A Big Decision & Change

I've had to make a difficult decision, but I think it is for the best.

I decided Marley needs a stronger, more confident owner than me. He is now owned by a professional trainer with 30+ years experience training carriage horses, including 6-horse hitches. He's gone to the best home he could possibly have, but I cried buckets on the night his new owner picked him up.

I feel like I failed Marley, but he is in better hands now and will get the regular and consistent work he needs. He is a very strong and willful hunky chunky pony who needs to be worked often or he gets too full of himself, inviting past vices to rise to the surface. With my increasing work load at my job, I have less time this summer than I had last year to devote to two horses that need a lot of training and it was beginning to show in Marley's behavior, leading up to the bucking incident (even though it was triggered by fright and not obstinacy). That incident really shook my confidence in my ability to ride or drive Marley.

I miss Marley. I know Misty misses him too.

I worry about Misty being lonely during this transition phase, but she isn't acting nutty or afraid. She is turning to me for attention now and that could be beneficial for both of us. She nickers loudly as soon as she sees me and follows me around like a puppy dog.

I will be focusing more on Misty, working with a professional instructor to continue her training. She still needs a companion and I need a confidence builder. So I'm looking for another horse to become Misty's new barn buddy; the kind of horse I should have bought in the first place - a gentle, seasoned, consistent, bombproof trail horse with no vices.

Spring Thing: Curry Comb

Spring is the time to dust off the curry comb and flex those grooming muscles that have been idle all winter.

Circles, circles, circles.
Feel the burn.

Each springtime grooming session reveals a little more of the beautiful horse hidden underneath all that winter hair.

Marley is really giving it up here.

Happy spring and happy shedding to all our equine friends and their devoted groomers.

Spring Thing: Puddles of Opportunity

Spring is a good time to take advantage of all those yucky puddles that form after spring showers and melting snow. If you are looking forward to trail riding, puddles at home offer great training opportunities.

When I purchased Marley I was forewarned of his great aversion to water.

He hated getting his toes wet.
He hated baths.
He hated any water touching his body.

I was even told of an incident during a cup-of-water relay game, when Marley threw a tantrum when a small amount of water spilled out of his handicapped rider's cup onto his shoulder.

Marley has challenged his trainers in ground training sessions involving water. I watched as he refused to walk across a water puddle and opted to run up a hillside, pulling his trainer with him. This was a forested hillside, so the trainer took quick advantage and wrapped the lead rope around a tree and brought Marley to a surprising halt. Marley can put up a pretty strong argument when presented with a task he doesn't like. But we've been working on his water issue every chance we get.

When I came home from work yesterday, I was pleased to see that the melting snow from last Saturday's blizzard had created puddles of opportunity for Marley.

Marley's opportunity to walk through a puddle:

Ok, Mom, I can do this.

When working through puddles on the ground, I like to do more than simply lead Marley through the puddle. We started out that way, but now we work in a circle on a long lead rope and I "send" him through the puddle, without being close to his side in a typical leading position. When I'm riding Marley on the trail and we encounter a puddle, I won't be by his side to lead him through it. I'll be on his back and he may feel he is facing that horse-eating puddle all alone, unless I've reinforced his confidence on the ground by sending him through these preparatory puddles.

Marley's opportunity to stand calmly in a puddle:

Look Mom! I'm calm and sweet and willing.

And finally, Marley's opportunity to stand patiently while the puddle muck is washed away:

I'm a good boy. Can I have dinner now?

Driving Mr. Marley

I've not had any time to post because I have been so busy with Marley.

Let me catch up...

I had a couple of nice lessons at Driving Pro's ranch while Marley was there for training. The first one went very well as I drove around an open field with Driving Pro beside me in the cart.

The second lesson went well too, but there was a chilly wind and Marley was a little spooky. A horse trailer went by on the road and the horse inside stomped its hoof and Marley jumped forward. I pulled back and said "Whoa!" Driving Pro reminded me that Whoa means Whoa, and only Whoa, and to reserve that word for stopping & standing. When Marley got a little jumpy, he instructed me to pull back on the reins smoothly and say "Easy". I got to practice that at least 6 more times because it was a very blustery day and the wind was carrying many strange noises.

