Our Wednesday driving adventure

[MiLo Minis]

Kim had to work but Garnet had the week off to stay home with Nick over the March break from school so the two of them came for a horse visit. Nick went in to play with Mickey so Garnet and I went for a drive. Kim had graciously offered to let Garnet use her horse Fleur with strict instructions not to break her

I harnessed up Manny and Garnet took Fleur both of whom have had some experience on the road and of course have been introduced to vehicles while line driving as well but have only really started driving this spring. We headed out onto my normally very quiet sideroad. For some reason Wednesday everyone decided that Conc 2 was the route to take and there were more vehicles came down that one day than I have ever met in an entire week before I think! There were a couple cars and a pickup truck - no big deal. The horses got maybe a bit tense but no reaction as they have experienced them before. We passed the swamp and were just coming to the next farm when a tow truck slowly approached from behind DRAGGING a car behind it with it's front bumper and exhaust system scraping the road, spewing sparks and making an outrageous amount of noise on the gravel road. Manny got tall and tight and I glanced back to see that Fleur was feeling the same way and Garnet had a grim expression. I said "talk to her Garnet" and I turned my attention back to Manny as he was popping a bit on the front. I talked to him and reined him in a bit and he settled as the towtruck pulled off into the distance. Then I looked back to see how Garnet was managing. The road was CLEAR! They were nowhere in sight!!! I immediately turned and headed back thinking OH MY GOSH KIM IS GONNA KILL ME!!! Not only did Garnet have HER horse but HER Jerald show cart as well.

I was heading for the swamp where I fully expected to find Garnet, horse and cart upside down. When I passed the drive shed just before the lane of the farm Garnet and Fleur came trotting out. Apparently Fleur had taken matters into her own hands (hooves?) and turned into the laneway taking Garnet along for the ride and only turned to come out once that scary thing was gone!

Big sigh of relief and we continued on. We met quite a few more vehicles - a freakishly big dark brown UPS van, a transport truck, an incredibly noisy diesel pickup immediately followed by a second but quieter diesel. By the end of the drive ANYTHING could have passed those two and they wouldn't have batted an eye. I think we can now consider them pretty road safe.

Garnet and I feel it was a really good drive because we were all four alive, upright and in one piece and it was a beautiful warm, sunny day to boot! Now, do we tell Kim?

 

[ThreeCFarm]

Oh my...I knew you had exciting road trips, but I thought that was strictly when you were driving your TRUCK, not the horses!

I'm glad it all worked out.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

That's the best kind of adventure: challenge, a litte adrenelin, and happy ending! Enjoyed reading it.

 

[Shortpig]

I'm so glad it turned out good and no one was hurt. No run aways. What great horses you were driving.

We used to be able to drive on the roads around our house but now it is becoming too congested and way too much traffic and of course stupid people. I miss the old days. It would be so nice to be able to hitch up and drive down the road again.

I can dream of living on a nice quiet country road at least.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

We passed the swamp and were just coming to the next farm when a tow truck slowly approached from behind DRAGGING a car behind it with it's front bumper and exhaust system scraping the road, spewing sparks and making an outrageous amount of noise on the gravel road.

:shocked

Oh my lord, I don't think my horse would have been the only one getting "tall and tight" in that situation!

Yipes!

Like Shortpig, our roads have become terribly congested and quite dangerous around here but it's literally the only place I have to drive so we go out anyway. I'm putting Turbo through the same routine Kody got six years ago and I'm confident that by the time he's ready to head out with a cart attached he'll be fairly well bomb-proofed. Right now that means we've gone from walks during quiet times to walks during rush-hour and finally to walks after dark with all the semi's and tow-trucks and such whizzing by (yes, on our little backroad

). Once he's used to the headlights merely passing we'll graduate to being asked to stand quietly by the roadside and do halter poses or obstacle work while they pass, then add in dogs and other horses, etc., then we'll graduate to long-lining in those same circumstances. Being such a nightowl I'm afraid my horses are far more used to roadwork after dark than during daylight hours!

