# The pair saga continues



## hobbyhorse23 (Aug 12, 2011)

I spent most of yesterday running errands and installing the new longer axle on my Frontier so by the time I was finally free to get the horses out it was getting dark. I wanted to work both of them so I said "The heck with it!" and decided I'd ground-drive them as a pair again despite not having any help nor any time to warm them up separately first. (Yes, I know, first two mistakes! LOL.) The biggest danger with these two though is always in doing something for the first time as when they're learning new things they sometimes forget the ones they already know (like having manners) and we've done this twice already so I thought they were likely ready to listen. Which is not to say I wasn't expecting trouble, but I thought we could probably work through whatever it was!




I would have stopped if I'd gotten an uneasy feeling at any time but the boys were so pleased to be getting out that they were on their best behavior.

Anyway, I got them groomed and tacked and led them through the narrow paddock gate one at a time then tied them up again while I opened the wider farm gates between us and the road. They actually cooperated while I did up their coupling reins (that's a first) and started working with only a little fuss that was quickly sorted. Kody made the mistake once of diving on Turbo and discovered that such actions bring down the Wrath of Mom in heavy measure.



Don't think he'll be trying that again anytime soon! And Turbo's getting smart enough to realize that I wasn't yelling at him so all was well. We headed out of the arena and paddocks and up the side driveway and I was pleased to see they had no hesitation and no attitude about squeezing together between a pickup truck and the horse trailer to make it out the gate. Watching them drop their heads simultaneously to snatch grass would have been funny if I hadn't been so annoyed at them for doing it!



I did discover Kody's quicker to put up his head when the other horse starts walking off obediently; guess it must be something instinctual about keeping up. They jigged and bounced all the way down the street for the first 1/4 mile and as I felt my arms start to burn from the way they were pulling I got my first taste of that exponential pair power some of you have warned of. I still had to grin though! They were SO excited and the sound of those little hooves ticka-tapping in stereo under the early evening moon was awesome. A couple of neighbors were headed out to stargaze and could not stop gaping and exclaiming over my little team. I swear the boys were showing off for them.

A half-mile of serpentines and "pay attention" exercises later they were more focused and I'd learned a bit more about how to handle a pair. Kody kept lagging for instance as when he's stiff he doesn't walk as fast as Turbo does (especially when T's excited) and since he couldn't comfortably speed up I played around and found I could take up Turbo's reins without affecting Kody's when Turbo's ahead like that. T learned to modify his speed a little when asked and Kody made an effort to keep up as best he could until Turbo settled. Good boys! I ground-drove them past some construction equipment Kody hadn't seen yet and he quickly overcame his hesitation at my request- good boy! And when Turbo tried to shy sideways to avoid stepping in a former mud puddle Kody held fast and kept him on a straight line just as a good mentor should. Good boys! They tried to trot most of the way from there to the neighbor's so they learned yet more lessons about staying together, staying straight, and swinging away from traffic together. I also got my first opportunity to try using my whip to straighten one member of the team who was flexing continuously to the outside.

At the driveway of the neighbor with the minis they swung in with great aplomb and proceeded to parade trot all the way up the private drive.



I started insisting on more and more straightness and proper form and since both boys have that down cold as singles they figured it out pretty quickly. I was impressed however when they squeezed through the winding little opening in the hillside together (including ducking under a low-hanging pine branch) without trying to separate or barge ahead of each other. The neighbors were home and in fact untacking their own driving horses so I had the boys pull up in front of the barn and halt. They stopped beautifully, stood attentively for the few moments I've asked them for so far...then Turbo decided he wanted to go see their horses and tried to walk off. I said "Whoa." He tried to veer and seesawed with Kody, whom he'd dragged along. I said whoa again, Kody stopped, Turbo didn't, Turbo got cranky and swung his rump out and next thing I know he's facing me with his head over Kody's back and his reins tangled!





I'd honestly been expecting something like this at some point but considering he'd gotten his line under his tail and then insisted on walking towards me (pulling Kody backwards all the while) I think I can be excused for going "Oh dear."



It devolved rapidly into a slow-motion whirling dervish sort of thing with Turbo pacing in tight circles dragging a confused Kody along on his outside and me unable to stop them because one line was clamped against Turbo's rump and thus not working.



I finally got a chance to grab Turbo's reins beneath the bit as he passed me again and said a Voice of Thunder "Turbo, WHOA!!" He froze, rolling his eyes and looking alarmed (as well he might.) I backed him up a bit to get some slack between him and Kody, freed the line from under his tail and firmly insisted he untangle himself the rest of the way off voice commands and whip cues. Bob Giles once said in a Driving Multiples clinic I watched that anything your horses get into, you ought to be able to get them out of. The only thing he'll put a navigator down for is something like a leg over a trace that the horse can't fix; considering he said this as he was freeing the leader of his unicorn from where he was stuck facing back into the pair behind him, we were all quite impressed!





