Monday, August 12, 2013

Tiny clues and driving bliss

Today was another drive in bliss....Legacy has been going so well in my carriage and I truly LOVE driving. While some folks think of driving as "an old age sport"  is really is not. A full sized horse and carriage are alot physically to handle...even a two wheel carriage like my Bell Crown weighs well over 250lbs. A good driver is an active driver, using their own bodies almost as much as riding. You don't just sit there...LOL...though it very well appear that way.

During our drive today, I noticed that the kicking strap on my harness kept falling off to one side, near Legacy's tail. I also noticed a bit of tail action,  though it could have just been swishing flies. I decided that I knew Legacy well enough to know something was wrong...so, I got out of my carriage to investigate.  I double checked all my adjustments,  and sure enough, I found one piece of harness adjusted to hole #3  on one side of Legacy, and on hole# 2 on the other side....so, I adjusted both sides to be the same and waalaaaa...a nice comfortable horse that did not have to scream to her owner that things were uncomfortable....I am thinking she is just like the Princess and the Pea......and I know that my realizing the issue is strengthening our relationship ;-0 

4 comments:

  1. Princess and the Pea...I just love that description. Legacy makes no bones about it when something is not right, that is for sure! One thing I always found to tire me when driving is how you hold your arms out. My arms got tired! My easy entry is light, and I can load it in the back of a pickup myself, but if I get the Meadowbrook, there is going to be NO WAY I could load it myself. I am so glad that you are driving "in bliss" - you have put a lot of time and effort into this and now you are able to reap your reward.

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    1. Yep, good tired arms ;-0 I certainly can relate to that. So, what are your goals for driving? we will see you in pleasure shows? LOL....do you have lots to trails to drive in your neighborhood? Meadowbrooks are lovely, but my they are beastly things to try and load.....and though I am nimble enough to get out of one in an emergency, I prefer to just watch others use them in all their beauty.

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    2. Goals for driving...hmmmm..I am pretty open. I want to enjoy myself and be safe and watch Ah-D enjoy it, too. If that means driving back roads, that's fine, if it means making it up to Acadia, even better, and if I get to participate in a small pleasure show or group drive, I am open to that as well. I don't have good trails to drive upon close to my house, but about 3 miles up the road is a really nice driving road, maybe 8 miles long? I would have to get my cart past the gate, though, and I am not sure how that would work. Guess I had better look into it!

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    3. Perhaps sometime you and I could go for a virtual drive....! like the virtual rides Denise does sometimes. that would be fun, to know you are across the country, driving at the same time ;-0

      We have very little appropriate driving ground here at home, I will have to trailer out to use roads or larger arenas...but it is all part of the fun and learning and training.

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