Your Drive Day

[Cayuse]

MajorClem, did you and Mr. MajorClem have a nice weekend? Sounds like you both might be firefighter/EMT's? My hubby is one. Volunteer. Keeps him very busy.

Happy belated Anniversary!

 

[Silver City Heritage Farmstead]

Hey all!! *wave, wave*

I haven't posted much, but have been enjoying lurking, reading updates and vicariously participating in the activities. I've let lupus defeat me the last few weeks...I suddenly realized that the less I do, the less I can do.?

Anyway, I logged on to bring something to Northwolf's attention. What caught my eye in the team picture (love it by the way!) was both horse's noses tipped out. Being who I am, self immediately asked "why, what's wrong with the hitch?"

The answer, I believe, is in the way the lines are hooked up. The two shorter check lines should be on the INSIDE, crossing from (for example) long left-hand outside line to the other horse's inside left-hand bit.

In other words, and perhaps more easily understood, swap your lines. The buckles for your check lines should be on the inside of the lines--between your two horses.

They are a good looking team, and seem happy working together! My hope is that one day soon, I'll be walking home and another 32" gelding will "follow me home" so Spanky will have a teammate! ??

 

[Cayuse]

SCHF I am sorry to hear about your lupus. I have psoriatic arthritis and some days it is hard to keep going. I hope that you have some better days soon.

 

[Northwolf]

Hi SCHF *wave back*

Thanks a lot for your advice. But there isn't anything wrong with the hitch. The lines are correct in that way (these are Achenbach lines and I learned how to drive with this type of hitch with certified trainers and use them for years - I'm not new to driving teams ). It is the momental snapshot that confuses you - the horses just turned their heads slightly outwards. I can upload some more pictures to show you that is all correct with the hitch When I take the lines up, both heads are straight.

There is another thing that might seems to be confusing. I drive with a special harness (customized Swiss traditional working harness). The back part of the harness does not contain a saddle like a normal harness. So you don't have two rings who leads the line but only one on neck strap.

 

[MajorClementine]

MajorClem, did you and Mr. MajorClem have a nice weekend? Sounds like you both might be firefighter/EMT's? My hubby is one. Volunteer. Keeps him very busy.

Happy belated Anniversary!

Thank you! We did have a nice weekend. Hubby is Firefighter (volunteer also), EMT, LEO, and Search and Rescue (and I'm single most of the time because of it. I am just the supportive wife who likes to get in on any of the training when I can. The guys are pretty used to me tagging along.

The chubby butt minis are looking much better now that I've got them off the pasture and on grass hay rations. I've been neglecting my driving again due to riding... Balance. I need more balance in my life.

Sundays are my best days to drive so I'm hoping to get out this Sunday morning. Maybe hubby will hitch the foxtrotter and join me.

 

[Northwolf]

h sorry, I now understand what you meant with your post ;-) the short check lines ARE at the inside and the longer outside, on the picture it doesn't seems like because there are "leather saving straps" at the buckles.

 

[Northwolf]

SCHF: Here is the detail view of the reins. It's quite very confusing to see that kind of lines on a small image

 

[Cayuse]

Thank you! We did have a nice weekend. Hubby is Firefighter (volunteer also), EMT, LEO, and Search and Rescue (and I'm single most of the time because of it. I am just the supportive wife who likes to get in on any of the training when I can. The guys are pretty used to me tagging along.

The chubby butt minis are looking much better now that I've got them off the pasture and on grass hay rations. I've been neglecting my driving again due to riding... Balance. I need more balance in my life.

Sundays are my best days to drive so I'm hoping to get out this Sunday morning. Maybe hubby will hitch the foxtrotter and join me.

I know that "single" feeling all too well! We live two houses away from the fire dept. so hubby ALWAYS makes the calls.

 

[MajorClementine]

My half cheek french link for Clementine arrived on Friday so I'm looking forward to trying it. My eggbutt french link for my riding horse arrived last weekend and I got to try it out midweek. I feel like I have a lot more directional control with it and I love that the eggbutt keeps it from pulling through his mouth. Hopefully I will notice the same benefits with Clementine.

Clem has developed a fairly hard mouth (my fault I'm sure) while in the SJ snaffle. Any tips on how to correct this? Also, she loves to veer to one side. I can't figure out how to pick up her inside shoulder to get her to move back toward the rail without turning her into it...does that make sense??

