Another pair - more ground driving - page 3

[paintponylvr]

The lead pintos are fresh geldings, just had their surgeries in October. I started them when they were stallions and they did well, just picked at each other in harness, but got along surprisingly well when not hitched and just turned out for play time together. After gelding they turned into monsters! They destroyed a steel panel between them and fought like raging idiots! But when hitched they were quieter. I still have them corraled next to each other and lead them together and tie them together without any issues. They still pick at each other a tiny bit but are getting better all the time. I am aware of who my "problem" horse is and even though I watch all like a hawk when I am driving, I know pretty much if my PC is good, everyone is good.

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Wow - that's a first/learning experience for me! I'd never heard of stallions that got along ok turning ugly with each other after gelding.

Learn something new everyday with our 4 footed friends, don't we?

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I was fascinated when I went to a large hunter pony/ Welsh Pony breeder's farm. First, they had grass - and lots of it!! It was awesome - couldn't see any ponies at first. She took us out in the pasture w/ some oats in buckets on a beefed up 4x4 type golf cart. We drove for quite a ways, then stopped. The grass (really tall) - rippled in several areas (towards us - DON"T watch Jurassic Park before going to this farm!!). Then suddenly about 10 heads popped up all around us! Then more and more - there were about 40 ponies in that pasture. We spread oats in several areas - directly on the ground in somewhat open areas, she talked to them and we petted and got close and personal with some while discussing pedigrees and such. Then we left - some followed us towards the barn for a bit, then turned off and back to the grass. Looking back as we reached the gate - you couldn't even see one pony!

Then down the road to the "Boys farm". All of her stallions and a hand full of geldings were pastured together. She had stallions from each section of the Welsh breed - A (mtn ponies), B (riding ponies), C (small cobs - under 13.2 hh) & D (cobs over 13.2 hh - 2 of whom were every bit as massive as Belgians!). I think there were 10 stallions all running in that pasture - it was amazing. They had access to an open section of an old cement barn plus they had individual stalls if needed. She did state that the stallions had all been raised that way - and with no mares about - it wasn't an issue. Yes, there were occasional cuts/scrapes - but usually nothing major. She stated that she usually had more problems with the mares than with the boys. She had two h/j type stallions up at her main place that could not be turned out with the "Welshmen" as they hadn't been raised that way and it didn't work...

 

[paintponylvr]

OK, so along with the maintenance on the place I've managed to do a little work with several ponies too. BUT hadn't reported on it here and hadn't gotten any real pictures.

But today, I finally took it a bit further for the first time since March. I cleaned them up again, harnessed them and ground drove them both single. Both were wearing blind bridles and I didn't resort to driving Cupid with the "tie-down". Then I parked Cupid beside Ami and ran the pair lines, hooked a line between their halters and their breeching, unhooked the cross tie on Ami, stepped behind them and just stood quietly holding the lines. They were pretty quiet and after a minute, I asked them to step out in a walk, together. They weren't completely together, but close enough that they didn't pull each other or rear or throw their heads - YEAHHHH!!!!

We did some getting upset - I worked at not asking them to stop and stand right away. At first, Cupid was the one trying to run/trot all the time so I did a lot of circling to the left with Ami on the inside and Cupid on the outside. A couple of times he did throw his head about and a couple of times got himself caught. I did very well - I kept calm and let them settle and then untangled them. As before, Ami looked sooooo put upon! He only reared and slung his front hooves around once - I had been paying better attention and was able to keep him separate from her the rest of the time. Then took them into the barn and had them stand with their heads right up by the stall area while I sat down and took a breather. I talked to them and occasionally touched them from where I was sitting. Drank water.

After sitting abit and before they got too restless, I was up and we headed back out - to circle the two horse trailers and between the trees, around the baby chicks and the burn pile and then back into the barn - this time I drank the rest of my soda while I took a breather. We'd been out about 20 minutes at that time.

This time when we headed out, we went to the front yard. We figure 8'd around the gardenia bushes by the road. Went in and out the drive way and along the road, crossed the ditch, from different directions and many different angles. We practiced stopping and standing in the shade. We turned towards the road everytime a vehicle went by. Both were surprised by the view - I assume - when the vehicles "showed up" in front of them and jumped around a bit. They did start working well together and then we headed back to the barn again to take a break. This time, when we went back to the front yard I was prepared with a water bottle in my rear pocket and when we stopped and stood, I drank.

This time, I pulled my hubby out of the living room and he took some pictures as I drove around the yard. Here's a few!

Collecting them up a bit as we again approach the ditch between our yard and the road shoulder.

Coming back across the ditch to the yard.

And again, we ended on a good note. I drove them into the barn and swung them to the right to tie Ami back up. Cupid actually stood quietly to allow me to undo his "stub line" and Ami's as well, plus remove both the halter and breeching ties. Since I'd had Ami in the barn the longest while pulling her mane and doing some other trim work, I cross tied Cupid back in his spot, removed his headstall and took Ami out to wash her first with the harness on. Finished her, brought her back in and removed the harness and then turned her out. Repeated on Cupid - but while I was hanging his harness up, he rolled in the dirt on the floor. Guess I'd better hook both cross ties when I unharness him next time!!

So one hoof print at a time, we are getting there. We'll see how much we get done in the next week or so - hopefully I can drive them together several more times.

Vicki, James (Vicki's husband) and I are going to Mt. Hope, OH for Horse Progress Days over the 4th of July weekend and will be leaving mid-morning Thursday the 3rd...

 

[paintponylvr]

Here is a link to the full album. I also included the "full" pictures just resized smaller - so you can see the yard I'm working with....

Ami & Cupid