Re: to use blinkers or not when driving spook-prone Fjord?
This message is from: "jen frame" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Thanks everybody. She is absolutely fine with the cart when putting to--she stands still and is calm. She walks calmly pulling the cart and shows no concern. She pulls the cart through the woods over bumps and over tree roots and is fine with it all. It is just when we trotted over bumps on the trail that she showed concern, and that concern went away as soon as I spoke to her. It was on the black top road that the sound of the cart ratteling behind her made her nervous and she did the "I am scared and I'm going to go fast" body language. she will walk for hours over anything pulling that cart. She has pulled the cart through the woods and a wild mule and his mare ran up to the fence next to us, and she was concerned, saw what it was, then was fine and walked on pulling the cart. But she has large beautiflu eyes that get so much of their vision cut off by the blinkers. And I think she would be less concerned by the rattle of the cart when trotting on the road if she could see what it was behind her ratteling. I ride her a lot. She is bold and likes to be the leader on a trail ride. Thanks again, jen On 1/26/08, Alicia Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This message is from: Alicia Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > HI, I would try going back to ground driving first. Keep the blinkers and > reward her for calming down. If you have someone to pull the cart around her > or behind her while you lead her or tie her up it will teach her to calm down > and that the cart will not hurt her. Just really de-sensitize her to the > cart, equipment and anything else you can think of, ie. plastic bags, > bridges, dogs, etc. If she gets upset just keep doint it until she calms down > then stop doing what was making her uncomfterble. For example if you are > pulling the cart around and she gets upset about it, keep it up till she > calms down, then stop pulling the cart and reward her. If you can pull the > cart and lead her behind it and on the side and in the front she will learn > that all the noises associated with the cart is OK. I would also build her > confedence by riding her by herself more and line driving her more also. If > she gets upset at any point calm her down and reward her calm behavior. I > hope this helps, > > Alicia > > jen frame <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This message is from: "jen frame" > > Hi List, > I have been driving my new Fjord mare (got her in October) and she is > doing fabulously. > But I have the intuitive feeling that she may feel more safe withOUT > the blinkers on her driving bridle. I am wondering what you all > think. > She is the kind of Fjord that is very forward moving, loves to go, and > has a hard time with Woah! She also likes to stop and look at > anything that concerns her, and she does spook occasionally. When on a > trail ride with other horses, she doesn't spook at all. She is bold > and competitive (although she is low low low on the horse hierarchy in > a herd situation). when trail riding her by myself, she spooks at > least once or twice per ride. It is a jump sideways, and then she > looks. Or often she jumps and bolts about 10 feet or so, and then > allows me to pull her to a stop. > > When driving, since she is green, she gets concerned by the noise of > the cart behind her when we go over bumps and tree roots etc. She > also gets a little excited by the feel/sound of the cart behind her > when we trot, so she raises her head and speeds up. I am working on > asking her for a trot and then asking her to be slow and calm in the > trot . She is doing well. The one time I drove her out on the roads > with another horse that was also pulling a cart, she did fine UNTIL we > tried a trot. when I asked for a trot, she became so alarmed by the > sound of the cart on the road, that she put her head up high and off > to the side and went really fast with an "I'm terrified" body > language. I got terrified myself, but managed to get her to stop and > walk calmly. > > I know it is NOT traditional to drive a horse without blinkers. But my > feeling is that if she could see what was behind her, she may not get > so tense and scared. Do you think this is correct, or am I missing > some huge safety factor here? > > This thursday we were driving through the woods around my house, and > we got close to the pasture where Splendora lives with her Donkey. The > donkey came running, and it spooked Splendora enough that she bolted > forward. I got pulled to my knees in the cart, and therefore lost rein > contact so couldn't pull her to a stop. My silly husband was sitting > there calmly on the seat. I had to actually TELL him to grab the reins > and get her to stop! > I'm thinking that spook and lurch forward wouldn't have happened had > she had more range of vision. > > Any suggestions? Do I keep driving with blinkers and let her turn from > green to some other shade slowly with time and practice? Or do I take >
re: to use blinkers or not when driving spook-prone Fjord?
