MiLo Minis
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I appreciate it.
I hope I haven't painted a bad picture of my Bailey.He really is such a good boy, a goof, but a good boy.
He is green and until he learns a bit more he is going to be a goofbut you do need to make sure that you correct him properly when he does attempt to be a goof. What you straighten out now won't get to be a habit or something he thinks he can get away with. The bucking strap is there for your protection as it doesn't allow him to get his butt up high enough in most cases to get his legs over the shafts. You still need to reprimand him for attempting to buck so that he learns that behaviour is unacceptable.
He is really playfull compared to Willow. She is my 'lady' and won't been seen doing anything to ruin her 'lady' reputation. It's hard to imagine that Bailey and Willow share the same sire. Bailey just loves to play, he's a boy and still young I guess.
Nothing wrong with playful as long as it is channeled in the right direction!
I can remove the saddle pad easily enough. It came with another harness that I have and I thought "oh that looks comfy, I'll put it on Bailey's harness". I'm not even sure how his saddle fits without the pad but I'll remove it tonight and give it a try. I'll get photos to show you guys then you can tell me if it's a well fitted saddle.
You need to check where the rein terrets and waterhook come through your saddle and be sure that there is plenty of padding over the backs of them so that Bailey won't feel pressure spots from them on his back. If you can't feel them through the padding then your saddle pad is unnecessary. If you can feel them you need to use a pad but perhaps the pad you are using is not the best type. If it won't stay under your saddle properly and you need the padding then you need to look at either a different type pad or figure out how you can keep the one you have in it's proper position where it will do some good rather than harm. A pad that slides around is in some cases worse than no pad at all!
How can I hook the kicking strap back further? There really isn't anywhere to secure it to.
You basically just need to lift it over so that it sits on top of your breeching in the same slot. Once it is buckled or tied round the shafts it should stay in that general area although where you have it isn't bad at all really.
I find that the cart is rather 'bouncy' at the trott. Is that normal? I distribute my weight so that the shafts are floating in the tugs but it is rather bouncy. Is there anyway to prevent this or is it just the cart and setup?
Now, with the issue of Bailey fussing with the girth. I suspect that it is because he really doesn't like his belly being messed with at all. I have a hard time brushing his belly, he HATES it. He stomps his foot, swishes his tail. He is not happy with me touching that area. I try really hard not to tighten the girth too quickly or too tightly to avoid freaking him out. other than that, I'm not sure why he fusses with the girth being secured.
Have you checked carefully for any sore spots under there? He may be getting rubbed or pinched and you can't see it through his hair? He may just have very sensitive skin (it is soft there) and needs to be toughened up a bit
I can't add any extra holes to the false martingale as there isn't option to do it - it is set on the tightest fitting already with no space for extra holes. It doesn't seem to effect the workings of it though. Just looks neater if it was tighter.
As long as the breast collar is not slapping on his chest when he moves you should be all right. If that is happening then you need to look at having the strap made shorter so that it can be adjusted properly.
What do you do with the extra length of strapping that flaps around from the girth and overgirth? I have to find someway of securing those pieces.
Cut them off or fit them into a keeper.
Do I have the v shaped collar sitting at the right height? I just want my boy to be comfortable. I really do love that collar and it looks so much nicer than the other one I had which always looked huge and sloppy on Bailey.
It looks fine in these photos but they aren't the best for seeing breast collar fit.
I'd love to work on getting Willow trained to cart too. I'm a little concerned with her though and she is a lot more flighty than Bailey. I'll get Bailey settled in harness 1st then turn my focus to ground work with her.
I need to work on turning with Bailey too. It's kind of hard out on the road to make turns, but not impossible. It just seems like its an effort for the little dude to turn. I'll get him into the back field where I can let him turn in larger circles - is that a good idea?
It IS an effort for a green horse to turn a cart. They all want to push their shoulder into the shaft and shove the cart around. We have to teach them to stay upright and drive the cart around. No tight circles or corners for a green horse. Turning on the width of a road is out at this point of his training. You should go back to an open field and do larger ovals and circles until you can teach him to remain upright, straight between the shafts and how to bend.
I really appreciate the feedback - just want to get this working right for both Bailey and I
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