.grahamcarriageworks.com/graham_carriage_works_002.htm Want one yet? Looks like a blast!!

Another vote for Country Carriages. I've just been so pleased with mine and Claudette's service!!

Yikes!! It does seem to be an ad for a farm, so perhaps AMHA didn't even realize since I'm sure somebody paid and then just submitted pictures. I know AMHR has a rule about removing bridles while hitched, but I can't find anything in the AMHA rule book.

Oops, double.

For some laid back horses yes this would be a normal reaction. But it in no way means she's really trained to drive. She might accept these things, but that doesn't mean she understands what's being asked of her, and I'd worry that at some point in the future she may blow up out of confusion...

In both riding and driving, my horses work on a steady but very light contact. I've often found that if I have other people work them, they find they can't get that same "frame" without a LOT of contact. What has actually happened is that there's less finesse in the contact, and so the horse...

What a fabulous story! Congrats to both of you!!

My thoughts are that I want all my horses to be able to go in an open bridle, and I start them that way. But after they're I drive exclusively in a closed bridle. My reason is that I don't want the horse to see the whip coming and GUESS. A tap on the hip for forward, a little lash touch on...

Thanks Paula! This pony was SO anti-contact when I brought him home, that I'm just thrilled to have some real connection going. (And too funny about your one driving pony. I joke that my dressage mare has such a good stretchy trot because she thinks it's the "look for food circle") The...