Re: Hello, harness and cart for sale
This message is from: Mary Thurman [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Question?? You may remember I bought a mare, in foal, last September. She is wonderful and getting quite a tummy on her:) Those of you experienced in this matter - please comment on raising a single foal - what are some issues that might be different compared to having several foals born on the property?? Most of the foals we raised were 'single foals' - at least 6 of them, maybe more. The biggest issue with raising an 'only' is not really a 'horse issue' but a 'people issue'. As with human 'only children', an 'only' foal is much more easily spoiled by too much human attention! Remember - he/she is a HORSE and needs time to learn to BE a horse. Let the mother and foal bond well. Something that CAN happen(no guarantee it will, but be aware) is that we humans become too fascinated with the foal - especially a Fjord foal, which is friendly compared to the skittishness of most other breed foals - so we spend literally hours playing/interacting with it. Result: A foal that doesn't really know it's a horse - thinks its a human - and treats its humans as it would treat other horses. NOT GOOD! Horses really do play rough. The foal doesn't develop into a 'normal' horse with the usual 'my space, your space' approach to humans. He/she just thinks that humans are funny looking horses, so you then have to deal with the 'respect my space' issue much more severely. So, how to avoid this easy 'pitfall'? After the initial 'imprinting' has been done, try to interfere as little as possible between the mare and foal - at least for the first few days. Let the foal begin to discover that he/she is a horse and let the two of them bond really well. Encourage ONLY those habits in the foal that you would want to see him/her have when grown up and weighing over 1000 pounds(that's at least half a TON, remember). Some habits may be cute in an irresistible foal, but consider whether or not you want a fullgrown horse doing the same thing. Do NOT allow any kind of nipping, head butting or rubbing, turning of the rear towards you in 'pretend' threat(all too soon it can become a REAL threat). Demand a 'sweet attitude' - no spoiled brat laying back of the ears and buttoning up of the lip when he or she doesn't get his/her way. Remember to teach proper manners and the two of you will have a great time, not only while the foal is growing up, but later when he or she is a full grown horse. Let me also say that I have found - at least with our Fjords - that fillies were 'easier' than colts. Fillies seemed to have that naturally 'sweet' attitude right away, while the colts seemed always to be 'pushing the limits' - they were more prone to developing nasty little habits like nipping at you when you weren't looking and trying to 'slap box' or 'spar' with you with their heads like you see many geldings doing with each other. And then there was the gelding(which we bought at 4 months old) who thought people were to push around - with his butt, with his shoulder, AND with his chest. He would come up to you face on, raise his head, and try to push you out of the way with his chest. As if he were thinking, I'm taller than you, get out of my way. NOT!! It took a lot of time and effort to 'unteach' this behaviour, which could have easily been stopped when he was a baby. Don't know how it developed, but it did and it was a PAIN. He dropped the whole 'posturing' thing at around 4 when he finally figured out it was getting him nowhere. He turned out to be a very even tempered, willing horse - but extremely smart. You need to think ahead of him and keep him busy. If he is bored he gets into mischief. Good luck with your mare and 'only child'. Mary = Mary Thurman Raintree Farms [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Hello, harness and cart for sale
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] You are correct, Jean, - I do have a fjord gelding. Guess I have plenty of choices for a babysitter:):):) Baby might like Sven better as he is so easy going and will tolerate more play. This fjord baby sure has people in my life excited. Our vet has worked with fjords but has not seen a fjord baby - he assured me he would not be out of town when Lena is due:) Linda in MN
Re: Hello, harness and cart for sale
This message is from: Jean Ernest [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi Linda, Didn't you have a Fjord gelding also (Sven?)? Or was that someone else in Minnesota? Jean in Fairbanks, Alaska Thanks, Jean, for the advice. Yes, I do have an older gelding (quarterhorse). I had thought of putting baby with him. QH is quiet and well mannered - but will not tolerate baby bugging him night and day. Jean Ernest Fairbanks, Alaska mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Hello, harness and cart for sale
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thanks, Jean, for the advice. Yes, I do have an older gelding (quarterhorse). I had thought of putting baby with him. QH is quiet and well mannered - but will not tolerate baby bugging him night and day. I also have goats - and will have many babies - but, am concerned they are too small to interact with fjord baby w/o risk of injury. Linda
Re: Hello, harness and cart for sale
