Oh, for crying in a rain barrel!

[Mominis]

Shake is as ready as he can be to hook. He's lived in the shaft trainers, hauled the tire to the creek and back (and I do mean that literally), and has BLOWN ME AWAY with how athletic that he is in the long lines. He is easily the most natural athlete I've ever had the pleasure of working in my lifetime.

The work harness that I have was a cheapie and my gut tells me not to trust it for a first time hook. I decided to break down and I bought another one--a very safe and well made one, which is on the way to me now. His former work harness is being used to get Eli (the two year old) comfortable with having tack on him. (No, I don't intend to get Eli driving this season, just get him familiar with tacking, get him to relax his dock, get him keyed to his voice commands, and likely ground driving off of the longing caveson in ring figures), otherwise Eli has plenty on his plate getting ready to be a halter horse.

My cart needs tug stops and a singletree. I ordered them, but they didn't have pony size tug stops in stock, so I needed to wait a week for her to get them in or pay double shipping fees--once for the single tree and the misc. other tack I ordered and once for the tug stops, so I asked her to wait and ship them all in one. It's now been a week, so I sent an email asking about them. I am dying to get in the cart with the Shaker-Doodle and let him do his thing. I am so twitchy waiting for my tack, I'm starting to go insane. I know I should be thankful that I found a cart that fits Shake like a glove for $150, but this waiting game to have the cart complete and safe is really, really getting old.

Thanks for letting me vent. I know it will all get here in good time and he will get the first hook when it is 'supposed' to happen and not one second before. I also know that, "safety first," is a HUGE rule for us, but O-M-Goodness!! I'm really starting to lose my mind here!

 

[targetsmom]

If it makes you feel any better, when Princess was ready (I thought) to hook as a three year old, she figured out an evasion and we had to go back and ground drive her for another 2-3 months to get around it. But once she was hooked, she was absolutely fine. In the meantime, while we were waiting to hook her (so I DO know the feeling) we actually started and hooked another three year old!!! Guess that won't work for you, but it sure helped us when we had to wait such a long time.

This too shall pass, and you will be driving your wonderful boy real soon!!

 

[Mominis]

Thanks, I needed that.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Hehehe!! Shoulda gotten that cart ready to go while he was still in training!

Nah, I know what you mean. When I first got Kody I didn't have ANYTHING for a mini, just big horse stuff, so we even had to scramble to get feed buckets and a halter. (Obviously he was an unplanned purchase.

) I researched harnesses like a maniac and finally bought one, then there was the scramble to find a cart, and then the cart took MONTHS longer to arrive than I'd been promised. I ground-drove him through our entire first 3-day CDE clinic!

Someone offered to loan me a cart but it was too big for Kody, he couldn't handle it on the slick August field grass so we just walked. A lot.

By the time all our equipment arrived and got fitted it was winter and I'd bought him in June. Talk about twitchy!

I had to buy a lot of stuff for Turbo too as he didn't quite fit Kody's extra blankets, halters, or show stuff as a youngster and he'll need new silver-toned tack to show in but at least as a three year old he fits the carts and harnesses so there will be no holdup in his training due to lack of equipment. Thank God too, I think I'd go crazy!

Leia

 

[drivin*me*buggy]

I look forward to hearing about and seeing pix of him once he is driving

It'll happen.

Angie

 

[Mominis]

The singletee is HERE!!! Yay!!!!! It is on the cart now. My tug stops are also in, but I'm waiting to put those on until my harness is delivered. I tracked it and it should be delievered the day after tomorrow!! Whoo-hooo!!!!!! (Enough exclaimation marks for ya? lol Sorry) I'm so excited!

Leia, I know that had to have driven you crazy. I almost texted you today when the package arrived with my singletree. I'm so excited!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

You should have- I meant to call and tease you but got busy calling others on my list!

All I've got to say is if you don't have one of your more tech-savvy friends video his first drive, I'm personally going to smack you! WE WANNA SEE SHAKE!!

Leia

 

[Mominis]

Not the first one. I guess I'd better get ready for a smackdown. lol

Let me get a few drives under his belt and I'll get something on video for you. You know how I am about having unfinished looking photos of my horses out there. I just hate posting photos that I later go back and kick myself for, like the "dead cat toy tail" picture. rofl You're talking video here...I'm going to be three times as obsessive about having the good stuff and only the good stuff online. But, I may just send you a private link if I can think of it. You have got to see how he is moving. You will not believe how athletic that he is. I am so in love with that horse.