# Hi from new member



## Little Buddy (Jun 26, 2018)

Hi there! I just joined the forum. I have one big and one miniature horse. The big and I love trail riding. 

The mini has experience showing and driving. I am in the process of ordering a HyperBike and harness for us; it might take about 4 - 8 weeks to arrive. It looks like so much fun!

We are in central MA, USA. Are there other driving members in our area? Anyone have experience with HyperBikes?

Thank you.


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## Cayuse (Jun 26, 2018)

Hi and welcome!  Pretty horses you have there. Is the big horse a grulla? I do think someone on here has a hyperbike, but I can't remember who it is, maybe if you start a thread with hyperbike in the title it will catch their eye.

I am from seacoast NH.  So not too far away from you as compared to some of the other member here.


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## Peggy Porter (Jun 26, 2018)

Welcome! Beautiful horses. I’m in suburban Chicago, so not anywhere near you. ? I have a hyper bike. Lots of fun! My go to ride when I take my older guy out.


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## Cayuse (Jun 26, 2018)

The seat on the hyperbikes look so comfy!  I wish they made easy entry carts with the back rest higher like that.  Love the third picture!


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## Little Buddy (Jun 26, 2018)

Cayuse said:


> Hi and welcome!  Pretty horses you have there. Is the big horse a grulla? I do think someone on here has a hyperbike, but I can't remember who it is, maybe if you start a thread with hyperbike in the title it will catch their eye.
> 
> I am from seacoast NH.  So not too far away from you as compared to some of the other member here.


Hi Cayuse,

Thank you! The big horse is a bay Morgan (old-style). 

New England is in the greater neighborhood


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## Little Buddy (Jun 26, 2018)

Peggy P said:


> Welcome! Beautiful horses. I’m in suburban Chicago, so not anywhere near you. ? I have a hyper bike. Lots of fun! My go to ride when I take my older guy out.


Hi Peggy,

Your horses are beautiful! It looks like you have some great places to drive. I'm glad to see you and your horses having fun... all the horses look nice and forward pulling the HyperBike.

I am wondering if I should try an open bridle, too. Are there any challenges working without the blinders? Is there a period of adjustment if you switch from blinders to open?


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## Cayuse (Jun 26, 2018)

Little Buddy said:


> Hi Cayuse,
> 
> Thank you! The big horse is a bay Morgan (old-style).
> 
> New England is in the greater neighborhood


Morgans are my first love  My uncle had a small breeding farm of two or three mares.and a stallion that he stood to 2-3 outside mares a year.  I used to get to ride the mares when they weren't tied up with their motherly duties.  This was in the 70's.  I always wanted a Morgan of my own to show but I never got one.  I did end up with two part Morgan ponies (one might of been full morgan with lost papers, she was 14 hands and very typey) and they were the best.   Lots of personality!


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## Little Buddy (Jun 26, 2018)

Cayuse said:


> Morgans are my first love.  My uncle had a small breeding farm of two or three mares.and a stallion that he stood to 2-3 outside mares a year.  I used to get to ride the mares when they weren't tied up with their motherly duties.  This was in the 70's.  I always wanted a Morgan of my own to show but I never got one.  I did end up with two part Morgan ponies (one might of been full morgan with lost papers, she was 14 hands and very typey) and they were the best.   Lots of personality!


I met a Morgan for the first time when I was small and they made a huge impression on me, too. Yes, lots of personality!

My husband got the lucky shot below of our current Morgan one misty morning. Little Buddy is his BFF.


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## Cayuse (Jun 26, 2018)

Pretty picture!


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## jeanniecogan (Jul 5, 2018)

Hi Little Buddy,  welcome.   your horses are beautiful but that picture!!!!!!!  WOWW   that is worth a million bucks.   have fun


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## Peggy Porter (Jul 6, 2018)

Little Buddy said:


> Hi Peggy,
> 
> Your horses are beautiful! It looks like you have some great places to drive. I'm glad to see you and your horses having fun... all the horses look nice and forward pulling the HyperBike.
> 
> I am wondering if I should try an open bridle, too. Are there any challenges working without the blinders? Is there a period of adjustment if you switch from blinders to open?


