NC - WHMA Trail Drive/Ride

[paintponylvr]

I seem to always be doing things in a big way! The mares that are due to foal looked like they were holding steady, so nothing to interrupt going.

Last Saturday, March 30th, I loaded 4 pony mares and the wagon and harness and drove two + hours with another friend who hauled her pair, wagon and another one of mine. Met new people and worked ponies on a really nice driving venue.

Both of my two "solid" driving mares each drove with a "green" pony. Eventually, the two "greenies" should match up better than they do with the two other mares - but it's going to be at least this summer or fall before that happens. One of the greenies is pretty quiet, especially since she's driving right now with her dam - just young. The other, tho older, is much more reactive and I'll keep her longer with the mare she's driving with. We are having issues with her constantly throwing her head anytime there's even the slightest pressure on the lines - trying different bits now to see if that will fix this issue (the vet has checked her teeth 2 times now and says that's not the problem).

Here's a couple pics of each of the pairs. We drove about 1-3/4 hours in the morning, had Carolina BBQ, then hitched 2nd pair and went out for about an hour, slightly more... Not sure how many wagons, carriages and single carts there were. Quite a few. This is one of the first Draft venues I've been too that had a "large" turnout of driving minis (looked like at least one was using show harness - so know they show). Besides Vicki and I, there was another pair of much smaller minis pulling a smaller wagon similar to ours, and either 4 or 5 singles w/ carts. Since I ended up going alone, I didn't really get any pictures - especially while driving the head throwing mare. BUT Vicki's granddaughter and hubby got quite a few pics - of me and my ponies and of all the others (over 200 she told me). Vicki's pair was tired (so were mine!) and they didn't stay for the afternoon drive. Sure glad that I drove mine the way that I did - the quieter pair when I was "by myself" (if there had been a problem, I would have had help...but...). I even DID get help loading my wagon after the drive (that's a first and I sure didn't refuse - I was tired, too!).

Our little guy, Cupid, on his first outing. Vicki had forgotten that I'd weaned him before I started taking his dam to a lot of different functions, she was in shock to find out that other than staying at her place, he's never been off our little ol' 8 acres. Looks like he's real concerned - doesn't it?? He should be ready to start actually driving soon and will be driven as a pair with his dam, Stuffy (getting ready to foal now). I need to measure him, have no idea how tall he actually is now - other than under 38".

and a pic I took of him following Vicki's wagon:

and one pic of Bell (left side) and GG (rt side). Remember baby GG when I started taking her to my driving lessons when she was just 20 days old in 2010??

The best view on a lovely Saturday afternoon!

To see more pics - Vicki's album and my album of NCWHMA

 

[Rhondaalaska]

So cute, you look like you all had a blast.

I wish there were other minis near me to go on outings with.

 

[paintponylvr]

Rhonda - sorry I'd missed your response. And I've written another book reply to a single statement...

... Hope that's ok!

I am loving all the driving I'm getting to do now.

When I started, my goal was to have a "proper wagon" and a 4-up hitch. Over the years, I've done some driving starting with a simple toboggan in the snow in Colorado using girths and lariats for harness on a 13 hh mare when I was a pre-teen. Thru the years, I used ground driving as a way to start a LOT of riding horses. In 1997, I had the opportunity to work with an older gentleman that had a background w/ Saddlebreds and Hackneys (fine harness showing), but didn't keep up with the driving then as our children wanted to ride, not drive so smaller ponies not kept and bigger, riding animals either bred or purchased. I simply couldn't afford to do both the riding and driving thing then... In 2009, I was finally able to get "serious" about my multiple hitches - when I purchased a pair of sister mares that matched fairly well (tho not completely as I found out)...

I had several problems when I started wanting to learn to drive a pair. I didn't really have a way to haul out (my old truck had died & wasn't repairable), I didn't have proper harness and everyone (including on this list) said I should decide what direction I wanted to go and get my harness based on that AND I simply couldn't afford some of the lesson fees/training per month fees for trainers in our area. I'm sorry, but $100/hr or $750/per pony/month was way,way past what I could even think of! And a lot of fees are higher than that around here. Especially since I knew that both myself and my ponies would need on-going lessons not just one or one month. Over time, I have found others that are in a more affordable range and I also attend clinics when I can - which makes a big difference. I have attended more than one out of state, by combining trips as I could in 2011 and 2012. This year, not doing as much out of state stuff right now.

I had fewer ponies when I started, time on my hands and had been braiding that hay string for a while - so I made not one but two "combo" type harness's based on the Hackney style training harness I had for a larger pony. I've added some pieces as needed for harness but either need to use a commercial surcingle or a real "saddle" since I haven't figured out how to do one of those. Later, when I was ready to drive my pair, I even figured out how to make a set of pair lines.

