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PrestigeMiniHorses

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Well it was one hott day down there in Lakeside... I wasn't really sure how well we do since I have never showed at that show or for that club before. Well we met some nice people there and enjoyed ourselves for the most part. There's a big trainer down in El Cajon and all she and her clients do is drive and of course she's the founder of the show anyways.....So needless to say her and all her clients took most of ribbons. Oh well though no biggies its all part of the learning experience. It was hott though out there..I think it was in the 90s. We ended scratching from 4 of our classes since I just didn't want to push her anymore that day. We did learn something though while we were there and turns out our cart is not properly balanced where the passanger sits so we were told a way to fix it but might also want to start looking for another cart. We also learned that since the cart is unbalanced it makes it really hard for Millie to back. Which would explain why she usually refuses to do it. Which stinks but oh well I want whats best for my Millie, so it the problem will be rectified. Anyhow I won't keep you waiting for the results that I do have.

Reinsmanship- 4th place

Driving Cones- 3rd place

Novice Pleasue Driving- 2nd place

Ladies to Drive- 4th place

Pleasure Driving- 5th place

Here's a picture my photobucket account is really slow
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Congratulations, Kourtney, those are very good results!
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Thanks Amy.... I am so very proud of Millie. I just realized that pic of us has her mouth open.. First class of the day and I think she just wasn't quite in tune to the whole big horse driving deal.. LOL. I love that little mare though..
 
Congrats! Those are awesome results against the biggies! Sounds like you survived and didn't get run over! Haha! Just kidding!
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Congratulations! That's awesome that you did so well and I'm sure jealous of your sunshine!

PrestigeMiniHorses said:
We did learn something though while we were there and turns out our cart is not properly balanced where the passanger sits so we were told a way to fix it but might also want to start looking for another cart. We also learned that since the cart is unbalanced it makes it really hard for Millie to back. Which would explain why she usually refuses to do it. Which stinks but oh well I want whats best for my Millie, so it the problem will be rectified.
You're definitely going to need a new cart. The balance is probably only one reason she's refusing to back; the shafts are also way too long, her saddle is far enough forward that it's pressing into her withers and without breeching she has no way to push the cart back that doesn't cause her pain. All of those are more than enough to make any reasonable horse balk! Can you add a pad under the saddle and put it quite a bit further back? I'd also tighten the cheekpieces of her bridle if you can, it looks like it's gaping when you pull on the reins.

On the plus side you've got the rest of the harness adjusted fairly well and have hitched the cart as correctly as possible. And YOU look wonderful! Good posture, nice haircut, pretty jacket...Alexis must be proud of her mommy.
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Good job!

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Is it just me or does Millie look like she needs a bit more groceries?
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That big belly worries me a bit.

Leia
 
I use to show my unregistered mini at open shows. Turns out that my cart was a pony roadster and he was a 35" mini! A disaster waiting to happen, but he was so good! Needless to say, we all have to learn somewhere.
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A nice EE cart made for minis would work wonderful for you! Get her a britchen and maybe work with someone on the proper harnessing and balancing of you cart. After that, I think you'll see a world of difference in Millie.
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I love learning new things. Thanks Leia!! I will get a pad, push the saddle back some more and I will tighten the bridle too. And as for her belly..She's actually quite fat..Weighing in at about 280 lbs and she's only 30.5 inches. She's a big girl that's for sure. I plan to get a new cart here soon. Crossing my fingers for the stimulus check to come in soon, so I can get one. I have a breeching too but I sadly have never used one before. So I don't know how they are connected to the cart. Maybe with some pics I can sorta figure it out. I would love to find a trainer to work with down here but I refuse to use the one at the show.

Question though- What size shafts do I need to have because those 48" shafts. Seems like they actually do fit her very well from the position of being in the cart..
 
It sounds like you had a fun day. I have to agree with Leia though. Your mare looks too thin. I don't like the way her neck, hip area, and ribcage look. Maybe it is just that particular picture? So glad you are out there having fun with your horse.
 
