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hobbyhorse23

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Lakeport, CA
Hey all! I've enjoyed reading about your adventures with starting new horses and am quite excited that the time is finally drawing near for starting my own. Turbo is almost 2.5 (another month or two) and is finally growing into himself and beginning to look like a respectable prospect.
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I know he wants badly to be a Big Boy Driving Horse and he's already been between the shafts and worn most of a harness at one time or another but I still plan to wait as he's quite a youngster mentally and I want him to be completely ready and eager for work. I think it will make a difference in the long run and I like my horses bold and confident.
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Besides, there's a LOT more groundwork he and I can be doing between now and then and with that foundation by the time summer rolls around he'll probably be in the cart in a week or two. He did at least get a lot of exposure to new things this year and even brought home a Reserve Champion Stallion title at his last AMHR show in July. Yay, my first neck sash!

Kody got back in harness this summer and has been working lightly but it's pretty obvious his big heart is the only thing functioning 100%. He tires easily and is ouchy in the back but he's so happy to be driving again I don't have the heart to deny him. I'll start a gentle reconditioning program this fall and see if getting him out a few times a week for very light works with the Hyperbike helps him develop a bit more stamina without hurting him. My goal is eventually for him to be a leader in a tandem with Turbo as that would allow him to compete again without having to pull weight or deal with making turns into shafts, something which causes him to get tense and stiff through the back in anticipation of pain. I very much want to make a pair out of them but that depends entirely on how well Kody progresses. If he can't pull weight comfortably he can't, and that's an end to it. We'll see! At least he's doing what he loves again and that has made all the difference in his quality of life.

I recently took my first international vacation and was privileged to visit many forum members and driving folks in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. What a blast we had! There will hopefully be separate threads about the trip itself but suffice it to say I got to attend driving classes at an Irish Agricultural Fair, a just-for-fun HDT and a miniature horse show in England as well as visiting several vendors, breeders and competitors so got a very good look at how things are done over there with both minis and full-sized driving horses. Let me tell you- if you need a mini fly sheet, don't buy one from the U.S.! The UK ones are miles above our current designs. We got to look at blankets, bits, rollers (lunging surcingles), quarter sheets, sport boots and brushing boots, artwork, mini saddles, carts, just about everything you could imagine. It was so much fun! And I finally completed my inventory of hitches by driving a four-in-hand of minis as well.
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Now totally broke but happy, I return home and settle in peacefully for the slide into the off season. If Turbo is ground-driving by the holidays I have ideas for the cutest Christmas pair turnout you can imagine thanks to my British friends and may just have to find a parade to enter them in so I can show it off. I promise pictures if it happens!

Hope all is well for my LB friends and I look forward to hearing about Nationals, Walnut Hill, the Happ's VSE DT-T and any other adventures ya'll may feel like sharing.

Here's to horses!

Leia
 
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Hey Leia,

Nice recap. Just curious what you bought yourself across the pond? I'll bet you didn't come home empty handed!
 
Minxiesmom said:
Hey Leia,Nice recap. Just curious what you bought yourself across the pond? I'll bet you didn't come home empty handed!
Well, yes and no. I didn't buy myself anything horsie as I had absolutely ZERO room in my small suitcase to bring stuff home but I did receive a set of colored mini sport boots free on condition that I try them on as many minis as I could find and send the vendor critiques and suggestions for revamping them. I did definitely make a mental list of things to purchase over the winter however! Most of them required measurements I didn't have on hand so we collectively figured it was better to go home, measure, and have it shipped.

