Hitched up Bertie, for the first time.....

[rabbitsfizz]

Well, I have been working on Bertie since...well, since he was born really!!

Finally got my act together and got him gelded this summer (late for me, no excuse!!)

Then he did a bit of hanging out just working on manners, a good solid "Ho" and "Stand" and lefts and rights etc, then it all ground to a halt as winter shortened all the daylight, but it was top of my "to do" list for the spring.

Anyway best laid plans of mice and midgets get chucked out the window when the snow falls and the toes freeze and the amount of feed that needs lugging out to the broodmares exceeds aforementioned midget's ability to push, shove, pull or carry!!

Walking past small fat extremely shaggy gelding a light bulb illuminated itself above my head and five minutes later I had unearthed enough of the training harness to attach the yak to the cart!!

WHY exactly have I been struggling to drag all this feed across the field, can someone please tell me????

For the price of a bucket of feed Bertie is more than happy to do it for me!!

I'm taking it very easy, he is not quite three and I would not normally be working a colt this young but he is honestly built like a brick outhouse and 32" high and wide...no shy retiring violet he!!

I'll try and get pictures, it has been too cold to think the last few days, I get it done and get back in the warm as quick as I can.

Today he had got the hang of what I wanted (what was all that fuss about??) and docked into the little four wheel cart like a pro, he is just "working" I have yet to drive him, but I can't tell you the relief it is to have this sort of help!!

Apart form a tendency to attack the dogs (he's always done that) and to kick out at them, which I am discouraging very gently, he is a star, he really is.

I have to hitch him up on my own, so at the moment he is attached firmly to a bucket of feed whilst I attach the traces, and I unhitch him whilst I feed the mares, I would not ask him to stand, even with a bucket of feed, unattended, but he just shrugs and fills his face whilst I stagger around with buckets and, last two days, bales.

Doesn't even mind the banging and clatter of the empty cart!!!

I was ready for trouble, I really was, I had the bare minimum of harness on so I could get him out in case of problems and every was attached with my patent pending bits of string but he worked as if he had been doing it all his life, which, in a way, he has!!

At the moment he is working in a halter, I have not bitted him yet, so in the spring I shall actually start driving him and we'll go from there.

Hopefully I shall have him out at his first show this year.....he is not a show horse, not really but boy, he can really move and cover ground, and there are not that many horses in the driving classes yet so at the very least we will make up numbers.

Wow, this is a bit of a "saga" thanks for sticking with it...I am just SO proud of my boy, he has been very strong willed but he seems to have found his niche...I just wish we had VSE Ads classes here.

OK....where is the British Driving Societies website.....gotta start campaigning!!!

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Hooray for thinking 'out of the box'. What a great way to start him, you both benefit , he gets to advance his skills and gets excersize and you get a bit LESS exercise! Well done!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Enjoyed the saga! And will await installments.

 

[susanne]

Necessity is the mother of invention, and I am living proof that a great deal of creativity is sheer laziness. You and Bertie have shown that cold and boredom can result in a brilliant idea.

When our van was high-centered in deep snow halfway coming up our driveway, I pondered the irony that we had four strong little ponies munching away in their corrals...but of course, we called on the neighbor's tractor instead.

I very nearly harnessed Mingus up to haul branches as Keith was cutting up our fallen apple trees, but alas had a design job with a pressing deadline keeping me indoors. It is in his future, however!

Bertie sounds like a sweet boy, and I imagine he is swelling with pride at being called upon to help Mom with the chores.

 

[REO]

Good boy Bertie!

You two make a good team! I'm glad you have help feeding the mares now.

I loved reading about it Jane! I'd love to see photos when you get a chance

 

[shane]

fair play to you jane, in this weather brrrrrrr

i remember you saying to wally how good it was to see her horse pulling the feed across the fields

and now you doing it!!!

ive just got a new horse and wait to start him driving, ill just have to get another harness first

i bet the shows will be full of driving minis soon, irelands going crazy to drive there minis

best of luck to you!!!

cant wait to see pictures

 

[MiLo Minis]

Way to go Rabbitfizz! Lets see some photos!!!

 

[Reble]

Congratulations, so nice to have help and cheap labour, pictures would be great

 

[Kathy2m]

Alright Jane! Your Bertie sounds like my Trouble. Trouble is not yet 3 and very stoutly built. I've been ground driving him for a few months now and nothing seems to bother him. Pictures as soon as you can please. Kathy

 

[whitney]

Those strong willed ones are usually just WAITING for a JOB.

I can tell you more than once already this winter, as I trugged with a 50lb grain sack on my shoulder, down my 400' drive to the barn, (while the horses WATCHED and grinned "I believe") I have wanted to put them to work.

Good for you and your multitasking.

 

[ClickMini]

Sounds like fun Jane! Bet you were congratulating yourself on your clever idea, I sure would be! Seems like a good way to get him accustomed to the rattle and bang of cross-country driving. We do want pics, of course!