Your Drive Day

[Willow Flats]

Rocko used to do this. I give the voice command walk and tap him on the butt with the whip if that doesn't get it, but I also have a no fail way of making him go forward and that is to crack the whip on the ground outside the cart and that gets his attention and moving forward without hurting him. Of course I wouldn't do that in a tight space in a parking lot.
Practice the stand at home where it's safe. If he backs up make him go forward to the same spot where you asked him to stand and start over. Build on the stand by doing it for a short time. 30 seconds then a minute and so on. Praise him and keep your sessions short.
You can also practice the stand without the cart. Walk a ways and ask for the stand and praise. I say stand and also use STAND STILL! if they start to move when I am training.

Schooling a horse can be boring for us but it really pays off!
Looks like you are having a lot of fun with him!

 

[Willow Flats]

Teaching Rocko how to pivot. He took a couple of steps, but he's getting it!

https://youtube.com/shorts/zlvACmsYtYY?feature=share

 

[Kelly]

I’m the opposite of course if a horse starts backing up, then I say… oh you want to back? ok, let’s back! And I keep backing and backing and backing until they don’t want to back anymore, then of course I keep backing! …it was his idea, not mine But I see the dilemma in a parking lot


I pretty much work on whatever my horse wants to do you wanna trot when I ask for a walk? Ok, let’s trot! And we keep trotting and trotting and trotting.…oh now you want to walk? Too bad, keep trotting! …. I know he can’t wait till I ask for a walk and I’m SURE he WILL walk the next time I ask!

 

[Silver City Heritage Farmstead]

Kelly, I do that too. With some. I really don't have one way to train. What works for one might not with another I do my very best to listen to my horse and use whatever method works best for each individual.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I drove Midnight in the sulky today. Have not had her in the sulky in a long time, as I felt she was more steady in the cart. We went a longer route today around the mountain, which was new to her, and we were alone. Lots of scary boulders, fallen trees, and tall grasses swishing. She did pretty well, though I did have to get out once to get her going back the correct way when she wanted to turn back. The ornery horses I had in the past were too challenging for me to do this, but Midnight thought about doing a little rearing but did not get out of control. Once I got her turned around the correct way and ground drove a little, she got her head back together and we were fine. Later on, she did cry a little, but over all did well by herself. When she recognized the home stretch, she was ready to trot big time. She was over 10 mph. I made her go easy, as this was a longer trek for her today and she is still hairy. But when we got home she was not even sweaty or breathing hard. A good roll, and she was her happy self, with Dapper Dan giving her nips.

 

[MaryFlora]

Beautiful photo! You must have been very proud of her for ignoring all of the trolls and monsters lying in wait!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Beautiful photo! You must have been very proud of her for ignoring all of the trolls and monsters lying in wait!

She is a good girl. I am always a little nervous taking her out by herself because of my harrowing experiences with earlier horses. I have not recovered my confidence yet. Maybe I never will, but hopefully Midnight will help me.

 

[minihorse]

I drove Midnight in the sulky today. Have not had her in the sulky in a long time, as I felt she was more steady in the cart. We went a longer route today around the mountain, which was new to her, and we were alone. Lots of scary boulders, fallen trees, and tall grasses swishing. She did pretty well, though I did have to get out once to get her going back the correct way when she wanted to turn back. The ornery horses I had in the past were too challenging for me to do this, but Midnight thought about doing a little rearing but did not get out of control. Once I got her turned around the correct way and ground drove a little, she got her head back together and we were fine. Later on, she did cry a little, but over all did well by herself. When she recognized the home stretch, she was ready to trot big time.

Adorable. How far did you two travel? Nice photo.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Adorable. How far did you two travel? Nice photo.

We went 4.1 miles. Some paved, some dirt, some gravel. Not many wild flowers this year as it's been dry, but usually it is a gorgeous wild flower route.

 

[minihorse]

We went 4.1 miles. Some paved, some dirt, some gravel. Not many wild flowers this year as it's been dry, but usually it is a gorgeous wild flower route.

That's amazing. Thanks for the reply. How often do you have it?

 

[Kelly]

WOW!!! What has gotten into Stormy lately?

Remember how I was always saying that Stormy was the slowest horse on the planet and he didn’t really care about pleasing me? Well, I am here to tell you times are changing. We have been working really hard these past few months and I am seeing amazing results! While driving, Stormy can not only keep a trot, he canters beautifully for as long as I wish and he now completes a mile in about 20 minutes! FANTASTIC! Stormy is only about 31 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds.



So what have we changed? I thought you’d never ask!

