Thinking of retiring from driving

[shorthorsemom]

I havent had my driving boy out at all this year and its almost June. I was doing great and taking lessons all last year and we were progressing and it was totally fun, however for multiple reasons, I just am thinking of selling off all my stuff and just having my driving mini be a pasture pet instead. I cant seem to find enough time to drive frequently and my boy isn't the type to be steady if he isn't driven enough and I am not experienced enough to handle him should we get in trouble out on a drive.

One of my biggest problems (or excuse) for not driving lately is my neighbors. We live on a farm but have one close neighbor. These folks are gun enthusiasts to the extreme. They shoot all the time and on weekends they shoot for hours and hours on end. Sometimes we listen to the shooting for 5-6 hours. They also purchase those exploding things from Cabelas and when shot into they go off like M80s or louder. They shoot off gun powder and it sounds like the finale for 4th of July. All legal in Pa. They have handguns, automatic rifles, machine guns and semi automatics and they live to shoot. This shooting is new this year. never had a problem before this year.

My driving boy is not steady enough in harness and I am terrified we would wreck if I were driving when one of the explosions go off. they rattle the windows in my house.

So between the ignorant neighbors and my semi retirement anyway I am thinking about hanging up driving for now.

What I can't decide is whether to sell my stuff. I have gorgeous harness and a beautiful aerocrown I saved and saved for. Hard for me to let the stuff just sit doing nothing, but I also know that I will never have the money again to buy this stuff should some day in my future I get a driving boy less apt to use a loud noise as an excuse to take off or if my neighbors ever run out of ammunition. When the police are having trouble getting ammo, how can these folks have enough to shoot off thousands of rounds every weekend. I have no idea....

Trying to get the neighbor to quit is not an option, when we complain, they do it more. sigh.

These folks are selling portable targets for folks to shoot in their own back yard and they live to shoot.

I can't decide whether the shooting is just an excuse and I am ready to quit anyway.. My trainer lost one of her horses end of last year and she hasn't been able to come and give me any lessons in a long time, think that helped me to lose my drive too, my terrific teacher cant come.

I love my boy and he is quite happy doing farm walks like my dog with me. I just don't have confidence that I could control him if my neighbor decides to blow something up while I am out in the cart with him. sigh.

I have no idea why I felt the need to try to write this all out this evening. Don't fry me folks, I am rather fragile and could use some nice words, or if you want to hate my neighbor with me, thats ok too.

The worst shooting day this year we did get a bit of enjoyment out of spreading a whole spreader load of cow poo at the border of our property and that broke the 6 hour shooting marathon up for one day. city folks pretending to be country folks don't like cow poopie.

 

[CZP1]

Nothing wrong with having a pasture pet! Keep your stuff doesn't cost anything to just let it sit there. Just enjoy life!

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I absolutely agree with CZP1, if you are not enjoying it with this horse and at this time, take a break. No reason not to let him be a pasture pet and not every horse is meant to be a driving horse anyway. If it were me tho I wouldn't get in a hurry to sell the gear. Maybe in a year or 2 you will decide to revisit driving (maybe you'll find a perfect partner) and if you still have your gear you can try again. It will not be ruined by not using it (altho as time passes the harness will need attention of course) and you can sell it later if you decide to. Give yourself permission to just enjoy things, driving as a hobby should be fun and if it is not its time to step back and find out why. Oh and the neighbours, how sorry I am you must put up with them. I'm lucky that my neighbours are far enough away that they don't bother me. Most of the people here are actually farmers and have stock so no one gets to carried away except the dang 4x4 ers who want to chew up all the hay fields.

Oh and just fyi, I drove one of my horses for the first time this year today. I have a driving clinic tomorrow and thought she should have at least one drive before it. It has just been a busy, wet and cold spring so I'm behind every where (no garden in yet either - should be doing that this weekend but the clinic has been planned for months)

 

[Elizabeth Pannill]

Don't rush to retire you or him !

What about ground driving a lot around your place - might condition him to the gun shots and give you more confidence. Maybe there is a way you can haul to place to drive that is more secure . So take some time off but don't sell your things - just re think your possibilities .

 

[rabbitsfizz]

What they are doing may, in theory, be legal, but you should check with your local council offices to see if the "nuisance" they are causing by doing it, is. The fact that they have only just started may well mean you could serve a "cease and desist" order- although I would be inclined to lay your case before them first as they may just be having a good time and thinking you do not mind- me, I'd be going nuts but then the noise alone would be enough to prevent them doing any of that here, thank goodness!!