As I mentioned, the fly sheets they have are awesome. I don't really need them for flies but some evenings the midges are just AWFUL around here and since their models have integrated neck covers it would also help keep Turbo from sunbleaching. I'm happy with the American Cashel-brand fly masks I have though, no need to upgrade those. I was impressed with the rollers one company offered, they were JUST like the big horse ones I can buy locally. Nice waffle-weave padding all around, comfortable padded cinch, a little spine clearance...it wouldn't work as a bitting rig as there's no check hook or rein terrets up top but it would/will make a wonderful replacement for my cheap nylon surcingle as it's far more durable and comfortable. They had a matching lunge cavesson like the Chimacum Tack one but with a slightly better padded noseband that I might get just to have the set. Mostly I looked at blankets and stuff but they surprised me with cute brushing boots I might order too. The thing I really wanted was adorable velvet dressage-style quilted saddle pads! Oh my God, can you see an in-hand routine with those?? You could custom-order any color and the one I saw was just like the Spanish Riding School saddle cloths. So. Cute.

We checked out some Liverpool bits and such too which were pretty nice but it was hard to really tell without getting to try them on an American miniature. There is a BIG difference between British Miniatures and American Miniatures and it's no wonder it seems hard to get anything scaled down correctly! The bigger, thicker bits and bridles and such are perfect for the small equines over there and anything refined enough for ours would look ridiculously delicate on a British horse. They (the vendors) simply have no idea what we're looking for because it's almost a different horse entirely. There's little question of a British miniature ever being "too delicate to drive/ride," which is a blessing. I wish we could find a nice middle ground between the two, something with refinement and grace but good solid bone and some actual body mass.

Leia

P.S.- Just to be clear, I liked the British miniatures. They were great! None of the comments above were meant to be disparaging in any way.
 
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Hi Leia - glad to see you made it home safe and sound! It was really great to meet you and Breanna and I want to thank you for taking the time out from your very busy schedule to stop by our farm (sorry about the rain!) We just loved seeing your pictures, and although we dont drive, talking about it with you was both educational and very interesting.

I gather the pub meal after the show on the Sunday got interrupted by Sharon and Derek rushing off to rescue a friend who's lorry had broken down - hope it didn't spoil your evening too much, but an emergency is an emergency, as they say!

Please give our love to Breanna when you next make contact and wish her well with her future studies. And a special GOOD LUCK to you for next season's driving classes.

Cheers - Anna
 
Leia,

So glad you had a good time. We've been waiting to hear how everything is going. Happy for you that you finally got to drive that 4inhand! Something to cross off the "Bucket List"
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I'm glad you got Kody back driving some, hope he stays comfy with it. Boy how time flies! I can't believe Turbo is getting old enough to start now! It seems just yesterday you were talking about the long wait 'till he's old enough! Looking forward to more updates (with pics)
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Save your pennies, Maybe the Nat Drive will be back at the KY horse park next year. I AM going to make it this time and can probably arrainge an RV and camp spot right at the park! Something to think about....
 
WELCOME HOME Leia!!!!! I have missed your regular postings here and on FB. I hope that you took an INSANE amount of photographs during your travels and will be posting a sampling of them soon!

Save your pennies, maybe the Nat. Drive will be back at the KY Horse Park next year. I AM going to make it this time and can probably arrange an RV and camp spot right at the park! Something to think about...
Hear hear! I might try to make it up for the National Drive next year (if it comes back to the Kentucky Horse Park) with a horse (instead of merely on foot like last year) if I can get one going well in the cart before then (I sold my only trained driving horse in June!
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WELCOME BACK LEIA!! Missed you here, my friend! I also am waiting impatiently to see all of the photos from your trip. I'd also love it if you could post your shopping list. Suddenly, I think Shake and Armani need new fly sheets...LOL!
 
I'm so glad you were able to make it to Wales! Of the countries I have visited, Wales was by far my favorite.

I know what you mean about the quality of tack and sheets over there. I had so much fun at the Royal Welsh show looking at all of the mini and pony items they had for sale, I remember some gorgeous show sheets comparable to the the ones you'd win with the big guys. I too was wishing I had more room in my suitcase! All of the horse equipment seemed to be more reasonably priced than what you find here.

I know I've already said it, but still looking forward to pictures! I'd love to see pics of the boots too.
 