I put my foot down and insisted they stand nicely for a few and then once I'd gotten my point across we walked off and made a couple of laps of the yard. Then we stood. And walked. And stood. And stood some more. LOL. It didn't take Turbo long at all remember his lessons about "Whoa, Stand" and plant his feet like Kody was doing. It was really quite funny watching them work it out and learn what correct behavior was! I was proud of Kody for once again doing exactly the right thing when I needed to be able to concentrate on the other horse and even Turbo for how quickly he put together all the basic skills I've spent the last two years teaching him. He knew exactly what I meant with the whip taps on his outside hip and they quickly learned to step back into line with each other, stop together, start together, and even maneuvered around a tight barn aisle together as a pair. I think what amuses me the most is how quickly Kody is going from the mindset of an extremely dominant horse to enjoying working with a partner and approaching it with his typical big-hearted "What can I do to help, Mom?" driving mindset. Turbo is doing equally well at leaving behind his submissive mindset and learning to go where I tell him regardless of what his buddy is doing. Hard lessons, both of them! They are so obviously a unit already but both are still very much about what Mom wants and not about having a buddy. They're just happy that nobody had to get left behind!



If that means they have to share, well, they're willing to do that.

I couldn't be more pleased. As we walked home in the dark I listened to their synchronized hoofbeats in front of me and felt the live connection to them down the lines and thought again how lucky I am. I've always been all about the competitions but have to admit that something like this could quickly make recreational driving my favorite sport. Time and miles have never looked so attractive!

Leia

Okay, not so short. Sorry!


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 12, 2011)

What good, smart boys!!


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## susanne (Aug 12, 2011)

Short, huh? I guess there's a first time for everything, just not this time...

Great read, and to be honest, I would have felt cheated with a shortened version. I can so picture both boys working (and playing) in the moonlight.


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## drivin*me*buggy (Aug 13, 2011)

Leia,

Great write up- I felt like I was right there with you. What an educational night for you guys. I sounds like everyone had fun though.

Seems like this would make a nice children's book, this saga, about learning to work as a team....maybe Watcheye could illustrate....I'd buy it





Congrats and great job!

Angie


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## CZP1 (Aug 13, 2011)

It sounds like a great time!


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## RhineStone (Aug 13, 2011)

And the best thing about pairs and multiples is that you get more than one horse worked at a time....


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## Knottymare (Aug 25, 2011)

Leia, I'm really glad you take the time to detail your experiences for those of us who are new to this. It REALLY helps.

Thanks!


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## LazyRanch (Aug 29, 2011)

It's good to see the "picture" and have a good laugh - ok, and panic - with you! Don't go for the short version.


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## Minxiesmom (Aug 30, 2011)

Good read! Thanks for sharing the great adventures of Kody and Turbo. I can't help but picture all 99 lbs of you (dripping wet) tossing those boys around and making them mind as a unit!


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## hobbyhorse23 (Aug 30, 2011)

Minxiesmom said:


> Good read! Thanks for sharing the great adventures of Kody and Turbo. I can't help but picture all 99 lbs of you (dripping wet) tossing those boys around and making them mind as a unit!


*snicker* There is so no way I could! I think half the fun I have with these guys is trying to out-think them and come up with ways to make what I want seem like their own idea. It's a constant challenge!

Bonnie Fogg did a reading on Kody when I first got him and explained that horses picture those who are dominant over them as being physically larger, and those they are dominant over as being physically smaller than themselves. Kody apparently saw everyone else in our family as WAAAAY smaller than himself...except me. I was exactly the same size and a hair bigger if I exert myself!



She said he prefers to lead but respects me enough to let me have it if I insist on it. There's a lot of mutual respect between us these days and he is (dare I say it??) mellowing a bit as he gets older. He still thinks he's 17 hands though and I think he always will.






The pair saga has continued and gone much further than I thought it would have by this point as those of you on Facebook already know, so as soon as I get some pictures loaded I will share again. I wanted to write it all down as it happened but it goes so fast that the firsts seem like old news by the time I'm ready to share!





Leia


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## AnnaC (Aug 31, 2011)

I love reading your tales of 'adventure' with your boys Leia, so please dont stop posting them! Your writing always paints such a brilliant 'visual' picture.








Talking of pictures............how about some soon?


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