[drivingpairs] Re: Another Idea Or Two
- From: Dynasorz@xxxxxxx
- To: drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 17 May 2006 11:33:48 EDT
In a message dated 5/17/06 9:58:37 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
goodhors@xxxxxxxxx writes:
<<Reading the buckback system posts with interest. I
have heard of it, never used one or saw it in action.
Tying the forward horse back doesn't sound like it
will be productive in settling him to match the pokey
one. Even switching the line back from bit to halter,
may not work.>>
It may not work. I'll know more once I try it and will get back with ya'll on
that.
<<I had another suggestion, regarding the evener. When
we start our young horses we tie the evener down. The
main beam has no movement, does not swing at all. The
reason for this is to prevent any see-saw action when
starting out. Young horse is not pulled back as he
starts to step out, confusing him. Trained horse will
usually respond quicker, so his side of evener would
pull forward first, jerking breastcollar of young
horse into his chest.>>
I think that's a very good suggestion for bringing on a young horse. Since
this is not a young horse, but a 10 year old horse, I don't think he's
confused.
I don't get any sense that he's upset or worried about the effect of the
slower horse on the evener. They start out together very nicely.
<<In our driving multiples experiences, there is ALWAYS
a MORE LAZY horse in a pair. You can put two lazy
ones together and one will out-lazy the other, who
then becomes the forward horse of the pair. Two
forward horses, and one will be lazy. The forward
animal may get anxious, frustrated with slow horse,
over respond, where they didn't in the old pair. Just
seems to be a fact of driving horses, however you put
them together. One forward, one slower in every pair.
Trust me, we have tried mixing and matching every
way! Same with other peoples pairs or fours. They
usually get mad at forward, instead of fixing lazy.>>
Yes. There is usually a more lazy horse in each pair. We have three pair. I
have worked both Ansel and Adam in various combinations with my other two pair
as I assess them and get them accustomed to their new jobs. I find that my
"lazy" horse, Ansel, works well with all my other horses at a nice relaxed
walk,
exactly the way I would like for him to work. Adam, on the other hand, has a
tendancy to work up with each partner I've put him to.
<< Have you ever used Achenbach reins, with the 11 hole
adjustment set-up? Longer coupling rein can get
buckles closer to your hands for easier adjustment. >>
No. I've not tried this and am not likely to for just this one horse. In a
perfect world, if I had lots of time for this one horse and he was the horse of
my dreams, I might go to the effort to learn this. As it stands now,
practically, it would be gobs easier to buy a new horse that "fits the program"
should
this one not work out.
<< I don't know anyone who can just pop a new horse in
the pair, Light horse or Drafts, then expect them to
move evenly, stay together, without doing some work.
Horses need to learn each other, learn to move
together as a single unit. If not taught, they go
back to Lazy and Forward, not smooth. Farm pairs have
to pull evenly, stride together. Takes work to teach
them to move well together, carry the load forward, in
stride.>>
I believe you are right about that!
<<I think the buckback may work somewhat, but is not
going to fix the problem in the long run.
You are
trying to fix the wrong horse.>>
I don't think so. I have three pair---six driving horses. Five of them work
exactly the way I want them to. I could not ask them to do any better. ( Last
year two of those pair made my house payment and my farm payment--without a
single incident. ) One horse, Adam, does not, at the moment, fit the mold. And
please don't think he's a terror. He's not at all. (despite the volumes now
written on him!) If I can't work things out with Adam, using some of the
suggestions you all have made and that I'm able to devise, he's outta here.
<<Hope the tied down evener and rein adjustmen ideas
might be helpful. Add it to your other information
for consideration. Daily driving, city work is a
whole different ball game than pleasure only.
Different considerations. I don't envy you there. >>
Thanks. But no need to feel sorry for us. Actually, though we are a
commercial carriage service, all our rides are by appointment only, and most in
a rural
setting. So, it's more like pleasure driving with paying passengers! We are
only on the streets on Saturdays for weddings--mostly small town, rural. And
that too is alot of fun. All the people are happy and they LOVE the horses.
Sometimes I have to pinch myself, as I can hardly believe I get paid to do
this!
The majority of our rides are for a mountain resort--so we are traveling along
streams and pastures of sheep and horses and through woods. Normally I have
two guests at a time. Sometimes 4--and with the wagonette, 8. About once a
month we use the hay wagon for corporate events--that is 10 passengers. We are
working on hills, which is why a pair is necessary. Most of the weddings are
done
with a single horse. Our horses are expected to work together quietly, at a
working walk and brisk trot and to stand quietly. That sounds easy, but it
takes the right kind of horse(s) to be consistent week after week.
<<Hope you can get the pair smoothed out.>>
Me too. I guess everybody is probably tired of hearing about my problem
child. I'll try some of the suggestions made by the list, will experiment with
the
buckback strap, and give a report on Mr. Adam.
Very best,
Carla
Walland, TN
http://www.echobrookefarm.com/
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