Winter Drive

[shelterwood]

Hey all,

Went for a lovely drive today, first with my 3 year old hitched, then with my 2 year old ground driving. Only had my cell phone, so the light and quality aren't great, but thought everybody would like to see some pictures. I know I love looking at everybody's horses!!

Sitka (Sissy) ground driving in a bitless bridle. I started them both in a bitless bridle to learn about pressure and bending, worked well for me in transitioning to a bit. Sissy is a sorrel and white pinto, two blue eyes that you obviously can't see in the picture. She's the little sister and a bit of a brat, but actually easier to train as she is clearly not alpha mare personality. She's been hitched a few times, pulled a bit of weight, but I'm still teaching her things, especially off property, that feel safer from the ground.



This is Sasha, my three year old silver dapple. It is like she was born to drive. This horse literally took to the cart like nothing I've ever seen. She loves being out and has a nice, forward walk that is so pleasant. I'm in my little sulky jog cart, which is so perfectly balanced that the shafts float nearly always. Slight shifts of my weight and the cart immediately balances, it's nice.



Anyway, I know the pictures aren't great, but I know I've been posting here for a while and really haven't posted any photos, so here's a start. Enjoy, and all comments and critiques (from what little you can see) are welcome.

Katie

 

[Shari]

Sounds like they are both doing well and also sounds like you had a wonderful day! Thanks for sharing the photos, as I always love to see mini's in harness.

 

[Sue_C.]

I wish my winter pictures were as "green" as yours.

Beautiful!!!

 

[shelterwood]

I wish my winter pictures were as "green" as yours.

Beautiful!!!

Sue,

We had 9" on the ground a few days ago. This is NOT normal here, I am near Lake Placid and we see our fair share of snow and cold. Taking advantage of every day the roads are clear and I have daylight to spare!

Katie

 

[RescueMini]

Looks like a lot of fun!

 

[izmepeggy]

That's what I need to do..Ground drive on the road..I would never had thought of it.

Thanks Katie.... Great pictures

 

[izmepeggy]

That's what I need to do..Ground drive on the road..I would never have thought of it

Thanks Katie.. Great pictures SORRY ABOUT THE DOUBLE POST..I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO REMOVE IT

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Snow! You have snow!

I'm so jealous. We've had drenching rains here all week and the only sunny day came while I was at work, of course.

The boys look like the business end of a mop at a mud-wrestling competition.

Thanks for sharing, hopefully dreaming will get me through until we have white stuff here as well.

Leia

 

[paintponylvr]

Awwww! Thanx for sharing your "phone pics". Personally they aren't bad at all!

I love "looking at pony butts" now (that I'm enjoying driving so much). Never used to understand the why and the how come so often, driving folks "liked" taking pics while behind their beasties. Now I do, and I sure appreciate it, LOL.

O - and on your "funny" colored pair - one of the parents must have been chestnut (which passed to the one mare) and the other or both (?) pinto. Even your chestnut/sorrel mare could carry the silver gene and it's just "hiding" in the red...LOL. I love color genetics and find silvers as well as Tobiano pinto markings fascinating! Where you are lucky (i have learned this now!!!) is that your two are "matched" in type, frame and movement. I have a "matched" pair of full sisters that are solid, light colored silver dapples - however - the one is slightly longer w/ a more level carriage and the other is shorter coupled, more upright w/ higher movement (turns out she's having some problems getting her strides to extend like I'd hoped) and is more round overall - pretty to look at, a type that I loved coming from the working type QH/PH background, and was a winning show pony when a youngster - however - on longer drives I'm also finding she gets muscle fatiqued faster and needs to rest more often. The "lower, longer" mare can power walk and trot and ends up pulling her sister who will alow her to unless I'm constantly working myself to keep them even... she wasn't considered a show pony type, but WOW, can she "get down the trail" with no stop to her as she is getting fitter and fitter. The more fit she gets, the longer her stride. It's AMAZING. I'm working with my other ponies and will be switching the partners on these two mares for trail driving as pairs - just to keep frustration levels down on everyone's sides, LOL.

 

[shelterwood]

Thanks Paula!

They are full sisters, but they were rescues so it wasn't exactly clear who was father (field breeding going on with several stallions, bad bad bad situation). I do know the mother was a silver dapple. They do have the same frame and carriage, but the younger mare has a shorter, choppier stride, and when I got her, nearly had clubbed feet in the front. Corrective trimming and slow work on hard surfaces (hand walking on the roads was encouraged to stretch soft tissue out) has erased this, and now she has better feet and angles than her sister!! I do think she is still adapting to this improvement in her ligaments and muscles, and her gaits are slowly improving.

I do want to drive them a a pair eventually, and I love that their tails have identical striping down them, even if they are no where near a match in color, which doesn't matter to me as the show ring is not my ultimate goal. Hopefully they work well as a team in terms of stride and wok ethic, although I sense my older mare may be pulling her little sister along a bit!

Katie