 

[shorthorsemom]

Taking time off and keeping my stuff is sounding better and better. I love my boy, quirks and all and he is here to stay. I was thinking ground driving, but have only done field walking for now so I don't find myself in the back seat holding on.

I think the shooting is the neighbors "new toy" and hoping they cannot afford to keep it up. Two of the rifles on their youtube video are over 20K each. Our cop friend says "there is always one house in each neighborhood that doesn't fit in". He is right. They were into 4 wheelers awhile back. Kept trespassing and making a mess over here. We told them many times we do not want them on here 4 wheeling. We have a couple of farm 4 wheelers we use to take drinks out to the men in the field and such. We got the kids a 10 year old 4 wheeler to play with.... Somebody stole it not long after we got it. Kids never got to ride it. Only folks that knew we had it were these shooting neighbors that saw it once. hmmmm. Dont want to accuse but sure do suspect they stole our 4 wheeler just to be mean since we wouldn't let them ride over on our farm. They have parties and were zooming all over our fields and meadow in the dark and up and down the road and buzzing our farm driveway. These are ADULTS. The worst guy has daughters in highschool. They speed down our farm road with their trucks too and rev them in front of our driveway. We are a bit scared to make too big a stink, the one guy has been known to do some retaliation type stuff like nails in driveways etc. The weird thing is that the neighbors came a few weeks ago and apologized and said the noise would be stopping and the one older guy who is father of the 22 year old kid shooting said he would eliminate the problem. Then he goes to the beach every weekend and the shooting starts about 30 minutes after he goes.

Maybe nature will take care of them for us... folks that like to live dangerously and stupidly sometimes are self eliminating. I keep quiet, too much to lose over here and afraid they would hurt my dogs or horses. Tough being scared of your neighbor. We have 200 acres here, plenty of land to drive my horse on...

Enough rant about the stupid neighbor. sorry wasn't sure whether to back porch this, but it was about not feeling safe to drive my boy too, so I put it here.

Thanks for the kind encourging words folks. I love my driving boy but he is a quirky little stinker that only a mommy can love. I love my harness and it took me so much time to save up the bucks to get nice stuff, but sometimes I feel guilty looking at my cart sitting out there covered in my shed and I move my harness bag around in my bedroom quite a bit too. sigh.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Can't take my boy elsewhere to drive... Don't have a trailer. It will work out... I already feel better just typing it out and reading it myself. funny how that works sometimes.

Hoping they will get bored with it. On the road speeding, we did get the township supervisor to order us some speed bumps. hope they come soon, baby steps..

The queer thing about their target shooting is that they set the target up in their yard and our farm property is the back drop. I keep thinking... what if they miss?? These are machine guns.. shooting at a 3 foot target. We farm the property directly behind their target. Now that should be illegal, shouldn't it? sheesh

 

[Shes My Style]

We have a neighbor sort of like yours - only theirs was fireworks once they were made legal here. Hated that day! They would shoot them off in the middle of the day and it would coincide with me about to toss a leg over my green-broke horse's back! Happened too many times to be coinicidence and who lights off firewords during the day?

I will never let them know it - but I thank them now, because guess who's horses are now very desensitized to loud random noises? It used to send the herd running and now they barely glance up at the noise. Neighbors seem to have gotten bored with their antics as well and we never hear fireworks during the day hours anymore. It took a year but there is peace again.

I would hold onto your equipment. They will either get bored with it or your horse will learn to deal with it and life will be good again. And you may just be in a low point and get the itch to drive again in a few months or year. Now if it goes on a couple years and you still have no desire to drive I would then consider selling it.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

As to the neighbors shooting, I'll bet the can't afford to keep that up for long. With the scarcity and price of ammunition now, they will have to slacken off, even if they do their own reloading.

Any way you could casually stop by to chat some evening when out with a walk with your horse? Perhaps if they meet him and see what you are trying to do, they will be more considerate. Perhaps not...

As for having a stinker, that is a different problem. Continuing to ground drive to keep his mind busy and remind him of his manners is a good idea. Some horses need constant work. My driving gelding is 16 this year. He has never stopped being a stinker, but we have been together so long we find ways to work with each other.

Your equipment sounds wonderful! I hope you will be able to work through this so you and your horse can enjoy driving.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I agree with being a little intimidated by them- I would be!

