# Dusty's Progress



## Marsha Cassada (Mar 9, 2010)

I'm still working him in the light sulky as he is not quite 3, but he is doing very well. Besides improving on his ground excercises, he is becoming more flexible in harness. At first I used these grain bins with ground driving. We wove in and out of the legs, and then around the bins. Then we walked, harnessed to the sulky, around them, as in large figure 8's.

Today we did our figure 8's around them at a good trot. He did very well! Then we drove out in the farmer's machinary yard to check out some old tractor tires we may use for raised beds in the garden. Crossed a ditch with water in it, and navigated among a lot of large machinary. Then finished our 2 mile circuit home. He stands so nicely for unhitching; I dont' even tie him.

(There is a stiff breeze today and my nylon groomer's jacket is more like a sail than a garment.)


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## hobbyhorse23 (Mar 9, 2010)

That's great Marsha! I love seeing pictures of your progress and especially of where you -and others- get to drive. It's so different from where I am and I find it fascinating.



There are a lot of times I would kill for large amounts of open ground like that as maybe then I could actually condition my horses.








Dusty looks like he's really getting the hang of things. Thanks for sharing!

Leia


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## Shortpig (Mar 10, 2010)

What a wonderful place to be able to drive a horse. All that open space and those grain bins are so good for your figure eights and learning to weave in and out. Looks like your dog is getting conditioned also. No room for him to ride along I guess.


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## Marsha Cassada (Mar 10, 2010)

Any comments on how he is looking in the turn? I don't think the quick hitch gives the same stability as shafts in a turn. Maybe stability isn't the word I'm looking for?? I can't use the regular saddle on the sulky, as the sulky shafts have the shackles bolted on. They would be in the way of regular tugs.

I always envy people who have an arena to work in!

It was so windy, he was pretty fiesty. We made a couple of detours offroad into wheat fields starting out



. But he was steady by the time we went around the bins.

He is using his hind end much better all the time. It was interesting when he first started that he tried to use his front end to drag us up an incline. Now he digs in with his hind end. There are some long, low hills on our drives and I generally walk him up those, as I was told it is a better workout.

Buddy is usually right behind the sulky, like a carriage dog, unless an interesting odor distracts him! But he does ride in the cart.


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## RhineStone (Mar 10, 2010)

Hi Marsha,

That is a pretty cool place to work. Where is your heavy coat and piles of snow like we have?



When I still lived on my parent's farm, the horses liked to "trail drive" amonst the machinery and grain bins, too. I think they liked the smell of the corn in the bins!

How long has Dusty been put to? He is "falling in" a bit on the corners, but I'm not sure that I would stress out about it too much if he's only been put to a few times. If it has been more than that, then you need to "support" him with your reins to get him to bend properly. See how he is "leaning"? You want his withers to remain upright in the corners. Now that being said, if you are turning hard and fast, he's going to have to lean, just like you would. If you are working on dressage corners, then ask for the bend. They are going to be slower and more controlled.

In order to get a proper bend, you are going to have to hold your reins more in front of you, about the width of his mouth apart, or 6"-8" in. (I know those measurements aren't the same, it just helps to think of the width of the mouth for visualization purposes.) You will need a bit of contact on the reins. Then when you ask for the bend, make sure that you are not "giving" with the outside rein as you ask with the inside rein. This is a common misconception of "steering". You just pull on one rein and leave the other in "neutral". Now, there are techniques that have to do with timing a horse's bend that require the cue to be placed with the movement of either hind leg (I know of different trainers that teach with either leg.), but I find that when you have enough of everything else to think about, trying to place your cue while checking out the horse's legs is cumbersome, especially for the less experienced driver. When everything else comes "naturally", then it is easier to be adjusting timing with the horse's hips. I rather think about that outside rein "holding" up the withers. See, this is where leaving that rein in "neutral" comes in. If you "give" with that outside rein, you are "letting go" of his withers, and they end up leaning into the corner. What this does is help the horse collect himself to place his inside hind leg up underneath himself to support his own weight in the corners. If they don't place that hind leg under their belly, they throw it our sideways instead, so they don't fall over. Dusty looks like he is attempting to place his leg, but it requires practice, balance, and support. When I started working consistently on bending last year with my gelding, it took him about three weeks to get it consistently (and he still fell in a bit at the shows, but that was probably my fault through my nerves). (Caveat, this is really only touching the surface of bending, but it will give you a good start.)

Again, if he is pretty green, I wouldn't push it too much right now. He may still be trying to figure out how to hold up that cart. You can still practice the above lessons, but I wouldn't have huge expectations. How's all that for your simple question of how he is looking in the turn?





