video of Lori driving Lacey

[studiowvw]

Well, Lacey has been with Lori for training for a month and a half, and we drove down to visit yesterday.

Long trip, (five hour drive one way, wow!) but it was worth it.

Lori is starting her just exactly as I had hoped and she is doing awesome. She even pulled both of us for a while as Lori gave me a lesson on driving.

I think she is looking gorgeous pulling the cart so here is a video to share (ok, I'm bragging!)

She has been pulling the cart for about 3 weeks.

Lori says the harness (Ozark) is a bit on the small side. Works pretty well, but in the cart that fits her width-wise, the traces are a bit short, so the shaft tips stick out a bit too far. (Should be an inch or so back.)

My own cart has shorter shafts, so that will work out fine. Sure is a fine line when fitting harness and carts and minis of various sizes!

YouTube video

 

[jleonard]

She is looking good! She is certainly getting plenty of desensitization and doesn't seem to mind any of the commotion. What a cutie she is, and I really like her size for driving, you are going to have a blast with her!

 

[dreaminmini]

Good girls! She looks great! I really like her, she is very sweet, I always stop by with a scratch since our horses are half sisters and brothers. We're related! LOL Those JEM horses do like to drive and they do it well. Lori is awesome with the horses and my guys all love her and she has done a fantastic job with them. You are going to have a blast with her I am sure.

 

[shorthorsemom]

I loved the video, motivational. thanks for sharing... I have a question for you driving experts... I am a driving newbie receiving lessons and have been stalled for two months now. I have been patiently waiting for the snow and ice and icky footing to magically disappear so I could get back to driving. I have not gotten my boy out in so long because I thought I couldn't take him out until all the ice and snow are gone. Now here is a nice video showing a horse driving terrific on less than perfect footing and making out just fine. So now I am feeling like there have been times where I could have driven these past few weeks. I am assuming it is better with a lighter cart such as this video shows? I currently have a meadowbrook and right now we are in a thaw and it would probably sink about 5 inches and rut up everything, and for the last month we can't seem to get a break with the weather either and I am itching to drive. Can somebody please tell me some stories of footing and cart choices like... I always use my lighter cart with balloon tires in the mud... or not??? I noticed Lacey is very careful with her feet and even looks down and is watching her footing carefully. Just curious of what others are doing this brutal weather winter. I have no indoor arena and was hesitant to muck and rut my paths with my meadowbrook either so I patiently am waiting for clearer skies and better weather and just watching my boy shed like crazy and am dreaming of driving again. thanks...

 

[MiLo Minis]

I drive all year long. Just dress for the weather - use a good warm pair of gloves, boots, scarf and hat. I have a couple polar fleece sheets that I use as aprons over my coat to keep my body warm too.

Most horses that are barefoot with good feet have no problem slipping on ice - their feet are shaped like little suction cups that give them superior footing than we humans in our rubber soled boots. If their feet are not good, flat soled, they will have a harder time of it. The odd horse is sloppy and careless with his feet and not suitable to drive on bad ground - only you can guage that. If you are looking to drive a horse in combined driving you want one that IS careful with his feet so this can be a good test.

You do have to remember to take it easy in heavier going, especially with a green horse who isn't muscled up yet. Don't overdo the exercise, because it is more work pulling through the snow and mud, or you will make them sour on driving. Use a lightweight vehicle and don't expect them to start off in deep snow or heavy mud. The hardest part is for them to get the cart rolling, once it is it isn't hard to keep it going so start off on the best patch of ground. I did extra work with Lacey in the round pen where the footing is good to get her in good condition before hitching her and because Wilma has given me the luxury of time to get her working properly.

You need to teach them to get their nose down and push into the harness BEFORE putting them to a cart in heavy footing or they could hurt themselves throwing into the collar to get the cart moving.

I am really excited for Wilma! Lacey was born to drive (she is her daddy's girl) and is going to be a really nice carriage horse in the long run I am sure. Really good mind in this horse - going to be a hard one to see leave but I look forward to hearing of Lacey and Wilma's success in the show ring!

 

[studiowvw]

Yikes! I'm sure I'll be scrambling to catch up to Lacey. It gave me a lot of confidence just seeing how well she goes among all the distractions.

I'm glad she has some size and strength too. I know smaller minis can pull quite well, but I'd like to feel I'm not overtaxing her. I hope to do those cool cross country events and cones - looks like a ton of fun. Not sure how many of them we have around here though.

Hyperbike, here we come (ok, maybe next year)

Dreaminmini said

I always stop by with a scratch since our horses are half sisters and brothers. We're related! LOL Those JEM horses do like to drive and they do it well. Lori is awesome with the horses and my guys all love her and she has done a fantastic job with them. You are going to have a blast with her I am sure.

Yes, Lori pointed out yours among the horses and I think I gathered who was who

I saw the Youtube video of Fleur going around the ring in grass season - looks great!