So what were you REALLY doing over there? How is it that you got a free pair of boots? Did you just happen to be at a mini show or did you plan to attend those events? Were you sightseeing in other places? Please fill in the blanks!!!
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And do you have photos of Turbo's outings?

Myrna
 
AnnaC said:
Hi Leia - glad to see you made it home safe and sound! It was really great to meet you and Breanna and I want to thank you for taking the time out from your very busy schedule to stop by our farm (sorry about the rain!)
Anna, love, you've got to be kidding! Staying at your place was one of the highlights of the trip and we were both grateful to be able to spend so much time with such wonderful people.
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Thank you for having us!

candycar said:
Happy for you that you finally got to drive that 4inhand! Something to cross off the "Bucket List"
Definitely!

candycar said:
Boy how time flies! I can't believe Turbo is getting old enough to start now! It seems just yesterday you were talking about the long wait 'till he's old enough!
Well, I've had him a year now and for a horse who was only a yearling when you and I talked...a year is a long time! *LOL*

candycar said:
Save your pennies, Maybe the Nat Drive will be back at the KY horse park next year. I AM going to make it this time and can probably arrainge an RV and camp spot right at the park! Something to think about....
Uwww...that would be spiffy!

Annabellarose said:
WELCOME HOME Leia!!!!! I have missed your regular postings here and on FB. I hope that you took an INSANE amount of photographs during your travels and will be posting a sampling of them soon!
"An insane amount of photographs." Yes, I think that would be a good description!
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I look at the stack and panic, actually. I don't know where to start.
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jleonard said:
I had so much fun at the Royal Welsh show looking at all of the mini and pony items they had for sale, I remember some gorgeous show sheets comparable to the the ones you'd win with the big guys. I too was wishing I had more room in my suitcase! All of the horse equipment seemed to be more reasonably priced than what you find here.
That's because the pound and euro are so much stronger than the darn dollar right now. I bought quite a few things that seemed reasonable at 4.99 or 9.99 only to realize too late they were $8 and $15! I found most equipment to be pretty comparable, pricewise.

I'll have to add the Royal Welsh Show to my list of ones to shop at someday along with the Horse of the Year show in England and the Dublin Horse Show.

RhineStone said:
So what were you REALLY doing over there? How is it that you got a free pair of boots? Did you just happen to be at a mini show or did you plan to attend those events? Were you sightseeing in other places? Please fill in the blanks!!!
What was I "really" doing over there? You make it sound like I was on some sort of Secret Squirrel spy mission!
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It was just a vacation. I've never traveled outside the United States and always wanted to go to the UK so when the opportunity came up with a friend I jumped on it.
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We planned it around people we knew from on here and from other horse venues so we'd have local contacts and it sort of grew from there. We wanted to see shows and such but nothing seemed to be scheduled from what we could find on the web; wrong! The locals pointed us towards all the ones we saw at the last minute so it was really serendipitous.

We did go sight seeing in all the tourist places, spent lots of time in London and Edinburgh. What with all the horse stuff we missed a lot of the more touristy activities but we figure we'll go again in the future and catch more sights then.

As for the boots, the vendor brought them for us to look at at our request and when we both said we liked them but wished we could try them on our horses first to see if they fit the vendor waved a hand and said "Take them!" The only condition was that we send pictures and feedback so they could improve the design. That will be necessary as there is definite room for improvement in the fit but they are decently-made boots and are COLORED!! What a concept- colored sport boots for minis.

RhineStone said:
And do you have photos of Turbo's outings?
Yep, been posting them all year on Facebook. (Sorry, I know many people still avoid FB but it's so easy to upload them there directly from the camera card! It takes too long to edit them all one by one for posting elsewhere.)

Leia
 
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It's so great to hear about your adventures! I bet you're thrilled to be back with your boys though!
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I'll be looking forward to your pictures! Do you have websites for the quality mini stuff you found over there?

Glad to see you back Leia!
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