Rosemary Driving Training Part 3

As promised I was armed with the camera. Rosemary was in a very good mood and went straight to work. The trainer thinks she may have been in season last week.
Just to be on the safe side, we put Barry's fly bonnet on her. Peggy's barn has horrible gnats.
Training started with the PVC driving system to check her attitude. After going both directions the trainer decreed it time to connect her to the cart. Mom and Peggy went to get the cart and the additional harness pieces. I stayed to dog wrangle. I also watched in amazement as the trainer drove Rosemary around the arena with one hand as she talked on the phone.
When the cart arrived, Peggy pulled it around Rosemary and bumped into her to get her used to it. We have done this with her before last year while she was pregnant, so she really did not react. Finally she was connected.

Mom walked by her head, while the trainer ground drove her. She took a few moments to get used to the increased weight. ONE LAP and then next thing we knew the trainer was bouncing and jarring the cart. Rosemary could care less. The trainer then stepped into the cart joining her dog. Mom continued at her head, but Rosemary was figuring it out. At one point the trainer did come back to the ground to help Rosemary work through handling the turns going to the right, then she got back in going to the left.

The trainer then drove her solo. Rosemary behaved and listened. She did work hard because the cart wheels sank into the sand by and inch or so. She figured out that she needed to step under and bend for the turns. She ended after completing a figure eight.
So now Rosemary has to get used to the feel of the breeching, harness piece around her butt, and how it works to stop the cart when is going down hill or backing. This is when practice gets tricky for us, since the cart is kept at Peggy's and Rosemary is at our barn. Something to work out.
Mom just laughed when the trainer said Rosemary seems to like to work. Wanting to work is not a problem in our barn.
This pony is wonderful and I am so glad my Mom finally gets to learn to drive. She has always wanted too.
Next week the trainer wants to go to the next level: Trotting ;)

Rainy Day Surprise

Today as we drove to the barn, we did not expect to do much of anything. Rain and thunderstorms were in the forecast. As we got closer to the barn the sun was shining, sort of, through the clouds and Mom decided to work Rosemary in harness a little bit so she would get some practice before tomorrow.
Of course the horses were dirty, muddy messes from the previous rain storms. Mom set to work grooming, Ha ha, Rosemary. I started to bring out the training PVC system and her harness. During all this DaVinci was walking the aisle and eating hay out of the wheelbarrow. I told him he would need to go to his stall. He looked at the harness and decided that he would go to his stall.
As I followed to put up his stall guard, I got an idea.
I put Rosemary's harness on DaVinci, muddy and wet. Then I decided what the heck the lunge line was out, I would just long line him until mom was ready.
Mom saw what I had done and decided to put Rosemary's driving bridle on him too. That adds a whole other level since it has the blinkers. 23 yrs young and he was sporting a harness for the first time.

Is he not cute or what?

And we were off. I started by lunging him so he could get used to the blinkers. A couple times he tried to turn in so he could see me, but overall he was good.

Then I connected the "reins" to his halter, which was under the driving bridle, and had my sister act as the side walker holding the lead line. DaVinci has long lined a fair amount in the past, but the driving harness puts the lines at a higher setting, withers vs belly. This was a first for me too.
If you read my last post you will remember I mentioned the connection I have with DaVinci. Well this showed his trust in me. He listened and understood I was not going to let anything get him while he had on the blinkers.
We were not the straightest pair, but he did so good.

Swishy tail

Nice head shot  against the barn. Ears listening to me :)

 Then I gave the reins to Mom. She has been working Rosemary, so she put the reins to his bit. He had no problem and went to work stretching and chewing.



oops one more of my turn

He was a Super Star. And after he was a satisfied, happy pony snoozing in his stall while we worked Rosemary. Five years ago when he arrived at 2am from CA, I never would have thought he could wear blinkers and work as well as he did today.

Happy boy


Stay tuned for tomorrow. Rosemary may be hooked to the cart and I will be armed with the camera.

Whacked

Hmm, how time flies. It was a crazy, if short weekend. On Saturday, I had to get some weed whacking done. We have about 8 acres and a lot of fence line. Mom and I are both vertically challenged and traditional gas powered weed whackers are difficult for us to use. So my wonderful Dad got us a push weed whacker. It is great and does not need an oil/gas mix.
So, I plugged in my Ipod and went to work as I listened to an audible book by Patricia Cornwell. I also enjoyed a lovely show of movement from Roscoe and Rosemary. They love any excuse to run around. I love seeing how both are maturing.
After almost four hours of weed whacking, I got most of the fence lines done. I figured I deserved a ride. Although I really wanted to ride Rosemary, but I had to stay on DaVinci's good side so I rode him. I figured I would do a quick stroll with him, then ride the pony girl. DaVinci had other ideas.
He gave me a great ride. I rode bareback, which is how I ride him most of the time, and we did some leg yields, change to half passes. He loves to do lateral work and riding bareback I can feel is he is cheating at all. On our last half pass to the right and the change of bend once we reached the edge, he picked up canter in the smoothest transition ever. Like letting out a breathe. That is the magic of partnership and connection.
Well DaVinci drew me in for a longer ride and I did not get to ride Rosemary. I settled my guys and headed out to ride Comrade.
This Saturday is the Spring Fling VA Welsh show. Rosemary, Roscoe, Comrade and Addie (Peggy's Cob mare) will all be showing in hand. Comrade and I will be doing my first Ridden Welsh class at this show. This is a pattern and conformation class that is suppose to show the true Welsh movement. Stallions really show what this class is all about, but it is open to horses five and older.
I decided to practice for the class during my ride. Well Comrade decided that in the early dusk, the dogs were ghosts coming to eat him. So I started doing shoulder ins and haunches in or out to get his attention on me. Those movements are great to set up for canter transitions and boy did he give me great transitions. I looked on the plus side. If I can ride through this tension, I should be able to ride at the show. We shall see. I was able to end the ride on a longer rein completing the pattern.
The count down begins. I worked on Sunday in order to take off Friday. Four horses to bathe should be interesting. For this show Roscoe's breeder will be there to help handle the horses. During a long talk on Sunday she realized that we will need three handlers, since there is a chance all three will make it to the Cob Grand Champion class. It will be a very long day, but we will be in good company.
And the weather looks like it will be clear. After the last show that in itself will make the day better. If you are in Northern VA, come to the 4-H center in Front Royal on Saturday and Sunday and see the wonderful Welsh ponies and cobs.