 

[Marsha Cassada]

My half cheek french link for Clementine arrived on Friday so I'm looking forward to trying it. My eggbutt french link for my riding horse arrived last weekend and I got to try it out midweek. I feel like I have a lot more directional control with it and I love that the eggbutt keeps it from pulling through his mouth. Hopefully I will notice the same benefits with Clementine.

Clem has developed a fairly hard mouth (my fault I'm sure) while in the SJ snaffle. Any tips on how to correct this? Also, she loves to veer to one side. I can't figure out how to pick up her inside shoulder to get her to move back toward the rail without turning her into it...does that make sense??

My half cheek french link for Clementine arrived on Friday so I'm looking forward to trying it. My eggbutt french link for my riding horse arrived last weekend and I got to try it out midweek. I feel like I have a lot more directional control with it and I love that the eggbutt keeps it from pulling through his mouth. Hopefully I will notice the same benefits with Clementine.

Clem has developed a fairly hard mouth (my fault I'm sure) while in the SJ snaffle. Any tips on how to correct this? Also, she loves to veer to one side. I can't figure out how to pick up her inside shoulder to get her to move back toward the rail without turning her into it...does that make sense??

For the veering, try some backing exercises, cueing her shoulder to back straight. Back at least 10-15 feet.

Chiro visits have helped mine. Usually they are "out" somewhere.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Dapper Dan and I had a good drive today. Little breezy, which made it nice for bugs and lessen the humidity. He was a little powerhouse today.

 

[Cayuse]

He looks sleek and happy. I thought you had a red bow in his mane but when I enlarged the picture it appears to be a chicken?!? A Rhode Island Red maybe?

I don't think I seen your sulky close up before. What kind of tugs does it have? Are they like what the large race horse sulkies use?

I drove Peanut this morning before it got hot and ground drove Cappy. Did not work on anything in particular, just enjoyed the ride (and walk).

 

[Marsha Cassada]

He looks sleek and happy. I thought you had a red bow in his mane but when I enlarged the picture it appears to be a chicken?!? A Rhode Island Red maybe?

I don't think I seen your sulky close up before. What kind of tugs does it have? Are they like what the large race horse sulkies use?

I drove Peanut this morning before it got hot and ground drove Cappy. Did not work on anything in particular, just enjoyed the ride (and walk).

It's a red bow. His mane is thick and unruly so I braided part of it and just tied red fabric in it because he is so cute I can't help myself. The sulky was indeed used for racing in Florida. The hitch is a quick-hitch, used by trotters. I love this setup for exercise runs. The shackles are bolted to the saddle and the sulky shafts attach to them. The sulky is a Jerald, but I doubt anything like it has been made in 30 years. I love it.

I think Dapper Dan is doing all right without Rowdy. Yesterday he helped pick blackberries and supervised my husband working on the pergola.

Sometimes it is nice to not work on anything; just enjoy a drive and good horse company.

 

[Cayuse]

If you could hear me laughing! So it IS a bow. I should never second guess myself. I guess I need to upgrade the glasses.

Someone in town here has a large horse sulky that they are getting rid of. It is also an older one. The shafts are very graceful looking and have a nice, slight curve at the ends. My hubby wouldn't let me inquire about it as we have absolutely no use for it, which I suppose is wise. I hope someone takes it and restores it.

When I was a kid our neighbors had standardbreds and I remember squeezing onto one of those seats with my friend and going for a ride once in awhile. That was ages ago and I don't remember much about the equipment. Except for the hopples, I remember that. They had mostly pacers.

Anyway, I like your sulky. And DD's bow, too.

 

[jeanniecogan]

when i got Daisy, her mane was a bush. my friend told me about coconut oil. it is very expensive and i could tell it was working but not fast enough. i was browsing through "Dollar Tree" and found a cream with coconut oil in it. i got home and gobbed it on her mane and tail. the next day it looked better, but the second day it looked like a silky beautiful mane. give it a try.

 

[MajorClementine]

Dapper Dan and I had a good drive today. Little breezy, which made it nice for bugs and lessen the humidity. He was a little powerhouse today.

How does DD like that hook up vs a shaft loop hitch that is lower down? Does he go the same in both or better in one than the other?

If you could hear me laughing! So it IS a bow. I should never second guess myself. I guess I need to upgrade the glasses.

Someone in town here has a large horse sulky that they are getting rid of. It is also an older one. The shafts are very graceful looking and have a nice, slight curve at the ends. My hubby wouldn't let me inquire about it as we have absolutely no use for it, which I suppose is wise. I hope someone takes it and restores it.