For starters I have finally found a feed program that really works for him and one that he likes. He has always been a picky eater so finding something that keeps his attention on food is huge. We have been doing tons of ground work, he has a fresh clip job, a new bit, and I have a new whip. I think his old bit might have been holding him back some. When I would drive him in it he seemed confused on what I was asking OR maybe he was too sensitive for that bit OR maybe he didn’t like it OR maybe he was just being a brat. I’m really not sure what it was but he LOVES his new one. He is much more respectful now than he has ever been. I think one of the biggest things too is age. He just had his birthday, so another year behind him and boy has he matured nicely in the last several months. He has always been the most blonde/immature horse I have known, but WOW! I think he has finally realized that he is stuck with me so he tries hard to please me. Finally he is actually trying to please me, woohoo! He is building up muscle by carting me around in my heavy Aerocrown and doing a lot of work in thick grass. The Aerocrown weighs 90 pounds and is so much easier these days for him to pull it.



Look at him now, he is coming along beautifully! This pic was taken today right after our wonderful drive.

 

[HersheyMint]

That is so good to hear. Woohoo Stormy! He is looking handsome as ever ❤

 

[Willow Flats]

Today I did a short drive with Rocko because I went to the ranch where my friend works to see a new pony she has in training. A big welsh pony so twice Annie's size and the owner was there and let me drive her!

I have only ever driven minis and this was a very strong forward pony which was super fun. But since she is still green it took a lot of contact to get the downward transition! Kinda hope I get a chance to drive her again. Very fun to drive something bigger.

And the other reason I went is I wanted to see a pequea cart in person. Although I couldn't compare size wise because it was a pony size Pequea built for this horse, not the mini size. Still thought my Kingston with the C springs is easier on my back after driving in it.

 

[Kelly]

Wow Willow! So you made the right decision in getting your Kingston cart, good call!!

Oh man, I bet you had a blast! I have no desire to drive large ponies. I just envision them spooking and the cart flipping over and me flying through the air I’m a big ole chicken!!

 

[Willow Flats]

Wow Willow! So you made the right decision in getting your Kingston cart, good call!!

Oh man, I bet you had a blast! I have no desire to drive large ponies. I just envision them spooking and the cart flipping over and me flying through the air I’m a big ole chicken!!

I liked the look of that cart but yes, I made the right call! I think because the horse and cart were bigger it felt solid and less likely to tip. I have volunteered at quite a few CDEs and it's the minis I've seen tip, but the full size horses do hit posts and things in the obstacles. Last weekend a 2 big pony tandem driver had one horse get squirrelly and ended up kind of along side the other horse and got it's leg over a shaft. It got a little dicey but she calmly called out for some headers. They unhitched, calmed the horse down and re-hitched and she went on and they did beautifully. I was really impressed with how she handled it. I probably would have wanted to quit and gone straight back to my trailer! Lol

 

[Cayuse]

Had a nice drive with Cappy yesterday. I hitched him myself because my husband got busy and I got impatient. It took awhile because of my hands, but he had hay in front of him so he didn't care. Do you guys who hitch by yourself tie your horses? It's a goofy question, I know, but I was taught to not hitch alone and to always have a header, but that's just . . .not doable for most people. If I harness, and tie him with a neck rope in front of some hay and then hitch, would that work? I have a friend who hitches one hand holding the lines and the other doing everything else, but that isn't going to work for me, I'm too clumsy because of the arthritis.

 

[Kelly]

I never have help and ALWAYS hitch alone. I tie them to the fence, harness and hitch them up. Then I usually go open a gate so we can go outside. I leave their halter on and then put their bridle on top over their halter. Then I untie them from fence, get in cart and make them back up before going forward. Anytime I get out of the cart I always make them back up before going forward again.

 

[Willow Flats]

I always tie when I am at home. They are so used to it they just fall asleep and I have to wake them up to get started! I use a grooming collar on Rocko and just leave it on so easy to clip to when we are done.

 

[MaryFlora]

I also work alone and tie DD to a post in her halter then take care of the harness. After that, the driving bridle goes on and we head out. I make sure the door and gate are open first.

When taking lessons, I was taught bridle always on last when harnessing up and always off first when untacking.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I also work alone and tie DD to a post in her halter then take care of the harness. After that, the driving bridle goes on and we head out. I make sure the door and gate are open first.

When taking lessons, I was taught bridle always on last when harnessing up and always off first when untacking.

I was taught the opposite: the bridle goes on first. An engine without a steering wheel or brake is not good. Bridle first on, last off.
I work alone also. I have to keep one foot or hand on a rein when harnessing Dapper Dan. I harness Midnight in the open without being tied. I also do not let her eat the grass while standing. She does amazingly. She seems to enjoy watching the whole procedure--especially when I have to adjust buckles. Away from home she is not so good; I don't trust her and keep one hand on a rein as she gets easily overwhelmed in strange situations and can lose her mind.