[Eli]

Cool video your horse is very well behaved, I hope to have my horse trained that well some day. Thanks for sharing. Eli

[Eli]

Gwpoky is the Ellsworth Creamery still running I did some work their years ago? I drove through a few weeks ago on my wat to Minasota to pick up some harnesses. Beautyful country my brother lived in Blomer for a few years 25 years ago. My neighbor has a collection of Allis Challmers tractors good old tractors. Oops didn’t mean to hijack this post. Eli

[Eli]

I whimped out and hitched Gypsy our 22 year morgan Morgan to the cart today. I just wanted to go for a drive without a fight. Didn’t help Scarlets training at all but I had fun and Gypsy needs to get out too. Drove about 2 miles on the snowmobile trail not sure if this is legal but it worked good. The only snowmobile I met gave me a thumbs up so all is good. Tomorrow won’t be much better having a sleding party at the ridge with my nieces and nephews and their kids. Eli

[Eli]

Looks great keep up the good work. I love to build things to pull with my horses. Eli

[Eli]

We got her harnessed up and I had to go load a milling machine and lath. So my daughter worked with her and then led her in harness to work the arena she pulled the 4 foot spike drag but she didn’t use the lined because she didn’t feel comfortable. I think I would have driven her but I was not home so Im glad she got it done. I will probably harness her later and pull some logs and stuff. Eli

[Eli]

Going to work with my horse, my daughter and I are going to work my horse in the arena today. She told me to watch the Nate Bowers DVD it explaness everything. So I’m watching the DVD then going to work.

[Eli]

That’s is awesome this is what I dream of if I ever get my horse trained and in sure I will.

[Eli]

I went out after my post and harnessed gypsy our morgan who has been driving for 20 years and pulled on the traces and she held and leaned into it a little. Then a little later I had scarlet harnessed I pulled on the traces and she backed up then I held onto them and gave the comand to walk on and when she bumped the end she stopped and stepped around nervously. I don’t know if this helps but I was curious. Every thing I pulled was pretty light. I’m will try a little heavier log 100 lbs or so and se if this matters. I didn’t hook her but I ground drove her around a wile then put her away she did real good best time ever. And I appreciate all the input I’m sure we will get this figured out. Thanks Eli

[Eli]

Is it possible the rearing is in response to getting the comand to walk on but being taught to yeald to pressure and when the colar gets tight she feels she is not supposed to push into pressure and feels trapped. The horse is not super nervous or trying to get away when i stop her with the woa comand and the lines/bit she stops easily. It’s when I sad walk on and made the kiss sound she reared up. When I lead her she will pull more then when I drive her.
I think Carl hit the nail on the head I have been letting scarlet think her way through things in stead of leading her through them. I have been caught up in getting her 100% comfortable with everything that I was letting go of to much leadership. Thank you for all your help and encourage ment. Eli

[Eli]

Now that I slept on it I need to get her relaxed. I think I will warm her up harness her and hook to the cart then brush her and talk to her and get her to relax and get the feel of the cart with out the stress of pulling it then unhook her groom her then put her away this should help with any anxiety the cart is causing . I almost never lunge my horse on a long line I usually lunge for a few minuets changing direction often to get them thinking. When we trained her to ride she was taught to yeald to pressure you can basically move her in any direction with one finger so pulling goes against everything we have taught her for the last year. This my tentative plan let me know what you think. Thank You. Eli.
P.S. I have to remember that progress isn’t measured by how far I get the horse to move but by how prepared she is to move. I am training a horse not moving a cart.

