06.16.08
Driving training first hitch to 4-wheel carriage
Glen’s training has progressed by leaps and bounds! He has done so well that on June 2 we wanted to introduce him to the 4-wheel Eagle carriage, which he handled well. We take him to the big field for a few turns, and you can see he goes like a pro. Previous to this he has only pulled the much smaller 2-wheel training cart.
Glendale put to the Eagle…
and going as he should be.
Glendale’s first hitch to the Eagle 4-wheeler… walk, trot, change directions.
Though this carriage is much bigger than the training cart, the Eagle pulls along easily with its 4-wheels and better suspension, and is not all that much additional weight for the horse. (It has a foot brake for downhills so its weight does not push the horse forward on a slope.) We would not be loading this carriage up with people and expecting young Glen to pull it up and down hills or great distances, he is too young still for serious work in it, but this was his intro to having it behind him because we hope to hitch both Glen and his brother Gilford to it together this summer.
Then it happens… here Glen is almost a runaway! Two horses across the stone wall to his left start galloping literally alongside him and startle him, so he runs too. It takes Hubby several strides to pull him up, he did NOT want to slow down! Hubby gives him time to collect himself and to think about what just happened.
Though he didn’t totally freak out and didn’t try anything really dangerous like bucking or spinning around, still this is something the driver must be prepared for at all times, and it is something that happens to every horse. Horses will be horses! Having this experience will hopefully help him next time not to startle so badly; also next time he should stop more promptly when the driver is whoaing him, because he just learned that he’s not allowed to keep on running at will. Not all horses would be this easy to deal with in a runaway situation.
Still not bad though for a young greenie!
