Had a great weekend

[SHANA]

On Saturday 2 friends came over and saddled up my 2 arabian mares. Not to be left out I hitched Sanka up and went with them. We left about 4p.m and came back as the sun was setting. We had such a great time we made plans to go Sunday. Again the 2 arabs were saddled up and I hitched Sanka up. We went about 2 miles down the road and met 2 other friends on there horses. We went riding from 10:30 a.m until 1:30p.m. They cantered there horses, we stayed on the back roads. Sanka not to be outdone trotted really fast, then broke into a canter which I know he shouldn't do pulling a cart. He was such a good boy, stood like a dream and all this after not being hitched up since September. He has only been driven 12 times this year. He was broke to harness in 2003 and not driven for 2 years. He is so smart. Wish i could have afforded to have him hardshipped into the AMHR before the closed there books. He is only registered WCMHR as he is to tall for AMHA. I gave him a special name too. His registered name is Cool Running Sanka SPH. He loves ot show off in liberty which I did at our arabian show as the class was open to all breeds. He didn't win but the crowd loved him. He placed 3rd in his halter class, only being beaten by 2 very fancy welsh ponies. I am really happy I rescued this boy. Was the best $250 I ever spent and then another $100 to geld him. He is 7 this year. Was 5 when I got him and not even harldy halter broke, never been wormed and a danger to handle. He is now my sweet and loving gelding.

 

[Voodoo]

Sounds like lots of fun, I also love to go drive while others ride. Some horses really get spooked at first though

. I bet Sanka is glad you rescued him as well, sounds like he is really having a great time. Way to go to both of you.

 

[luvmycritters]

Sounds like lots of fun! Would love to see some pictures of your special boy! Lori

 

[SHANA]

Hi, you can go to my website at http://communities.msn.com/SPHArabians/photoalbum. Click on horses owned by SPH Arabians, then go to page 3. There are 2 nice ones taken in September. The harness was not put on right as a youth did it but it was fixed after the photos were taken. There is one with my brother and nephew. I don't know how to post here, forgot, have not done it for a long time. Enjoy!

 

[mountain_waif]

....

 

[Ashley]

You really shouldnt be driveing him that long or that kind of distance when he isnt in shape for it.

 

[SHANA]

Hi, I never said Sanka was not in shape, he is in great shape, has been ridden 5 days a week, 2 hours a day all summer since June. I loaned him to our local riding school. Have done so in 2004 and 2005. He will again go in 2006. The kids love him, he is very spoiled and they ask for him again and again. I also loaned 2 arabian mares(Phancy and Angel) in 2005. Angel has been sold to Laura Shaughnessy. I bought back SPH Aurora Blue and she, along with Phancy and Sanka will again be loaned to our local riding school for the 2006 season. I am a director at large for the riding school. Sanka also was ground driven for the past 2 years and pulled small trees and odds and ends around the farm and he is also lunged on a regular basis. I would never ride or drive a horse, or pony that far if not in shape. Even though I am 27, I have been around horses since I was 3. I take care of my horses myself, currently have 11, and pay all the bills for them. I also do most of the training myself. Though Phancy has 6 months professional training under saddle and in halter by a well known arabian trainer, Shirley Klassen, of Ferme Kassique.

Edited to add, I trained Sanka 100% myself in harness. He is my first and so far my only horse or pony that I trained to drive. I plan to train my stalliion, Cody and my mini mare, Dandy to drive. Then in future will train my shetland, passion to drive. The only thing stopping me from training Cody is I have to get a harness to fit him as Sanka's is way to big for him. I have one to fit Passion, but she is in foal so will wait until after foal is weaned.

 

[Ashley]

He has only been driven 12 times this year.

Sorry but that isnt in shape. He can be visably fit but not driving fit. For that kind of distance and time he should have more then 12 times driving under his belt in a year.

 

[SHANA]

Ashley not to be rude or anything but I really don't think you should say he is not in shape. You do not know the horse and I do. He didn't even break into a sweat. Just because he hasn't been hitched to a cart does not make him in any less shape than by him pulling logs out of the woods. He still has to pull, doesn't matter what he is hitched to. He was hitched to a tobaggan and pulled my neighbours kids around last winter and my boyfriend uses him to pull small trees out of the woods. I just said that he hasn't been hitched to a cart in 2 years and only has been hitched to the cart 12 times this year. I just bought it in August. I don't push Sanka. I let him set his own pace and we do stop an dhave breaks when we go on a ride. We spent 30 minutes at the river on Sunday letting the horses play on the water.