Well I went out to the barn today and drove Lucas! There was a lesson going on so I brushed him for a bit and booted him up then tied him up until they were done. I turned him out in the indoor for a bit to get his silly's out. He ran good for about 10 min, well I say run but he trotted around a bunch until the snow slid off the roof.... Then he ran!!
So I took him back into the barn and tacked him up... I ended up tying a knot into my stirrup leathers to run the lines though the stirrups. I put him just in his sweet iron mouth D-ring. So away we went.
I haven't driven a horse since 2005! and Im sure its been longer than that since Lucas has been driven. We have worked over the past two weeks with de-sensitizing his sides and legs so I hoped that he wouldn't worry too much about the lines around his legs.
I ran the off side line over the saddle though the stirrup then snapped it to his bit, then did the same thing (but without putting it over the saddle) with the side closest to me. I gathered up my lines and asked him to step off (keeping the off side line over the saddle).
Should I mention at this time that my best friend broke her leg this time last year driving her 2 year old??
So he walked a circle, I was careful to keep myself about in the same position I would be if I was lunging him (I wont step fully behind him unless we are backing, or in the process of changing to the other side) I then stopped him and drooped the off side rope down over his bum and around his hocks. He was fine.
We walked and trotted a couple of circles both directions (walk a circle, trot 1/2, walk a couple of more, change direction and repeat) We weren't so good at changing directions, very similar to the problems that were having under saddle. Head is turning body doesn't follow! But that will come with time. He was confused with backing, but also improved with that as we did it several times.
He was a little spooky about the noises (but he always is in the indoor) but didnt mind the lines at all! So much of an improment from last year when I couldn't even throw a leadline over his back without a HUGE reaction! So were going to keep doing this for a couple of weeks, Lucas was very happy to be back in work again, and was really trying to figure out what I wanted!
3 comments:
Ground driving can be a lot of fun - Dawn and I have done quite a bit of it.
Wait a sec! Are you saying that Lucas can be hitched to a carriage? Is that what you mean by driving him?? Wow. If so, is it difficult to teach your horse to do this? I would love to do this.
Umm no he is not ready to be hooked yet!!!
The plan is to show him in pleasure driving at some point. (if an AQHA show ever offers it that I could get to!) His full siblings have and done well in it.(and his trot is the money gait!)
At this point were doing basic gound driving, walk, trot, turning and backing up. Lots of ropes hanging off of him and flapping around his body. We have a cart and a sled at the barn, but Im not sure if his brain will ever handle being out of the ring!
I drove Fjords for a summer and they did combined driving events. Lots of fun but Lucas would never survive!!
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