[fogish]

I will keep looking around for you, Vermont has decided to setup a state exchange as part of the ACA so that will include plans you can purchase. Part of the ACA is a tax credit available in 2014 to people under 65, I don’t know if it’s available to those over 65 already. I will find Vermont’s exchange info for you but the first link should give you something for now:
http://coverageforall.org/
http://dvha.vermont.gov/for-consumers
http://hcr.vermont.gov/timeline/exchange
Looks like Vermont is going to a single payer system in 2017, if they set it up correctly things should be cheaper for you overall at that point. I wish I could be more help.

[fogish]

Diet can be a tough one. If they aren’t working then they don’t need anything but a maintenance diet, roughly 2% of their body weight in dry matter, if it is a really cold winter they will need more. Use the body condition score to raise or lower feed amount. I am pretty sure there is a lot of info on diets for a working horse typed up directly from working teamsters. If not come back to this thread and I can pull out my NRC Nutrient Requirements of Horses and give you a ton of book information. To expand on the search topic, it’s my understanding that it is perfectly fine and acceptable to post on an old thread and bring it back to life.

[fogish]

Pacers = diagonal. Trotters = standard trot? I’m getting into foreign territory here, I haven’t planned to train my minis to have a gait they don’t naturally have so I never really looked into them. I think there is a tolt, pacing (?), something the saddlebreds and Tennessee walkers do… obviously I am a wealth of knowledge in this area.

[fogish]

Correct, proof load will be the biggest factor when used in a D-ring. Once you cross that threshold it will deform permanently, but if you don’t go too far it will not break, and you will want to replace the bolt. The tensile strength is what it takes to lengthen or pull apart the bolt. The shear strength is what it would take to essentially use the same force/action as scissors/shears on the bolt. I doubt your tugs will be able to do that.

[fogish]

Does Leap, a 5/16″, grade 8 bolt has a shear strength of 6900 lbs, a proof load of 6300 lbs, and a min. tensile strength of 7800 lbs. Another part of your harness is more likely to fail before that bolt, I think.

[fogish]

I spent a lot of time with a lot of different horses doing exactly what Donn is talking about. I ended up setting aside a minimum of 6 hours, preferably an entire day, with no goal other than to approach the horse. I went from no horse experience and bumbling my way around, to catching most any horse I want in just a few minutes. Still when I go out with a horse the first time I set aside 6 hours and only a simple goal, that way I have absolutely no pressure and the chances of me getting frustrated or losing my temper are nearly zero. If I ever get frustrated I know it means that I set a goal I wasn’t aware of or I need more time or steps to accomplish the goal that I have set.

I put a harness on my horse early on, he rolled first thing and snapped a terret ring and then tried to run. I was able to work with him while he was wearing it and ground drive him rather early on, but I found that we have been able to learn and accomplish new tasks faster after I spent more time working with him on backing up, side stepping, following and suddenly stopping and sacking him out like crazy. I exposed him to so many different things, anything I could find I introduced him to. With me being there working with him he would accept things from me faster and faster. Now I don’t even have to introduce him to things, he will walk over or through anything (minus sewer lids – no clue), I can put anything on his back, he will take a bite of anything I hand him without hesitation. He has not however been so kind as to do the same things for anyone else.

Do you want to take her green (does she have any experience at all?) and hook her up as a team and start pulling the stone boat? If that’s true what’s the rush? You have all winter and right up to foaling to get a really solid foundation and some light or simulated work done with her.

[fogish]

They were speaking English all the way up to the end, I am not sure at that point. I have studied Scottish Gàidhlig and it is very similar to Irish, stressing broad vowels instead of slender with a few other differences. Gypsies/Travellers speak a mix of Irish Gàidhlig and English but mostly English. I am not sure if the families in Wales and England speak Manx and other similar languages or only Irish and English. The way they were going it was most likely a race between two families that didn’t get along very well, they also have bare knuckle boxing matches with each other that have bets up to 10’s of thousands of dollars. It’s crazy what a feud can do.

Don’t they train the horses to step in unison diagonally while they are racing?

[fogish]

I have no idea if this is the one you are talking about, but it covers the basics and I remember getting it from here but can’t find the thread I got it from. If I didn’t it’s here now. dissertation_on_horse_traction_in_ireland.pdf

[fogish]

You can try the place Near Horse posted about: Macknair’s.
I apologize if that came off rude, I just didn’t know what else to post other than the website link.

[fogish]

According to a recent study with horses they are able to remember things for over 10 years. The study was geared more towards how horses behave towards an individual and people in general depending on how they are treated a single time and overall. I know after 2+ years my horse recognized the box I kept his harness in. I’m ashamed to say he ran for the other side of his paddock when I pulled it out of the van during moving. Thankfully he stood to be harnessed when I was ready to use it but starting over was humbling.

[fogish]

I don’t know how to train a horse to ground tie, maybe you can figure out something similar to that? When you are working on the ground you hold up a rope for her to see and then drop it where she can keep an eye on it, then she knows she stands until you pick it up and give her the cue to move. You would have to find a place to attach the rope though and decide if you need to be in front of her or can be behind to give the cue, either that or some other visual symbol for her to know not to move until you take it away. I don’t think that would be too complex but it would give you one more thing to do though.

[fogish]

Tim, in your video were the two Bay horses at 2:00-2:30 Brabants?

[fogish]

An answer Iron Rose’s question: If hoof boots won’t work I use a Vettec product called Super Fast. It is good for building up artificial hoof, can be trimmed and rasped and lasts several weeks, I have even had it stay on between an 8 week trim. Adhere is another product they make and it is used for glue on shoes. These are not cheap, that is why I suggest boots if possible.

[fogish]

It’s alright, I get an email when there is a new post and I have your email up above if it’s something time sensitive. When I finally get one of these my minis can earn their hay.

[fogish]

Resource management is a great thing and I’m glad they are actually trying to do it. What I am not able to figure out is what are they doing to the horse that is tied to the post? I know the bridle doesn’t fit well, but in the limited photos it looks like they are just pulling on the bit. Is anyone familiar with a training technique close to what they are doing?

Karl, the good news is we know that younger wild horses have no problems with training. The U.S. Border Patrol trains wild caught mustangs up to 5 years old for riding and as pack animals in areas that vehicles have limited access. It would be nice to know the age where you get diminishing returns, maybe the government already figured that out and stops at 5 years old.

[Author]

Posts