This message is from: SUSAN GIARGIARI <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hello Listers! This is Sue Giargiari in Brimfield, MA...........farm sitting for about 40 head of beef cattle, four horses(two fjords!), 4 dogs, two bunnies...........and one barn cat! I haven't read the list for at least a year..........one heck of a year...but hopefully this year will be a Good One!! I decided that I will never catch up reading last years list.....maybe someday........lol..........so I am starting with Digest #1 and going to keep up! I was interested in Sher's story about the 17 years of driving her fjord has had and how now, in riding.........he spokes like crazy............My first fjord , Stella 1, had just a month or so of driving training......course I didn't ask specifics....as I grew up learning to drive from an old Yankee teamster. Didn't know it all......never will.......but don't have a fear of being behind the lines of any horse.........being safe though, is the first thing. Well, I took Stella for 4 great days on the VT Bicentennial Wagon Train in 1991....I drove her with a rubber snaffle and an easy entry cart. We camped and did 20 miles a day...........met up with the Yankee Teamsters daughter.......who had stayed friends with my parents.......and now her and her hubby have a couple of fjords! Back to Stella and driving.........She was a rock on the VT wagon train, thru everything and anything. I fell in love with her then and knew that she would never leave my pasture. Only for visits! S! he was 4 when we bought her and she will turn 19 in July. Wow...I can't believe it! Anyways........eventually....I started to go on trail rides with her and my girlfriends.......and what a shock............she was not herself at all..........spooked....... jumped.........and a variety of unusual reactions to things that she had been exposed to for at least two years of driving. She is also used in team, 4 in Hand, 3 or 4 Abreast..... It took me awhile to figure it out......but it was the blinders.........used in driving and not in riding.....once I realized what was causing the behavoir and why........remember horses can see all the way to their butt, except when they have blinders on. Even though she was used to the noises....it was the sight of these flying trucks or cars down theroad....coming....coming.........coming...... there.... and then ........going ...........going .........going........gone. She was only used to seeing the "there at her side......going........going....and gone"! Once I could reassure her as a vehicle was way back.........she eventually got used to it. I wonder if just seeing the world with you on his back and no blinders is a part of what is going on. If so.....maybe ponying him for a bit would help his confidence. Has anyone else ever had this experience? We also trained a pony that we got at the Wichita, KS auction years ago. She was a 4 mth 1/2 Belgian, 1/2 Percheron. Laura was black with whitish under coloring and grew into the most beautiful dapple grey-looking Percheron! She was only ever driven in harness, worked with draft harness, very dependable, and even was ridden hauling logs........ but again with the harness and blinders on........ One day years later a friend was going to use her to ride with us. When the western saddle was placed on her back and cinched up.....she was very 'jumpy'.....could care less about pushing her head thru a collar.......or having a big tangle of work harness plopped on her back to be straightened out! But the saddle was a different story.......and when the rider got on...........wh! at a bucking bronco!! It took a while for her to get used to the saddle and bridle and riding...........and she still never really liked it. We decided she was just fine as a driving horse! Well........I promise I won't rattle on quite so much but am excited about touching base in the 'land of the fjordlist' again! Happy New Year to all! Sue g from Northfield, MA.....with no snow.....wwwwaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh! I want to hear sleigh bells~