PrestigeMiniHorses said:
I love learning new things. Thanks Leia!! I will get a pad, push the saddle back some more and I will tighten the bridle too. And as for her belly..She's actually quite fat..Weighing in at about 280 lbs and she's only 30.5 inches. She's a big girl that's for sure. I plan to get a new cart here soon. Crossing my fingers for the stimulus check to come in soon, so I can get one. I have a breeching too but I sadly have never used one before. So I don't know how they are connected to the cart. Maybe with some pics I can sorta figure it out. I would love to find a trainer to work with down here but I refuse to use the one at the show.
Question though- What size shafts do I need to have because those 48" shafts. Seems like they actually do fit her very well from the position of being in the cart..
In this particular vehicle you could probably move her back the entire length of her own hip before running into a problem!
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On a show cart or easy entry 48" shafts would fit quite differently because the basket would be deeper and lower, closer to the heels, and you wouldn't want her any further back because you'd be risking an accident. It's good to have the animal hitched close to the cart because the closer the horse is the tighter the turn radius and the less they have to work to stop or back the cart. It also would have the benefit of allowing you to raise the shafts in the tugs so the cart would be more balanced (that's assuming you had cut off the ends of the shafts to make it shorter.) You've hitched her just right for a set of existing shafts by putting her out front with the shaft tips at the point of her shoulder but ideally you'd be able to shorten them so you could hitch her closer to the cart. (Sorry if any of that was confusing or had typos, I'm really tired tonight.)

Have you looked at the Regency Minis site (http://www.regencymini.com/booklet/puttingto2.shtml) and their guide to harnessing? It's quite helpful and the page I linked you to shows how to attach breeching. I wish this had come up while you were still in Washington, I'd have been happy to help you get everything adjusted in person! :DOH!

Millie is a lovely girl and it's clear that you love her and are taking good care of her but I'm worried that you may be mistaking weight and a big belly for fat. On a body score index she isn't anywhere near fat, not with that hollow neck and tailhead area, prominent withers and scapula, jutting hip bones and distended belly. This may be a case where you actually need to feed her MORE (a lot more!) to make the belly go away. Blackjack is the same way; I was a bit shocked when you said he was chubby as I'd been thinking his neck showed signs of malnutrition. These minis can be really deceiving that way! Ask Jill, she's been making some great posts about that lately. Weight, especially weight determined by using one of those weight tapes for big horses, isn't a good indicator at all of what condition a mini is in. For instance 98lbs is a healthy weight for me for but it sure wouldn't be for most people and if I shot for the 120lbs that might be more normal for a petite Caucasian female I'd be quite overweight and out of shape. Know the horse's weight so you know if they're gaining or losing but don't let the numbers themselves fool you into thinking the horse is too fat unless their body says they are. Hers is telling us the opposite...and I don't remember your horses ever looking like this before.
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I know you're a good horsie mama!

Leia
 
OK so after looking at previous pictures from her in halter classes. I totally see the difference. I spoke with a Nutritionist and Vet last night and things will be back on track. Its been crazy for the most part here at our place since the move down here and change of climate. So please don't think I don't I starve my kids or anything because that is so not the case. They all are still in the PJs so it is alil hard to tell for me but things are getting fixed right now because I talked to the people last night. I have also only owned Blackjack for 3 months and he has changed alot he's just no where near where he should be yet. Also FYI Millie's neck is really short and the head and neck clip she had turned black from being in the sun..So its pretty visible atleast in person there were two different hair growths.
 
PrestigeMiniHorses said:
OK so after looking at previous pictures from her in halter classes. I totally see the difference. I spoke with a Nutritionist and Vet last night and things will be back on track. ... They all are still in the PJs so it is alil hard to tell for me but things are getting fixed right now because I talked to the people last night.
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Oh Courtney, I'm so glad!! You're doing the right thing for your horses and I'm sure they'll be back to their old selves in no time.
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It really is hard to tell in the winter PJ's; from that first picture of Blackjack I would have had no idea he was skinny. Make sure you run your hands under all that thick fur at least once a week to feel for bones, fat pads and other indicators of condition. It's easy to lose track in the kind of chaos you've been dealing with.
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Leia
 
I'm with my kids every day being that they are hear on my property and I groom just about everyday as well. Granted sometimes I do manage to miss out due to other things going on too. But no worries my kids will be back to normal really soon
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The chaos does suck but its getting better we are finally getting settled in so hopefully things will change.
 

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