# Pics arrived - "Spooker" Show in Glen Rose, TX



## paintponylvr (Nov 12, 2012)

After spending the day driving Bell and Bit at the USERL benefit trail ride at the Moss Foundation in Southern Pines, NC, I arrived home to find the pics from the photographer at the Spooker! How cool is that? Michelle McKenzie of Majestic Farm Training Center presented Oly (Kelly presented him in the Jr championship class) & Flashi this year .

I finally have a pic (nice one) of Oly - now a yearling stallion. Wish I'd known to ask the photographer to take pics in the ring - he wasn't out there automatically. My photos from outside of the ring didn't turn out that well of any of the ponies (ours). We did his ribbons wrong, tho, as he was the only one in his class (so only 2 - 1st places). He didn't go Champion or Reserve. He was shown as a Foundation yearling stallion.







Flashi is from our breeding program. I am THRILLED with how she is looking and doing and can't wait until the day we get to start driving her. Her dam is becoming a REALLY nice driving pony - and has a great work ethic! She placed 1st under one judge, 2nd under the other and took Reserve Champion Jr Foundation Mare under one judge.






I got several pics of the pair that I ended up presenting in the ASPC Draft Hitch class... None are great shots of them - but neat in their own right because it was our first class at our first show and we put together many elements that we'd only practiced separately previously. To say I was nervous is an understatement and yes, I do know that all the harness isn't quite right (I DID NOT attend the show thinking I would be showing this team - more in another post)... I had a great time, they did AWESOME and now there won't be a first class at our first show again. Here is the pic I like best of the ones taken by the show photographer. I believe we are starting one of the "Gee" (turn to the right) turns in the pattern here - not sure if this is the first class or the 2nd one. We did the maneuver much better in the first class than the 2nd.


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## Lil Timber Buck (Nov 16, 2012)

Love these!!!


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## Renolizzie (Nov 26, 2012)

I've been meaning to stop by and tell you that I love your team. They look so cute pulling that wagon.

Driving two horses must be ever so much more complicated than driving one!!!!


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## paintponylvr (Dec 4, 2012)

Aw, thanx ladies!





I'm sure it's more difficult to drive more than one. Definitely more to do to prepare (from grooming to harnessing to training to hooking), but when you drive a pair side by side there's still only "two" lines (w/ a "y" split closer to the ponies). I've found it very theraputic and uplifting to drive my "pairs". And OH MY - it is FUN!! I still work them single - and will continue to do so because they are all still green and need individual work too. Right now individual work is ground driving - to work on specific things usually before I hook them. I don't currently have "good" or "real" harness for single work at the moment. And after getting the bio and beta work harnesses going back to my home made harness (s) is difficult (can u say I'm spoiled??).





At the moment, I have 3 ponies trained and I'm able to transfer them out and around with each other to do pairs. Today, I once again drove the darker silver tobi mare , but put her wiht the "chunkier" sister and on the other side. WOW! Complete difference in compatibility. Worked so well, I was so excited that I ended up tearing up. Great, great fun. The pic shows Bit on the left & Koalah on the right w/ her filly in May. Today - they were reversed and the filly stayed home (weaned).






Don't think they will be a problem to drive for the parade on Saturday. Can't wait. It's our first! Have antlers for the girls (will be trying them out today) and an elf hat for the driver (my daughter wants to drive them, so I will probably ride with Vicki in her wagon with her pair).

Working on another mare (Cassie) that will match up - in size and movement, not color - with the leaner sister (Bell - the mare driving on the left side (right side of photoin first post - w/ no white on her face). When she's going, I will have two trained pairs of Shetlands mares - one pair that will be 40" each and the other 40 & 43". Cassie had a surprise colt the end of September (I purchased her unbred...) - here you can see how we work the babies and mares together. Cassie will be hooked as a pair for ground driving tomorrow when we take 5 or 6 ponies for a 2 hour drive to a friends' farm.






PLUS, I've started ground driving the pair that may both get hardshipped into AMHR. Stuffy and Iggy. Here's one of their pics -






Then will need to graduate to a 4 up - I suppose. That coulde get interesting.

I now understand why you work with a groom/navigator/extra whip when handling multiples. It IS possible to work with a pair when by yourself. More than that - hmm...


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## Lil Eowyn (Dec 4, 2012)

You have such beautiful shetlands! =)


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## Marsha Cassada (Dec 4, 2012)

Love your pictures and story! Very inspiring!


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