Sweet Sixteen

Today is Winston's 16th Birthday.
Hard to believe he was nearly 10 when we bought him. Winston is one of the sweetest horses on earth. He enjoyed a banana and carrots with his meal today. Plus he got to go out and graze with a muzzle.

He has great soft eyes

Fancy boy with the trainer

Mom is his favorite.

Driving Training 2

All day it threatened to rain, but when the time came for mom to trailer Rosemary over to Peggy's there was still no rain.
I was running late because coming from work traffic was horrible. By time I got to Peggy's they were already working Rosemary in the arena and it was lightly raining. So no pictures or video this time.
The trainer had Rosemary hooked to the training device and going around doing figure 8's and circles. Mom was near by but basically no one needed to be at Rosemary's head. Rosemary really settled into her cruising walk. As the rain continued to fall, the Rotten Pony with an ATTITUDE made an appearance.
"Stand"
"What are you talking to me? I don't want too."
She really started throwing a fit and overreacting to the whoa command. At one point Peggy and I thought she would break one of the PVC poles along her side she had it bowed so much. This is when you can really appreciate having someone who knows what they are doing holding the reins. The trainer took it in stride and established what she wanted. Eventually Rosemary realized she was not winning that battle and started standing and waiting to be told to move on. Peggy and I were impressed watching the trainer started driving her with one hand. She made it look easy, but we know a lot was being said through that connection.
The lesson was not long due to the rain, but it was effective. The trainer wants to hook her to the cart next week, so that will be exciting. With Rosemary's attitude and intelligence we have to be meticulous with the steps  and watch her all along the way.
Homework the Rosemary: Work on patience while standing.
Mom and I worked her twice in the last week and Rosemary was really good. We were careful to keep the training within our comfort zone. We want to keep things going well and leave the challenging parts for the trainer.
I have to say watching Rosemary work in harness really makes me want to ride her. Now if the weather would cooperate, I could. Hopefully the weekend will be better.
Stay tuned for next weeks lesson :)

"Walk" through

Okay with any other horse what I got from my ride today would be really minor, but with Comrade is was a major break through.
Comrade has, since probably the day he was born, traveled with his head up. He has learned to soften and round, but to stretch is still a goal. I have gotten some stretch down at the trot and very few at the walk. All the tricks I have used with other horses don't work with him. Even Rosemary as green as she is stretches down.
So last night after a quick ride between rain showers, I figured out that Comrade really needed to get out of the arena. Today I started in the arena just walking. Then I asked him to collect his walk on the short ends and open on the long sides or diagonals. He responded exactly how I wanted and more. During the open walks he actually started to stretch down. He did this almost every time I asked him to open his walk. Plus his walk was really active during both parts.
At this point I rewarded him and took him out on trail. After all the rain we have had, we only did more walk work. Hills, turn on the forehands, turn on the haunches and collecting and opening the walk. All of this made him wait for my instructions. He has a tendency to think he knows what is happening and get ahead of me. If I am going to event him, he needs to work with me and listen to me so today was a valuable lesson.
And the icing on the cake... he rooted the reins.
My other horses would get a kick for rooting, but Comrade got a "Good boy." The offer to reach down, even done rudely, was welcome.
I bragged to his owner as I untacked. Then I laughed.
The only sweaty part on him was right by his ears. I guess listening to me really gave him an ear work out :)

Driving Training Rosemary Part 1

About a year ago Rosemary started learning the basics of driving while in foal with Roscoe. As a 3yr old who had not had much under saddle training, she was a bit hot between the lines. We were impressed with how she took to the training though. Eventually we had to take a break because of advanced pregnancy. She has had a little bit of training in the months after, but nothing new.
At Christmas, Peggy surprised us with the gift of formal training for Mom and Rosemary by a trainer she knows. We only had to wait for fox hunting season to end. So now, every Wednesday is training day. Mom will trailer Rosemary over to Peggy's house, since that is where the cart is kept.
I missed out of this session since I was at work, but the next ones will be later so I can watch too.
The trainer was thrilled with the dogs, Shadow, Kayla, Griffyn and her little one, running around barking providing a great desensitizing exercise. Plus the wood chipper started up adding another noise.
Rosemary has matured so much and Mom said all the riding experience showed today. The first time she was hooked to the PVC training system last year, she freaked. This time she went right to work. She had her moments, but she is a Cob and a mare so that is to be expected. I am so excited to see how she progresses.
More next week, especially since I will be there to see first hand.

Our "deal" of cart and harness for $500 (picture taken last year)