Had you considered putting one of those nail things across the gateway- you would have to whip out and take it away before they had time to see what it was and play innocent but tyres do not come cheap- you could tell them how many flats you have had on that drive, and smile a lot!!

But, seriously, you have nothing like our health and safety who will step in if the noise is above so many decibels??

Don't sell anything, store it well and wait, you will NEVER be able to afford it again and it eats nothing!

Just read the rest of what you put- go and talk quietly to them and tell them the kids are letting rip when they leave and it is scaring YOU- don't mention the horses- and offer to tape it to show them, see what they say. My neighbour did exactly what you have said and his mother dinged his ear for him BIG TIME when I told her what he was doing and that was just very loud music!

 

[shorthorsemom]

The truly amazing thing is that they youtubed what they are doing... except for the detonation of the gunpowder loaded in a barbie car, they didn't film that one. Video of shooting that tiny target with machine guns with our field in the background. The back of his target is 5 feet from the property line. We have talked to them and have known the father of the younger guy for many years. Never had a problem with him all these years. His daughter married a jerk and now his son and son in law are going nuts shooting like maniacs.

You are right, my horse boys will probably be bomb proof in sound by fall so I guess I should consider that a plus. My fainting goats have already stopped keeling over and are learning to deal with it. Given enough time and then start training from ground up for my driving boy might just work... either that,,,or save my stuff for future and just enjoy my boys and don't over think it all.

I love my little stinker so much, you ever had a dog or a horse that you loved to pieces faults and weird behavior and all? Thats my boy. My other boy in my avitar is easy for everyone to love. My driving boy is a different story though. Over the years I have earned his respect and he loves me back and what is amazing is that he even looks cuter now because he is so happy and the photos I took when he first came and now look like different horses if you look at the facial expressions. When he first came I was dodging teeth and now he gives kisses and begs for petting.

Maybe I can get my trainer to come and drive him some when I am ready to try again but for now I am not going to feel guilty for not driving.. I do think I convey my nerves a bit and set him off because my trainer can make him do things I cannot, so experience can be a factor in all this too.

Made me feel better reading the posting of somebody else who has only been out once so far this year.. I should go out and uncover my aerocrown with its burgandy wheels and drool over it again, covered its easy to be out of mind. If I look at it again, I know it will wipe the depressing thoughts out of my brain about selling it. lol. thats what I will do.

thanks guys. You are so sweet.

 

[MountainWoman]

I started ground driving last fall and then started again this spring and I'm having a blast. I'd like to progress to a cart but if I don't that's okay too because I'm getting lots of exercise trotting behind a horse. I understand about the gunshots. We have that happen all around us but luckily it's only during hunting season in the fall. Your situation sounds scary. If it were me, I'd keep your harness. You might change your mind and it will wait for you. Sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves and our horses is to reevaluate what we are doing, change direction and enjoy life all over again. Sounds as though you are making the right choice for you and your boy.

 

[candycar]

I hope you figure out what works out for you! My hopes and good thoughts are with you.

The thing that worries me the most is that the neighbors are shooting in your properties direction without a proper backdrop! Is there a hill or berm separating them from you?

If not and that happened to me I would have the law all over them! It's not a matter of possible retaliation or bad feelings, it's a matter of personal and public safety. What if you, a friend, or one of your critters happened to be in line with a stray bullet? You have the right to be safe on your own property no matter where you are! Scary!

As for giving up driving, Let me add my 2 cents worth.

I'm in about the same place as you. Green horse, Green driver, long layoff from driving.

I trained my Jelly Bean and myself without the help of a trainer,(except when Leia came to visit in 2009) We learned together. Were doing great, having a blast, growing. Then I kept injuring myself and haven't been able to work JB for the last 2 years. My harness, HYPERBIKE and will have sit in the garage waiting.

I have hope! You and I will want, and be able to drive again! I'm keeping my stuff! I'm now able to walk far and fast enough to ground drive again. We will get there!

 

[drivin*me*buggy]

Hey Adair!

We have matching Aerocrowns

Hang in there. I have only driven 2x so far this year and last year maybe a dozen since my husband had a tough health year. I wasn't able to devote as much time to driving, so instead we started playing with some Connected Groundwork stuff and Masterson Method massage. Wish and I are going to have a great driving summer, I can feel it. There is nothing wrong with taking some time off though. Maybe play some horse agility with your boy!

