# Dusty's Progress



## Marsha Cassada (Aug 3, 2010)

We are doing the flexing excercises before every drive. He knows the drill now and seems very supple. We stayed in the home pasture doing circles and obstacles for a while and are back on the road now. I'm using slight inclines to practice backing--that works very well! We go about 2 miles walking, trotting and (oops!)cantering. It was near 100 today when we went out but there was a breeze. He was barely sweating when we returned and wasn't that anxious to get a good roll.

I think I have his bit and headstall length right for him now; he seems comfortable with it. We are using the blinders but no checks.

We did a couple of extra challenges today, such as standing whoa under a sprinkler. He wasnt' too crazy about that but took it very well.

I am noticing that he wants to veer right as we go down the road. Does this mean his dominant side is left? Should we be doing more left turns? With in-hand work I do not notice a pronounced preference, only in the harness.

He is rather gooserumped and cow-hocked, as some may recall. I can see a definite improvement in his hind end this summer. Whether it is the cavaletti work, driving, nutrition, correct trimming, maturity--I am not sure. A year from now I hope to post a before/after photo and see if you all can tell a difference and the improvement isn't just my imagination.


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## Sue_C. (Aug 3, 2010)

> He is rather gooserumped and cow-hocked, as some may recall. I can see a definite improvement in his hind end this summer. Whether it is the cavaletti work, driving, nutrition, correct trimming, maturity--I am not sure.


It might have helped his goosy-butt a bit, for sure, but if he is truely cow hocked, it won't help a lot. But...if he has "close set hocks", it WILL make a world of difference as the inner thighs get more muscular.



> A year from now I hope to post a before/after photo and see if you all can tell a difference and the improvement isn't just my imagination.


What a fantastic idea! I shall have to get someone to take a picturte of the mare I just got started (only hitched four times now) and do the same thing.


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 3, 2010)

I wanted to add a little bit about the veering to the right:

We were close to our property on the way home with a shallow ditch and wheat field on both sides of the road. So I decided to go ahead and let him veer right and see how far he would go. I relaxed the reins and let him have his head. He went in a circle! He kept circling right until I guided him back up on the road. The circle did get smaller and probably he would have come to a stop if I had let him keep on.

So what is going on with him and what is the best way to deal with it?


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 3, 2010)

Talked to a horse woman this afternoon about the veering thing. As we were discussing, it made me remember that his blinders are not exactly straight. I have been trying to adjust the headstall, and to get the bit right, one blinder is a hair higher than the other. We wonder if that could be his problem. I will put the simple western headstall on him and try that. Also she suggested ground driving him and seeing if the cart weight was causing him to veer. So, I have some things to try!

The one thing I DON'T want to do is go on the way we are and cause something permanent.


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## Sue_C. (Aug 3, 2010)

Where do you sit? I know it is "proper" to sit on the right, but when you do that with most mini carts, the weght is not evenly distributed, and it does affect the "ride". Could be he is reacting to the weight on the right hand side, and "going with it". ??


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 3, 2010)

I always sit in the middle. I tried moving over to the left to see if it made a difference. I could tell he knew the weight was different, but he still wanted to go right. He is willing and cooperative, so I know we can figure it out.

Buddy the dog sits in the middle, too, on the floor. Since he kept sliding off the slippery seat, he doesn't ride up there any more. I have a little rug on the cart floor so he doesn't fall between the boards.


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## RhineStone (Aug 4, 2010)

Wolf tooth?


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 4, 2010)

RhineStone said:


> Wolf tooth?


He had them removed last fall.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Aug 4, 2010)

The fact he does it when you release the reins means it definitely isn't you!




Is there a chance he has a trace or other harness part getting caught up on the right? Have you checked your tires to make sure they're inflated evenly? Was he heading "downhill" to the shoulder or did he do it regardless of where he was? Did he seem unhappy or perfectly content?

What a mystery! Sounds suspiciously equipment-based though from what we've heard so far.

Leia


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 5, 2010)

I don't think it is equipment. When we did our walk this morning I noticed that when I am on his right side I have to keep forcefully moving him away from me. He is almost like a velcro horse. When I changed over to the left side half way through the walk, he stayed the correct distance from me. So, I need to work on excercises to make him more straight. It is definitely a physical thing. The vet who does their teeth is also a chiropractor but I forgot to ask him to check Dusty when we were there for teeth in May. He did check him last November and Dusty was fine then. I do not see anything obvious, such as thicker muscle on one side, so maybe we are catching it early enough.


