hobbyhorse23
Well-Known Member
I know it's a bit late but I'm obviously not going to get the pictures done and posted for another few days and I wanted to share this before I forgot.
So I called my driving trainer last Monday to schedule a lesson and by the time she got back to me on Wednesday night the only thing she still had open on Friday was too early in the morning for me to bring Kody and still arrive on time. I debated whether to simply wait for the next week, try to bring him anyway, or take a lesson with one of her horses so I wouldn't have to load the trailer. As that last thought crossed my mind I remembered something I'd talked to her about back in October and gleefully made my request. She was a bit iffy about it at first but warmed up to the idea and first thing Friday morning I was out at The Driving Training Center...hitching up a pair of Friesians.
Yes, I not only jumped from one horse to two but from minis to Friesians as they were the only pair she had available! It was SO cool. Todd and Lars are both taller than I am (my head barely reaches the top of their rumps) and are her regular driving pair back on Mackinac Island in the summers. You can see pictures of them here. After taking off their humonguous blankets and brushing them down (a real change from a mini and 14.3h Arab, let me tell you) I got to spend an hour driving them around hitched to a Pacific Superlight four wheel marathon vehicle (another big change from what I'm used to) doing a hilly cones course and even eventually a small hazard or two. It was so fun!!
I know if I had tried that last year I would have been all kinds of nervous and consequently making mistakes left and right but between my move up to Prelim and the chance to drive other people's horses including a pair of minis and a single Caspian put to a war wagon at the National Drive I've apparently gotten to the point where I no longer twitch and hold back so much when I'm driving. Lisa seemed pleasantly surprised and was happy to let me put them at a road trot and try new things I probably wasn't really ready for but sure enjoyed doing.
It was a great morning and Mom happily took pictures with her new Canon S5 camera which just made it even better.
Mom and I went to lunch at a great little restaurant on the way home and then I dragged myself back out in the cold to play with Kody. He showed me that he can pick up cones and hand them to me (that's a new thing), play soccer, and drop to both knees in a kneel when asked to bow from the offside. Once I thought I had the steam blown off him we hitched up and headed down the road in the Hyperbike. Free-longeing apparently wasn't enough as he was bouncing off the metaphorical walls and practically left the scent of burned rubber behind as he galloped off down the road. We were out for 40 minutes at walk/trot/canter/gallop and he came home not even sweated and still going strong so I was quite happy.
Saturday was Spyderman's 31st birthday so the day was all about him as it always is. It's the one day a year when no matter how perfect the weather or how much Kody needs work Spyder comes first, and he loves it. The poor guy has gotten so used to being passed over in favor of his buddy that it took him awhile to believe I really meant HIM when I got out the groom stuff but once I took him out the front gate to go for a ride he lit up like a Christmas tree and bounced off down the road all bright-eyed.
The new arthritis formulation he's on must be working better than I suspected because Mr. Elderly trotted and cantered all the way out and all the way back for about a mile and didn't want to stop!
He insisted on going up the neighbors' driveway (the ones with the minis) and the sound of his hooves ringing evenly on pavement at a strong trot touched me deeply and sent an unexpected tear to my eye. As he stood there snorting wistfully at the barn my neighbor asked how old he was and then commented increduously that he didn't look anywhere near that old. Given that at that moment he was on his tip-toes snorting and dancing in place with his elegant neck arched and his tail flagged, I had to agree with her!
It's an odd feeling to ride a horse like that bareback and in a halter on public roads but that's the only way he goes out anymore and he much prefers it to even the simplest snaffle bridle. The only damper on the night was the fact that it was too dark by the time we got home to take any pictures or work Kody at all.
