[drivingpairs] carriage wreck today
- From: "Olive Reichard" <olivereichard@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2002 17:13:41 -0600
Before I start, I wish to encourage Rob to hang in there as long as
possible. It sounds like an almost hopeless situation, but I'm sure with
the help of friends a solution can be found. Already some list members have
offered some good ideas. I don't know what your climate is normally like,
but I will be wishing some rain for you, the horses, and the cows with their
calves.
Today, I had a bit of a mishap with my green driving pair, age 4 & 5,
(gelding and mare). The mare (Greta) had a couple of unfortunate wrecks
last year when trying to drive single, so she was hitched with her 24 year
old dam who did a great job with helping her to settle down. As the old
mare had a foal this year and is on maternity leave, I have procured a nice
matching gelding (Hansel)(greenbroke though) who up to this point has been
very sensible and quieter than the mare. I have not had much time to drive
them as I've been in school, (besides managing the home and farm) and so
today was my first opportunity to take them out in about 3 weeks. I chose a
quiet park that has lovely wide smooth trails. I brought along a young man
who has just asked to do some part time work around the farm until he finds
a "real" job. He's not a horseman, but I sure was glad to have him along
today. (this was his first carriage ride....moan).
We started out rather perky, but we managed a peppy walk for about one half
of a mile or so. Things were going well so we headed over to the other side
of the park which meant going through a tunnel under the highway. That went
very well also. As we drove past the Park administration offices we had to
pass by some big boulders that were strategically placed next to the trail
with memorial plaques mounted on them. I guess Hansel just couldn't deal
with those boulders, and for the first time ever he bolted. Greta didn't
need any convincing and in two steps we had a runaway. I could neither stop
nor steer, but our trip was short lived because they were headed for a pine
tree only 40 - 50 feet away. Mostly I think Greta hit the tree, because the
pole was not bent. The end of the crab was bent back on her side. Greta
was on one side of the tree, and Hansel on the other. The caribeener that
was hooked to Greta's breastcollar stretched and broke. But the lines held
so neither pony could move any further. Thank God for the quick release
snap shackles on the traces. The ponies were scared but quiet while I
disentangled them. I was very worried for Greta, but she was unharmed. The
bit shank was in her mouth, but I could see no visible damage. After
getting them unhitched I led Hansel up to the rock so he could see it wasn't
any big deal, then I connected their lines and ground drove them in that
area for a while and past another scary thing that was no big deal, then
ground drove them back through the tunnel to the trailer and went back after
the wagonette whose only damage is the evener is bent upward so it can't
swivel forward and back.
Any advice before I try this again?
Sipping my glass of wine (I only have wine on very rare occasions) - think I
might have even tried Whiskey tonight.
Olive
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