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## RhineStone (Aug 5, 2010)

How does he track up? Is he short striding on one side? Is one gaskin more developed than the other? Can he put each hind leg up underneath himself, or does he throw the leg to the side to make a turn?

Myrna


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 5, 2010)

Just returned from having my friend work with Dusty. The problem is in the gaskin. The left side is tender--no telling why. So he will be resting from cart work for a couple of weeks.


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## Shadows Fire (Aug 7, 2010)

Perhaps some chiropractic work would help him?


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 22, 2010)

Dusty seems to be doing better in the gaskin. On lead he does not lean to the right any longer. While relaxed he no longer tenses when the gaskin is rubbed. I think I am ready to put him back into harness, but we will do ground driving a little first to make sure he is moving straight.

Meantime we've been working on desensitizing. He is a very steady boy, but I tried some new things. I stapled balloons to a pole and asked him to step over them. Not a problem. I popped them under his nose and he merely raised his head, no backward movement.

I walked him onto a tarp, then folded it up over his back and head. He thought that was cool.

The only thing that he was uncertain of was the string of plastic flags strung at head level that I asked him to walk under. He didn't like to go under, but he did not retreat or fidget. He just didn't want to walk under them. I got him under one and he didn't want to walk under the next one, though he did after a few seconds. After a few times of going under them he began to walk under them easily.

So that will be a regular obstacle we do now. And I will probably do the balloons again.

It has been so hot that my ambition for training is zapped. Also lots of company and distractions in our daily routine--excuses! excuses!


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## susanne (Aug 23, 2010)

.

I had to laugh when you mentioned standing under the sprinkler...kudos to Dusty!

That is one of the few things (other than ill-adjusted harness and foam on the beach) guaranteed to upset Mingus. My very steady boy is terrified of -- YIKES!!! -- flying water...

.


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## Marsha Cassada (Sep 3, 2010)

Took both boys to the chiropractor today. Dusty had quite a lot of trouble in the left shoulder. I am to rub on liniment and let him rest for two days. There were a couple of vertebrae near the tail that were out slightly,also.

He hasnt' been in harness for a month, though we've been doing ground work.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Sep 3, 2010)

I'm sure the time off will benefit him. More time to grow up and toughen those muscles so he's ready to go as a three year old! You're a good horsie mom to take them to the chiropractor like that.

Leia


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## Marsha Cassada (Sep 3, 2010)

hobbyhorse23 said:


> I'm sure the time off will benefit him. More time to grow up and toughen those muscles so he's ready to go as a three year old! You're a good horsie mom to take them to the chiropractor like that.
> 
> Leia


I asked the chiropractor about what age is good for working. She is a barrel rider, plus sees lots of performance animals in her work. She did not think it was harmful for Dusty to be doing light harness work, since he is going on 3 1/2. She did agree that many performance horses begin working too early. She said her current barrel horse is 5, and is just now getting old enough for stiff competitive work. Besides the physical maturing, she also commented about their mental maturity.

We stopped at an antique tractor show on the way and Dusty checked out the machinary. He got some scratches and pets, so it was a good experience.


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## RhineStone (Sep 3, 2010)

I wish we had a horse chiropractor closer by. The one we have used in the past is about an hour away.

Myrna


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## BannerBrat (Sep 5, 2010)

Marsha,

I've been following your thread, and love reading about your progress with Dusty. I hope he continues to improve!





Thank you for continuing to update.


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## Marsha Cassada (Sep 7, 2010)

I was able to take Dusty out in the cart for a short session yesterday. It's the first time he's been in the cart for a month. Tried to check all the adjustments to make sure everything lay on him properly. We just did a little maneuvering close to home, at a walk, and he seemed to be doing just fine. No unnatural pulling in either direction.

Also, when we did our preliminary stretches, he was able to extend his left front leg out fully now. Before the chiropractor, there was always a slight bend at the knee in that leg.

With the weather cooling off a little, I'm hoping to get some road work in.


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## Marsha Cassada (Sep 19, 2010)

Today was Dusty's first long drive. He was pretty lively! Including the pasture driving, roadwork and arena he probably went about 3 miles. He went straight as an arrow without a hint of pulling right or left. Glad I took him to the chiropractor!