This message is from: Jean Ernest [EMAIL PROTECTED] please comment on raising a single foal - what are some issues that might be different compared to having several foals born on the property?? Does your gelding get along with your mare? When my big gelding Bjorken was born I just had him and his mom and Bjarne, an older gelding. I kept Stella and the baby in their own paddock with access to the stall and Bjarne had an adjoining paddock. Little Bjorken would go stand next to the fence where Bjarne was standing and seemed to idolize him. (Maybe a boy thing). I didn't really let them be all together all the time until he was weaned (at more than a year old) but now, knowing what I do, I would have put them together much earlier. Bjarne taught Bjorken manners and played with him a lot. Stella also played with him, but boys play harder! Bjarne was the boss (still is at 27) and I think Bjorken turned out well partly because of Bjarne's help. Older gelding are often very good baby sitters. My friends, the Brunners, who usually only have on foal at a time, have had a quarterhorse gelding as baby sitter until he went to a new owner, and now have an old pony gelding as babysitter and playmate. Nickers, the old pony, gets tired of the foal's roughhousing and teaches him manners also. They also let all the horses, except the stallion, run together in a big corral, separating them somewhat at feeding time, and at night, when The mare and foal and Nickers get the corral with the stall which they share. You may have to separate them at feeding time, but this has worked out well for us. It all depends if the mare and gelding get along. Jean in Fairbanks, Alaska Partly cloudy today and +10 F. Jean Ernest Fairbanks, Alaska mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: harness and cart
This message is from: Marsha Jo Hannah [EMAIL PROTECTED] Don Jane Brackett [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: anyone want to throw in a few words on brakes or no brakes, bicycle tires or wooden with rubber, leather or synthetic harness??? There are a fair number of hills where I'll be driving, I thought that brakes would be helpful to help hold the cart going down but there do not seem to be alot of carts available with brakes, at least at a reasonalble cost. The roads are gravel and there are some great woods roads as well. Would the bicycle tires be more stable and sturdy to bounce over rocks and stones?? Most of those questions have proponents on both sides. For deeper research, go to the web site for the Carriage Driving List, and poke thru their archives. It's http://www.trot-on.com/cd-l/ , then look for a button for archives, and enter keywords (e.g. brakes) in the appropriate slots. Personally, I like having brakes---but then my driving animal was a 400-lb donkey, who had trouble stopping me and the cart on the steep hills around here. (With a heavier animal, like a Fjord, it'd be less of an issue.) I had brakes retrofitted to my pipe cart for less than $100. Carts with traditional bicycle wheels (wire spokes, with pneumatic tires) are intended for arena or road use. IMHO, in the woods, those wheels are an accident looking for an opportunity to happen. Tires blow out, or pick up stickers and go flat. Anything that puts side-pressure on the wheels (traversing side-slopes, hitting a rock or pothole wrong, etc) can pretzel the wheel. If you're going to use such wheels on rough drives, wear your hiking boots, so you can walk home! I replaced the wheels on the donkey's pipe cart with BMX wheels---graphite composite, with solid, sturdy spokes---then had them rubbered by a carriage wheelsmith. There's also a carriage builder who sells steel carriage wheels made to retrofit onto bicycle axles or forks. Folks on CD-L swear by his wheels! Except that the give in bicycle wheels is a major part of the suspension of a pipe cart, i.e. putting on sturdier wheels makes the cart ride terribly! In general, traditional carriage type carts will give you a nicer ride than pipe carts. Their bigger wheels bridge over bumps better, and the elliptical springs on most carts can soak up jolts better than the wimpy little coils under the seat on a pipe cart. The advantage of pipe carts lies in their maneuverability---easier to get thru narrow spots in the woods, and light enough to unhitch and lift over a cable or gate, which many trails use to keep 4-wheel-drivers out. (With my donkey, I didn't have a choice---not enough horsepower to pull a wooden cart.) Leather harness is very traditional, but can be labor-intensive to keep it in good condition. Also, you get what you pay for---there's a lot of crappy leather harness out there! Synthetic harness, particularly Zilco (trade name) and some of the newer biothanes, looks good, lasts forever, and cleans up with just a quick hosing. If I had it to do over, I'd go synthetic! Marsha Jo HannahMurphy must have been a horseman-- [EMAIL PROTECTED] anything that can go wrong, will! 30 mi SSE of San Francisco, Calif. ---
Re: harness and cart
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Laurie, Thanks for telling me about the 2 strap now offered. I'm going to check into it to see if I can get mine switched or order that new piece. Susan
Re: harness and cart
This message is from: Laurie Pittman [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi Susan, The only thing I don't like about the Zilco is that it only has one strap over the back to hold the breeching (I hope I get the names right). I think it would lie nicer on the hip with the two Y ing out like I've seen on most leather harnesses. I must have a newer Zilco than yours. Mine has the 2 straps in a Y going down to the breeching. I love mine too. I use for everyday use and show in it as well. Been told I have a nice turnout. Laurie
harness and cart
This message is from: Don Jane Brackett [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hello everyone, A few driving equipment questions. I have been ground driving my mare, Osa and having a BLAST!! And now am looking at harnesses and carts. SO anyone want to throw in a few words on brakes or no brakes, bicycle tires or wooden with rubber, leather or synthetic harness??? There are a fair number of hills where I'll be driving, I thought that brakes would be helpful to help hold the cart going down but there do not seem to be alot of carts available with brakes, at least at a reasonalble cost. The roads are gravel and there are some great woods roads as well. Would the bicycle tires be more stable and sturdy to bounce over rocks and stones?? Jane. Maine is perfect now, sunny and low humidity and we've finally had some rain to grow that hay.