Horses all looked happy - some cute young ones too.

Love the constant traffic too - we sure don't have that here, although Lacey did very well with all the commotion at the fair we went to last Sept. All she wanted to do was eat the luscious grass next to the driving ring.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I had no idea Lacey was already in training! She looks LOVELY and appears to be going very well (no surprise, given who's training her). Look at that awesome swinging walk and how brave and forward she is. Wonderful! Love, love, love this horse and it's nice to see an extended video of Lori working her.

Adair, I think you've got the right mindset about not wanting to use a heavy cart with narrow wheels in deep snow with an unconditioned horse. I drive in snow but for us that's just a few inches over rock-hard ground and without any real ice, and usually only a day or two of it. What I really watch for is the snow balling up in their hooves as once it starts doing that I'm doing more harm than good by working them as even my experienced driving gelding loses confidence and begins to show anxiety when his feet keep going out from under him. It's not fun or safe for anybody! But what I would be doing while there's snow on the ground is ground-driving. Lots of it. There's much that can be accomplished in the winter and without having to push into traces your horse is much less likely to slip. I can walk across our snow just fine, but let me try pushing a heavy wheelbarrow up a hill of it and I end up flat on my nose!

Same principle applies to the horses. Once you have your Hyperbike you can use that in the snow as the wider tires will stay up fairly nicely and it won't be hard for your horse to get it started. Really any pneumatic-tired vehicle will work just fine. Try pulling it yourself and see how it feels. If it's stuck and hard to move, don't ask the horse to try.

Snow like Lori has there that is thawing is messy, nasty and cold but no threat to a horse quietly trotting across it. I wouldn't be doing spins or galloping circles or anything else that puts their balance at risk, but straight trotting and walking? Easy.

Leia

P.S.- Forgot to say I loved seeing Manny and Lori's other horses in the background! So cool.

 

[CZP1]

She is a cutie pie! She looks like she enjoys what she is doing too.

 

[Annabellarose]

Lori, with every new video that I watch of you driving a horse in training I wish, wish, wish upon wish that you were closer to me! I really like how your horses look in their early days of training. You've got great hands! I love how you let this mare lower her head and neck and push into the breastcollar at the right times. Most videos I see the "trainer" will jab the horse in the mouth mistaking this action as bad behavior which forces the horse to raise it's head and dip it's back and not pull, or push!, properly. It goes a long way to building a horse's confidence and "frame" (for later) in harness.

 

[MiLo Minis]

Thanks Angela. At this stage of the game what I am looking for from Lacey is relaxation and willingness to stretch over her top line and get her nose down so I for sure want to follow her down and not give her any indication that she is being punished for it. This has been relatively easy with Lacey as she is such a relaxed horse. She picked it up quickly in the round pen and it has carried over nicely to long lining and in the cart. As I said, great mind in this horse!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Many people think this is "snatching the reins" and punish the horse for it but she's just trying to find her balance and establish what works and what doesn't. With a little gentle guidance from her driver she'll learn she doesn't have to thrust her head down hard like that and will steady into a nice working frame coming up over the topline to the bit.

Leia

 

[RhineStone]

Nice start. The mare is still leaning into the breastcollar, which is to be expected from a green horse for quite a while, but you can see that the mare has the ability to track up as well.

The limited camera view of Polk was cool! He is a great mover, too!

Myrna

 

[studiowvw]

Nice start. The mare is still leaning into the breastcollar, which is to be expected from a green horse for quite a while, but you can see that the mare has the ability to track up as well.

The limited camera view of Polk was cool! He is a great mover, too!

Myrna

I really liked the look of Polk and was glad I got a few seconds of him and the others frolicking around in their paddocks.

Thanks for all the cool comments -

About the footing - the ground was still hard while the snow and ice was thawing, so it was pretty good overall, although harder to pull of course through 3 inches of slush.

Late last fall we had a snowfall which then hardened up into an icy layer over everything. So knowing Lacey was going to Lori's at the beginning of January, I let her out with the big horses every day so she could work up some fitness naturally. She is a constant eater, so I can't let her go on grass.

Anyways, I remember watching her run in a huge circle around the icy front field as fast as she could go. Pretty spectacular, although I was waiting for her to go a** over teakettle

She's also used to running up and down hills as we have a very hilly pasture.

 

[MiLo Minis]

Horses rarely slip on ice unless they get goofy and buck or carry on. If you allow them to pick their own way across it they seldom fall. I let them choose the gait and if they want to slow trot or come to a walk I allow it. There is almost always ice in my front field every spring and I have never had a horse fall on it.

You would LOVE Polk Myrna! He IS a really nice mover and has tons of power and a fabulous mind. He is very careful with his feet and thinks on the move. He is my Willie all over again only with polkadots.

Full of himself but easy to handle and oh so much fun to drive! I am very much in love with that boy! Can't believe how lucky I was to end up with him.