shelterwood
Well-Known Member
Hey everyone! Happy New Year!!
Well, I went out for a "drive" yesterday with my girls, actually a ground drive, because the road to the trails is a bit icy, and I wanted to take both mares out together. Since we are nowhere near actual driving as a pair, we just walked. The girls are doing quite well as a little pair ground driving. I got a set of pairs reins and coupled them together at the breastcollar loosely and they do great, especially on our long, straight trails. They were loving the sunshine and warmer temps, and being out. My husband met me with our dogs too, so they got a taste of critters popping in and out of the woods and running about.
Anyway, I got thinking today about what my goals are for this year of training and driving. Thought I'd ask what everyone else has been thinking about and planning. Maybe we can look back later in the year and see if we met some of these!
Driving Training: For my 3 year old mare Sasha, continuing to drive single and exposing her to as much as possible. Doing some longer trail drives, further away from home, couple mile loops. Working on her trot, developing a nice relaxed jog and a more forward working trot, collection and extension. Also, developing better bends at the walk, with nice bit contact and her stretching down some. For my 2 year old Sitka, actual hitching and driving. She's been hitched a couple of times briefly, and ground driven alot, but this year is her year to be between the shafts and getting out. I will be happy with just the basics with her, safety, a good stand, being quiet during hitching and adjustments, walking quietly off. For both mares, continuing to play with ground driving together. I have no illusions about hitching them together, never fear, for a LONG time, as they are both young and green, and I will enlist a trainer for this when/if the time comes.
General Training: Loading/hauling in a trailer. Exposure to other horses, as my mares have seen limited horses since coming here to live, and the one time they did they freaked out a bit. This might mean going to a couple of local shows just to hang out, and going to a friend's place.
Equipment: My first Hyperbike!! Top of the list. Then, a second Comfy Fit harness for my coming 3 year old. Eventually outfitting the two harnesses as a pairs harness, although probably not this year. A horse trailer. An EE or similar style cart that I can take another person with me in. I've been eyeing a reel mower that the girls could pull to mow our lawn, probably not too high on the list, but really cool.
That's probably enough! Tell me about your plans/dreams for this year. After all, we have to manifest our best possible outcomes! Might as well start here!
Katie
Well, I went out for a "drive" yesterday with my girls, actually a ground drive, because the road to the trails is a bit icy, and I wanted to take both mares out together. Since we are nowhere near actual driving as a pair, we just walked. The girls are doing quite well as a little pair ground driving. I got a set of pairs reins and coupled them together at the breastcollar loosely and they do great, especially on our long, straight trails. They were loving the sunshine and warmer temps, and being out. My husband met me with our dogs too, so they got a taste of critters popping in and out of the woods and running about.
Anyway, I got thinking today about what my goals are for this year of training and driving. Thought I'd ask what everyone else has been thinking about and planning. Maybe we can look back later in the year and see if we met some of these!
Driving Training: For my 3 year old mare Sasha, continuing to drive single and exposing her to as much as possible. Doing some longer trail drives, further away from home, couple mile loops. Working on her trot, developing a nice relaxed jog and a more forward working trot, collection and extension. Also, developing better bends at the walk, with nice bit contact and her stretching down some. For my 2 year old Sitka, actual hitching and driving. She's been hitched a couple of times briefly, and ground driven alot, but this year is her year to be between the shafts and getting out. I will be happy with just the basics with her, safety, a good stand, being quiet during hitching and adjustments, walking quietly off. For both mares, continuing to play with ground driving together. I have no illusions about hitching them together, never fear, for a LONG time, as they are both young and green, and I will enlist a trainer for this when/if the time comes.
General Training: Loading/hauling in a trailer. Exposure to other horses, as my mares have seen limited horses since coming here to live, and the one time they did they freaked out a bit. This might mean going to a couple of local shows just to hang out, and going to a friend's place.
Equipment: My first Hyperbike!! Top of the list. Then, a second Comfy Fit harness for my coming 3 year old. Eventually outfitting the two harnesses as a pairs harness, although probably not this year. A horse trailer. An EE or similar style cart that I can take another person with me in. I've been eyeing a reel mower that the girls could pull to mow our lawn, probably not too high on the list, but really cool.
That's probably enough! Tell me about your plans/dreams for this year. After all, we have to manifest our best possible outcomes! Might as well start here!
Katie
