08.13.08
Pairs carriage driving in Chocorua NH (videos)
Three days after their first pair hitch training sessions, we took Glen and Gilford to a Granite State Carriage Association drive and ride in scenic Chocorua, NH. It was a Friday through Sunday drive, we camped for two nights and kept the boys penned inside a portable electric fence.
(For those who have trouble viewing vids, see pictures at Pair driving PICS!)
This is Glen’s first reaction to being shut into a relatively small corral with his brother, in a strange new place, with a flirty pony mare nearby to show off to. I think he had to prove he was worthy of the pony’s attention, and maybe he felt like roughhousing after the trailer ride!
With Glen being so frisky the first evening, I was a little concerned how they would be… and I had trouble getting to sleep in the trailer with them continuing to fool around outside. Sure enough, in the middle of the night I awoke to the unmistakable sound of galloping hooves. Convinced it was our boys, I crawled out of bed and got my boots on, but it turned out to be someone else’s horse who got loose! It was caught safely and all quietened down again.
Field warmup before our new pair’s first outing, as usual put to the Eagle 4-wheel carriage.
Very first driveout, first day, one of three drives we took over the weekend. We pull over to let a car pass from behind.
Second day, practicing walk-trot on woods trail. The area offered good variety of terrain suitable for carriages. However, the deer flies were pretty awful in open sections of the woods. Also, Glen wants to fuss around with his brother’s face.
On Sat. night we had tickets to a concert in Wolfeboro, so we hopped into our truck after the community pizza dinner and went to the Great Waters Music Festival while neighbor campers kept an eye on our horses!
Third day– At beginning of this vid Glen, the brown bay on the right, hops over boards covering a drainage ditch. Makes my camera hand jerk & shake a little, neither horse got upset. This last drizzly morning turned into steady rain, you can hear it on the vid. It was warm though, and we had on rain gear, and luckily our harness is synthetic!
Hesitant walk on river trail in rain. They have both stopped of their own accord, worried about the looks of the trail just ahead. After giving them a minute to look, Hubby gets them going again and they sort of creep forward, looking sideways at things as horses do. It must be their. Percheron nature that keeps them calm instead of getting all worked up.
Leave river woods trail, trot over Highway bridge. We meet GSCA friends in woods, the drive organizer leaves her warm dry truck to watch traffic for us while we pull out onto 2-lane highway for short time, crossing bridge over the river then onto a washboardy dirt road. Not sure why the camera sound changes near the end, but maybe just got too wet!
We were all soggy but happy when this drive was done, and time to pack up in the rain to return home! Other club members were complimentary (maybe even a bit jealous?), not everyone gets to drive a pair. A successful weekend overall!
