new horses

Well, I expected to write all summer about Polly and Guy, but I was waiting until I could get some good pictures. It just hasn’t been a good year for pictures! I got them in early spring from our own Karl Pfister, in Vermont. just as soon as I went to look at them I realized these were beautiful horses and I was getting a great deal. Thank you again Karl. They are a 12 y/o mare named Polly (who use to be dolly, But either we or Karl? changed her name – this is what happens when you sell horses to folks that are a little hard of hearing), and Guy, (who used to be Noir, I hope Karl did mind that change) Polly’s 8 y/o gelded son. They are both chunky, solid black Percherons with big thick manes and tail. I have never been one to try and get a horse for how they look or match, but these do.

They both had small issues, and Karl really wanted them to go some place were they could find productive use in farm work. In the case of Polly, she was working in harness, but just being a bit of a pill. She had tried different partners and she was kind of lunging at her loads. Karl operates a busy sleigh ride business, and needs horses that are relaxed and several different teamsters may be doing the work on any given day. Polly could do all that, but she just wasn’t quite there. she has been relatively easy to put to work this summer. She is a very heads up horse. Energetic, and alert. Some horses can take this behavior to a fault, but Polly is learning to stand and be patient, and that is the other side of the coin, that horses must have. She is still the kind of horse that if I drive through the barn yard and I have moved a bucket or a barrel from one place to another she will point this out! She still occasionally lunges at her load a little, but the only thing I have really done to try and correct that is to make sure I have her attention before asking her to go, and being ready with the lines to direct her energy if she does try to jump at the start. The working this summer has done a great job of easing that out of her.

Guy was more interesting case. he had an injury / lamness issue as a foal or yearling, in a front hoof. Even when they tried to ride him at around four he still wasn’t perfectly sound. As a result he has had his run of the pasture for the better part of 8 years. I think he has spent a fair bit of that time in pastures with Polly. All thought there is a lump of tissue above the hoof, he is now totally sound, and untrained. he has a sweet and gentle temperament. I used some basic ground training methods, and all went well until I put something behind him. He could see no value in this and became quite upset. I had been starting him with out blinders, but quickly realized he was going to be more comfortable with them on. After a lot of log skidding and other work, I hooked him to a forecart where he went about three hundred yards and then reared up, very impressively. needless to say It took a while before he got hooked up again to the forecart. I just did more ground work with him introducing poles that could touch him were the tongue would. I think an eight year old can be a little harder to start than some younger horses, and this really come out for about month. He would come out of the barn twisting, stomping, and prancing. He was hard to hook just to a log. Eventually he settled down. I used some perseverance and a lot of patience.

I had a hunch that I didn’t want to hook him with Polly for a while. Boy was that right. I have driven the two of them together about four or five times. It has improved slightly, but they bring out the worst in each other. Polly is more agitated and will try things she wouldn’t with horses she is less familiar with. Guy tucks his nose in by her shoulder and is almost undriveable. About once a month I have them together (boy do they look good) and each time they are a little better. It is mostly a measure of how he has come into his own as a working animal. Interestingly, he is quieter and calmer than she is.

Yesterday was the last day of hay making (maybe), and Guys first chance to pull a baler. George and Connie pulled a rake for hours, as one rake is broken and I had six acres of second cutting that I really wanted to double up the windrows. It was a very short turn around to baling, maybe 20 minutes, as I needed to go to work at 5 pm. I gave George a break, and baled with Lady, Guy, Connie, and Polly. A real dream team, fast walking, easy steering. Guy acted like motors and balers had been there all along. Just one wagon load, but big heavy bales, and they all brought it up over the hill like they were ready for more. I can’t wait to start making hay next year! Thanks again Karl, for these great horses.