They'll spook over a bicycle coming from behind on a sunny morning but stand fast for speeding semis an inch away after dark.

Go figure.

(Needless to say, they are also well used to blinking LED lights, reflectors, flashlights...the works.

)

Leia

 

[RhineStone]

Now, do we tell Kim?

Are you sure you didn't just do that?

Our green driving project had her first experience with traffic on the road, too, this week. But her paddock is also right on the same road, so I think she is used to it. Every little bit helps.

 

[MiLo Minis]

Yup, something tells me Kim knows all about it by now but because everyone and everything came home in one piece we're okay. I live right on the highway and work my horses in training in the field right out front. They get turnout in a paddock in front of the house which is also right beside the highway. They get exposed to transport trucks, flapping tarps, rattling chains, motorcycles, etc on a daily basis and I can fairly confidantly drive the short piece down the highway to our corner to get on the sideroad without them spooking about the vehicles. Their first trip out they are more likely to balk at crossing the little painted lines on the road side

and then going over the cement curb at the corner sometimes throws them off but that towtruck just about did them in!

Funny fact: I have pictures from an older friend of mine driving with friends in carriages down some quiet back roads quite a few years ago that are now part of Toronto and 6 lanes wide in parts. Times change.

 

[dreaminmini]

Yes, I heard about the adventure. Garnet was quite excited to tell me all about it!!! I am glad everyone and everything returned safe and sound. Lori has done such a wonderful job with our horses and Fleur is getting better everyday. Fleur is going to be a great partner for me, I think.

Lori, Garnet said you forgot to mention the dump truck using his jake brake!! He was sure Fleur would have reacted but she stayed steady!

She is such a good girl!! (most of the time

)

 

[MiLo Minis]

Being such a nightowl I'm afraid my horses are far more used to roadwork after dark than during daylight hours!

They'll spook over a bicycle coming from behind on a sunny morning but stand fast for speeding semis an inch away after dark.

Go figure.
(Needless to say, they are also well used to blinking LED lights, reflectors, flashlights...the works.

)

Leia

I have to say I would never have the guts to take my horses out on the road here after dark. One of my neighbours was killed by a Mercedes driver when he was out driving his horse in broad daylight right out front of my place. I like to be able to see them coming and I want them to see me. I have been driving a vehicle myself and seen bicycles or Mennonite buggies lit up going down the road and kind of wondered what was ahead. I scoot as quickly as I can down the highway to the sideroad when no one is coming and on most days the sideroad is not busy. Wednesday was sure the exception - I forgot all about that dumptruck

which would have been a stand out on most days!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I have to say I would never have the guts to take my horses out on the road here after dark. One of my neighbours was killed by a Mercedes driver when he was out driving his horse in broad daylight right out front of my place. I like to be able to see them coming and I want them to see me. I have been driving a vehicle myself and seen bicycles or Mennonite buggies lit up going down the road and kind of wondered what was ahead. I scoot as quickly as I can down the highway to the sideroad when no one is coming and on most days the sideroad is not busy.

I can only go about a block from my house in either direction before I run into roads that scare the living daylights out of even me. There are some risks that are simply not worth it for anything and crossing those streets is it for me!

You used to be able to get across there and gain access to many more miles of backroads when I was riding but now they're so busy they've had to add a turn lane and I've only dared to take Kody across there once or twice after he had proven his trustyworthiness in tight situations over and over. Even then I was a nervous wreck and we hustled across like the devil was after us!

The other direction is okay for walking the horse in-hand or riding a full-sized one because you can go in the ditches to get away, but it's a death-trap for driving with all those blind hills and speeding drivers.

*sigh* Gotta love the modern world!

Leia

 

[RhineStone]

*sigh* Gotta love the modern world!

Well, you could be Amish....