I thought I had replied to this, but I guess not. Sorry!

I like driving both of my boys open bridles. We do a lot of driving on the roads, so I like them to see what’s coming from behind us. I originally trained them in traditional blinkered bridles, but switched over a bunch of years back. I’m told some horses focus better with blinkers, but I have not found that to be true. I’d suggest trying it in a controlled environment, round pen or arena, the first few times.


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## Marsha Cassada (Jul 6, 2018)

My horses prefer the open bridle also.  It is required in the show ring, however, so they need to learn how to wear them.  The only driving horses I have seen that wear open bridles "in public" are those pulling a caisson.

When I am driving in an area with a lot of tall grass, I use the driving bridle with the overcheck, as my older horse is a terrible grass-snatcher.  When we were first learning to drive together, I did not know any better than to let him graze while harnessed.  And we can't seem to get over it.  But all horses I trained after him were never allowed to graze while working, and consequently do not need a check.


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## Peggy Porter (Jul 7, 2018)

Marsha I think blinders are required in breed shows (AMHA AMHR) but are not required in ADS (American Driving Society) recognized shows. They do still require a bit, so no bit less bridles.

because driving is so traditional, one may get some criticism from others when driving open. I understand the whole grass grabbing thing. It is a tough habit to break. I just give him a crack with the whip and make him trot a bit.


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## Marsha Cassada (Jul 7, 2018)

There are no ADS events anywhere near me.  I've never had the pleasure of attending one. It's good they don't require blinders or checks.


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## Zergling (Jul 7, 2018)

Hi Littlebuddy and welcome to the forum from NS Canada. Your horses are beautiful.


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## jeanniecogan (Jul 8, 2018)

thanks peggy for inserting that article, that is a very confusing rule,  makes more sensible judgement when it is in black and white


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## Little Buddy (Jul 8, 2018)

jeanniecogan said:


> Hi Little Buddy,  welcome.   your horses are beautiful but that picture!!!!!!!  WOWW   that is worth a million bucks.   have fun


I'll try entering it in the Equinesite photo contest. Hubby gave his permission.


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## Little Buddy (Jul 8, 2018)

Peggy P said:


> I thought I had replied to this, but I guess not. Sorry!
> 
> I like driving both of my boys open bridles. We do a lot of driving on the roads, so I like them to see what’s coming from behind us. I originally trained them in traditional blinkered bridles, but switched over a bunch of years back. I’m told some horses focus better with blinkers, but I have not found that to be true. I’d suggest trying it in a controlled environment, round pen or arena, the first few times.


I was impressed by your pics and decided to order cheek pieces both with and without blinkers. I will follow your advice about trying in a controlled environment. Thanks!


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## Little Buddy (Jul 8, 2018)

Marsha Cassada said:


> My horses prefer the open bridle also.  It is required in the show ring, however, so they need to learn how to wear them.  The only driving horses I have seen that wear open bridles "in public" are those pulling a caisson.
> 
> When I am driving in an area with a lot of tall grass, I use the driving bridle with the overcheck, as my older horse is a terrible grass-snatcher.  When we were first learning to drive together, I did not know any better than to let him graze while harnessed.  And we can't seem to get over it.  But all horses I trained after him were never allowed to graze while working, and consequently do not need a check.


Oh, I know what you mean about grass in front of the nose. I took my big horse out this morning for a romp through the woods. The trails are quite overgrown and lots of leafy branches were right at his nose level. Sometimes I won the battle and other times not. So, thanks for the tip! I will try to keep Little Buddy's mind off food while we're working.


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## Little Buddy (Jul 8, 2018)

Peggy P said:


> Marsha I think blinders are required in breed shows (AMHA AMHR) but are not required in ADS (American Driving Society) recognized shows. They do still require a bit, so no bit less bridles.
> 
> because driving is so traditional, one may get some criticism from others when driving open. I understand the whole grass grabbing thing. It is a tough habit to break. I just give him a crack with the whip and make him trot a bit.
> 
> View attachment 36895


To date, LB has been driven only with blinders, so he's used to them. 

