To hitch or not to hitch

[JaniceZ]

Hello All,

I have a two year old filly that i have been long lining and ground driving for quite some time. She has taken really well to the training, and she really enjoys having a job

. Here is my delema, she is to the point where normally i would start introducing the cart, but she is only two and a half, and slightly underweight, so I dont really want to excersize her to much untill she bulks up a little. On the otherhand, I am leaving for school in september. The school is only about and hour and a half from my house, but i will only be coming home every other or every third weekend. Would it be better to hitch her soon and have her get used to the cart before her time off? or should I wait until I come back from school, and hitch her then, when I will be around to continue her training? Due to the way my program is set up, (september - school, January - Coop, May - School) I dont know how long I will be away (it depends where I am placed). So assuming that I am not placed close enough to live at home, She could have up to a year of only being driven/ground driven on weekends.

Im starting to think it would be best to just leave off where I am and start back up again in a year

 

[RhineStone]

Well, you can introduce the cart without actually putting her to it. First, we have the horse check out the cart while it is standing still. They nose around it, and we might wiggle it a little bit, too. Then, we take the cart in one hand and the horse in a halter in the other and "lead them both" around (with a big horse, you need two people to do this). If the horse handles that OK, you can "bump" them with it, put it around them, etc. All of this may take some time to do before you actually "hitch" her. And it isn't really exercise.

As long as you don't push your horse beyond it's mental and physical capabilities, you can continue training at whatever pace you would like, even if it takes years. You may have to go back and "review" lessons, though, but that is good for any horse to do!

Myrna

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Good for you for taking things slow and careful. Is this Chanel? I can't believe she's 2.5 already!

They grow up so quick.

It's certainly not too early to have her playing with the cart a little bit, being led around with it, following it, having the shafts put down over her back, etc., and in a way it's actually good that you'll be going away for awhile after that. If you're anything like me it's very hard once you start down that path to resist attaching the straps and driving her around a little, then maybe hopping in for "just a moment," then next thing you know you're driving the horse you meant to wait on!

I don't dare let myself start that kind of work with my 2 year old for just that reason. Since you'll be leaving though you don't have to worry as much about going too far and can go ahead and get her started then let her think about it over the winter. She'll be ready to go when you come home next spring and you can pick up where you left off with a quick refresher.

Leia

 

[JaniceZ]

Yes this is Chanel, and I cant believe almost three eather. Some days I look at her and think where did my baby go?

while other days I just want her to be three so i can drive her

.

Thanks for the advice! I think I will start introducing her to the cart slowly.

More updates to come!

 

[Devon]

Yes this is Chanel, and I cant believe almost three eather. Some days I look at her and think where did my baby go?

while other days I just want her to be three so i can drive her

.

Thanks for the advice! I think I will start introducing her to the cart slowly.

More updates to come!

She's so pretty in harness wub: Just like her momma only Chanel has a brain

 

[MiLo Minis]

Three is not a magical age when suddenly every horse is both physically and mentally mature enough to drive. Every horse is an individual and if you push too much on them before they are ready to deal with it you can injure them and yourself. I have a horse here that at three was physically ready to drive but mentally NOT. I started him at 5 when I felt he was ready to handle it and he is working well now, I may even show him next year. I have started others as long yearlings working in harness and hitched them late in the 2nd year. Some horses you can take from nothing to in the shafts in 2 weeks no problem at all, others it is a much longer, slower, steadier progress. Chanel's momma is no dummy Devon - she just needed more time at a slower progress - you guys pushed her farther than she was ready to go at the time. She is a sweet, beautiful and intelligent horse!