Driving Hours 2018

[Northwolf]

I received the bells too yesterday. They're so awesome, I love them!!! Thank you very much

I'm looking forward to use them with the sleigh! The ribbon will arrive tomorrow

I drove on friday 70 minutes with team Teddy/Massai and 40 minutes of ground driving for Moony.

Yesterday I hitched Moony to the cart for a nice 50 min tour. He did great! Then, I drove with Teddy and Massai 70 minutes again.

Today, It's very rainy and muddy here, so I think I won't drive

 

[MajorClementine]

Hooray! I'm glad the bells reached everyone. They got to Switzerland almost as quick as the ones that stayed in the U.S. Go figure. I'm glad you guys are happy with your bells. LeRoy does great work I think. I have a larger set of his bells and I love the way they sound. Nothing beats those cast brass bells for sound IMO.


NorthWolf: Do you have a long mud season? Does it rain often in Switzerland?

 

[Cayuse]

15 minute of ground driving Cappy

10 minutes of driving, Cappy. Had just enough snow left for a few laps around.

 

[Northwolf]

@Cayuse: The ribbons arrived yesterday, thank you very much, I love them! I'll take pictures on the weekend

@MajorClementine: Did your horses accept the bells from the beginning? Massai knows bells, as we owned an older set of bells a few years ago (unfortunately I've lost them), but the other horses do not know bells. I think I'll try them first on a walk to get the horses used to them.

Yes, we've 13 to 20 rain days per month. Usually, in winter (Dec to Mar) we have snow, but this winter is way too warm, so we have rain and mud... this is not normal to have so much mud, there are floods and mudslides all over the country at the moment. On the other way, in the higher regions, they have too much snow.

 

[Peggy Porter]

Warm weather melted the snow and made squishy mud. Drove on the road through the subdivision.

Butch Cassidy 30 mins

 

[Cayuse]

Northwolf, Glad you got them safe and sound!

It did not take as long as I thought.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Northwolf, so glad to hear Moony is doing well!

I always put the bells on a horse and lead him around for awhile for the first time. Dapper Dan wears the sleighbells and I also fasten bells around his feet with velcro. He is noisy.

60 minutes ground driving for Buckly today.

Then I pulled the sulky up behind him by myself and he let me. A couple more times and I think I can attach them and lead him.

 

[Peggy Porter]

Warmer weather means muddier ground. Driving on the road through the subdivision.

Sundance Kid 35 minutes

 

[MajorClementine]

@MajorClementine: Did your horses accept the bells from the beginning? Massai knows bells, as we owned an older set of bells a few years ago (unfortunately I've lost them), but the other horses do not know bells. I think I'll try them first on a walk to get the horses used to them.

My horses never minded the bells. I would take them with me when I fed for a couple of days and jingle them while I walked up to the fence. After 2 days of that I hooked them to the harness with no problems. I love my bells now because the horses tend to ignore noise around them on drives better.

I'm impressed with our January numbers! So many of you out braving the cold, mud, snow and rain

 

[Marsha Cassada]

You didn't mention wind. We've been between 20-42 mph for several days. I'd welcome a little mud. We have had no appreciable moisture in two months. Some of the winter wheat hasn't even come up.

 

[jeanniecogan]

our wind dried up everything really fast and i almost got to drive. our house is sold for sure we have 30 days to get out here.

we will move in ith Matt and buy some property

 

[Peggy Porter]

our house is sold for sure we have 30 days to get out here.[/size][/font]

Congrats! Your new home is waiting, you just haven’t found it yet!

 

[Peggy Porter]

Getting bored going round in the subdivision, but thankful that the weather is warm enough to get some driving in.

Butch Cassidy. 30 mins

 

[Northwolf]

Thanks for the bell habituation tipps, Marsha and MajorClem

Not yet tried it... but I'll get my horses use to the bells on the evening walks this week!

I drove on saturday 80 min with the team Teddy/Massai and on sundays 60 min again with the same. Great weather, but sadly not much time

45 minutes of ground driving for Moony on sunday.

 

[Silver City Heritage Farmstead]

Just a quick check-in to say "THANK YOU" for the participation ribbon.

I haven't posted because on 20 January, my nephew was walking home from work and was hit by a truck and died instantly.

We've been planning the funeral, vigils and tonight we send him home to be buried in El Salvador.

 

[Cayuse]

I am so very sorry for your loss. What an awful thing to have happen. My condolences to you and your entire family.

 

[MajorClementine]

I am so very sorry for your loss.

 

[jeanniecogan]

im so sorry for your loss, what a tragedy.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

A little over an hour ground driving for Buckly today. When we got back I was able to attach the sulky and I led him around for a little while. He did pretty well. I think it will get easier every time.

 

[Cayuse]

25 minutes ground driving Peanut. I made it over the ice to the back pasture. I probably shouldn't have done it. He was too feisty and it was fairly non-productive.