When I was a kid our neighbors had standardbreds and I remember squeezing onto one of those seats with my friend and going for a ride once in awhile. That was ages ago and I don't remember much about the equipment. Except for the hopples, I remember that. They had mostly pacers.

Anyway, I like your sulky. And DD's bow, too.

I so wish I could find a large horse sulky around here. I think my foxtrotter would be a blast in one of those. Of course, I'd need the saddle to go with it since the shafts hook to it directly. My hubby seems to think I have less need for "useless" vehicles than I think I do

when i got Daisy, her mane was a bush. my friend told me about coconut oil. it is very expensive and i could tell it was working but not fast enough. i was browsing through "Dollar Tree" and found a cream with coconut oil in it. i got home and gobbed it on her mane and tail. the next day it looked better, but the second day it looked like a silky beautiful mane. give it a try.

I gave up on Major's bushy mane. He grows a HUGE long mane but it's sooooo thick that it looks like a giant shrub hanging down to his shoulders. To brush it you have to part it down the middle and brush the underside first then bring the topside back over and brush it. I got sick of it and he seemed really hot and itchy so I hogged it right off. Now I keep it in a nicely arched 2" tall mowhawk and I love it on him. Very "war horse" if you will. I probably should have tried something like the coconut oil but I'm so very much not a patient person.....

I've been very lazy with my minis. You'd think the person keeping track of the driving hours would drive more. Nope. Big slacker here

My new comfy fit harness is sitting in Nauvoo, Illinois waiting for me to pick it up from my parents when we go out to visit them next month. Why I didn't have it shipped here instead of having them pick it up is really a mystery. I just thought, no need to ship when they are 20 min away from the shop. Um...duh... maybe so I could USE it! Sometimes I wonder about myself....

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Dapper Dan's mane is a problem. He has a cowlick. Half way down it goes one way and then it goes the other way. Over the last 15 years I have tried the hot towel, neck sweats, braiding, undercutting, curling iron, mousse...Nothing works. I was told the mane could be trained to lay all on one side. NOT. Now I just shave it down to where the mane divides and when I need it to be extra tidy, I put a braid at the beginning to keep it under control. When I first brought him home my bil called him Ivan the Terrible. Can't remember if I tried coconut oil or not.

 

[Cayuse]

You know MajorClem, I thought of you when I came across the sulky. I should've taken it but I bet the cost of trying to ship something like that from here to Utah would be prohibitive.

I have not driven since Sunday. I am trying to get ready for a couple of shows this weekend and we went to one last weekend. Not enough hours in the day to do both. And we had a heatwave.

How do you guys hitch your minis alone? I was thinking of putting in a heavier post near my fence as a hitching post. Can I harness him up, put his halter on over his bridle and tie him while I bring the cart up and hitch? I could hang a hay bag to keep him occupied. Does this sound reasonable? Cappy will stand just fine but I am not ready to drive him alone he is still too green, but Peanut who I can drive by myself won't stand still to hitch. He needs a header or his face in a hay bag. Unhitching is fine, lol. No worries there.

I know he is spoiled, but he is less spoiled than before, it is coming together in small steps.

 

[MajorClementine]

Yeah, shipping all the way across the country would have been insane for sure. It's hard to find many horse drawn vehicles out here though...

So for Clem this is what I do to hitch alone. Not everyone will agree with it but it has worked well for us. I tie her to the hitching post and put her harness on. I leave her halter and lead on tied to the post while I bring the cart up and attach it to her. At this point I drop her halter off her nose and put it around her neck only while I put her bridle on. Once her bridle and reins are on I stand behind the cart, back her a couple of steps, turn her and walk her out of the barn before getting into the cart. I know that it is said that you should never tie a hitched horse, however, this is how we have always done it since I drive alone most of the time. I am there with her the whole time. The harness bag is there and the cart is there already so I don't have to walk away from her to get anything. I have also seen grooming collars used instead of a halter but I figure why bother when putting the halter around their neck works just as well?

 

[Cayuse]

I think I'm going to give it a try, he stands tied with his halter on OK and is sensible. Thanks for explaining how you do it. I can do a test run when my husband is home. He may just stand with quiet with hay in front of him. Then I could keep one hand on him while the other fiddles with the traces and stuff. With a header he flaps all around and tries to engage the person into playing with him.