06.15.08
Glendale’s driving training continued in May
We spent many days in May putting mileage on our youngster Glendale, taking short excursions out alone (no companion horse along), nothing stressful on his body but conditioning his mind to doing a job and to rely on his driver for support and reassurance. As the number of uneventful (non-scary) trips out increases, so does the young horse’s confidence; he learns he is OK by himself, that nothing bad happens to him, that his driver will keep him out of trouble and won’t let him get hurt.
We began to take him out more on the streets in our little town. Every direction we go away from home is downhill, so he gets practice holding back the cart with the breeching (around his butt.)
May 10, Glen’s first street outing pulling the training cart. With practice, the horse learns to sit back into his haunches and walk more slowly going downhill, to resist the cart and driver’s weight.
By May 25 we were driving him into in Gilford Village! (Just a couple of blocks away, but a huge leap in environmental stimulus!)
Posing in the field before starting down to the Village, Hubby driving with friend Bailey (who loves horses) along for the ride.
Friend in passing car pauses to say Hello—
An encounter with flapping balloons on the roadside…
Every outing presents new stimuli for the young horse in training to deal with. He must become used to these things and not get spooked in order to be a steady horse for carriage driving. It surely helps to have a sane and calm-natured horse to begin with! Many horses do not have the temperament for driving; Percheron draft horses however were bred to have a calm disposition, and the Percheron half of our young geldings is evident in both of them! (Of course, Willy mare is the sanest Arabian around too, and she taught them how to be sensible!)
Glendale with Hubby and Bailey in downtown Gilford Village.
To get into the Village proper, we cross a 2-lane highway. At this point I am at the horse’s head for safety, in case I need to help steady him, so no videos of crossing the highway…!
Passing Gilford Village store! We keep telling them they need a hitching post!
In downtown Gilford Village, a group of folks outside the Gilford church call hello. Turns out one of them is HorseGal’s mom!!!
Glen getting exposure to a construction site where Gilford’s new library is being built.
Glendale and his passengers in front of the present Gilford library– looks like the new Library is a huge step up!
Walk on, Glen!
Stopping in neighbor’s driveway for conversation… It’s pretty cool how the things you want to practice in training seem to happen all by themselves when you go on an excursion!
Bailey proudly holding Glendale!
