Harnessed Mehru today!!

[Ashemont]

Mehru is Phoenix's 2 year old daughter. Joe has decided he wants to keep her and he wants to see if she'll drive because he would feel comfortable putting her with Phoenix. I think our 4 year old Hanoverian mare would be super with Phoenix but she is much more sensitive and would take a lot more finesse than what I expect Mehru will.

Anyway, to that end, I whistled for Mehru this afternoon and all 3 mares came running. I put the halter and lead on Mehru and lead her up to the barn with the golf cart.... VERY pretty and forward trot :) I tied her in a stall across from her dad (of course he and Maggie had to come charging in to see who was visiting). Mehru was a bit excited so I thought I should do something with her before introducing her to the harness.

I have a plastic bag on the end of an old whip. Mehru snorted at it but was quite comfortable with me rubbing it all over her, around her legs, under her tail, etc. She was calm and chewing in just a minute or two so I proceeded to put the saddle, breeching and crupper on her. Didn't phase her. Put the bridle on with blinkers. She turned her head to see me and chomped on the bit as I attached the reins.

We next went out to the paddock where I tried to get her to ground drive. She couldn't understand why I didn't want her to turn and look at me but flapping the reins around and using gentle bit pressure didn't bother her at all. She finally figured it out after much clucking and kissing on my part and we walked a couple of circles in each direction with a couple of halts. She was very relaxed and chewing nicely on the bit so I stopped for today, untacked her and gave her a cookie. She was very well-behaved as I returned her to the back pasture :D

She'll go to Bill to actually be hitched however I hope to do as much as I can with the ground work first. She's a big girl - she'll easily be the 16.3 her daddy is - but she's very sweet and definitely has his loving temperament. Since I've not found the right pony to pair with Maggie I guess I'll just play with the big horsies over the winter :winkgrin: We just might have a nice pair of full-sized horses by next year :D

[MySparrow]

Oh my gosh, Pat, she's beautiful! i thought Phoenix was the most beautiful horse in the world, but I stand corrected. What a pair they will make! Can't wait to hear how they progress.

Remember that young man with the black pony at the National Drive? I thought he and Maggie might make a pair...

[Ashemont]

Oh my gosh, Pat, she's beautiful! i thought Phoenix was the most beautiful horse in the world, but I stand corrected.

Thank you. Phoenix is actually more beautiful but the two seem pretty well matched. At least their gaits match and Mehru adores her daddy. Of course Phoenix likes ALL of the ladies ;) It just might work and if not then I have a horse AND a pony to drive :D But of course she is only two so things could change.

Remember that young man with the black pony at the National Drive? I thought he and Maggie might make a pair...

I did too but I never got the opportunity to talk to him.

If we do a pair of horses then I think I'll just stick with a single pony BUT if Mehru doesn't work out for some reason then ....

[justslide]

Pat,

She is gorgeous! And if she is anything like Phoenix, that will be a phenomenal pair!

Pam

[Thomas_1]

VERY nice animal and if you get sick of her I'll try to find a place for her in the UK. She looks like she belongs in Europe :winkgrin:

Lovely photos too.

[hobbyhorse23]

Remember that young man with the black pony at the National Drive? I thought he and Maggie might make a pair...
I did too but I never got the opportunity to talk to him.

I did! His name was Chris and he was with Firefly Welsh Ponies from Canada. For the first two days or so I kept thinking that was Maggie he was driving around, it took me forever to tell them apart. What's more, he had at least one of those black ponies for sale and more like them at home. :yes:

Leia

[kearleydk]

Pat and Joe, somehow I'm not suprised to hear you talking about some multiples.

Dick

[Dreamboat Annie]

She's georgious! I have a mini that is 3 years old, that I just started lunging, I hope to have a harness and cart by spring, so I can break him to drive, he's a spunky little bugger, and can't wait take him driving.....good luck with your filly....:)

[Ashemont]

Well I hitched her again today only, at Joe's suggestion, I used two longe lines for the reins. I think she started to figure it out as I was able to drive her in circles both ways at a walk and trot! She offered the trot and I NEVER try to discourage 'forward' so I let her go a bit before bringing her back.

Whoa is NOT her favorite command, I discovered. I'll have to work at that consistently. But I was very pleased that none of the tack (yes, I put her in blinders) or the lines touching all over bothered her in the least. Mehru has the total trust in humans that her daddy has and I'm SO glad she's got dad's temperament and not mom's: mom is the one who tried to bite my head off a couple of years ago! (OK I don't blame the mare. She was badly handled by humans and it truly was an accident. Nonetheless I've got a couple of nice scars and an interesting eyebrow as a result.)

So my question to those of you who have started driving horses: how far should I plan to take her? I really enjoy playing with Mehru and I've certainly started enough horses in my lifetime that I've lost count. My thought is that as long as she is progressing nicely and quietly I'll keep going - longlining and then maybe making a drag to introduce her to shafts. After that I would think she should go to Bill to actually be hitched. I'd just like to do as much as I can by myself, but I don't want to do anything to get either of us into trouble. Hopefully I'm experienced enough with horses that I'll be able to know before I'm out of my depth. But are there any particular signs I should look for? Anything I should be aware of?