This message is from: Alicia Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> HI, I would try going back to ground driving first. Keep the blinkers and reward her for calming down. If you have someone to pull the cart around her or behind her while you lead her or tie her up it will teach her to calm down and that the cart will not hurt her. Just really de-sensitize her to the cart, equipment and anything else you can think of, ie. plastic bags, bridges, dogs, etc. If she gets upset just keep doint it until she calms down then stop doing what was making her uncomfterble. For example if you are pulling the cart around and she gets upset about it, keep it up till she calms down, then stop pulling the cart and reward her. If you can pull the cart and lead her behind it and on the side and in the front she will learn that all the noises associated with the cart is OK. I would also build her confedence by riding her by herself more and line driving her more also. If she gets upset at any point calm her down and reward her calm behavior. I hope this helps, Alicia jen frame <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: This message is from: "jen frame" Hi List, I have been driving my new Fjord mare (got her in October) and she is doing fabulously. But I have the intuitive feeling that she may feel more safe withOUT the blinkers on her driving bridle. I am wondering what you all think. She is the kind of Fjord that is very forward moving, loves to go, and has a hard time with Woah! She also likes to stop and look at anything that concerns her, and she does spook occasionally. When on a trail ride with other horses, she doesn't spook at all. She is bold and competitive (although she is low low low on the horse hierarchy in a herd situation). when trail riding her by myself, she spooks at least once or twice per ride. It is a jump sideways, and then she looks. Or often she jumps and bolts about 10 feet or so, and then allows me to pull her to a stop. When driving, since she is green, she gets concerned by the noise of the cart behind her when we go over bumps and tree roots etc. She also gets a little excited by the feel/sound of the cart behind her when we trot, so she raises her head and speeds up. I am working on asking her for a trot and then asking her to be slow and calm in the trot . She is doing well. The one time I drove her out on the roads with another horse that was also pulling a cart, she did fine UNTIL we tried a trot. when I asked for a trot, she became so alarmed by the sound of the cart on the road, that she put her head up high and off to the side and went really fast with an "I'm terrified" body language. I got terrified myself, but managed to get her to stop and walk calmly. I know it is NOT traditional to drive a horse without blinkers. But my feeling is that if she could see what was behind her, she may not get so tense and scared. Do you think this is correct, or am I missing some huge safety factor here? This thursday we were driving through the woods around my house, and we got close to the pasture where Splendora lives with her Donkey. The donkey came running, and it spooked Splendora enough that she bolted forward. I got pulled to my knees in the cart, and therefore lost rein contact so couldn't pull her to a stop. My silly husband was sitting there calmly on the seat. I had to actually TELL him to grab the reins and get her to stop! I'm thinking that spook and lurch forward wouldn't have happened had she had more range of vision. Any suggestions? Do I keep driving with blinkers and let her turn from green to some other shade slowly with time and practice? Or do I take the blinkers off and let her see what is going on around her? Thanks! jen The FjordHorse List archives can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw - Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. The FjordHorse List archives can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw
RE: to use blinkers or not when driving spook-prone Fjord?
This message is from: "Gail Russell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> HI Jen, I have been on the Combined Driving List and the RED list for many years, but have frequented neither recently. I think Karen McCarthy still reads them from time to time.I believe I have seen vivid descriptions of the danger of driving a horse hitched to a cart from the ground as very dangerous. Please ask someone for a more complete description of the hazards of doing this. I am hoping someone who is a better driver than me will respond. Gail The FjordHorse List archives can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw
Re: to use blinkers or not when driving spook-prone Fjord?
