Here's a question for the drivers - when is a good time to start driving momma again? Do you wait until you start weaning and leave baby home or do you bring baby with?
Thanks,
Robin
Hi Robin - like the others - welcome to the World of Very Small Equine!! It's great fun to drive them and even better when you share it with your children. I'm now starting on the 2nd generation - our granddaughters.
As to the ? - depends on the situation! I've taken a foal as young as 10 days old with us to a local horse show and held him (shoot - when moved the truck/trailer he rode in the front seat in front of the air conditioner and wasn't real happy when I removed him when done. The onlookers were so surprised to see the tiny foal hop OUT OF THE CAB) while his dam was shown in shomanship, walk/trot - for the pony and w/t for the youth. He nursed between classes, we didn't mingle with a lot of other horses - had our own water and buckets, mare & 2 other ponies were utd on vax.
I've hauled others when getting my driving lessons in 2010 and in 2012. Currently have a 4 month old colt that goes driving with us down the road - he's been tied to his dam and she's working on the right as a pair.
GG is actually 2 months old in this pic.
Ze, a surprise like yours, who also may not end up registered, is 2 months old in this pic ground driving with his dam. Next pic, if it loads, he is a bit older.
Pic taken with my phone while I'm driving. This is Cassie (bay spot mare w/ colt) 6th hitch.
So it's a matter of how you are able to work your mare. We also have our foals where we can pen them up w/o the mares. On Cassie's 4th hitch, Ze stayed in the pasture with two other pony mares and two fillies that were already weaned (the dam of one is the light silver dapple on the left in this pic). I spent about 1/2 hour preparing the mare and hitching and 1/2 hour actually driving - but on our property and then another 10 minutes out to the same road in above pic and down that road for a bit & returned home. Ze ran around a bit, calling, but was OK. She did awesome - she's started calling more since he's going with us than she was before.... But she behaves and minds - this is her 4th foal and she wasn't handled a lot with the others but "knows the drill".
I love silvers & silver bays. Would love to see more pics of yours as you go along. Hope you meet up with all the people near you!! I currently travel to TX a couple of times a year - but not that far ...south(?). I've taken ponies both of the two times I went last year - once took equipment and not only drove at my Dad's VA home but ended up showing my pair as well... Had a ball and planning on going back in April 2013.
OK, more research on posts I'd missed!
