Billy is in fat jail also. It is so hard. Tough love, for sure!
Glad the brakes work! That's probably the most important part.About an hour ground driving Peanut since I last posted and several 20 minute sessions ground driving with Oatie the welsh pony, He is 26 and hasn't ground driven since he was about 14. Steering is gone and tires are flat but the brakes work .
I loved reading this! What an awesome time you had with all 3.Phillippe 30 minutes driving!
Falcor (doesn't count) 30 minutes as well!
Jose (especially doesn't count) 15 minutes introduction
FINALLY all the extra hours at the work assignment are finished. I actually got to get out driving yesterday!
The first one out of the paddock to drive was Phillippe, of course! He's out of donkey jail but in with the one-eyed pony, Willy, who is also quite obese. They're doing well, thankfully and Phillippe has dropped a bit of weight. It was so nice to toodle around with him.
Then I pulled out Falcor for a ground drive with the tire. It's been a challenge to figure out how to help the Hackney pony to understand the expectation of whoa, halt without a groom holding on to him. I found, almost accidentally, that he will stand as though he's with a groom if he's being touched behind the blinders, on the shoulder. So I parked him in between some round bales out in the hay field and stood by his girth and touched him until he felt relaxed and stood calmly, then we walked off. I tried it next at his hind quarter. He'd turn and look at me, but seemed quite content to stand knowing that I was close by. Next I stood farther back and rubbed his hind quarter with the handle of my whip instead of my hand. This was also acceptable. Finally, we finished with no touching at all, just talking to him. I've never had him work out so relaxed! I'm absolutely THRILLED with the change. Monday his cart is to arrive so we'll be putting it to practice next week.
I have this gigantic standardbred gelding, Jose Jalapeno. He's 14, I've had him since he was 2. He's broke to ride, does tricks, absolutely anything I've ever asked of him, but I'm fairly sure he's never driven. The track barn he came from said they couldn't get him to pace, so no racing. I've never seen him pace either. He's all black, except for his band. If you told me he was half Friesian, I'd believe you, just no feathering on his legs. Anyways, biggest heart, love him to bits but I just don't want to ride anymore really. So I thought, I wonder if Jose will drive. He's a STANDARDBRED!!! Yeah, pretty likely he'll drive as long as he understands what I'm asking for. So I put him in a surcingle, a breast collar and long lines last night and he had absolutely no idea what to do! At over 16 hh, he could be intimidating to someone who doesn't have the relationship with him that I do, but I knew he was not going to come into my space. It took him a while of very hard concentration to sort out what I wanted, but eventually he did figure out that he can walk up in front of me and I can guide him with reins to steer. It was short but left on a very positive note and I'm hopeful that I'll be able to do more with my favorite horse again.
Now, bring on the weekend!
I absolutely love standardbreds, I grew up around them and owned one. Best dispositions ever.Phillippe 30 minutes driving!
Falcor (doesn't count) 30 minutes as well!
Jose (especially doesn't count) 15 minutes introduction
FINALLY all the extra hours at the work assignment are finished. I actually got to get out driving yesterday!
The first one out of the paddock to drive was Phillippe, of course! He's out of donkey jail but in with the one-eyed pony, Willy, who is also quite obese. They're doing well, thankfully and Phillippe has dropped a bit of weight. It was so nice to toodle around with him.
Then I pulled out Falcor for a ground drive with the tire. It's been a challenge to figure out how to help the Hackney pony to understand the expectation of whoa, halt without a groom holding on to him. I found, almost accidentally, that he will stand as though he's with a groom if he's being touched behind the blinders, on the shoulder. So I parked him in between some round bales out in the hay field and stood by his girth and touched him until he felt relaxed and stood calmly, then we walked off. I tried it next at his hind quarter. He'd turn and look at me, but seemed quite content to stand knowing that I was close by. Next I stood farther back and rubbed his hind quarter with the handle of my whip instead of my hand. This was also acceptable. Finally, we finished with no touching at all, just talking to him. I've never had him work out so relaxed! I'm absolutely THRILLED with the change. Monday his cart is to arrive so we'll be putting it to practice next week.
I have this gigantic standardbred gelding, Jose Jalapeno. He's 14, I've had him since he was 2. He's broke to ride, does tricks, absolutely anything I've ever asked of him, but I'm fairly sure he's never driven. The track barn he came from said they couldn't get him to pace, so no racing. I've never seen him pace either. He's all black, except for his band. If you told me he was half Friesian, I'd believe you, just no feathering on his legs. Anyways, biggest heart, love him to bits but I just don't want to ride anymore really. So I thought, I wonder if Jose will drive. He's a STANDARDBRED!!! Yeah, pretty likely he'll drive as long as he understands what I'm asking for. So I put him in a surcingle, a breast collar and long lines last night and he had absolutely no idea what to do! At over 16 hh, he could be intimidating to someone who doesn't have the relationship with him that I do, but I knew he was not going to come into my space. It took him a while of very hard concentration to sort out what I wanted, but eventually he did figure out that he can walk up in front of me and I can guide him with reins to steer. It was short but left on a very positive note and I'm hopeful that I'll be able to do more with my favorite horse again.
Now, bring on the weekend!
Yes, A lot of fun and merrimentPhillippe and I got out for 30 minutes last night. Just before dark. Cutting it CLOSE!!! We pulled back up to the tie rail just as the sun went past the horizon. He thought it was quite silly of me to want to go out for a drive with such little light. His jingle bells were so merry though. We're expecting snow today! I'm so excited!
Saturday we're taking Jasmine to the Long-Term Care facility for her Christmas visit and then Sunday we're bringing her and Phillippe home to the little hamlet we live in (only 10 minutes away from the farm) and deck them out with their carts and play some Christmas music and drive around for some general merriment. There are 2 churches in the hamelt, and it'll be Sunday. We don't attend either, but I thought it would be respectful to phone both and make sure there weren't any events planned for the afternoon that we would interrupt with our tour. Both were very kind and welcoming. The catholic church has a hotdog fellowship following mass - we're invited to join! And the Lutheran church across the street is finished service at 11:30 and would love us to stop by. Sounds like a lot of fun to me!
Enter your email address to join: