Your Drive Day

[Willow Flats]

Marsha,
I would love to see a sofa cushion on the back of a mini! Lol

Feeling inspired! Thanks.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Marsha,
I would love to see a sofa cushion on the back of a mini! Lol

Feeling inspired! Thanks.

Have to pick that stuff up before the County comes along with their shredders--they just run over everything! Can you imagine the mess a shredded cushion would make??

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Nice drive with Midnight today. We went early while the weather was nice. She did very well. My toes didn't curl when we passed cows, but some scary piles of weeds from the road grader caused a reaction. We spent time chatting with two neighbors and she stands so nicely.

 

[Willow Flats]

Nice drive with Midnight today. We went early while the weather was nice. She did very well. My toes didn't curl when we passed cows, but some scary piles of weeds from the road grader caused a reaction. We spent time chatting with two neighbors and she stands so nicely.

That's great Marsha! The stand is so important and really takes a lot of patience to teach. You two are doing really well.

 

[diamond c]

My daughter drove my team of mini dunks for the first time hitched To the wagon today. They did great considering tumbleweed is new at this.we walked around for an hour and a half.

 

[Willow Flats]

We are covered in ash again, it's hot and the air is filled with smoke and the wind is gusting! Hoping for some improvement in the air quality tomorrow. The horses can go out but are choosing to stay in it's so miserable!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

We are covered in ash again, it's hot and the air is filled with smoke and the wind is gusting! Hoping for some improvement in the air quality tomorrow. The horses can go out but are choosing to stay in it's so miserable!

Oh my goodness. That's terrible. We are the opposite here, for a change. Wind chill of 31 and rain. Wouldn't you know I clipped Dapper Dan last week? I put his blanket on him this morning. Very weird September for us.

 

[Willow Flats]

I was debating on fitting in another clip too.
We would love some rain to put all these fires out!
Now there are several in Oregon too.
My friend took this photo this morning. When the sun comes up and the smoke is mixed with fog it is orange and same when it goes down at night. Feels like the twilight zone.

 

[Cayuse]

Are you able to evacuate if you have to?

 

[Willow Flats]

Yes, we are able to evacuate if we needed to. Fortunately we are not close to a fire ourselves, it's just that there are so many large uncontained fires that with the weather patterns we get smoke and ash. Lots of ashes! I was outside yesterday and my friend sent me a text and as I was answering her it looked like it was lightly snowing on my phone screen.
I could see my neighbor outside using her leaf blower to blow away the ashes. She looked just like Pig Pen from the Peanuts series with a big cloud of ashes swirling around her. I wanted to yell over there to suggest maybe using a hose instead of sending all that back into the air.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

My son, a certified arborist, said this would happen in California. There is a beetle killing trees and all those dying trees are fire danger. Poor management of forests. It is a difficult situation, managing those areas with so many homes, tourists and towns now. And corporations and government agencies react instead of acting. Heartbreaking and terrifying.

We had a lot of fire danger several years ago by us during a drought, and we still get nervous when we smell smoke anywhere. I had my horses loaded in the trailer one day when there was fire across the road in open land.

 

[Cayuse]

My husband said the same thing about the forest management and how it increased the risk (he's a fireman).
I'm glad you are safe WIllow, I was worried.

 

[charlottein]

Oh gosh, I really hope you get some rain. We had terrible fires here in Colorado this year, but luckily the snow last week finally got them under control. We had orange skies as well and ash on our cars all the way in Denver. We only got to drive once this week today, as work was really busy and with the snow and rain. Chaos did great, but our weanling is still upset every time she is left alone, understandably. My trainer suggested having the filly come along some time, but I am not yet confident enough for that. Have any of you taken young ones along, and any suggestions?

 

[MindySchroder]

I used to pony Zorro off the back of the cart when I drove his mama. I waited until he was a little older as he was a tough one to halter train. He hated the feeling of the halter on his face so I had to take it nice and easy with him. But ponying him wasn't ever a problem! Then I ponied his mama off the back of his cart last year. She is older and has arthritis and a clubbed front foot and has made it known that she doesn't like to go with us anymore so I don't make her now.

