This message is from: Mary Thurman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
--- Jean Gayle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This message is from: "Jean Gayle" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > I was talking to a friend who drives miniature > horses about getting Gunnar > going at cart. She scared the beegeebies out of me > talking about horses who > like to flip over in the traces!!!!! Are there any > "flippers" in our fjord > friends? What causes it and why? Jean, Probably most "flippers" come from breeds of horses that were not primarily developed to be driving horses. The only ones I've ever seen that I thought might flip over in the traces were all primarily riding breeds - an Arabian, and a paint cross. I have seen Saddlebreds that required considerable skill on the part of the driver, as well as pacers. These were all VERY "high strung" individuals. Probably you would not have this type of behavior from a Fjord given their generally accepting nature - but I am seeing more "hot" Fjords lately, so it could be a possibility. If you are thinking of using Gunnar for cart, I think that would be a great idea. He seems a quiet fellow and he certainly is built for it. At his age (been there, done it all) he would probably be pretty easy to train. The Appaloosa pony I used to drive all over Central Park - used to pick the kids up after school with him - was around 12 years old when I started him in harness. At the time he took to it so readily I figured someone else had already used him in harness. Not so, I found out later. Guess he was just smart. Old Line was 16 or 17 when I put her to the Amish buggy. I think Orville had driven her a few times - seems I have a picture somewhere of a verrrry pregnant Line hitched to a cart or buggy he was driving. Don't know if anything was done with her in Norway. I assume so. Some horses have an easy "ho-hum" attitude and nothing ever bothers them, others are just plain "silly headed". It can, and does, run in certain bloodlines and is more of a problem in certain breeds. My neice raises Minis back in Libby, as does a friend of hers. I've never heard them complain about the Minis being high strung. I assume it depends on the individual horse's personality. Mary === Mary Thurman Raintree Farms [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com