This message is from: "jen frame" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hello Jean, and thank you for that info that they drive in open bridles in Norway. That gives me some encouragement that an open bridle may be the thing to do with Splendora. When you say start again, do you mean start by ground driving her in an open bridle, then when she is comfy with that, move to hitching her to the cart but still walking beside the cart with long reins and ground driving her that way, and finally getting in the cart with her in an open bridle? Thanks in advance for your clarification, Jen On 1/26/08, Jean Ernest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This message is from: Jean Ernest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > In Norway they generally do NOT use blinkers driving their > Fjords! Open bridles is what I see on most every photo of Fjords > driving in Norway. > > If you do go with an open bridle be sure to start without the cart, > from the beginning again. > > Jean in Fairbanks, Alaska where is cold again -40 in the low areas to > -15 on the hills. > > > > >I have been driving my new Fjord mare (got her in October) and she is > >doing fabulously. > >But I have the intuitive feeling that she may feel more safe withOUT > >the blinkers on her driving bridle. I am wondering what you all > >think. > > The FjordHorse List archives can be found at: > http://tinyurl.com/rcepw The FjordHorse List archives can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw
RE: to use blinkers or not when driving spook-prone Fjord?
This message is from: "Gail Russell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> You should keep the blinkers on and go back to ground driving. And get professional help. This may not be a driving horse. My husband and I are victims of a carriage accident, with a professional German certified driver at the reins. My husband's foot was badly hurt, I ripped apart my shoulder, another passenger had a brain injury, another shattered her clavicle. And that was a GOOD outcome. What you are describing is an imminent catastrophe. Until you have been in a carriage accident or witnessed multiple carriage accidents, you have no real idea how bad it can be. Gail The FjordHorse List archives can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw
re: to use blinkers or not when driving spook-prone Fjord?
This message is from: Jean Ernest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> In Norway they generally do NOT use blinkers driving their Fjords! Open bridles is what I see on most every photo of Fjords driving in Norway. If you do go with an open bridle be sure to start without the cart, from the beginning again. Jean in Fairbanks, Alaska where is cold again -40 in the low areas to -15 on the hills. I have been driving my new Fjord mare (got her in October) and she is doing fabulously. But I have the intuitive feeling that she may feel more safe withOUT the blinkers on her driving bridle. I am wondering what you all think. The FjordHorse List archives can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw
re: to use blinkers or not when driving spook-prone Fjord?
This message is from: "jen frame" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hi List, I have been driving my new Fjord mare (got her in October) and she is doing fabulously. But I have the intuitive feeling that she may feel more safe withOUT the blinkers on her driving bridle. I am wondering what you all think. She is the kind of Fjord that is very forward moving, loves to go, and has a hard time with Woah! She also likes to stop and look at anything that concerns her, and she does spook occasionally. When on a trail ride with other horses, she doesn't spook at all. She is bold and competitive (although she is low low low on the horse hierarchy in a herd situation). when trail riding her by myself, she spooks at least once or twice per ride. It is a jump sideways, and then she looks. Or often she jumps and bolts about 10 feet or so, and then allows me to pull her to a stop. When driving, since she is green, she gets concerned by the noise of the cart behind her when we go over bumps and tree roots etc. She also gets a little excited by the feel/sound of the cart behind her when we trot, so she raises her head and speeds up. I am working on asking her for a trot and then asking her to be slow and calm in the trot . She is doing well. The one time I drove her out on the roads with another horse that was also pulling a cart, she did fine UNTIL we tried a trot. when I asked for a trot, she became so alarmed by the sound of the cart on the road, that she put her head up high and off to the side and went really fast with an "I'm terrified" body language. I got terrified myself, but managed to get her to stop and walk calmly. I know it is NOT traditional to drive a horse without blinkers. But my feeling is that if she could see what was behind her, she may not get so tense and scared. Do you think this is correct, or am I missing some huge safety factor here? This thursday we were driving through the woods around my house, and we got close to the pasture where Splendora lives with her Donkey. The donkey came running, and it spooked Splendora enough that she bolted forward. I got pulled to my knees in the cart, and therefore lost rein contact so couldn't pull her to a stop. My silly husband was sitting there calmly on the seat. I had to actually TELL him to grab the reins and get her to stop! I'm thinking that spook and lurch forward wouldn't have happened had she had more range of vision. Any suggestions? Do I keep driving with blinkers and let her turn from green to some other shade slowly with time and practice? Or do I take the blinkers off and let her see what is going on around her? Thanks! jen The FjordHorse List archives can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw
