Breaking Rhi in for the cart

[Miriam]

Yesterday a friend of mine started to break Rhi in for the cart. She was absolutely fantastic. No problem with the harness and long reining. She was so good that he decided to long rein her on the road. If the weather holds (looks it is going to rain) we will lightly attach the cart (not fasten just placing in the tubs so we can pull it out if necessary). He sems to think that she has been used in the cart before.


Miriam

[Miriam]

Due to the weather we did not get Rhi attached to the cart instead we did something I have never done with a horse before, we loose schooled her. She started off not enjoying it at all but then she suddenly changed and began to enjoy it. She has a tremendous jump on her if only I had the courage to jump her myself.


Miriam

[Silvia]

Great you are doing so well with Rhi. And who knows - you might want to jump her some day...

[Dizzy]

Sounds as though you and Rhi are having a pretty interesting time at the mo. I've never broken a horse to pulling a cart, but I do long rein, I would imagine it can get quite hairy the first time they actually pull the cart, I can understand why you don't fasten them in first time. I take it you'll long rien from the side, will you have someone up front leading too? Keep us posted.

At my previous livery yard, they did quite a lot of loose schooling, especially in bad weather, to keep the RDA ponies in work, it was great fun. They used an indoor school, and one or two of the lazier characters used to cut corners, so the 'schooler' many times had to cover just as much ground as the ponies. I used to laugh when a red faced person used to burst out of the school and collapse, gasping for breathe followed by a fresh faced, hairy pony, with a smile from ear to ear and a twinkle in its eye. It was pretty obvious who'd schooled who.

Good luck with your carting

Lesley

[floppy]

at this professional yard i go to to have my riding/ride my cousins younster the owner does every wednesday morning from 8am to 2.30pm loose schooling...wlel i should say loose jumping...people put their horses names ona list adn he will jump them in the inside arena with the hroses only wearing a head collar..its fascinating to watch!! a lady yesterday bought her 3yr haflinger to the yard because it was going to live there and they let the little baby into th earena to strech a bit after the journey and the hrose jump out of its own free will...first jump!!! but bless it..its a small hrose ocmapred to all the big showjumpers and dressage horses that it decided it didnt like this other jump and last minute it ducked and run under the side poles that were put there to stop the bigger horses running out from the jump!heheh bless him :D
just thought i woudl share that with you all on the topic of losoe schooling!

[Miriam]

Rhianna has a little 12hh pony in with her and at first he was not interested in jumping. He was quiet happily grazing so much that he decided to graze beside the jumps. Rhi was just about to jump and then realised that poor Mac was in the way, came to a halt and was unsure wether to jump or not and then decided against it. In the meantime Mac just stood grazing away. At another point she decided not to jump one and at the last minute jumped it from a standstill. :)


Miriam

[Cathy Reynolds]

Get a tyre behind her. Start with one person either side holding weight of tyrre then gradually give the weight to her so she pulls the tyre. Much less risky than a cart for the first lesson!

[Miriam]

Hi Cathy,

That was my reaction to the lad who was breaking her in for me. I know a little bit about breaking in after reading a book and have had a bash at it twice, once with a pony who had already been there and needed just bringing back into it and another with a pony who had never done it. The last was a bit of a disaster as he fled with the tyre flying behind him. He paniced and jumped into the field next to the arena.We did place Rhi in the cart the other day and she was brill. Either she has done it before (which I cannot find out as I did not purchase her from her owner) or she is taking to it like a duck to water. Once the cart was in the tubs she was wanting to go. We have not taken her onto the road yet, hoping to do that tomorroww if it is not too hot.


Miriam