[hobbyhorse23]

Before you worry about adding a drag or other major step forward I would simply ground-drive her EVERYWHERE. Over tarps, through poles on the ground, past running cows, down the trail, past barking dogs, the works. You can never go wrong with too much ground-driving! Especially with a two year old.

Leia

[Thomas_1]

Don't do anything past long reining (ground driving) without seeking further advice. Don't try anything that you've never done before. So nothing as a First attempt with a new youngster.

But you long rein for years and it will only do good.

However ensure you use driving commands and rein handling and ensure you stay in the correct position behind her as you would if you were driving.

And long rein her anywhere and everywhere once she's going well. Make "obstacle courses" in the field and take her round things and just get her so she's totally responsive to your voice.

Once she's done all that then you can with the aid of others get her used to some pressure on her britching and also get others to walk behind dragging things and making noise. And let it take as long as it takes ..... that's the beauty of a 2 year old of your own. You've got plenty of time before she does anything too serious and you can take your time and produce a fantastic horse if you do.

[Ashemont]

OK so no drag. Good thing Lowe's was uncooperative about cutting the PVC for me yesterday - it wouldn't fit in the car otherwise so I didn't buy it :)

Please understand that this is a third generation homebred from a very consistent line. I started her father and grandfather and this filly reacts exactly the same. She is VERY laid back and nonplussed about strange things. Like her parents and grandparents she's curious instead. When she sees something that would spook most horses she will stop, look and then cautiously approach. I LOVE this kind :yes: and it's what we've bred for over 20 years :D

They also are smart and retain training. I can work with one, let them sit for months, and then pick up right where we left off. Consequently although I've never broken a proper driving horse (breaking two tiny ponies over the years to a cart doesn't count IMO since I hadn't a clue at that time;)) I feel confident I can at least get some good basics on her which will lessen the time she'll have to spend at the trainer's. And I really do like starting my babies myself.

I am using driving commands and will attempt to stay in driving position as much as I possibly can, although with my legs I might have to resort to driving her in a circle around me sometimes. Even though I didn't start Phoenix on the driving path, longeing him in a Pessoa training system definitely prepared him nicely, so I might do a bit of that with Mehru. At least it will give me something to do so I'm not overworking Maggie - which my hubby thinks I am doing since I drive her every day :winkgrin:

Thanks!

[hobbyhorse23]

I think Maggie is a bit like Kody- as long as what you're doing is different every day and interesting to them, there's no such thing as "overwork!" :lol: Kody glares at me when I let him sit even a day as he's gotten spoiled with all the training time we put in on him this year.

Leia

[Cartfall]

Pat,

how wonderful that you have another horse to drive. Take your time,girl. Don;t get in a hurry.

I am not sure but did I understand you actually hitched her to a cart/carriage? That is the very last step in her training. With all the talented trainers you have up in your area, please talk to some of them and get professional help when you actually put her to the carriage. If I misread, my apologies.

I agree with Thomas on this one--lots and lots of ground work, long lining and ground driving. If you can walk the trails you showed us, that would be great.

Keep us informed of her progressp- by the way, she is gorgeous like your Pheonix!!!!

[Ashemont]

No, no, no... I have NOT hitched Mehru to anything. She has just been put in harness and ground driven for a few days - and she's made incredible progress each day :)

I KNOW that lots of ground driving is preferred however that's not much of an option with me. On a good day I can do it; on a bad leg day no way! Consequently I will be cautious but I plan to keep moving along using other training techniques.

For example, the other day I sacked her out with a plastic bag on the end of a whip. She snorted at it but after I let her sniff it she readily accepted me rubbing it all over her. I'll introduce her to as many scary things as I can. Ground driving her out on the trails is not an option though. If my legs gave out in the middle of the woods it would not be a good situation for either of us. :(

Today we worked on walk and halt/stand. She surprised me by going up a couple of times until she understood what I wanted (I don't think she believed me at first - that I just wanted her to stand still) and then she was very happy to do it. She is very much like Maggie when she doesn't understand something: she becomes frustrated and goes up. I can deal with that as she doesn't get stupid. It's like she just throws her hands up in the air. A reassuring word and it's all better ;)

Bill is full right now which is one reason I started this project in the first place. I'm very comfortable with this filly right now; as soon as I'm not she'll go elsewhere. I'm not stupid either :winkgrin:

[CDE Driver]

Pat,
She is really lovely! It's so nice to know your breeding program produces such reliably nice horses.

I have a Dutch yearling that I can't wait to grow up! My only fear is that she is going to be really BIG!

Have fun with her.

[Cartfall]

No, no, no... I have NOT hitched Mehru to anything. She has just been put in harness and ground driven for a few days - and she's made incredible progress each day :)
I'm not stupid either :winkgrin:

Sorry if I stepped on a toe or two Pat. I thought I was misreading it but couldn't find it. You have done wonders with Maggie who I think would make a wonderful distance pony!!! Keep up the great job on your young filly.

[Ashemont]

My toes are just fine ;) No problem! And I certainly don't think I'm experienced enough to hook up a youngster for the first time anyway.

Don't know about distance for Maggie - she'd probably do well - but this weekend we're doing the Continuous Drive that the Carolina Carriage Club is sponsoring. Another new driving experience :D And we're dragging Joe and Phoenix along, too!