rabbitsfizz
Well-Known Member
OK, this is sort of topical as Bertie is not quite three years old and was started in harness....when??
Three weeks ago??
Maybe a bit more, gosh, I can't remember ...ARGH I'm getting old....older
Anyhoo, back to the point.
Bert is now driving and NO, I am sorry I do not have any pictures as it is very hard to take pictures of yourself and if I tie him up to take pictures of him I shall (very rightly) get yelled at!
He is still in the four wheel as I can't get the shafts on the two wheel (cold+ old age+ arthritis) and it has SNOWED here and so the entire country ground to a halt and everyone refused to drive (all of three inches...well, OK there was a foot but it's still not Colorado) so no help around.
And the county has run out of salt and grit so doing anything, including walking to the shops has been a laugh a minute.
I am digressing again, did you notice??
So Bertie is now pulling the four wheeler without shafts, + me, on my "working" reins (insert"two lovely padded lunge reins") and a halter (in the safety of my own field. Please do not try this on the highway) but really he is working to voice, and he knows what he is doing, too.
He reminds me of the horses that used to pull the milk carts, they really only needed the Milkman because they could not lift the milk bottle with their hooves, they know where to go and when to stop, far better than the Milkman did!!
Bertie wriggles into the harness (just the breast collar and traces and a strap to stop the traces getting under his legs) turns in and stands and then shoves me with his nose if I take too long.
I do have to keep reminding him that he has to wait til I say "Go" but he's just a baby, so I'm not getting tough with him, and honestly, I could not have managed this last two weeks without him, my walking has been very bad and he has been a Godsend, he really has.
My feed merchant could not get to the field to deliver so I went down to the road with the cart and Bert and picked it up from there, after he had finished laughing we wiped the smile off his face by taking off across the field with 3cwt of feed on board, no sweat!!
I am really enjoying having a driving horse again, it has been about, I think, ten years since I have had one of my own to keep and enjoy, and more than that he is really just such a good chap, so willing and so solid.
He is never going to win a halter class, he is built like a brick outhouse, but handsome is as handsome does, I say.
We have a harness class beginning of April and I have borrowed a Jerald, so I'll get pictures of that, if nothing else, but I hope I can get some before then!!
Wow, I'm really having fun with this boy, I'm so glad I gave him the chance to work, he was a pain in the backside before this, and now we really have a bond.
Yay!!!! Let's hear it for the GELDINGS, especially those that drive......
Three weeks ago??
Maybe a bit more, gosh, I can't remember ...ARGH I'm getting old....older
Anyhoo, back to the point.
Bert is now driving and NO, I am sorry I do not have any pictures as it is very hard to take pictures of yourself and if I tie him up to take pictures of him I shall (very rightly) get yelled at!
He is still in the four wheel as I can't get the shafts on the two wheel (cold+ old age+ arthritis) and it has SNOWED here and so the entire country ground to a halt and everyone refused to drive (all of three inches...well, OK there was a foot but it's still not Colorado) so no help around.
And the county has run out of salt and grit so doing anything, including walking to the shops has been a laugh a minute.
I am digressing again, did you notice??
So Bertie is now pulling the four wheeler without shafts, + me, on my "working" reins (insert"two lovely padded lunge reins") and a halter (in the safety of my own field. Please do not try this on the highway) but really he is working to voice, and he knows what he is doing, too.
He reminds me of the horses that used to pull the milk carts, they really only needed the Milkman because they could not lift the milk bottle with their hooves, they know where to go and when to stop, far better than the Milkman did!!
Bertie wriggles into the harness (just the breast collar and traces and a strap to stop the traces getting under his legs) turns in and stands and then shoves me with his nose if I take too long.
I do have to keep reminding him that he has to wait til I say "Go" but he's just a baby, so I'm not getting tough with him, and honestly, I could not have managed this last two weeks without him, my walking has been very bad and he has been a Godsend, he really has.
My feed merchant could not get to the field to deliver so I went down to the road with the cart and Bert and picked it up from there, after he had finished laughing we wiped the smile off his face by taking off across the field with 3cwt of feed on board, no sweat!!
I am really enjoying having a driving horse again, it has been about, I think, ten years since I have had one of my own to keep and enjoy, and more than that he is really just such a good chap, so willing and so solid.
He is never going to win a halter class, he is built like a brick outhouse, but handsome is as handsome does, I say.
We have a harness class beginning of April and I have borrowed a Jerald, so I'll get pictures of that, if nothing else, but I hope I can get some before then!!
Wow, I'm really having fun with this boy, I'm so glad I gave him the chance to work, he was a pain in the backside before this, and now we really have a bond.
Yay!!!! Let's hear it for the GELDINGS, especially those that drive......
