Iggy working now

[paintponylvr]

Well, we added some more work time yesterday (Friday, 30 Aug). Last Saturday we were finally able to have our 2nd bonfire (for our youngest daughters' 20th Bday). While I had two friends that got 3" of rain the week before, we got only a couple of sprinkles. The bonfire was still very difficult to get burning... but a good time was had by all. I think we had pizza and soda consumed by more than 20 people - only we 3 older adults (hubby, me and one of our friends). The grand daughters were there.

Then on Thursday we started cleaning up more of the areas that the trees had come down in. Got the areas cleared enough to safely get in with ponies. This time, I harnessed KoKo in a mini sized work harness with a 13" collar. The headstall fit well as did the collar and hames and front part of the harness. However, her nice "apple butt" was a bit bigger than intended for mini breeching! Used it anyway rather than trying to adjust down a larger harness for her. I'm pretty sure it's the first time I've worked her in a blind bridle and I KNOW that she hadn't been worked at all since February...

Here she is after I'd ground driven her for a while - making sure she was ok with the "noisy" harness, the blinders and working for the first time. Made sure the "whoa" still there (it wasn't at first, LOL).

moving a small log -

Then we moved a BIG one... Now, she's not in a regular work program. She does run a lot in the pasture - daily... I figured we'd try pulling it as far as she could, then I'd try to finish it with her and Cupid working as a pair. Here is a pic of the big one. I wanted to move it past the burn pile, thru the barn pasture gates, thru the round pen gates and to the far side of my 50' round pen - to use as a log obstacle for the ponies to jump, to straddle and sidepass along, to back into etc...

Thu the 1st set of gates and headed towards the next pasture. We got thru the gates and the sand got deeper while going up the hill (U don't realize how much of a grade it is until you go up it umpteen times!). She "petered out" rght about where the cremello mare is standing. I unhooked the log there and took her to the barn to rest while I groomed and harnessed Cupid.

Then I pulled Cupid out and started working with him. The last couple of times he's worked, he's worn blinders and been broncy through out the work time... So I adjusted an open bridle for him. Then ground drove his "hoppy self". Ground drove him over the ditch until he finally realized that forward movement was better! Drove him around and thru those big logs in the very 1st pic of KoKo. I stopped him in front of that big one. He didn't want to stand so I just waited to see what he'd do. He crawled over it (thought he was going to high center himself and be stuck!) - and I turned him around and purposely drove him back over it, than turned him around again and asked him to "Whoa". He finally stood - though he fidgeted. I'd grabbed a headstall with a 4" bit (might be 3 3/4"), and it's slightly too wide. His mouth never quit working and chewing on it for the next hour or so... We worked until he realized I was serious about both - go (forward only) and whoa.

Then hitched him to his first log. We didn't go righto the burn pile - he needed some more work, so we pulled it around the whole pile - 2 x, LOL!

More pics in a minute...

 

[paintponylvr]

So, I hooked Cupid and KoKo together as a pair to start working. Ground drive them together for some time, have a neighbor stop in (that I don't know) and say there is a loose horse (pony) in their yard, they are pretty sure it's ours... Go figure. You let a group of ponies into the only pasture that has grass and one thinks it's better everywhere else and that she needs to crawl thru the fence. So into the barn the pair goes to stand while I go get the "escapee".

That turned out to be the best thing I could have done. They thought about it (well, I think they did!). They did so much better when I reran the lines and drove them back out of the barn. So... R they ready? We'll find out! I hook them to 2 logs tied together and they do ok.

here we've moved a 2nd big log into the pasture. They were digging in and pulling to get it to "slide" on the ground. It' approximately where I want it, so I'm asking he to step back while I hold the evener/double tree. Then Ill unhook it.

After moving that one, we go around the round pen again and hook up to the log that KoKo moved earlier by herself. The pair moves it the rest o the way around the round pen and they away from it so that it's roughly making an "L" shape with the other log... Then I unhook that one and they are done for the night.

And as we turn back to the barn, I swear that Cupid is saying..."job done, we did good, "dint" we?" to KoKo.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Wow, you are all accomplishing some serious work! Great photos.

 

[paintponylvr]

Yep, SIL got to take a break from weed eating and using the chain saw to trim up the tree in the back yard. He took the pics of Koko by herself and then Cupid. Skye got back with our grand daughters and she took the pair shots before helping me unharness them and feed the crew. Then we all had Larry's (hubby) Southern Boil (Shrimp, smoked sausage, chicken, potatoes, onions, small ears of corn) for dinner... I will take some pics tomorrow of that area - so we know what it looked like when we started and what it looks like when we are done.

I'm supposed to have someone come and get some of this hardwood for firewood, but if we cut it up to get it into the burn pile, they'll be SOL for free wood! I just wanted it gone - where I wasn't paying my SIL to help clean up and cut it while I use the ponies to move it... Some in our burn pile is nice, the training is AWESOME but we'll be doing bonfires every month at this rate thru next spring (the "poke" weeds that still grow get put on it too). Any limbs that come down go in it. After this storm we are having right now, we'll have more limbs down tomorrow. Kinda wish my truck wasn't' parked by the shop - may move it when hubby goes to work tonight - that way nothing will fall on it.

Those real logs behind Koko in that pic - I don't think ponies will be able to pull it (and I don't think I have rope or chain that will go around it!). Even if we get them to the burn pile, I won't be able to easily get those in it... This shall be interesting!! But it sure is nice to be able to use all the smaller logs for training the ponies - both single and as pairs. Really need to put 3 abreast - but also need a helper (that knows ponies and driving) when I do that. I can deal with the pairs pretty easily (did you read about the "wreck" with Iggy and Cupid?), but 3 or more is not so easy and if they don't stand still nicely while hooking... that's a problem. I do like a header when doing 3! SAFER!

Need to work Iggy and Cupid together some. I want to hitch them to the wagon, but I don't feel they are ready yet...

 

[diamond c]

I love all the photos and the info and storys you tell. It gets me inspired to do some work this winter cleaning up the woods from an ice stom we had a few years ago. Keep up the good work and keep us posted on how its going.