It also might take him a year or so to figure out how to use his hind consistently. Long, low hills are good, as long as they aren't so long as to "burn" his muscles.

Myrna


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## Marsha Cassada (Mar 10, 2010)

When I looked at the photo I saw my hands were way far apart! I try to keep them close together but I wasn't paying attention during the turn. It is such an advantage to have a photo, if one doesn't have a helper to point things out. I will be more aware of that in future turns.

We were trotting at a pretty good clip around the bins. I will slow it down and work on control. It was our first time to trot around the bins and I was so pleased that he didn't try to go straight, but curved so well by command. The bins make a smaller circle than, say, figure 8's the size of an arena so the circle may be a little too tight.

Dusty has been in the cart about 8 times, I think. I was trying to keep a little journal but may have missed a time or two.

The hills we go on are a gentle grade and the longest is probably 1/8 mile.

Thanks for the tips!


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## Mominis (Mar 10, 2010)

I agree, I also wouldn''t worry about his dropping the shoulder in the turns just yet. That is something I would tackle in the long lines and get him comfortable with standing up through his turns as well as confirming bend. I think, for a three year old this yearly in the year, that you are doing a terrific job!

By the way, great post Rhine Stone!


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## MiLo Minis (Mar 10, 2010)

I'm with all the others - what a great place to drive!!! Looks like you were having lots of fun and the weather looks beautiful!!!

I agree with what Myrna was saying as well and I would also like to see you raise your hands a bit. When you hold them down at your hips like that not only are you losing your immediate contact you are actually working your reins on a fulcrum (the rein terrets) and putting a lot more pressure on your bit and his mouth, than you realize. Even though he is leaning on the turn he is getting his hind leg well under himself for support so he is coming along well for the stage he is at. Good work! Keep enjoying!!!


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## Marsha Cassada (Mar 13, 2010)

We took a step backwards today. Husband and son were on their harleys in the driveway, getting ready to ride. I drove Dusty out of the pasture and near the bikes. He was a little nervous, but I didn't think too much. But after that he was a total flake. We could not even finish our drive. I stopped at my dils about 1/2 mile down the road and borrowed a halter so I could lead him home. We stood quietly in the yard a while and I did lead him home with the sulky hitched, but no bridle. By the time we got home he was fine.

I'm not sure exactly what to do next. Do some ground driving a time or two? Go ahead and do the cart? Just do ground work for a few days? Just plain walks?

I am not sure the best way to handle the motorcycle thing. They have passed him on the road and he didn't care. And he has seen them many times in the yard. But they were both running, though parked, today. And he was in harness. Maybe it's spring?? Also had the son's 4 dogs around him; usually he doesn't mind them but maybe today it was just too much. He is still very young, after all.

I did practice keeping my hands close together!


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## hobbyhorse23 (Mar 14, 2010)

As you said, he's young. Sometimes their brains just blow out their ears and that's all there is to it!



Kody did that on Friday- balloons have never bothered him a day in his life but he's very excited about getting back to work after this long layoff and when I ground-drove him out of our driveway he had an absolute fit about two balloons that were marking a party in the neighbor's driveway. Whirling, bolting, snorting, crouching down and refusing to go near them, the works.



He pranced the entire rest of the walk and when we got back he walked right by them like they weren't there. Go figure!

What exactly did Dusty do? If he was being dangerous in the cart I think I would have gotten that neighbor to hold him while I unhitched then ground-drove the little booger home, not led him in the cart where he could have easily hurt me. Depending on exactly how he was being a flake I might have made him work until he got some sense or might have taken one small triumph and quit on the spot if it was obvious his brain wasn't going to come back. Babies will definitely have days like that!





I bet you bunches the next time you get him out he'll be fine. I wouldn't give him time off as all that does is tell him that being stupid gets him a break from working and that's the last thing we want him to learn. Be on the safe side and ground-drive him before hitching but if he's acting normally I'd just hitch and go. Can you have your hubby or son run the Harleys around the corral a few times to see what he's going to do? If he's been fine with them before I'm inclined to think he was just having a day but it never hurts to double-check.

Leia


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## Marsha Cassada (Mar 14, 2010)

Thanks Leia. It's always good to know others sometimes have challenges with their horses.





I was driving him down the road and he was prancy and didn't want to walk. At a certain point he wouldn't go forward but kept veering off the road, so I took him around the back of the pasture instead of on the road, then tried to drive large circles in the pasture. I thought he might settle down. He was a total flake, even humping his back a little. It wasn't so much that he was dangerous, as I felt I was using way too much rein pressure and whip cue.