All the best,

Angie

 

[shorthorsemom]

Thats a great idea Angie, thanks for the kind words to aleviate my guilt. I never thought of horse agility or doing games, we do walks around the farm and my boys love that and I don't worry about the gun shots when my guys are in hand.. I just need to translate my ablility to handle him when leading to handling rough situations when driving and thats where my confidence level is a factor.

I love my aerocrown. It is the ultimate cart for me.

Even though the shooting guys are jerks, maybe we could ask them to let us know when they will be starting shooting. Its the first Kaboom now that gives us warning they are starting.

The automatic weapons make such a different sound. Folks hunt around here and that doesn't startle anything, but the rat tat tat of the machine guns and the detonation of the explosives makes me nuts. Some folks need to get a life.

Ok.. I won't feel guilty for taking time off. I am getting used to retired life and working full time on the farm now with my husband and my horses see me more than ever now. How I ever had time to work off the farm, I will never know. We put in a 18-19 hour day. Love it. Finally get to be home more and the neighbor switches from 4 wheeler tresspassing, to shooting.

I can't wait til the speed bumps come. take care angie and thanks for writing... ps. I got a new puppy named Molly and two fainting goats. I am such a weak willed person. Some folks take meds when stressed, I seem to collect critters. haha.

At least they are pointing toward a section of our farm that we do not have any animals on. We do plow and plant that ground but it is luckily across the street from where I have my horses and they would never point and shoot toward the road.

They are selling targets that capture bullets but the targets are so small.

oh well.

 

[dutchhollow]

I am pretty sure it would be illegal for them to be shooting towards someone else property unless they have built some kind of berm, I would again check your local law enforcement on that. Also, don't know what kind of explosives you are hearing, but special licenses are needed for a lot of that stuff.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Going to investigate the shooting toward our property. We have evidence with the youtube video they posted and not just my word they are doing it. The things they blow up you can buy at cabelas. You mix two chemicals together in a jar and it is safe but it will blow up if you shoot through it. They are expensive too, I can't believe these folks can spend so much money on bullets and things to shoot at and explode. Rich spoiled folks I guess. My hunting friends tell me that it costs at least 40cents a round to reload yourself. One of the days these dudes were shooting we counted about 3000 rounds. Now who has that kind of money. sheesh.

Luckily a cop friend of ours lives close enough to hear everything, but so far they have not broken any laws but he does go over there and parks his car in front of their place sometimes and that stops it. However, the shooting toward our property is something new and i want to look into that. I walked over when they were not home and got a birds eye view of where our property rises enough to provide a block and it is a whole field and a half before something that misses the target would hit ground. It would hit behind an old barn we have on our property that is falling down but we do have hay and corn ground we work that are in their shooting path.

I would post the link of them shooting video for emphasis but I don't want to advertise their stupid product for them.

 

[drivin*me*buggy]

Your pup sounds like a blast

I love my Aerocrown. I don't regret spending the money on it for a minute. My filly Dazzle needs to stop growing taller so it will fit her too.

You are lucky to be able to be home now. Give it all time and I bet we hear more of your driving adventures in the future. There is a neat new book I am reading called Rein in your Brain that talks about working on improving your mental and emotional control to build confidence riding and driving. I love that it addresses driving too. It is available on Kindle for $7.99

So between ground driving and longlining, horse agility and groundwork you will find the path that is right for you.

Angie

 

[SampleMM]

I have this same situation going on but the first time they shot into those explosive things I called the cops. The police took it very seriously and came right out to their house. Since this episode, they have not done that but they continue to shoot their guns, drive their cars 90 miles an hour in their field, fly around on their dirt bikes and ATVs. It's enough to make me think about selling everything and move into a condo.

 

[shorthorsemom]

The cops have visited these folks many times. It was quiet this past weekend though so I figure the father guy who told us the shooting was ended was probably home from the beach. When they shot all day memorial day when we were having a family picnic I drove down and pulled in their drive way and honked the horn. They jumped up and down and waved at me and whooped and laughed. Then they shot more.

Waiting to call our cop friend this week sometime. One of the Jerks just speeded past my house a few minutes ago... must be late for work.

Sample MM, sounds like your guys and my guys are related. sheesh.

 

[Georgia]

I know how you feel. we live in a wooded area and people behind we shoot a lot, mostly on the weekend. It drives our dogs nuts. Where we have our horses the Air Force base flys fighters over with sonic booms. After a while the horses got use to them and they don't mind them now. We can always tell the new horses as they jump when one goes off.