Fall Shots and Driving Day
I am very pleased with how Z did for her fall shots and tooth exam (she will need to be floated). She gave Chatham the eye and was moderately appeased by the apple wafer. She did a little side-stepping, but stood quite well and only took a minute to get the shot done and over with rather than the theatrics of this Spring. She still has a bit of a grudge against him, but I think we'll eventually work past it. Kash also needs his teeth done and when I set up the appointment I'll also take Chewy in to have her tear duct flushed.
Today started with Adora and Sierra. We started right off with ground driving and seeing what else the tiny mare knows. She is getting better about leg yielding off the left side, though we did have a moment where she got her tongue over the bit. I played with getting her to fan in both directions. She doesn't quite want to step over with her hip, at least not so much as with her shoulder, but that may change when she is between the shafts. Adora took the reins and we focused on keeping her distance and having Sierra move around her rather than her swinging around the mare. I think in the long run the pair of them are going to do fine and Adora is going to have a ball driving this mare around the neighborhood.
From there I went to driving training and We had Tenacity in the arena again working with the cones. We had some wonderful moments and got T about like butter in both directions. I misjudged how soft she was being on one turn and almost ended up in the fence as we overshot our turning point for the next cone, but instead of locking up I was able to just continue the circle and come around again for the turn.
I'm quite happy with how the last few lessons have gone and feel pretty good about my driving skills. I need to get Charm-N going again so I can take her to training and get her in a good place for Chris to start playing with driving her.
Lance came out and we got the arena mucked with a little excitement when Charm-N slipped through the gate after Lance and the wheelbarrow. I pushed the gate to and stepped off to get her when Ruby nudged the gate open and made a break for it with Kash on her heels. This time I latched the gate and had Lance stand in front of the alleyway along Sunny and Cinnamon's turnout to keep Ruby and Kash from wandering while I extracted Charm-N from a nice patch of grass.
Z was quite beside herself from the comotion and Kitt was wondering why she was the only one left in the arena. It took a minute or two for everyone to settle and I guarded the gate as Lance finished mucking. Charm-N tried another escape, but was thwarted. Goober.
Once the arena was picked clean I pulled out Charm-N's harness and Lance helped me get her groomed and tacked up and moved the tire so I could drag the arena. Charm-N walked off nicely the first time, but then got jiggy and short, which took some work to get through. We didn't get the whole thing done, but towarss the end she was more consistent in the walk and came around beautifully in both directions. I decided to end on a good note so we halted and called it a day.
I suspect that she will do better with the cart and the weight of the tire makes her buckle down and push harder into the collar than she would with a light cart behind. Of course her time off driving might just reset her to the "shut up and let me do my job" mode where she jogs off because that is what she thinks she is supposed to do rather than relaxing and waiting for the request. Maybe I'll see if Lance will help me with the cart next week...
Speaking of carts we need to get the shafts on the forecart and take it in to slap a new (used) pair of tires on it.
Today started with Adora and Sierra. We started right off with ground driving and seeing what else the tiny mare knows. She is getting better about leg yielding off the left side, though we did have a moment where she got her tongue over the bit. I played with getting her to fan in both directions. She doesn't quite want to step over with her hip, at least not so much as with her shoulder, but that may change when she is between the shafts. Adora took the reins and we focused on keeping her distance and having Sierra move around her rather than her swinging around the mare. I think in the long run the pair of them are going to do fine and Adora is going to have a ball driving this mare around the neighborhood.
From there I went to driving training and We had Tenacity in the arena again working with the cones. We had some wonderful moments and got T about like butter in both directions. I misjudged how soft she was being on one turn and almost ended up in the fence as we overshot our turning point for the next cone, but instead of locking up I was able to just continue the circle and come around again for the turn.
I'm quite happy with how the last few lessons have gone and feel pretty good about my driving skills. I need to get Charm-N going again so I can take her to training and get her in a good place for Chris to start playing with driving her.
Lance came out and we got the arena mucked with a little excitement when Charm-N slipped through the gate after Lance and the wheelbarrow. I pushed the gate to and stepped off to get her when Ruby nudged the gate open and made a break for it with Kash on her heels. This time I latched the gate and had Lance stand in front of the alleyway along Sunny and Cinnamon's turnout to keep Ruby and Kash from wandering while I extracted Charm-N from a nice patch of grass.
Z was quite beside herself from the comotion and Kitt was wondering why she was the only one left in the arena. It took a minute or two for everyone to settle and I guarded the gate as Lance finished mucking. Charm-N tried another escape, but was thwarted. Goober.
Once the arena was picked clean I pulled out Charm-N's harness and Lance helped me get her groomed and tacked up and moved the tire so I could drag the arena. Charm-N walked off nicely the first time, but then got jiggy and short, which took some work to get through. We didn't get the whole thing done, but towarss the end she was more consistent in the walk and came around beautifully in both directions. I decided to end on a good note so we halted and called it a day.
I suspect that she will do better with the cart and the weight of the tire makes her buckle down and push harder into the collar than she would with a light cart behind. Of course her time off driving might just reset her to the "shut up and let me do my job" mode where she jogs off because that is what she thinks she is supposed to do rather than relaxing and waiting for the request. Maybe I'll see if Lance will help me with the cart next week...
Speaking of carts we need to get the shafts on the forecart and take it in to slap a new (used) pair of tires on it.