Prior to driving, while we were harnessing, Driving Pro advised me not to be so wordy when working around Marley. I tend to talk to my horses a lot and use their names often. Verbal commands are useful aids when driving, so Driving Pro told me not to use Marley's name so much when I'm harnessing. For example, I should just say a simple "Whoa" when I'm harnessing him and want him to stand still - not "Take it easy Marley, Whoa Marley, That's a good boy Marley, I'm right behind you Marley, yada, yada, yada." Driving Pro said using a driving horse's name usually gets their attention and is followed by a command to move. Like, "Marley walk" or "Marley trot."

Marley came home after our 2nd lesson. We went back the following week for lesson #3 which was a small group lesson with my friend & neighbor and her Haflingers. Driving Pro had disassembled his large round pen and used the panels to fence an area between several of his out buildings, giving us a very safe and confined area in which to drive.

We drove around and around and did figure 8s at the walk and trot between some orange cones. It was great fun and very enjoyable. Marley behaved perfectly, although he was a little lazy. Mr. OnceUpon teased me about "feeling the wind in my hair" as we plodded along at a snail's pace.

Lesson #4 was at home where Driving Pro showed Mr. OnceUpon how to harness and hitch. Driving Pro doesn't want me to hitch the cart by myself yet; he wants Mr. OnceUpon to help so we can bring the cart up to Marley together and each put a shaft in the shaft loops on either side of Marley. Driving Pro said the majority of accidents happen during hitching and unhitching, so he wants us to hitch together to be safe and efficient.

All harnessed and hitched, we began the driving lesson.

We started out by driving around the property and up & down the road a couple of times. Then we ventured onto a paved road where we encountered a few surprised motorists who slowed down and waved as they carefully passed by. Marley was great; traffic didn't bother him at all. Then we turned onto that road Misty mentioned in her last Monday Muse where all the horses live and Marley got excited and Driving Pro had to grab the reins. I stepped out of the cart at the end of that street and Driving Pro schooled Marley vigorously with figure 8s at the trot and then had him trot up and down the street past all those horses that I now call "the cheerleading squad". I was really spooked by the incident but he made me take the reins on the way back home. Along the road we met another neighbor on horseback who road along side of us for awhile and all was well. Whew, we arrived home in one piece. Driving Pro said any horse could get excited in a situation like that where a bunch of horses run up on both sides of the road. He said the way to handle it is to "drive through it" and steer and stay on the road. But my skills aren't quite there yet. I'm so glad Driving Pro was with me. He gave me a homework assignment to take Marley back to that street the next day (ride him or lead him in halter) and do ground work with him in the street near the cheerleading squad. I did that and my fickle pony showed no interest in his adoring fans.

Last Wednesday Mr. OnceUpon helped me hitch and I drove by myself, out in the open, for the first time.

My cart is a Haflinger sized forecart made by Pioneer Equipment Company. It's not a fancy cart, but a farm cart; we can hook a harrow to the back of it and do some real work. It is solid and stable and good for a beginner driver like myself and ideal for going off road and driving on the prairie.

I drove around our property and up & down our street. Then I asked Marley to trot up the street. He trotted nicely but abruptly stopped as we neared our driveway entrance. I urged him forward, but he tried to turn left into the driveway. We had a little discussion that involved right rein, a tap of the driving whip , left rein, right rein, another tap of the whip and "Marely trot!" I was a little clumsy at steering and using the driving whip as an aid. He finally started trotting forward, but stopped at the next driveway entrance. We had another awkward discussion, but moved forward again. I tried trotting him the length of the road a 2nd time, but had the same issue at the driveway entrances. Each time Marley was trying to turn back toward the barn. Uh oh. Red Flag. We do not want this behavior to take hold, as he has had some serious barn-sour issues in the past. I got him beyond the driveways and into a trot to the top of the street and decided to stop on that good note and we walked around the property some more before unhitching. I was concerned though and called Driving Pro right away and scheduled another lesson.

I was worried and a little scared (which grew into 'a lot scared' as I thought more about it the next couple of days). The combination of the bolting incident by the cheerleading squad and a little trouble on my own Wednesday wore heavily on my mind.

I'll share those thoughts and lesson #5 in my next post.

My good husband is preparing dinner now and I really should help him.