Your Drive Day

[Cayuse]

I took Cappy out for a spin on Thursday and he was really pretty good. He wanted to ask for a trot, but was mannerly about it. No trotting yet, as I am still working on a solid, immediate whoa with no "creeping forward". He is getting it, but I have to work on uneven ground so the cart does not stop smooth and he gets a little surge from behind which makes him think he is supposed to step forward. I might be that the breeching could be slightly tighter.

I won't be able to drive for awhile. I had a cardiac stress test on Friday and failed. So I am on pretty much what amounts to as "house arrest" until I see the cardiologist on Tuesday. Probably looking at stents being placed. This came out of the blue :-(

So everyone need to drive all weekend and post about it so I have someting to look forward to. I always enjoy this thread. And Marsha need to take a "rear veiw shot" of Rowdy so we can see her view from the driver's seat!

 

[Cayuse]

I took Cappy out for a spin on Thursday and he was really pretty good. He wanted to ask for a trot, but was mannerly about it. No trotting yet, as I am still working on a solid, immediate whoa with no "creeping forward". He is getting it, but I have to work on uneven ground so the cart does not stop smooth and he gets a little surge from behind which makes him think he is supposed to step forward. I might be that the breeching could be slightly tighter.

I won't be able to drive for awhile. I had a cardiac stress test on Friday and failed. So I am on pretty much what amounts to as "house arrest" until I see the cardiologist on Tuesday. Probably looking at stents being placed. This came out of the blue :-(

So everyone need to drive all weekend and post about it so I have someting to look forward to. I always enjoy this thread. And Marsha needs to take a "rear veiw shot" of Rowdy so I can see her view from the driver's seat!

 

[jeanniecogan]

Cayuse, will say a prayer for your speedy recovery tomorrow. get well

 

[Cayuse]

Thank you Jeannie!!!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Remembered my camera today. Very hard to take a picture while driving. And the mosquitoes were out after all the rain, which I didn't prepare for.

This is Rowdy in the sulky. I was going to hitch the regular cart today, but didn't allow enough time this evening. The sulky is so quick to hitch and go.

We did cones first.

 

[MajorClementine]

Cayuse, here's to getting you better and off house arrest

Clem and I went driving this morning. It was perfect fall weather. Crisp but not cold, sunny clear blue skies, and not a breath of wind. She was soooo good today. Very willing to walk for me unless I asked for a trot. I think that long ground driving session we did helped a lot. I didn't allow her to trot at all because I didn't want to be running all over town behind her. Today she started out smooth and quiet. I was blown away because she usually takes a while to settle in.

We did go down one scary road with huge track hoe working on a home foundation and Clem was not loving it. There was also a chop saw and nail guns going on another house under construction. I got out of the sulky and let her stand and take it all in for a bit. Then she took a poop (making herself lighter and able to run faster should she need I'm sure) and decided it was "go" time. She lost her nerve right before we got to the track hoe and we did the whole process again (minus the pooping). This time she made it past. Once she was past she stood very nice for me to climb aboard and we were off again.

I have sworn I'm going to do cones with her so we headed to a local church parking lot and did parking stalls instead. The lot was just repainted so there is a nice big long double row of freshly painted parking stalls that work perfectly for practice. We wove in and out of every other stall, every third stall, trotted half way down then crossed through the middle with a full circle continuing in the same direction, etc.

On the way home I asked her for a canter for a short sandy distance and she did just what I asked coming down when I asked. All in all it was a good (even though a bit short) drive.

I love my sulky and these reins! I keep considering a hyperbike but this sulky is so similar and the $$ keeps getting me...



I use Endomondo to track time, distance, and speed (average speed and max speed) You can see where we went back and forth in the parking lot too

Perfect day to drive!

 

[Cayuse]

I just opened this thread and it made me happy to see the new pictures !!! I had the stent done today and I

I feel pretty tipsy from the drugs so seeing minis makes me happy. I miss mine, hopefully I will get to see them tommorrow.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I just opened this thread and it made me happy to see the new pictures !!! I had the stent done today and I

I feel pretty tipsy from the drugs so seeing minis makes me happy. I miss mine, hopefully I will get to see them tommorrow.

Hope it works well for you and you are out and about soon.

 

[jeanniecogan]

good for you, you will feel sooo much better

 

[Strangeaddiction]

So excited! We have finally moved into our house, I have been busy unpacking but today I am going to the barn to drive! FINALLY!!!!

Also, one of my clients from when I gave riding lessons is coming to try out driving miniatures, I have been trying to convert her to mini's for some time so I hope she likes it!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

So excited! We have finally moved into our house, I have been busy unpacking but today I am going to the barn to drive! FINALLY!!!!

Also, one of my clients from when I gave riding lessons is coming to try out driving miniatures, I have been trying to convert her to mini's for some time so I hope she likes it!

What's not to like? If she's interested enough to come and try, she's probably interested enough to buy!

Happy homecoming!

 

[Strangeaddiction]

I know right!? The biggest issue I can see for her would be the drive, it is quite the commute for her where she lives and the barn But she would be able to lease a multi-world champion mini, who wouldn't want that right?!

