Redneck sledding

[Stalknndashadows]

While I'm in a picture sharing mood figured I'd add these on here also.

1st time being worked in over a month.
1st time with his harness in a year.
1st time pulling something in said harness in eh...lets go with more than a year.

I need to let the breast collar down more. It was adjusted for the last time he wore it. O_O

He pulled me around without hesitation. Only straight lines since he isn't used to pulling and with my traces near his back feet I don't need him to step on them. ;) He is FINALLY mentally mature enough to handle this no problems. When he was younger he couldn't wrap his mind around dragging *me* around but could pull my weight or more no problem....as long as it wasn't actually me. Don't have that problem now. yay!

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c134/Stalknndashadows/IMGP5978sm.jpg

After we were done. :) Unhooked from the sled waiting to be unharnessed.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c134/Stalknndashadows/IMGP5980sm.jpg

He will allow me to hook him to things and even drag weight...but I haven't had help in the "hitching to cart" area since I'm pretty much by myself 99% of the time.

[starkitten]

Looks like fun!!!!! What a beautiful boy you have :)

[Flair]

I love it!

I just have one question though...

...where's the snow?!?! ;)

[Gypsy Rose]

Looks like fun! But how well does the sled move without snow?

[JackieB]

Cool! That looks like so much fun! Thanks for sharing.

[Stalknndashadows]

It was quite fun.

As for snow...what is snow? ;)

The sled actually moves very easily though it is a bit bumpy on the butt when you go over a rock or 20. I've had that sled for 15 or so years now. O_O Been through everything and slowly falling apart. Our next move up will hopefully be a tractor tire...should move less easily. lol

[Flair]

As for snow...what is snow?

Heck if I know. I've rarely seen it. Ever. The price of living in Southern California. Sunshine and warm weather most of the time in this season they supposedly call 'winter'

[Stalknndashadows]

Heck if I know. I've rarely seen it. Ever. The price of living in Southern California. Sunshine and warm weather most of the time in this season they supposedly call 'winter'


LoL. I used to live in Alaska so I saw more snow in a few years than most people in the south where I am will see in their lives. We don't get snow, we get slushy wannabe snow that scares the crap out of people and puts a severe damp in my day. Then eveything is horribly muddy and slick for a few days. *groan* I'm really not looking forward to it.

[Miracle Whip]

That picture looked a tad bit dangerous to me. I'd be scared to be that close to his hooves. I mean, looks like it would be easy to BAIL, but it also looks like he could kick and take your head off. Wouldn't being up higher, with a cart be safer? You could SEE the horse better and know if he was about to react.

Its not the sled that worries me, its you sitting so low. He could get tangled in the reins just as easily in this scenario as he could if he was hitched up to something with wheels.

[Stalknndashadows]

That picture looked a tad bit dangerous to me. I'd be scared to be that close to his hooves. I mean, looks like it would be easy to BAIL, but it also looks like he could kick and take your head off. Wouldn't being up higher, with a cart be safer? You could SEE the horse better and know if he was about to react.

Its not the sled that worries me, its you sitting so low. He could get tangled in the reins just as easily in this scenario as he could if he was hitched up to something with wheels.

Oh I fully understand your concerns and I appreciate it very much. :) If I had any hesitation that he would use his feet to react I wouldn't be back there.

There is always that chance but after having him for seven years (since he was a weanling) and knowing what sets him off (it's a hobby of mine to find the triggers and get rid of them.) Before I ever get in I intentionally wrap reins around his legs, have traces banging on him, sled popping him in the rear, and whatever else I can think of to try and reach a trigger.

A lot of times when driving and training you can use tractor tires for them to pull which will put you right at the feet as well.

A cart is not always safer, especially in my instance where he is not trained to a cart as of yet. I think I trust him more pulling my sled than my big couple thousand dollar cart that's not nearly as agile as my sled.

Yes there is always that chance that something will go wrong but it is a risk I am willing to take. Would I do it with my TWH? Heck no..had him for 11 years and still wouldn't do it with him because his triggers are far different then Moon's.

[IrisGreen]

Haha I got a kick out of seeing this! What fun!! Yeah, It can be dangerous not because the horse will kick you (being most people that would do this KNOW there horse wont kick) but because there are no brakes on the sled and you can slid into him.

I have a half draft I am training to drive too and I'm in the same position you are in. I'm home alone 99% of the time so I can't hook him up. It's frustrating but eventually he will get hooked up and trained. All the other stuff I do with him and harnessing is great and it makes him a very mellow and tolerant horse.

I bet when you do hook him up he will won't mind it. If you work with him a lot and harness him up, practice driving he will be fine with a car. Just take it slow. Get some PVC pipes and put those through the tug holder straps and have him drag those so when he turns he feels those pipes on his legs and gets used to being bumped by stuff on his sides. Then he wont mind the shafts, or tugs bumping him under cart.

What fun!! I don't even have my coffee in the morning yet and I am so happy to see these pictures :) I started a driving group in the social groups if you wanted to check it out.

Do you have a training cart?

[Annasmom]

o dear haha

[FatSpottedAppy]

He is gorgeous, and that looks like a ton of fun. :) Definitely share more pictures!

[Kowgirlkate]

He's very pretty! Glad to hear he's doing so well, keep up the good work! :cowboy:

[Stalknndashadows]

Haha I got a kick out of seeing this! What fun!! Yeah, It can be dangerous not because the horse will kick you (being most people that would do this KNOW there horse wont kick) but because there are no brakes on the sled and you can slid into him.

Thankfully the only way a sled with more than 30lbs in it won't move without being pulled on our rocky clay. I can't get the thing to slide so when he stops moving the sled stops right where it is at both walking and trotting so running in to him isn't much of a concern though I make sure to still be careful. :)

I have a half draft I am training to drive too and I'm in the same position you are in. I'm home alone 99% of the time so I can't hook him up. It's frustrating but eventually he will get hooked up and trained. All the other stuff I do with him and harnessing is great and it makes him a very mellow and tolerant horse.

I've been saying the same thing for 5 years now. lmao ONE DAY I swear!

I bet when you do hook him up he will won't mind it. If you work with him a lot and harness him up, practice driving he will be fine with a car. Just take it slow. Get some PVC pipes and put those through the tug holder straps and have him drag those so when he turns he feels those pipes on his legs and gets used to being bumped by stuff on his sides. Then he wont mind the shafts, or tugs bumping him under cart.

I think you are right. I'm sure he will be fine I just don't need him to decide stopping isn't what he needs to do. He's pulled with PVC pipes. I've had someone help me and we would put hard pressure on the tugs to get him used to it and not bother him. He helps me move my pipes and wooden poles all the time...I put one half on his back and I carry the other and we walk to where they go. He is overall a mellow dude. He doesn't mind things banging against him at any speed or while standing still. I've wrapped things around him and just plain done what I can to make him used to as much as possible.

What fun!! I don't even have my coffee in the morning yet and I am so happy to see these pictures :) I started a driving group in the social groups if you wanted to check it out.

Do you have a training cart?
I don't have a training cart which is another thing that worries me...I trust he will be fine but I also don't want to kill my nice meadowbrook cart. He doesn't mind the cart and I wanted to kill him one day because while checking the cart out he flipped the shafts off their stands and they crashed to the ground hitting his legs in the process...he never flinched, but was curious instead. Thankfully it didn't hurt my shafts...that would have been hard to replace.

I will check out the group shortly. :)

Thank you for the help. Also good luck with your boy! I've followed some threads on him in the past and think he is a character.