Since I was close to my dil's I decided to unhitch there and maybe ground drive in her driveway. He stood fine for unhooking the quick hitch (not sure he would have if I'd been unfastening straps) but would not ground drive worth a darn either. I even stood quietly a couple of times until he chewed and sighed. Didn't help. So it wasn't pulling the vehicle that was the problem.

We put a halter on him and stood quietly in the driveway, chatting about 10 mintues, then I put the sulky back on and led him home with the halter. He was perfectly calm going home.

My dil does dressage. She also told me about her experiences with horses that just have a freaky day once in a while. (She has a lippizan, but I was able to borrow her miniature donkey's halter to use on Dusty!) My brain was trying to figure out ways to improvise working with him without the bridle. I suppose if I'd been far from home I would have taken a rein off and used it as a lead. I think I will fasten a halter underneath the sulky frame from now on--just in case.

One thought I have about him, is his eyes are more on the side of his head than forward-looking. I am thinking the blinders restricted his vision too much and, for whatever reason, he just needed to see what was going on around him better. I will use the open bridle next time and see what difference that makes.

And we will certainly be doing some motorcycle exposure.

Again, thanks for your comments.


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## Mominis (Mar 14, 2010)

Sorry to hear that he had a silly moment. It sounds like you are a very thoughtful trainer for your horse. He is very fortunate to have you really analyze the problems and fix them instead of getting harsh with him for just being a baby. I'm with the others, I bet he'll be fine the next time. Enjoy the beautiful spring which your photos show that you are having, shake it off, and drive that baby as soon as you feel he's ready. Best wishes!

You know, on second thought, I bet it's that darned cart. You should just sell it to me. LOL Kidding!


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## RhineStone (Mar 14, 2010)

I say Spring. Keep working on him. And YOU try to not exhibit any "fear". That may be what he is reacting to if you have any, especially in your hands. Make sure you have a "matter of fact" attitude, and not a "Oh, I hope he doesn't react" attitude. Just shake it off and try again. 

Myrna


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## Marsha Cassada (Mar 19, 2010)

I had him out again and he started out just as silly. We stayed in the confines of the pasture and I made him do circles around all the cones, boulders, and other natural obstacles. At first he would not walk but insisted on trotting so I let him work off some steam. By the time we finished he was walking nicely and seemed to be back to his steady self. I think he is a little spoiled and was seeing if he could be a brat.

I had a horsewoman check his bit for size. I had thought it might be too small, but she said if anything it was a hair too large.

I think I will put the cart on him next time, as the stability of the shafts--as opposed to the quick hitch--might be good for him. We will stay on smoother surfaces to keep the weight minimal for a month or so until he is actually 3. I was hoping he might be ready for a show this summer, but we have a ways to go.

I definitely want to order a whip with a longer lash. And I've been concentrating on holding my hands correctly



.

I am posting my experiences as I am not a professional trainer, but only doing driving for my pleasure. I am hoping other people will see that it is possible for anyone, including a 56 year old grandmother, to train a horse to drive.


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## Marsha Cassada (Apr 6, 2010)

I have put Dusty in the regular cart now and the regular harness. He took all the new straps very well, and has no problem with the extra weight. It's amazing how hard it is to get a harness adjusted to a horse! My dil watched to see if the shafts were level. They appear to be sloped downhill from sitting behind him, but both son and dil said they were level.

We noticed the breast collar is not right for him; I substituted the breast collar from another harness and it is working better. The holes for the single tree just weren't in the right place for him. First hole was too long and middle hole was too short.

He is still being silly, but so far we are able to work through everything. He doesn't want to trot slowly; he starts out fine but keeps getting faster and faster. So we are doing walk, whoa, walk, trot, walk... He is backing better; I think he appreciates the breeching.

I wish I had someone to photograph us. I can learn so much from that. I'm trying to watch my hands better.

I have one question: after driving a while, should one tighten the girth, or is it better for it to be loose? By the time we finish our workout, I can put my hand between the girth and his body. Everything seems balanced, but I am not sure if the straps should be more snug on him.


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## Mominis (Apr 7, 2010)

If they are that loose, I'd be worried about him getting a girth gall. I think you should tighen him up some.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Apr 7, 2010)

He's still got his winter hair, right? That might be part of the problem. I tighten the girth as far as is easy when I first put the saddle on, do it again after getting the rest of the harness adjusted, and then again after the cart is hitched. It takes awhile for all that hair to compress down under the saddle! A driving girth does not have to be tight like a riding girth but it should be snug enough to stay in place. One trick I learned at a clinic is as I'm reaching under the horse for the girth, I'll rock the saddle back and forth with my other hand to settle it and to keep the horse from puffing up. It works very nicely to get rid of some of that air space as well.