Sunday we made up for that lack. The day dawned amazingly clear and bright for January in Washington and I was not about to lose the opportunity. Spyder and Kody were both fairly clean still so I brushed them off and took Spyder for a ride while Kody grazed. Mom took pictures of us galloping up the road, jumping the ditch (hey, it was Spyder's idea, not mine!) and standing around looking pretty (the horse, not me
) and then at my request she retrieved Kody from the pasture and handed me his lead for some more pictures. Kody was, shall we say, "feeling good" and there are some amusing shots of him trying to pull me single-handedly off Spyder's back. I won! *LOL* Goooood, Spyder. I can't wait to share those pictures as for the first time in a long time Spyder's eyes were bright and clear and the horse we caught in photographs is the good-looking gelding I remember and love so much. I want to share him with you all.
Kody also looked sharp as he was clean and fluffy with a trimmed bridlepath and no bulging tummy so I was really happy with all the pictures. We make an adorable group if I do say so myself.
I took Kody for another drive after Spyder was put away and he decided it was a fine night to trot all the way to the main road then gallop a solid half mile flat out so by the time I came home 40 minutes later he was sweaty despite having been walked the entire last half of the drive. Goofball!
At least he's getting some good conditioning.
I thought that would be the end of my great three-day weekend but then Monday I got a completely unexpected All-Star letter notifying us Kody is tied for 1st Place in Amateur Obstacle Driving 34" and Under. I called AMHR on Tuesday to confirm it and they said yes, he really is in first place.
It's a little odd, but very cool! My birthday isn't until next week but I feel like it came early with such a wonderful four days.
Just wanted to share! I'll post pictures as soon as I can get them edited.
Leia
So I called my driving trainer last Monday to schedule a lesson and by the time she got back to me on Wednesday night the only thing she still had open on Friday was too early in the morning for me to bring Kody and still arrive on time. I debated whether to simply wait for the next week, try to bring him anyway, or take a lesson with one of her horses so I wouldn't have to load the trailer. As that last thought crossed my mind I remembered something I'd talked to her about back in October and gleefully made my request. She was a bit iffy about it at first but warmed up to the idea and first thing Friday morning I was out at The Driving Training Center...hitching up a pair of Friesians.
Mom and I went to lunch at a great little restaurant on the way home and then I dragged myself back out in the cold to play with Kody. He showed me that he can pick up cones and hand them to me (that's a new thing), play soccer, and drop to both knees in a kneel when asked to bow from the offside. Once I thought I had the steam blown off him we hitched up and headed down the road in the Hyperbike. Free-longeing apparently wasn't enough as he was bouncing off the metaphorical walls and practically left the scent of burned rubber behind as he galloped off down the road. We were out for 40 minutes at walk/trot/canter/gallop and he came home not even sweated and still going strong so I was quite happy.
Saturday was Spyderman's 31st birthday so the day was all about him as it always is. It's the one day a year when no matter how perfect the weather or how much Kody needs work Spyder comes first, and he loves it. The poor guy has gotten so used to being passed over in favor of his buddy that it took him awhile to believe I really meant HIM when I got out the groom stuff but once I took him out the front gate to go for a ride he lit up like a Christmas tree and bounced off down the road all bright-eyed.
Sunday we made up for that lack. The day dawned amazingly clear and bright for January in Washington and I was not about to lose the opportunity. Spyder and Kody were both fairly clean still so I brushed them off and took Spyder for a ride while Kody grazed. Mom took pictures of us galloping up the road, jumping the ditch (hey, it was Spyder's idea, not mine!) and standing around looking pretty (the horse, not me
I took Kody for another drive after Spyder was put away and he decided it was a fine night to trot all the way to the main road then gallop a solid half mile flat out so by the time I came home 40 minutes later he was sweaty despite having been walked the entire last half of the drive. Goofball!
I thought that would be the end of my great three-day weekend but then Monday I got a completely unexpected All-Star letter notifying us Kody is tied for 1st Place in Amateur Obstacle Driving 34" and Under. I called AMHR on Tuesday to confirm it and they said yes, he really is in first place.
Just wanted to share! I'll post pictures as soon as I can get them edited.
Leia
