minis are amazing!!

[yellerroseintx]

An interesting encounter at the auction got me thinking and motivated to start Sam driving. I asked a woman who is a loooong time mini owner if she had any for sale that drove..yes, but didn't I also have minis??? Well, yes...and then it happenned..out of this womans mouth came some new fangled ideas....she said " I have always been amazed with miniatures, they have been domesticated and truely are different than a horse..they have great intelligence" now this is the kicker "I approach my minis as if they know how to do something already...with a little refreasher...they do it" " go home and put the harness on him, talk to him and treat him as if he has done this all his life"...well, I did..........and I am amazed ....Sam has never had a bit in his mouth or a harness on let alone drive...but...he did...... down the drive....hhhmmm.....ONE time he turned back on me and I got him headed in the right direction again.... he already knows whoa so that worked fine....turning.ok,well, we headed down the road.....nothing phased this horse..he walked off like he had been doing this all his little life. His little ears were up and although I kept stepping on his tail....We ended up going all thru the neighborhood...dogs, trash, trucks, cars,......I LOVE THIS HORSE......we went up and down ditches over water puddles...all with me driving him from behind. I am sooo excited.....maybe this happens to everyone, but this was, just wonderful...we came home and he got carrots. I just sat there and told him how wonderful he was. what a great day off...he is not for sale anymore

 

[ChrystalPaths]

One more reason to say" Dontchajust luvem!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

He was born for it! You two will never be the same again!

Marsha

 

[luvmycritters]

Oh geez - what a wonderful day you had! May I ask how old Sam is? I am so exited reading this - it makes me want to try out my B size mare tomorrow! If only I had the equipment exetera!!

Thanks for sharing!! Lori

 

[yellerroseintx]

Sammie is 3 years old....I have been putting it off because I "didn't have the time to train him" ...well, now I know better, yoiu just have to do it... I will give him "my" time no matter how small because he has shown me this is where he wants to be..how can you ask for anything more than that

 

[justjinx]

Fabulous!

we have a mini in ground training and tho he can be a pickle he picked it up very quickly. they seem to love the challenge!

jennifer

 

[Boss Mare]

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

Thats terrific! I have a little gelding that I bet would do the same thing. Nothing phases him!

 

[Mercysmom]

I approach my minis as if they know how to do something already...with a little refreasher...they do it" " go home and put the harness on him, talk to him and treat him as if he has done this all his life"...well, I did..........and I am amazed ....Sam has never had a bit in his mouth or a harness on let alone drive...but...he did...... down the drive....hhhmmm.....ONE time he turned back on me and I got him headed in the right direction again.... he already knows whoa so that worked fine....turning.ok,well, we headed down the road.....nothing phased this horse..he walked off like he had been doing this all his little life. His little ears were up and although I kept stepping on his tail....We ended up going all thru the neighborhood...dogs, trash, trucks, cars,......

My Freedom was hanging by the gate after I got back from jury duty and I felt like ground driving her for the 2nd time (my surgeon neighbor was not home to see me attempt to jog behind Freedom three weeks after my surgery - wouldn't pass a soundness check yet, either!). Last time we did this was early in the summer.

I harnessed her yesterday and ground drove for 20 minutes and she was great... listening to her voice commands and finally driving outside the pen with the dogs running about. Freedom has some anxiety issues so I have to take things slowly with her. She was very proud being the horse outside the pen and wearing the harness. She even stood to have it put on and taken off - she just does not care for the crupper (cannot say I blame her!).

She is one of my favorites here as she was the first dystocia I delivered on my own mares and she was pretty tangled but I am grateful she and her mom survived and our vet said she and her mom looked great.

Denise

Silversong Farm

 

[AppyLover2]

That was a wonderful story.

Your excitement and satisfaction was right there in every phrase. Thanks so much for sharing it. It gives me more confidence and initiative to do something with my little ones.

 

[Mercysmom]

That was a wonderful story. 

 

Your excitement and satisfaction was right there in every phrase.  Thanks so much for sharing it.  It gives me more confidence and initiative to do something with my little ones.

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I was ready to tackle more ground driving today after jury duty concluded.

Freedom saw the harness bag in my hands and rather than run away, she approached me and stood while I entered the paddock!

She harnessed up well (crupper is still an issue for her but not as bad as yesterday) and she was ready to go... we started in the pen with the other girls and then headed out of then pen when matriarch Mercy decided she had seen enough and gave Freedom a nip on the shoulder while I was working her. First had to convince Freedom she was OK and was a very brave horse then had to tell Mercy to relax... she was still our most experienced driving horse and was beyond ground driving (extra snacks helped here for her) so give Freedom a break.

Freedom and I worked the whole field below the paddocks with our Lab pup (6 months) and a Shorthair (3 years) running amuck. Amazing to me as hot as Freedom can be, she was as calm as Mercy, even when the pup ran under her nose and startled her for a brief second.

She is nothing like her dam (who I broke to drive and she nearly broke me at a show in 1999), and I am hoping I can keep her calm and happy as we learn together.

That, to me, is the fun part about horses - they always have something new to teach me!

Denise

Silversong Farm

 

[yellerroseintx]

Denise, sounds like you had a good day!!! Are they not just awesome little beggers!!!!

we had a good day too....yup.....I hooked Sam up to the cart today.. first time it was!!!!....there he stood calm as a Sunday lake...I did not get in, but drove from the side .......I purposely went down a gravely drive..then in the pasture which is bumpy, noisy .!! He walked off like he had been doing this his whole life...am I a lucky girl or what. I see now why y'all are hooked on driving..what a wonderful way to share time. ...silly boy just stares at me......weird, like, "whats next?" I will have to get a picture . I do think my pony cart is too big for him...but he made it work without a problem....kinda side steps and uses his shoulder to turn (is that a bad thing?) we will never see a show ring and I hope I am not doing wrong by him, but he seems to enjoy our time as much as I do. Anybody want to trade a pony cart for a mini cart??? LOL