Can you still feel that gap when the cart is off of him? If so, your leather may be stretching a bit. If not however, I'd be concerned that your cart is putting too much weight on his back. Check the balance and see if the saddle is being pushed down excessively.

Leia


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## Marsha Cassada (Apr 7, 2010)

Thanks for the input about the girth.

When I have seen mule draft teams hitched, the girth is VERY loose. Of course, they are using collars instead of a breast strap--don't know how much difference that would make. I asked the driver about that and was told the girth is never tight on a draft animal.

The cart was still hitched when the girth was loose.


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## Katiean (Apr 7, 2010)

Marsha Cassada said:


> We took a step back wards today. Husband and son were on their harleys in the driveway, getting ready to ride. I drove Dusty out of the pasture and near the bikes. He was a little nervous, but I didn't think too much. But after that he was a total flake. We could not even finish our drive. I stopped at my dils about 1/2 mile down the road and borrowed a halter so I could lead him home. We stood quietly in the yard a while and I did lead him home with the sulky hitched, but no bridle. By the time we got home he was fine.I'm not sure exactly what to do next. Do some ground driving a time or two? Go ahead and do the cart? Just do ground work for a few days? Just plain walks?
> 
> I am not sure the best way to handle the motorcycle thing. They have passed him on the road and he didn't care. And he has seen them many times in the yard. But they were both running, though parked, today. And he was in harness. Maybe it's spring?? Also had the son's 4 dogs around him; usually he doesn't mind them but maybe today it was just too much. He is still very young, after all.
> 
> I did practice keeping my hands close together!


When I have had a horse blow on me, I let them calm down and then we do it again. Two years ago we were at a show and on Friday (day off) Jessie was driving Ellie in the indoor arena that was being used for the show and asked Ellie to stop. After she stood for about a minute Ellie went in the air and flipped over backwards. Jessie Jumped out of the cart and held Ellie Down so she could not hurt herself. Of course I was at the other end of the arens talking to someone and I had a horse in hand. Half way down the arena I figured I could not hold on to the horse and fix the problem with Ellie. So, figuring she wouldn't go past the barns I let the mare in hand go. I got to Ellie and as Jessie still held her down I got her free from the show cart. I checked her over and re-harnessed her and made her do it again. Jessie went after the mare I let loose. She didn't even make it to the barns and Ellie got to stop and start and stop and stand. She has never blown up since. I firmly belive that if they are able to end a training session on a bad note, they remember what they did and do it again. I saw a trainer at a show have a horse blow like our mare did and he sat there in the cart. After the horse was un-harnessed he got out of the cart and led the horse back to the stable. I know it was durring a class but he didn't even get out of the cart until the horse was un-hitched.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Apr 7, 2010)

Marsha Cassada said:


> When I have seen mule draft teams hitched, the girth is VERY loose. Of course, they are using collars instead of a breast strap--don't know how much difference that would make.


It makes quite a lot of difference. On animals being used for draft work like log skidding, there are no shafts to attach to the saddle, no pole to pull forward on the collar, no pressure on the saddle of any kind, and the horse needs to be able to expand those lungs to bear down for tremendous effort. The rest of the harness is really only providing terrets for the lines to run through and maybe a trace carrier off the hip. When the animal is hitched to a carriage the saddle is the anchor of the whole harnessing system and takes lots of lateral pressure from the shafts without a sliding backband. Even in a pair, the breastcollar or neck collar is secured to the saddle through the false martingale in order to prevent the pole from pulling the collar off the chest. The girth must therefore be tight in order to keep the saddle from being pulled forward into the elbow when braking. Of course there's breeching in that arrangement too, but it's still very different from a draft work hitch pulling a skid boat or log.

Leia


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## RhineStone (Apr 7, 2010)

On my well-sprung horses, I HAVE to leave the girth looser or it WILL gall the elbow. We have done it with our big horse a number of times until we learned to leave it loose. Otherwise, it wants to migrate forward into the elbow and pinch. It really does depend on the horse's conformation

You're right about the transitions for controlling speed. Just don't do them too fast that your horse gets annoyed. You can also rate your horse's trot and walk. Ask for more impulsion at the walk for a while, and then ask to "saunter". Then transfer that to the trot, especially in circles.

Myrna


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## Marsha Cassada (Apr 9, 2010)

I checked the girth several times, compromising between somewhat loose and not as tight as a riding saddle.

