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Thanks to everyone out there that has been concerned about our safety.   I do understand the limits of each of my horses.  This one is exceptional.  NONE of the others would do it.  I suppose what I am saying is that even though it appears to be just fantastic luck, I would call it more of, knowing the mind this one horse.  I have trained all my horses for my whole life....not to harness, (other than one pony)  That's not to say she isn't going to blow at some point.  And I have gotten to the age where I think of the "what ifs" more than I use to.....even though it doesn't appear that way.  :))

 

Thanks guys !!!!  and I promise to be more careful.

 

 

 

Flora Hillman <auriga79@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Tx
>  Trigger wrote:
>
> Sorry if this might seem a bit strong to some. But I have a passion
> for Carriage Driving that is about as strong as it is for distance riding.
> Both are wonderful, wonderful sports. But there is MUCH more risk and safety
> concerns for driving than riding. Do it right, so you can enjoy your drives.
>
>
> ________
>
> I have been driving for over 30 years, currently drive a pair ... and (in
> keeping this endurance related) my endurance pony was a former pair and
> tandem champion with his prior owner. During my long driving career I've
> been to two funerals -- both of close driving friends that were killed in
> driving accidents -- both very experience people who (sadly) made one,
> critical yet fatal training error with new driving horses.
>
> I, too, was horrified to read Jody's blissfully happy (and totally innocent)
> post -- but can relate to her youthful exuberance because .... I, too, once
> owned (30 years ago) a
>  lovely 3/4 Thoroughbred (bless her dear departed
> soul) who took to driving with a totally ho-hum attitude. We did
> essentially the same thing Jody did -- except we did the dragging the tire
> part (of which this mare did without blinking an eye) and we decided that
> she'd already been taught to drive somewhere along her
> foxhunting/eventing/dressage/trail riding career....so we also hitched up
> and drove off, happy as clams. She never put a foot wrong and up to the day
> she died of old age years later she remained ever the *perfect* driving
> horse.
>
> The Gods take care of fools...but only once. I learned later my mare was
> one of those rare individuals -- not other of the many, many driving
> horses/ponies I've owned and trained (except for one Thoroughbred) ever
> could be put to a carriage without any training at all.. and be perfect from
> step one. 
>
> Advice to Jody -- don't do that again -- just hitching and going. Get a
> good book on
>  training the driving horse, and go step by step to advance the
> education of both you and your horse. Lots of endurance horses I know also
> are wonderful carriage horses (and endurance riders who are also carriage
> whips) -- but there are differences in how a horse needs to react in a
> carriage as opposed to under saddle. Don't handicap your horse by assuming
> it knows everything about driving automatically. It doesn't.
>
> Advice to Jody's mom -- go talk to some driving trainers, and get a good
> idea of what type of vehicle would be best for this horse. Get Jody to some
> driving lessons, and let her advance her own enjoyment of her horse's new
> career. Once she starts putting her family, friends, and anyone else in the
> carriage, she needs to do so with knowledge and safety first in her mind,
> and understanding and education in her hands.
>
> Flora Hillman
> Middleburg, VA (who, with her former tandem champion pony, just finished
> the Mustang
>  Memorial for our 1,210 AERC miles)
> www.aurigafarm.com
>
>
>
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