I am very familiar with trail riding and green at driving. I would like to explain my thinking about blinders/blinkers and invite comments so I can learn more.

Once I have a good bond with a big horse, I like to develop a good working relationship with him on the trail. This has saved my butt more than once. For example, one time on a hunter pace, my horse wiggled and changed direction over a fence to avoid hitting a tree I hadn't seen. Another time, out trail riding with a friend, my horse, who was used to crossing mud, warned me that a particular patch of mud was NOT safe to cross. My friend pushed her horse into it and he sank up to his belly. 

My horses don't always know best, but there are times I appreciate their input. Is that the case with driving horses, too? As Peggy said above, outside of the ring, is it good for them to see what's going on around them? Maybe that depends on the individual horse?


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## Little Buddy (Jul 8, 2018)

Marsha Cassada said:


> There are no ADS events anywhere near me.  I've never had the pleasure of attending one. It's good they don't require blinders or checks.


I see there is going to be an ADS event in Massachusetts next weekend, but we are babysitting our granddaughter. I'll ask if we can take her.


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## Little Buddy (Jul 8, 2018)

Zergling said:


> Hi Littlebuddy and welcome to the forum from NS Canada. Your horses are beautiful.


Thank you, Zergling!


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## Marsha Cassada (Jul 8, 2018)

I agree, horses can sense/see things that we may not.  I was not paying attention one time in town--trying to keep an eye on traffic, and my horse refused to cross a drainage grate.  Lucky for both of us that he was alert.  I still shudder to this day thinking of what might have happened, and I give him the benefit of the doubt when he shies at something.

Yes, do train Little Buddy NOT to browse while working or even on a lead unless you give permission.  You will save both of you a lot of trouble later on.  Going out on a lead with the express purpose of offering him grazing time is one thing.  Snatching mouthfuls while walking on a lead should be unacceptable.  It is very difficult to UNtrain that behavior.   Lesson learned the hard way!  By the time I discovered this driving forum in 2005, it was too late...


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## Minimor (Jul 8, 2018)

Hi from Manitoba!

We had Morgans for 46 years and there was a time I thought we would always have them.  Our last one left us in 2012 and I would have no interest in getting another.  I enjoy my ponies more.  I got our first Minis in 2001 and my first American Shetland in 2008.  I enjoy the Shetlands more than anything.  

But anyway--your two look lovely in that photo!


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## Little Buddy (Jul 8, 2018)

Minimor said:


> Hi from Manitoba!
> 
> We had Morgans for 46 years and there was a time I thought we would always have them.  Our last one left us in 2012 and I would have no interest in getting another.  I enjoy my ponies more.  I got our first Minis in 2001 and my first American Shetland in 2008.  I enjoy the Shetlands more than anything.
> 
> But anyway--your two look lovely in that photo!


Hi Minimor! You must have loved your Morgans very much to have such a long commitment to them.

I think my current Morgan (17 years old, together since he was 3) may be my last big horse; I plan to keep him for the rest of his life. After he's gone, whether or not we sell the farm, I'd like to keep Little Buddy forever and have fun driving and doing other things with him.

Shetlands are adorable! I can't believe how smart they and the mini's are. When I pony LB, he notices when I squeeze my leg (to ask the horse to trot) and he (LB) starts trotting before the Morgan.


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## Little Buddy (Jul 9, 2018)

Haha... joke's on me! I think I get why drivers use the blinders. While we're awaiting the new harness, I took Little Buddy today for a ground drive with reins attached to his halter. He did two giant spooks, dived twice to sniff poops left by other horses, and lunged to get grass a couple of times. All the problems seemed to happen in twos. Blinders are looking pretty good about now. I've driven him with those on before, and we didn't have the same issues.

Nothing's easy.  : )


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