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## Shortpig (Sep 20, 2010)

That's great he sounds like he is doing so great now. Isn't it great when it works out and all comes together.


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## Marsha Cassada (Oct 1, 2010)

I had Dusty in the cart yesterday. I wish I could have someone else drive him so I could see him move. He seems to me to have a long strided trot; the cart just seems to float. Today I was walking another horse and went over the same route as Dusty in the cart. It was interesting to see his tracking. I think it was a good sign that quite often his prints were on top of each other or overlapping. Not consistantly, but at least I feel as though he is learning how to use his body.

At 35", he is about 2 inches taller than my other horse and I can't believe how much smoother of a ride it is with a larger horse. I had a 29" horse at one time, and won't ever go back to that small. Taller is smoother!


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## hobbyhorse23 (Oct 2, 2010)

Marsha Cassada said:


> ...I can't believe how much smoother of a ride it is with a larger horse. I had a 29" horse at one time, and won't ever go back to that small. Taller is smoother!


No kidding- tell that to any kid who ever rode a small Shetland while growing up and then moved to a big horse!




*Thinking fondly of the small palomino old-style Shetland mare who was my first mount*

Leia


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## Marsha Cassada (Oct 4, 2010)

I'm planning to take Dusty in his first parade on Saturday. I believe he is ready. As an appaloosa, he doesn't have much of a forelock



so I'm wondering the best way to secure the headstall so it won't come off.

I'm not sure what a gullet strap is, exactly. Is it something I could make-do?

I do not want anyone to ready about us on the news as parade runaways!


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## MiLo Minis (Oct 4, 2010)

A gullet strap goes around the throat latch and the nose band in the depression between their jaw bones so that it is pretty much hidden from view. I have made them for Minis out of a piece of throat latch from an old bridle but any narrow piece of leather with a buckle on it will do. Cut off the part that has the buckle on it with enough leather attached to go around, approx. 8 to 10". I use 2 keepers - 1 above the buckle and one below to make it lay flat - or you can use black electrical tape. Shave the tip of the piece of leather you cut into a vee and punch holes for the buckle pin to go through. Slip a keeper over the end, go around the noseband, back through the keeper, slip another keeper on, go around the throatlatch, back through the second keeper and buckle it up or buckle it on and then use black electrical tape around either side in place of the keepers.

This is just a quick sketch to give you the idea.


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## Marsha Cassada (Oct 4, 2010)

That is what I thought it was. But my bridles don't have nosebands. Would you attach it to the caveson and the throat latch?

It seems to me the bridle could still pull over the head, unless the throat latch was pretty tight.

Nice drawing, by the way!!


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## RhineStone (Oct 4, 2010)

The terms caveson and noseband are interchangable, like blinkers, winkers, or blinders. All are correct.

Yes, it is attached to the throatlatch and caveson.

You can try the same thing with a dog collar, just to see if it will work and get the fitting correct.

Myrna


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## MiLo Minis (Oct 4, 2010)

RhineStone said:


> The terms caveson and noseband are interchangable, like blinkers, winkers, or blinders. All are correct.
> 
> Yes, it is attached to the throatlatch and caveson.
> 
> ...


Sorry! I used the term "noseband" because not everyone uses a cavesson noseband and a gullet strap can be connected to any noseband. It will keep your bridle on! I don't change the adjustment of my throatlatch at all and in fact that was my main reason for going to a gullet strap in the first place with one of my horses who would not tolerate his throatlatch done up any tighter but loved to shake his head and dislodge his bridle - the gullet strap has prevented him from doing that ever since I installed it.


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## Marsha Cassada (Oct 4, 2010)

Great! I will try the dog collar and see how it works, then fabricate a real one.

Thanks for the extra info.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Oct 5, 2010)

Okay, I'll bite: What's a "cavesson noseband" versus a cavesson or a noseband?





I made a gullet strap out of a nylon dog collar and a couple of spare synthetic keepers I had from Camptown and it worked great. I also included a welded metal tie ring at the bottom as many of the ones I'd seen for sale had those and it's a nice way to tie up the horse temporarily without using the bit. I don't use it often though as for whatever reason my bridles seem to stay on well and it was a pain trying to keep the strap on with both throatlatch and cavesson undone for bitting. (Kody won't tolerate the cavesson being done up while he's being bridled.)

I have pix, will post when I can.

Leia


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