Parade Anxiety

[Tyler Fournier]

@Carl Russell 27996 wrote:

Also when I work my horses, I plan on ways that I can stop them in safe and secure way, so that I can address any unintended problems.

I don’t mean to hijack this thread, but could you elaborate on this point specifically? What are some examples of situations you are looking out for, anticipating, etc., and what are your planned responses to them?

Tyler

[jen judkins]

Thanks, everyone for the input. I think I am passing on the big parade and questionable wagon. We ARE going to do an itty bitty parade here in Springfield, with a nice wagon and a short, very familiar route on saturday. I can drive the horses over from the house and if things get crazy or questionable, I can chaulk it up to a good training experience and simply drive them home again.

Tyler, feel free to hijack. Yours is a good question. In fact, when I went through in my head all the worst case scenarios…nothing scared me more than finding myself in a position where I couldn’t stop, re-organize and re-approach any given problem. The logistics of this bigger parade would not be a good place to have a good experience. I mean it might be a good experience, but it might not…and if its not and I don’t have a way to make it a good experience for the horses, I fail as the leader. Its just not a risk I’m willing to take ‘at this time’. The smaller parade will have alot of the elements I want the team to experience, but with a much smaller crowd and familiar territory. I’ll let you know how it goes.

[Robert MoonShadow]

@Jen Judkins 28013 wrote:

I’ll let you know how it goes.

…with photos, I hope?!

[jen judkins]

@Robert MoonShadow 28018 wrote:

…with photos, I hope?!

Here you go…

It was a small parade, but lots to experience. The boys were outstanding. We were behind the firetrucks with their sirens blaring…no trouble at all. Never took a balky step. We had alot of fun. The kids decorated the cart and took second place. Reno and Ripple were invited to the petting zoo..as pets, of course….and spent the afternoon being mauled by children of every conceivable size. They were perfect, even looked like they were enjoying all the attention. Ripple even came home with some lipstick on his face….hmmm…

[Plowboy]

Those are the rewarding days Jen!! You should be proud.

[john plowden]

Nice job Jen!

[Robert MoonShadow]

You and the boys look awesome! I’m glad you had such fun and everything went well. Way to go, Jen!
Woot! Woot!

[Carl Russell]

Kewl!! That looks like a parade worth doing.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

@Tyler Fournier 28001 wrote:

I don’t mean to hijack this thread, but could you elaborate on this point specifically? What are some examples of situations you are looking out for, anticipating, etc., and what are your planned responses to them?

Tyler

Tyler, it is not so much that I look to create any specific opportunities, it’s just that in the parades that I have been to, there just ISN’T any way to stop the horses out of the way, out of the excitement, no way to tie them off to something, and as Jenn pointed out, no really good way to regroup.

When I am working, the list starts at behavior of the horses, the ability to stop and stand calmly. It has to do with equipment, sound and solid. It has to do with knowing the landscape, and thinking of places where I will be able to unhitch and tie off, if I need to. But in a big way, it is just in my mind that I am constantly looking for ways that I can support my animals IF for some reason I need to stop what I’m doing and attend to something I could never have predicted would happen.

That is not to say that every day isn’t filled with potentially very dangerous enterprises. I always say that safety is a function of the degree of risk you are willing to take. In the case of our local parade, the degree of risk is way too much for me. When I’m in the woods and fields of my farm, some might say I encounter daily risks that would scare them shitless. At least out here I have control over many of the external factors, so I am more comfortable leading my animals into risky situations.

Carl

[Demented Donkey Dame]

@Jen Judkins 28064 wrote:

Here you go…

It was a small parade, but lots to experience. …

Jen, what a fun looking entry! Good for you, the team looks so relaxed and confident and ready
for pancakes…. Congratulations, looks like you make all the right decisions! I would not be surprised
to hear you are looking for the next parade, maybe a little larger one next time!
I always consider winning a ribbon to be a nice gesture that someone appreciates all the time and effort it
takes to do parades….not to mention the liability!

[Robert MoonShadow]

Hhmmm….just noticed that not only (as you mentioned) that there was a firetruck in front of them, but look at that big, noisy and smelly tractor behind them…and they’re just trucking along! “Monsters” in front AND back = even MORE impressive!
And I’m needing to talk w/ Ripple: I was in a small parade not long ago, and I[/B] never got any lipstick on me face! What’s his secret? 😡

[jen judkins]

@Robert MoonShadow 28076 wrote:

And I’m needing to talk w/ Ripple: I was in a small parade not long ago, and I[/B] never got any lipstick on me face! What’s his secret? 😡

Need to come to a parade in New Hampshire…:rolleyes:

I understand next years theme is a Luau…..a grass skirt might get you somewhere….

[Robert MoonShadow]

I’m wearing a grass skirt even now…still no lipstick; but that redneck is starting to smile a lot in my direction…

[dominiquer60]

Jen
They look great, it is nice that you had a more reasonable situation available to you. Rip looks great, it is hard to tell from the angle but just by his neck it looks like he has come a long way since you got him. They seem quite at ease together. Best of luck with any future events.
I am looking forward to our little parade at our fair. There is hope there that some day when the farm museum guys restore the antique steam fire engine and Abe & Will get big enough, they will some day pull it in our parade around the grounds. None of the horse people are interested and the boys are already so immune to all of our noisy farm equipment here, I don’t think they will mind one bit.

[jen judkins]

Well, the boys and I have another parade under our belts….much larger than the last. We had a blast and Rip and Reno could not have behaved better. I thought hard about some of the drawbacks and risks to such an undertaking and enlisted some ground people. I had one guy (with alot of driving experience) following the rig, making sure the wheels weren’t coming off the cart or children falling off the wagon. I had two people walking in front of the horses, mostly to make sure no kids ran out in front of them…but the horses enjoyed having the company and this definately improved their confidence. With eyes on the ground, I could give my entire attention to the horses and this made for a very good experience.

[Author]

Posts