Erick as a 4 year old

[Dream]

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to share some photos of Erick (JEM Nite Dancer by Lucky Hart's Be Bob N Baby) from this weekend. He really filled out over the winter and has put on 40 pounds since this time last year. Some of it's fat but he needed it<G>. I started him on a new feeding program and he loves it. Has lots of energy too. I'm looking forward to a fun year with him starting with an arena driving trial next weekend!

Thanks for looking!

 

[5StarRanch]

VERY nice looking boy you have there! You should be very proud and looks like he is ground driving nicely. I do have to ask, since I am actually in the middle of purchasing a four year old gelding myself, what are you feeding him? He looks to be in fantastic shape and I am researching everything out there to see what will work the best. Again, congrats on your boy and thanks in advance for any help.

Hello everyone,I just wanted to share some photos of Erick (JEM Nite Dancer by Lucky Hart's Be Bob N Baby) from this weekend. He really filled out over the winter and has put on 40 pounds since this time last year. Some of it's fat but he needed it<G>. I started him on a new feeding program and he loves it. Has lots of energy too. I'm looking forward to a fun year with him starting with an arena driving trial next weekend!

Thanks for looking!

 

[Nigel]

WOW!

He looks FANTASTIC!! He has filled out and looks absolutely stunning

And of course he is second to none when it comes to driving

 

[Dream]

VERY nice looking boy you have there! You should be very proud and looks like he is ground driving nicely. I do have to ask, since I am actually in the middle of purchasing a four year old gelding myself, what are you feeding him? He looks to be in fantastic shape and I am researching everything out there to see what will work the best. Again, congrats on your boy and thanks in advance for any help.

Thank you! Erick is a pro ground driver<G>. He has actually been showing in the cart for a year but I still do a lot of long lining with him. I think it is a very useful part of the training process even after they have been hitched. Early in the season it allows me to work him a lot longer before he poops out and I can work him up and down hills for conditioning before he is fit enough to haul my butt along with him. It also allows me to watch him, see how's he's moving and carrying himself. I like working him long and low with the lines through the tugs and around his hindquarters. He is naturally up and I have to work to get him to relax and stretch. As the season progresses he spends more and more time in the cart as he can handle longer drives.

This winter I started him on a feed called Purina Tri Max. It suits his type (lean, hard keeper) but may not be right for your horse. Here is a pic of him this time last year.

Thanks Nigel! I'm glad to see you are enjoying your lovely new boy.

 

[Nigel]

Thanks Nigel! I'm glad to see you are enjoying your lovely new boy.

No problem

And yes, I am thrilled with him

 

[5StarRanch]

Thanks so much for the feed info. I am not sure if my guy is going to be a hard keeper or not, but I do plan on working and ground driving him 5-6 days a week, so I know that he will need a little something. I used to show minis years......and years ago ;-) and am getting back into them after a knarly big horse accident left me with lots and lots of broken bones and not much confidence in the saddle anymore.

I work for a Purina dealer and I have not yet heard of Tri Max. I know that they are in the process of coming out with a lot more feeds, I will have to check in to it.

Thanks again!!!

I totally agree with you on the ground driving. Back when we used to show a lot, I really enjoyed ground driving my horses, even the finished ones. Taking them back to basics now and again really pays off sometimes.

 

[Dream]

Here is the link to Trimax. Purina Canada carries different products than the American version. You may be able to find something similar.

Purina Tri Max

 

[jleonard]

He is gorgeous! Reminds me of a little Thoroughbred. His weight looks wonderful, it is such a great feeling when you get a thin, hard keeper where they need to be! Good luck at your ADT, I would love to see pics!

 

[5StarRanch]

AAAH! See, you learn something new every day!

Thank you for the link, I will check out which feed is closest to it down here.

Here is the link to Trimax. Purina Canada carries different products than the American version. You may be able to find something similar.
Purina Tri Max

 

[twister]

Michelle, Erick is looking wonderful. Where is the indoor driving trial you are going to? Maybe I will come along and watch.

Yvonne

 

[dreaminmini]

Handsome boy, Michelle. He looks great and very grown up now. Good luck at your trial!