I brought home a weanling baby a few weeks ago and last night he thought about coming with us on our drive. He made it down to our neighbors about 20 acres away, when he saw an open gate into a field and headed off to explore. So I turned Zorro around and we took the baby home. LOL! But I do think I'll bring him along with us in the mountains and just let him run free behind and around us. I'm going to have a little velcro neck collar made for him with his name and my phone number on it just in case, but I don't think he'll stray very far. He is pretty attached to both myself and Zorro....

For most cases I would just pony him behind us but he isn't very good at keeping up and I don't want to be pulling on his head at his young tender age. He can keep up at his own pace if I don't have a halter and lead rope on him. We will practice this in our 15 acre pasture where I have a mowed driving track. There isn't any green grass out there so I think Oliver will be more interested in following us than in eating.

 

[Willow Flats]

Oh gosh, I really hope you get some rain. We had terrible fires here in Colorado this year, but luckily the snow last week finally got them under control. We had orange skies as well and ash on our cars all the way in Denver. We only got to drive once this week today, as work was really busy and with the snow and rain. Chaos did great, but our weanling is still upset every time she is left alone, understandably. My trainer suggested having the filly come along some time, but I am not yet confident enough for that. Have any of you taken young ones along, and any suggestions?

Thank you Charlottein. Wow snow already?!! We have such a long summer season here it is hard to imagine. Still in the 90's here. Normally we don't get any rain in September or even until the very end of October but you never know, it has been such a strange year.

 

[Willow Flats]

My son, a certified arborist, said this would happen in California. There is a beetle killing trees and all those dying trees are fire danger. Poor management of forests. It is a difficult situation, managing those areas with so many homes, tourists and towns now. And corporations and government agencies react instead of acting. Heartbreaking and terrifying.

We had a lot of fire danger several years ago by us during a drought, and we still get nervous when we smell smoke anywhere. I had my horses loaded in the trailer one day when there was fire across the road in open land.

Yep, they are more interested in getting solar on every rooftop and electric cars in every garage. The county also made sure we put fire sprinklers in our house, but they don't manage the forests and just blame everything on climate change.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

My sister came out with Jackie O to drive today. After 2 miles, Jackie was pretty tired and already sweaty. We had to walk alot and my sister even got out for a half mile or so. Jackie doesn't drive very often, and she is older. Plus the humidity was up. It did not hurt Midnight to walk most of the way, but she was feisty. I'm glad she is in such good condition and health. Semi gravel trucks passed us 3times, the County road patching machine, and several cars. Jackie is so good with traffic, so that really helped Midnight. They work well together.

 

[charlottein]

I used to pony Zorro off the back of the cart when I drove his mama.

Oh great! How old was Zorro? I don't want to push and tire her out. Echo is very well halter trained, she is a pro at walks with us luckily. So did you just tie to the back or hold the lead? The trainer suggested tying to the side to the hold back D ring so she could watch and learn. Want to make sure we are being safe for sure...

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Oh great! How old was Zorro? I don't want to push and tire her out. Echo is very well halter trained, she is a pro at walks with us luckily. So did you just tie to the back or hold the lead? The trainer suggested tying to the side to the hold back D ring so she could watch and learn. Want to make sure we are being safe for sure...

When I pony, I cross tie, a lead attached to each side of the seat, so she cannot get up beside the wheel. I've tried holding the lead and that doesn't work. Just go slow at first until she gets the hang of it. This is assuming that your mare is an experienced driving horse.
Added a photo of how I crosstie to the back of the cart.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

No driving for me for a while. I was doing some hand sewing today and my hand got stiff. I looked and there is a giant lump on the top of my hand. Popped up just like that. Went to dr and it is a giant hematoma. Will take at least 2 weeks to heal. Guess I was lucky it didn't happen in my brain...
And wouldn't you know the weather is cooling off. aaarrrgghh!