I drove Hercules last night for the first time in over a week and he was AMAZING!! He has to be the best behaved 3 yr old ever, I swear! He does look a little....homely..though. So hes getting a bath and clip this weekend for sure!!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I know right!? The biggest issue I can see for her would be the drive, it is quite the commute for her where she lives and the barn But she would be able to lease a multi-world champion mini, who wouldn't want that right?!

I drove Hercules last night for the first time in over a week and he was AMAZING!! He has to be the best behaved 3 yr old ever, I swear! He does look a little....homely..though. So hes getting a bath and clip this weekend for sure!!

My sister's miniature stallion, that she lost this summer, was like that. A little homely but a fantastic horse. He was never used as a stallion because he was homely and imperfect teeth, but she was tempted a few times because of his fantastic personality and beautiful color. He was a zebra dun.

 

[Strangeaddiction]

Oh hes gorgeous all clipped and clean (hes my avatar picture), but poor thing has been neglectied as far as getting my time lately with the move (his roundish figure proves hes been lounging around quite a bit!). Back to work for him though! He loves having a job and is honestly much happier. I have been thinking of gelding him, the only reason I haven't is he really hasn't given me a reason to. He's always a gentleman, fine around the ladies and is never a handful, but it's much less of a hassle to have a gelding, just not sure what to do at this point...

 

[MajorClementine]

Hooray for getting to drive again! Moving is such a huge pain in the butt. However, I find that I get rid of stuff when I move so that's a plus

My new shorter traces arrived just in time for a cold front and rain/snow to set in. However, as soon as this clears off (crossing my fingers and hoping it warms up again for a bit) I'll be hitching up and officially trying out my comfy fit "deep V" breast collar. I'm also thinking of converting my EE cart to an axel draft vehicle... Anyone done this?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I took DD out today for the first time in a month or so. I've been concentrating on Rowdy. Also sent the backstrap of the sulky harness to have a regular buckle put on it instead of that difficult conway buckle. Now I can move the sulky harness between the two horses easily. So, we had a good 2 mile drive today. He was raring to go, but I had to do some walking as he is not in prime condition any more. Luckily the harness does not lay on the rattlesnake area.

 

[MajorClementine]

Today was a beautiful sunny day and my 6yo son says "Mom, let's go drive the mini." Well, who needs any more encouragement than that??

It took us a bit to get harnessed and hitched since my new traces came and I had to get the new Deep V collar, neck strap, and traces all adjusted then adjusted again when hitching to the cart. My son asked why it was taking so long

After we got hitched we were off. I made her walk again today which she didn't love. When we got to the parking lot (school this time since the church parking lot is busy today) I asked her for a trot and we did cones. Real cones. They had some set up in the parking lot for parent's dropping off/picking up school kids. We also did parking stalls and around the concrete islands in the lot. She did amazing! She was doing so well, in fact, that I handed my son the lines (he has driven her before but always with me in the cart helping with the lines) and stepped out of the cart to snap a quick picture. She was standing so well for him that he asked if he could ask her to walk. He drove her all by himself!!! I was so proud of both of them. He drove her between the cones, up one side of the lot, turned her tight all the way around, brought her back to me, and stopped her. She did trot on him a couple of times but he asked her for a walk and pulled back on the lines until she did what he asked.

I got back in the cart and told him to head for home. So with a huge proud grin on his face he drove her to one block from home. His hands got tired and she was giving him grief trying to trot back to the barn. I have never just got to ride like that. It was so much fun to be a passenger behind Clementine rather than the driver. I'm excited for this boy of mine to begin to be able to drive on his own. I'm hoping in 2 years he'll be able to show her in some open shows.

 

[Strangeaddiction]

That is so awesome! Yet another reason I love these little guys, kids can enjoy them too and you can tell they have heart's of gold! Hercule's mom is owned by an 8 yr old girl at the same barn. She shows her in everything and man that little mare will do anything for that little girl! Its adorable, and definitely where Hercules get's his amazing brain!

I have been mulling over gelding him for some time now. I want him to be an all around horse and really don't want to sell him or breed him. He really has no reason to be a gelding, but is a sensible and quiet stallion too....most people don't realize he's a stallion most of the time. But logistics wise (turnout, trailering etc.) I am thinking maybe it would just be easier to geld him? Vet is coming out to check teeth etc on Thursday and he said he would have time if I wanted him to do it then so I guess I have a few days to mull it over.

 

[MajorClementine]

I had Major gelded but that was because I had no need whatsoever for a stallion and wanted to be able to house him with Clementine. Some day's I wish I hadn't because I've met several of his babies but most of the time I'm glad I did because he and Clementine are best buddies.

Hercules is another situation all together. I guess what I'm getting at is there will be a point that you may be sad that you gelded him. You just need to figure out if, when that time comes, the pros to having him gelded will outweigh that feeling of regret. You can always collect from him before gelding too.... just a thought.... Either way he is a handsome man and with what you've said about his mind and behavior I wouldn't mind having a Hercules myself.

 

[Strangeaddiction]

I may regret it in the future, as his dad has very few babies and he is the only baby from his mother, but on the other hand, there are a lot of amazing stallions out there... My husband, of course wants to keep him a stallion not just for obvious reasons but for the possibility of him being worth more as one and/or breeding possibilities.