We had a very good workout yesterday. After we got home, I asked my husband to get us on camera so I could better see what we are doing. Unfortunately, the terrain where we needed to be for photographing movement is pretty rough (you can see my dog fell out of the cart at one point--he tries to sit up on the seat and it is too slippery). So our movement isn't as smooth as if we were on the road.

I am wondering if anyone can tell about the length of the traces, though the picture probably isn't clear enough. I think I have them in the correct hole.

I have a question about where to put my feet. If I keep them under me, on the axle to minimize weight on the saddle, I don't really have the stability for any unexpected moves on the part of the horse. Is it all right to put my feet more forward in the cart?

I value everyone's input and advice.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Apr 9, 2010)

Traces look good, horse looks good, video is great to see! It gives so much better a picture of what's really going on than just a photo or two.




Yes, go ahead and put your feet forward. I usually travel with one flat on the floor, another against the angled part of the floorboards, knees parallel and my spine pulled up tall with my weight centered over the seat. Driving that way will work your core muscles like little else!





Leia


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## Kendra (Apr 9, 2010)

I love the puppy!


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## RhineStone (Apr 9, 2010)

Cool!



I wish that we had a digital camera. I would love to take more video of my horses!

I agree with Leia about your position, but will add that you need to pick up your whip and use it.



Did I see you wiggling your reins for forward movement when you first walked off or was that from the bumpy ground?



If that is what you were doing, you are giving a "forward" and "stop" cue at the same time. The reins are bumping the horse in the mouth that cues them to stop or turn while getting slapped in the butt for forward.



It's a fallacy that you shouldn't use your whip.

Looks like you are making good progress!

Myrna


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## Marsha Cassada (Apr 9, 2010)

Thanks, Leia. I've seen pictures of drivers with one foot forward. I will try that.

Buddy loves to ride in the cart. Usually I try to make him ride on the floorboard. I have a little rug there so he doesn't fall between the cracks.

I'm also thinking I need to get Dusty more collected on rough terrain so he can have his body ready to pull forward from a stop.


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## Marsha Cassada (Apr 21, 2010)

I just saw your reply, Myrna. I was taught to signal forward movement with slight finger tension. This has seemed to work well on Dusty. I do use the whip for cueing also, but I was taught to use the rein signal. He seems to have no problem differentiating between a forward signal and whoa. But I will try using the whip to cue forward and see if it works better.

I want to comment that we are doing so much better since I am holding my reins closer together and balancing myself in the cart with one foot forward. I am working on supporting him in the turns with both reins and it seems as though he is bending pretty well. I can really tell a difference when I hold the reins correctly. Thanks for those observations!

I am trying hard to start Dusty better than I did Dapper Dan.


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## Marsha Cassada (Apr 25, 2010)

I took Dusty into town for the first time today. He did remarkably well. We drove out to the horse pens, where the town folks keep their horses, and he got a little silly out there, but nothing too bad. He wasn't nearly as silly as those big horses when they saw him and the cart!

He drives through water out here with no problem, but he wouldn't go through the puddles in the street. I had to get out and lead him through several puddles, then finally he went through them on his own.

We encountered lawn mowers, motorcyles, skateboards, petting, noisy dogs, and running children.

I thought about trying to use the whip more to cue, instead of my hands, but it won't work until I can get a whip with a longer lash. So I am just going to keep on doing it the way I am till I can find a longer lashed whip.

Working on keeping my hands and feet positioned properly.


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## Shortpig (Apr 25, 2010)

Thats great. Sounds like you had a really good drive. You and Dusty are quite the team. How proud you must be feeling at this moment.

Funny about the puddles though. It amazes how they can pick that one thing that bothers them and it seems so silly to us. But I'm sure it looked different somehow to him.

Keep coming with the updates.

Marie


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## Marsha Cassada (May 6, 2010)

Very pleased with Dusty's progress! I found an arena to work in. The distractions of two donkeys, a stallion and two mares by the arena has been helpful.

He is backing up much better now, also.

Have not put the blinders back on him yet, or a check.

We are still keeping our driving workouts around 2 miles of road work, or 40 minutes arena/obstacles as I don't want to work him too hard as he is only 3.

He is in the regular cart now, not the light sulky.

I'm working on keeping my hands and posture more correct. Practicing using the whip to cue.

On days we dont' drive I try to do ground work: backing, turns, cavaletti, side passing.

I'm having so much fun with him, I had to make myself take Dapper Dan out for a drive on Sunday!


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## Shortpig (May 7, 2010)

Sounds like you are having such a great time with Dusty. Dapper Dan probably really enjoyed being driven for a change. Now we just need some updated pictures of you and Dusty. Like the ones of the puppy in them also.

Marie


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