Your Drive Day

[Marsha Cassada]

I've added way to many since this started but am still driving my original mare too. She's a handful but so fun to drive. I think if my first one had been push button I would be a much less confident driver. She tests me every time.

If I hadn't been younger when I got Dapper Dan I would never have had any more horses. I was too naive and inexperienced to be scared. He and I have been through a lot over 20 years and he is a special guy. But I'm older and wiser now, and I don't want to start any more Dapper Dans.

 

[Kelly]

Willow, your hubby did AWESOME! But poor guy got hit in the head with a noodle, thank goodness he had a helmet on!

 

[Kelly]

This post has been going on for several years now. How many still have the horse first posted in this topic?
I still have Dapper Dan, but I went through five or six others before getting Midnight.

This thread is older than me! LOL JK!

I still have 3 of my original 4, sold Shadow… my 3 geldings are here to stay!!… maybe an addition coming soon

 

[charlottein]

I have had my Chaos for almost 10 years now. He is my first and forever mini, my true heart horse. Willow - I love your training set up, so awesome! I would love to have a set up like that!

We had an amazing long drive today! We have been able to get out only occasionally the last couple months with the snow and ice and work, but today was gorgeous - and it is gonna snow tomorrow and Tuesday, so I wanted to take my time. We did lots of serpentines, and circles, and stopping. I think we are going to work on some lunging to work on voice commands a bit more. He is great with 'trot' 'gee' and 'haw' but hit or miss with 'whoa' or 'walk'. Whoa being the most important obviously we need to work on that.

This said, my back has been hurting me lately when I am driving, though my cart is very smooth and comfy. I am guessing my posture is off. Anyone have thoughts?

 

[Willow Flats]

I have had my Chaos for almost 10 years now. He is my first and forever mini, my true heart horse. Willow - I love your training set up, so awesome! I would love to have a set up like that!

We had an amazing long drive today! We have been able to get out only occasionally the last couple months with the snow and ice and work, but today was gorgeous - and it is gonna snow tomorrow and Tuesday, so I wanted to take my time. We did lots of serpentines, and circles, and stopping. I think we are going to work on some lunging to work on voice commands a bit more. He is great with 'trot' 'gee' and 'haw' but hit or miss with 'whoa' or 'walk'. Whoa being the most important obviously we need to work on that.

This said, my back has been hurting me lately when I am driving, though my cart is very smooth and comfy. I am guessing my posture is off. Anyone have thoughts?

Hi Charlottein-
Thank you for the nice comment. I have a real bad lower back. I was told to get a wedge for my seat that helps you to sit up straight and it really does help. I purchased a 3" one from either Driving Essentials or IVC. Can't remember which place. It strapped well to my other cart but when I switched carts I had to strap it on in a makeshift way to this cart but it works.

Back pain is no fun! I recently had some discouraging x-rays so now I am doing daily back exercises from the physical therapist.

 

[Kelly]

Stormy only knows Whoa! LOL LOL

 

[Abby P]

That's the most important one!

 

[MajorClementine]

Driving tomorrow but... Got my ID tags put on my harnesses and my ribbon hung up in the tack room. I love my ribbons! Thank you @Cayuse for doing these.

 

[Cayuse]

That looks so nice and neat! I remember the red/white/blue ribbons! I still have mine hanging up. I think they are my fav. What color for next year???

 

[MajorClementine]

That looks so nice and neat! I remember the red/white/blue ribbons! I still have mine hanging up. I think they are my fav. What color for next year???

Its so fun to see them all hung up together. Maybe something with red?

I can't believe was able to drive all 5 horses yesterday. We had a bit of an assembly line. My mom and older son entertained my toddler. Dad would pull out another horse and get them brushed out and ready to be harnessed while I was out driving. When I got back I just un-harnessed the one and harnessed I'll the next one and off I went. I felt totally spoiled but it was so much fun.

Clementine was her usual bratty but fun to drive self. Candace was slow but steady and easy to get along with. Perry is the best of both worlds. He loves to go but has a level head and mellow willing personality. Wally and Blue were a pain. It was mostly Wally and I think it was the bit and I need to run Wally on the left next time. All in all it was a good day.

 

[charlottein]

Wow that sounds like an adventure!

 

[Kelly]

Stormy did amazing today! Just love this little guy

 

[Willow Flats]

We have been having some nice drives over on my new neighbor's property. Nice to drive somewhere different.

 

[Cayuse]

I drove Cappy today. The first time since he had his sinus surgery in December. I noticed a difference in his ability to bend and give to the side that was an issue for him, he was always what I call "tough in the bridle" fussy no matter what bit and he'd pull or lug. Things seems improved and the improvement was also noticeable when I ground drove him this week. I hope the improvement continues and I feel badly that this was missed for so long. Long story short, if you have a horse that's fussy in the bridle despite being up to date on dental work, have their head x-ray'd, you might find a surprise.

 

[charlottein]

Beautiful drive today with Chaos and my daughter came along this time and drove too. We were practicing in the school parking lot - Whoa at cones and then the passenger hopping out and walking around and getting back in - in preparation for the Easter Egg Hunt drive, which has specific rules! It was very good practice, though Chaos is smart enough to try and predict what we want and started trying to head for the cones and halting automatically at them, even when it was not the cone we wanted! Silly boy probably thought we were crazy. Thank goodness for dry warm weather!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

It was cool and windy today but I decided that was the best weather for driving my hairy Dapper Dan. I brushed a bushel of hair off him first. I can barely get his boots on over those hairy feet. I didn't want to drive him on the warmer days. We did mostly walking, just looking around at the scenery. Nothing special. The landscape scene is property near us that is Indian land. That piece of equipment is an old horse-drawn combine. Not a very nice picture of Dapper Dan, but at least he stood for the picture, instead of taking off with the sulky. Midnight yelled and whimpered, but we left her behind.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Drove Midnight today. I decided to put her in a plain bridle and try it. She is very nosy, observant and likes to look at everything. Very windy! so there was lots of noise and movement along the road with weeds and trees. No traffic today, which was good, I'm sure. My toes did curl a couple of times when we were trotting and she had her ears going at every sight and sound around with the wind whistling. But she was a good girl and came down from the fast trot and canter when asked. Almost too warm with her winter hair, but she enjoyed a good roll afterward. Might be able to begin clipping this week.

 

[charlottein]

This dude was a stinker today with standing. He almost backed me into a parked car while we were in the parking lot. He hasn’t had this issue in a while but did not want to wait today. Not sure how best to fix it - poking in the butt doesn’t work and flicking the whip does for a step but then he just does it again when he is in this mood.

 

[Cayuse]

Peanut used to do the backing up thing. He seemed to get over it. I forget what I did, if anything, to fix it. I'm no help, lol .

 

[Marsha Cassada]

He is gorgeous.
I get out of the cart and stand behind it, using my body to keep mine from backing. At the same time cueing with the whip to go forward. Sometimes reining to change direction will distract him from the backing thing. Silly horses!