My girlfriend, Vicki, was also interested in driving and had purchased a single pony thru me when we went out and got the ponies in Iowa in 2009. So - in April 2010, we started going to a draft horse trainer for lessons. W/ both of us going, he gave us a very reasonable fee (really low, actually!) BUT asked if we could also work some of his "greenies" as he brought them in. There were days when we were at his place for up to 4 hours - working different horses/mules for only that low fee each. At first, while learning about draft style harness and hitching, we went w/o ponies. I think we started hauling our ponies over to his place in June (we took our lessons every week) - she did the hauling and I paid her for both pu & drop off. When her trailer was out, we still used her truck but my trailer (she kept it at her place). In the mean time, we'd started ground driving our own ponies using the knowledge we had up to that point and using books and videos we both started investing in. We tried to get different books videos and then would swap them out. We learned.

The trainer looked "askance" at my homemade harness - but was willing to work with me with it. That was good - as it was almost a year later before I could get a harness (got my first pair harness - work style). Then found out that he was the VP of the NC Work Horse & Mule Association - not thru him but when we found an ad in the local feed store and went to the Plowing Competition just down the road from us (he didn't think we'd be interested with our "minis")! I became a member at that event - and found out about other events coming up. Sooo, with help a couple of time from Vicki and a couple of times with him - I started going to these events.

Now, I have my own truck again and a new trailer. We both (Vicki and I) have larger equipment now that we are both driving pairs (can't get everything into one rig if we wanted). BUT I miss when we actually were in the same vehicle on a regular basis... Due to family constraints/events and our farm situations - she seems to go to more events than I do but doesn't always haul her ponies. When I go, I always have ponies and always have more than 1 or 2.

Hmm... had to step away and not sure where I was going with this...

It sounds like you DO have a group near you. You can do things with them - even if they don't have small ponies or minis. Start there and branch out. Put up flyers in your vet clinic, feed store or wherever (farrier) - looking for other mini owners and seeing if they want to do any driving together. If/when you get the chance - since both your daughter and you drive - get a 2nd mini/pony and drive together and maybe even try driving them as a pair... I understand having more than one may not be an option - especially w/ harness and vehicles...

This last event was 2 hours (no pit stops that time or it would have been longer) one way. It was in a different area AND had been advertised as an open drive/ride event. Not sure whom the other mini drivers were - they weren't members of our club and not sure if they will become members. Other than pics, I didn't get the chance to speak with them. Since I had 4 ponies and two of them are green drivers and I was by myself for grooming, harnessing/hitching and keeping my attention on them, I was very busy... Vicki's family often goes with her to events (her hubby, one or both of her granddaughters) so has some help and a chance to do more visiting then I do...

I am by no means an experienced driver nor am I a professional. I compound that issue sometimes because I'm constantly adding in new ponies - thru purchase or thru breeding - and I also started with a pair that was much, much older. It's been fun, I'm learning and I do go to various events. BUT I don't currently have any ponies that I can show or compete in CDEs at this point. But I find these other events really fun and a nice way to get out and about. People are starting to see the ponies I'm starting in harness and they are asking if I have others for sale (i do). So... Most times I do stuff alone. Because I use a combination of techniques - none of the "factions" I do events with completely like what/how I do things, LOL. Some things I refuse to change - others - I follow the rule "when in Rome..." and follow their rules at that event (as I should).

Even though Vicki and I still do a lot together, I also have other horse/pony friends and I'm always looking for one or two more that can go out and drive with me or us. I have one acquaintance (actually met at an ASPC/AMHR show) that comes up from Florida for the summer (says its too hot down there then) w/ her ponies. We've met up a number of times and gone driving in Southern Pines together! Good fun - those are always just ponies driving. One drive, I think we had 5 single pony carts out driving! Don't think we did it last year - timing just didn't work out - even though she was up here and so was her pony stallion. She did lease a young mare from me to keep with her yearling filly to teach manners to, and keep company with, after she'd weaned her from her mare (the mare went somewhere else) for several months...

Just like with big horse owners, there are a lot of mini owners in our area (I now know that I haven't met even a small number of them!) that either have no interest in driving, no time to invest in training or going out to drive their horses and little to no $$ to invest in the equipment (I have helped a couple get started - just as I had help getting going!)... By equipment, I don't mean just the harness or driving vehicle either. It's amazing how many folk in our area have horses of some type and not only don't have a trailer but don't have a vehicle that could pull one! I was really surprised by that, LOL. I struggled a lot when my truck was out of commission - I can't imagine not having either! Yet it does work for some folks - but they can't haul out if they wanted. It's more difficult for me to help with hauling now - since my own driving vehicle requires more room to haul. There was one group trail drive we did that I stopped and picked up two other people - with their ponies, their carts and their harness and their coolers of drinks, personal effects etc. Again, there was a larger group of us that day... WHEW, that turned into a long day for me!

You do what you can, where you can, LOL.

 

[paintponylvr]

Have you thought about doing a demo for your church or your daughters' school?

Sometimes that brings other mini/pony/horse owners out of the woodwork and you might find that you have or can develop similar interests...