 

[Jill]

He looks awesome

 

[Dream]

Thanks everyone! Yvonne the trial is at Carson's Horse Sales in Listowel. It is on Sunday May 24th and starts at 9 or 9:30. If I get some good pics I will be sure to post them.

 

[MiLo Minis]

He is looking really good Michelle! He sure did need that weight and it looks good on him. I would imagine he is feeling much better with himself too. Good luck with your trial - I know you will do well! You two are a good team!!!

 

[susanne]

Now...THAT is a driving horse!

I loved how he looked when you previously posted photos, but now...you're obviously doing all the right things. He's a gorgeous horse who has learned to carry himself beautifully.

Since I'm such the inveterate gearhead, I have to ask: What harness are you using?

 

[BannerBrat]

[SIZE=12pt]

[/SIZE]

Erick is extremely handsome,

& it looks like he's coming along beautifully.

 

[Dream]

Now...THAT is a driving horse!
I loved how he looked when you previously posted photos, but now...you're obviously doing all the right things. He's a gorgeous horse who has learned to carry himself beautifully.

Since I'm such the inveterate gearhead, I have to ask: What harness are you using?

Thanks Susanne!

The harness he has on is the Sport harness sold by both Camptown and Chimacum. I have the Camptown freedom collar to go with it. I use this harnes for everyday work and to show in CDE type stuff. For the breed ring/dressage I have the fancy rolled show harness from Ozark.

 

[susanne]

Silly me! For all the times I've studied that harness on both sites, you'd think I would have recognized it! (I'll just blame my horrible vision...it has to be good for something!)

Even though I really can't justify $600 for a harness, I keep coming back to that one...all that come close are nearly as expensive, and I've learned from experience that betathane is a much better choice than leather for our wet climate and lack of barn, tackroom or other storage.

Back to the subject...great horse, great job!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Michelle, it's so GOOD to see you and your horse again!! You've been way too quiet on here.

I've got to agree with MiLo- the only thing I've ever disliked about photos of Erick was how lean he was so now that he's filling out he looks great. I can't wait to see him later in the year with more muscle mass.

You always have him turned out so neatly and I love that field you took the pictures in.

I like working him long and low with the lines through the tugs and around his hindquarters. He is naturally up and I have to work to get him to relax and stretch.

Have you worked him with sliding side reins? He's still ducking behind the bit at this point rather than accepting contact and working through his topline so those might be helpful to encourage him to really reach and start tracking up better. Some of it, of course, is his age and the early season. He hasn't had time to develop enough muscle to really shift his weight to his hindquarters and hold himself up properly but I'd still like to see him working through the back a little more at this stage. Long and low, long and low!

Kody was driving me nuts this spring because he finally discovered ducking behind the bit as an evasion. It's so hard to get them out of that once they figure out they can bow their noses into their chests and keep right on going!

Little brat. A few sessions with sliding side reins reminded him of proper body posture.

Leia

 

[Dream]

Michelle, it's so GOOD to see you and your horse again!! You've been way too quiet on here.

I've got to agree with MiLo- the only thing I've ever disliked about photos of Erick was how lean he was so now that he's filling out he looks great. I can't wait to see him later in the year with more muscle mass.

You always have him turned out so neatly and I love that field you took the pictures in.

I like working him long and low with the lines through the tugs and around his hindquarters. He is naturally up and I have to work to get him to relax and stretch.

Have you worked him with sliding side reins? He's still ducking behind the bit at this point rather than accepting contact and working through his topline so those might be helpful to encourage him to really reach and start tracking up better. Some of it, of course, is his age and the early season. He hasn't had time to develop enough muscle to really shift his weight to his hindquarters and hold himself up properly but I'd still like to see him working through the back a little more at this stage. Long and low, long and low!

Kody was driving me nuts this spring because he finally discovered ducking behind the bit as an evasion. It's so hard to get them out of that once they figure out they can bow their noses into their chests and keep right on going!

Little brat. A few sessions with sliding side reins reminded him of proper body posture.

Leia

Thanks for the tips Leia! I've been waiting for your reply

. I will look into the sliding side reins and see what I can do.