[Eli]

I was reading and one school of thought is my horse is probably rearing because she feels trapped. Eli

[Eli]

I use a snaffle bit almost identical to the one I ride her in, It just touches the corners of he mouth. I don’t think it’s the bit although I did have problems with her fighting the bit when I switched from the bosal but thar was head shaking never rearing. After I stop her with woa and light pressure have her stand for a few seconds I gave the walk on comand and she didn’t go so I mads a kiss noise and she reared up and walked off. This time she didn’t go as fast as the first time. She is the kind of horse that stops thinks then reacts if that makes any sence. She is a viary head strong horse we had some battles but once she settles in she is awesome. Do you think I am hooking her to soon my daughter thinks I should back off a little, I don’t want to stop now I think we are making progress. I also don’t want to get anyone hurt. I thought of lunging her on a long line to take the edge off but don’t want to get her all sweated up when it is cold because she stays on pasture with only a 3 sided building and it’s been below zero the last few nights. Thanks Eli

[Eli]

I ground drove scarlet for about a half hour after work then I hooked her to the cart she was much more cooperative but reared a couple of times. I just got out of the cart and petted her and talked to her until she calmed down and started over. Then I drove her from the ground and talked to her to keep her calm this went on about a half hour. She stood good to unhook I drove her into the barn told her what a good girl she was un harnessed her brushed her a little and put her away. She did well with the PVC shafts never bothered her she is pretty hard to shake. I didnt use a bucking strap mostly because I didn’t know for sure how, does it just go over the horses back and tie to the shafts? I have a long lane 1/2 mile or so that is not plowed so it works good for the horses, and a 20 acre hay field next to the house for her to run wild in if she needs to.
Tom good luck with that poa my daughter has an Appaloosa that was supposed to be a poa but he got to tall. My daughter has been in the dirt a few times wile learning to ride. We got a better fitting sadle and more rideing lessons and a few years under her belt now she is doing great. Our neighbor has about 20 Poa’s and those little buggers got spunk, but I’m sure they can be taught to drive. I will help if I can but I’m pretty green my self. I broke my horse to ride the only thing I know is if you think she is going to buck give her something to do turn in a circle or figure eight change gates. Its hard but when they buck don’t stop keep them busy. A good natural horsemanship trainer is worth a million I know my daughter would have given up if it wasn’t for Shirly our trainer. Now she is breaking horses for friends and neighbors and she is only 15.

[Eli]

Thank you all for your replies. When we broke scarlet we used parelli with a experanced trainer in not sure what level but she has been to his ranch. I bought the Nate Bowers DVD and watched it many times. Scarlet is almost bomb proof she has dragged all kinds of stuff plastic sled, tires, chains pipes,15 gallon drums, spike drag the only thing that ever bothered her was a beef steer buy my neighbors. She will cross a tarp forward and backward you can put it all over her plastic bag on a stick large ball. When I ride her I throw stones at the tin walls and she dosent care. We have ridden the Kawasaki mule and four wheeler in her pasture, she will go back and forth on a wood bridge. She has been ponied behind the cart for miles. I have a 15 year old daughter that worked with her for hours with a large ball she even dragged PVC shafts screwed to a board all over the farm. She is pretty desensitized. She stops when I say woa and runs when I tell her to walk on she just wasn’t comfortable in the cart so I backed up a step and started over. I don’t think I’m having terrible trouble, considering my level of experance. I will try to get some pictures in the cart and I don’t use the wip either but I know guys that get after their horses if they slow down or don’t go. Thank you and keep the advice coming I have no problem reviewing any aspect of my training. Eli

[Eli]

No not really she would run then stop then run then stop. When we did new things before she accepted them and settled down in a few min. With the cart she never calmed down after a half hour she was still nervous so I thought I should regroup. I think it was not being able to turn in the shafts so I have been working on side passing. She side passes off the line on her leg but it cant touch her leg in the shafts. Also I have skis on the cart so she can’t back up and this is also new to her. I thought about putting the tires back on but then it snowed 6+ inches so I didn’t. Do you think she would be better off with wheels on the driveway it is snow packed and somewhat slippery? I can’t wait to get her pulling the cart it’s hard to ground drive her for more then a half an hour in the snow. One more question when she stops should I get after her with the buggy whip I haven’t but se others use them? Thank you and any pointers are welcome. Eli

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