[Pebbles]

Thanks for the post Geoff. Sent Holly and email for more info.

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Yes, I noticed them yesterday. Hooray, I love the pics. Also, I uploaded two pics to a post-wow, how easy. Thanks Mr. Ed:-)

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Thanks for the suggestion MM. We haven’t actually seen the horses yet, we will go see tham next week. Yes, sellers sometimes will tell you anything to get the horse sold. DL, we probably will ask a vet to come check her out when we go. Thanks for the advise.

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Hi Carl:
Just joined as a family. I have learned so much in the 6 short weeks I have been on this forum. I am honored to have access to the vast knowledge of the people here. I wasn’t aware there was a group to join.

Thank you so much.

Brownie

[Pebbles]

Frozen peeps are the best!!!!

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Yes, Dennis, your info helped me a lot. I feel comfortable with the methods I used to measure and that I’m in the right ballpark with my measurements. Thank you so much.

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Thanks LStone…great web site. This is the method I used to measure my horse. Is there a general range that light horses fall into as far as collar size? All measurements indicate that I need a 21″ collar. When I look at pics of horses with collars the collars seem very high on their necks so I’m concerned I may not be measuring far enough in front of the withers. So I was wondering if there is a “typical light horse” range for collar size. He is a nice size quarter horse 1200 LBS but he is not so big that he would be mistaken for a draft horse breed.

Thanks for your help.

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I am in Northwestern Arizona. A friend e-mailed me this morning asking if I had heard about the virus and I had not so thanks for the info.

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Just joined draft horse power last week. Read your thread today so glad you are back. It does put the fear of God in you when you read of someone (you) who is doing everything well, taking their time and gets hurt.

I’m just starting my driving adventure, training my quarter horse. One thing I have really noticed, you can never relax and stop planning ahead when driving. I, like you, have trained and ridden saddle horses all my life, with driving I am learning you as the teamster much always be on the ball-no coasting allowed 🙂 it seems like the second your mind wanders something goes wrong.

Thank you so much for sharing-I am learning a lot from your experience.

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Hi NF:
Tyler is exactly right. The old saying around horses is green (human) on green(horse) makes black and blue. You will be hurt, frustrated and give up. I have trained saddle horses for many years. Find a well trained horse who can help train you-it will be worth every cent. If you want to drive find a horse that can do that WELL.

I have just starting training my older saddle horse to drive. We are at the stage where we are ground driving and pulling a skid. I am very aware of the potential for injury when working with horses, teaching a horse to drive adds another danger level with all the equipment you will be using. When you are training a horse to ride your concerns are getting thrown, trampled, accidently stepped on, bit etc. Driving adds to the list getting yourself or the animal hurt or killed by the equipment you have attached to him-and it happens really fast. I can’t imagine training a horse to drive without knowing horses.

Working with horses is the most rewarding, awesome experience you can hope for IF YOU DO IT RIGHT. Horses are big, strong, clautrophobic scaredicats, as untrained animals they derive their confidence from you and if you do not know what you are doing it will be a wreck and that would be a shame.

I know it’s hard because you see all those horses with potential just eating their life away.

All that being said, if you insist on working with what you have start by spending time with them on their territory. Hang out with them, scratch them, get them to looking forward to seeing you. Get some DVD’s on ground work-Clinton Anderson is excellent, gives step by step directions with lots of demos and troubleshooting. Pat Parelli is also excellent for training and particularly for the horse psychology aspects.

Start at the very beginning-do not skip any steps. Respect your horses but do not allow them to bully you. If you learn nothing else learn to be assertive with your horse but NEVER AGRESSIVE…big difference but it will mean the difference between having a horse that you treat as a tool, a means to an end, who will leave you when the going gets tough and a horse who considers you his partner and you both work together to get a job done, he respects you AND TRUSTS your decisions and you respect him.

Horses are herd animals, they need a leader-if you are not the leader then they are the leader. Parelli will teach you about horse psychology

Get Lynn Miller’s books on training-same philosophy.

Sorry the post is so long, I could go on and on…can you tell I love horses

[Pebbles]

Thanks for the advice, particularly the heads up regarding souring. I will take your advice and go very slow. Thank you:)

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We made a skid out of pine 4′ X 8′. Estimated weight empty 175 lbs. First time he pulled it fine. Second day I sat on it so total weight now 314 lbs he had to work but he seemed fine. I will keep him working at this weight alternating pulling tires and lighter loads for the next couple weeks. As he tones up do you think pulling a total weight of 600 LBS including the weight of the skid is too much?

Thanks

[Pebbles]

Thanks for the warm welcome and reassuring advice:)

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