Well, after 3 years of waiting, it finally happened. I ground drove him last year, when he was 2. Then I finally got a harness, and started ground driving him again last week. I also pulled the cart behind him (with him in the shafts), tied a rope onto the shafts and put them over the saddle (so he could feel the weight of the cart), and came this close <-> to actually hooking him up, but chickened out. I don't have anyone to help me, which was a big deterrent. I was going to have my daughter help me, but she's only 9 and if she would have been leading him adn he'd have jumped forward, the shaft would have smashed her in the back. Anyway, a good friend of mine (hiya, Pat!) called yesterday and said she'd help me hitch him. So I loaded up two of the minis (the stallion and my daughter's mare), and headed for the fairgrounds.
I ground drove him for a bit, waiting for the others to get there. Then we hitched up my daughter's mini, and I ground drove some more. Then we hitched Stryker. I walked behind, with the reins, and Pat walked at his head. We went into the ring, and she said, "Get in." I thought at first she was joking. :new_shocked: With Pat practically holding a gun to my head, I got in. He didn't want to walk at first, even with her leading him. He looked (from my inexperienced driving eyes) like he was going to rear, so I said, "Get up!" Pat then told me to relax and not to scare him. :no: He finally started walking, and did great! She led him up the long side of the arena, then I drove him around. We just walked around, but it was great!!! She did keep yelling at me to shorten my reins (I'm used to riding Western Pleasure) and to sit back. Things to work on, but the fellow was pulling my butt around in the cart...which is why I bought him as a weanling 3 long years ago. :bgrin
Pat said we could run to the ring again another day. Well, Ms. Impatient me thought, "Well, I should be able to do it at home now." This afternoon, my daughter drove her mare while I ground drove (we only have 1 cart at the moment). Then we unhitched the mare and hitched up Stryker. He was good as gold! I mainly just worked on walking and whoa. BUT! On the long sides of the arena I did ask for a trot. What fun!!
I think I'm going to take him to a show next weekend, but only for halter, jumping, and obstacle. He's definitely not ready for the show ring in driving yet, but the time off the farm will do him good. He's only been off the farm 4 times now. Once as a weanling (just hauled him to the grounds to hang out while the kids showed their riding horses), once last year to the county fair (he spent a week there, and really settled in after a day), and once last year (in October) to a show just to hang out.
I'm so excited, I finally started sewing a show jacket for myself. It has black on the sides, and purple suede from the shoulders, tapering down to a few inches from the zipper. I'm going to put some scrolls and rhinestones on it, then we'll be set. I figured I could use that for halter, driving, and obstacle...then just wear a long-sleeved shirt in the jumping (haven't picked material out for that yet).
I love my lil fellow. :bgrin
I ground drove him for a bit, waiting for the others to get there. Then we hitched up my daughter's mini, and I ground drove some more. Then we hitched Stryker. I walked behind, with the reins, and Pat walked at his head. We went into the ring, and she said, "Get in." I thought at first she was joking. :new_shocked: With Pat practically holding a gun to my head, I got in. He didn't want to walk at first, even with her leading him. He looked (from my inexperienced driving eyes) like he was going to rear, so I said, "Get up!" Pat then told me to relax and not to scare him. :no: He finally started walking, and did great! She led him up the long side of the arena, then I drove him around. We just walked around, but it was great!!! She did keep yelling at me to shorten my reins (I'm used to riding Western Pleasure) and to sit back. Things to work on, but the fellow was pulling my butt around in the cart...which is why I bought him as a weanling 3 long years ago. :bgrin
Pat said we could run to the ring again another day. Well, Ms. Impatient me thought, "Well, I should be able to do it at home now." This afternoon, my daughter drove her mare while I ground drove (we only have 1 cart at the moment). Then we unhitched the mare and hitched up Stryker. He was good as gold! I mainly just worked on walking and whoa. BUT! On the long sides of the arena I did ask for a trot. What fun!!
I think I'm going to take him to a show next weekend, but only for halter, jumping, and obstacle. He's definitely not ready for the show ring in driving yet, but the time off the farm will do him good. He's only been off the farm 4 times now. Once as a weanling (just hauled him to the grounds to hang out while the kids showed their riding horses), once last year to the county fair (he spent a week there, and really settled in after a day), and once last year (in October) to a show just to hang out.
I'm so excited, I finally started sewing a show jacket for myself. It has black on the sides, and purple suede from the shoulders, tapering down to a few inches from the zipper. I'm going to put some scrolls and rhinestones on it, then we'll be set. I figured I could use that for halter, driving, and obstacle...then just wear a long-sleeved shirt in the jumping (haven't picked material out for that yet).
I love my lil fellow. :bgrin
