Your Drive Day

[Willow Flats]

Love the green! This is my first ribbon so it's a real treasure!

 

[MajorClementine]

I love the green

 

[Cayuse]

Love to see DD with his ribbon!
Happy everyone like the green so far and glad you got yours, Willow!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Here are Dapper Dan and Midnight wearing the beautiful green ribbon. The gold tassels are a perfect accent! Dapper Dan always enjoys posing for pictures and loves adulation. Midnight is suspicious of most things and thinks a ribbon hanging on her halter just might leap up and bite her. She doesn't understand yet about posing, but I'm sure she will begin to enjoy it someday.

 

[Cayuse]

Dapper Dan could be a professional model! Midnight does look a little unsure of her new adornment, but she should be proud of herself, she's come a long way! Thanks for posting pictures, I enjoyed seeing them!

 

[Pritanio]

This has been a GREAT week. After the past 2 months dealing with Missy's lack of patience when we're putting to, my coach came up with an amazing offer!
Rather than 1 lesson this week, we did THREE days in a row. Each day was broken into two parts. Put her to, drive for awhile, finish up and put her back. Go for coffee, come back, put her to again and do different driving.
By day three's 2nd session I pretty much did it all on my own! She was impatient just enough to give me the opportunity to practice a firm, but not mean, correction.
She was much more solid for my whoa/stand requests. Including the rather embarrassing moment when one of the traces popped off.
We had so many firsts this week but the two best were driving her down the road to a little park for the first time and driving cones for the first time!
I'm so proud of my little mare!

 

[Willow Flats]

She looks great!!! Before you know it you will be looking back saying "remember when?" as she is not moving a muscle when you are putting to.
You two are on your way to being a good team. So rewarding!

 

[Abby P]

Working on our power walk today. Explored some new trails. He's getting lighter in the halter all the time and is beginning to tamp down his own behaviors, I can see him thinking of doing something he knows he shouldn't, and stopping himself. Making progress!

 

[Pritanio]

That's great. Thinking is huge in my book.

 

[Abby P]

Have to leverage those pony smarts. I want him using his powers for good, not evil.

Your girl is beautiful, Pritanio, what color is she and how tall?

 

[Willow Flats]

I haven't gotten the aerocrown cart I ordered yet. I ordered it back in early December and sent my deposit and here it is March already. I haven't been able to get an answer regarding when it will be ready for shipping. They just say they are working on the schedule which I think means it is not even on the schedule to be made. Getting frustrated because I have one of the basic ee carts I use for Rocko and there is just no leg room. I have to spread my legs out and my knees are still up in the air. Very hard to feel stable at a canter on a turn when you can't really brace your legs. I thought maybe I would get a wedge for temporary, but they aren't cheap and I have the Kingston but it has the 53" shafts and is fitted for Annie.

What is a reasonable amount of time to wait for a cart? I was hoping to get it by April. I am almost considering canceling and looking for something else, but don't even know what I would get and if I could get another cart sooner.

 

[Dragon Hill]

Right now I wouldn't expect being able to get anything made to order without delays. Covid has put some serious kinks in manufacturing supply chains. It is unreal. Working in retail, you would not believe the amount of stuff we can't even order, or even when ordered, we're lucky to get 60% fulfillment.

It would be nice if they would at least tell you something, though. Most of our customers are understanding when their order didn't come in, but others act like they think we went out of our way to be sure they didn't get everything they ordered.

 

[Cayuse]

Willow, can you get a seat riser from Kingston? They are not too expensive, I put them on my carts and they made a huge difference You have to pull the seat off and bolt it on but it would be a quick fix til your new cart arrives.

 

[MajorClementine]

You'll just have to wait it out. Unless you can find a cart that is already in stock you are going to have to wait. Bummer. I waited for almost a year for a cart from someone BEFORE covid and finally canceled it because I just kept being told it was on the list.

That's a pretty big deal that they can't give you an update though.... especially if they have a deposit. They have your money so they should be willing to give you a time frame or let you know how many are ahead of you. I can understand if they are delayed but what I have a hard time understanding is these companies that are unwilling to communicate. That's what frustrated me when I canceled my cart. I just want to know that I'm in line and not forgotten about ya know?

Anyway.... good luck and keep us posted.

Oh there is a great FB group for VSE show carts and tack for sale. Lots of show carts there. Email or text me and I'll send you the link.

 

[Willow Flats]

I found a firm 3" foam wedge on Amazon for $14.00 which is the exact depth of my seat! I am going to try that first because I might sell this cart when I get the new one. If I keep the cart I'll get a seat riser.

As it stands right now my knees are higher than my hips so hoping I can correct that!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

My sister and I trailered to an area west of town so we could drive on dirt roads in an area new to us. The road follows a creek and we crossed 3 bridges. We went about 4 miles, I think. It was rather warm today and we mostly walked since our horses are so hairy. Nice breeze, though, which helped. At one of the bridges we saw a big bobcat that must have been hit by a car. My picture makes it look far away, but it was really just a few feet away. I didn't want to get out of the cart and walk closer as I wasn't sure what Midnight would do.
Midnight is younger and in better condition than my sister's horse, so we were careful to travel at her pace.
It was a good area to drive; just had one pickup pass us. Some nice inclines so they horses had to use the breeching. We will do that area again, but turn right instead of left at the first intersection, and do more exploring.

 

[Willow Flats]

Wow that was an adventure!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Took Midnight out today. Everything seemed fine, though I could tell she was a little anxious leaving Dapper Dan. We were okay until neighbor's poppin'johnny JD came up behind her, and another neighbor was working on brush with his tractor. Dogs barking. Polaris in the mix. She lost her head. My toes curled up big time. I got out of the sulky and went to her head. Lead her over to the JD (they were planting potatoes and he uses this old tractor with a two-row implement). She seemed determined to have a tantrum. Neighbor in the Polaris got out and we walked to the other neighbor, who turned off his tractor. Midnight had her head shoved into my side as we walked. We chatted with the neighbor for a while and she finally calmed down. They were petting and sweet talking her. I wasn't sure if I would have to unhook the sulky and ground drive home. She did calm down, so I decided to go ahead and do the 2 mile loop. Ground drove her for about 1/4 mile and she calmed down. So I got back in and drove the rest of the way. But she was wound up the whole time. I could not get her into a slow trot. It was walk or zoom. Not one of our better drives, though we got home unscathed.

 

[Willow Flats]

Sounds like poor midnight got overloaded with stimulus. Glad you were able to stay safe! She will remember you had her back.

 

[MajorClementine]

Those Johnny Poppers are loud! Clementine hates any kind of heavy equipment. And now she lives next to a gravel yard in the winter. I don't know if it will help or make her worse.

Sounds like you have good neighbors to take the time to stop and visit and sweet talk your horse. That's how it should be. I'm so glad she calmed down. You have made such huge progress with her.