Albion Firecracker

So today it was time to introduce the tyre! Whilst Albi was in the field I dragged it along the fence line and he snorted and then curiosity overcame him and he came down and walked alongside me with his head low, wondering what the heck I was dragging! :p Then I got him in and harnessed him up and Dom pulled the tyre ahead of us so we were following it. Albi didn't seem fazed and kept trying to sniff it! We were going to take him round to the school but I didn't know how much sand would be displaced from the tyre so we decided to walk him around at the yard so that it went over various surfaces.... stones, mud, leaves and made lots of different noises and provided differing levels of resistance once it was attached. After a few trips back and forth following the tyre, Dom and Albi swapped places so that Albi was now in front and Dom was dragging it behind me, who was walking along behind Albi holding the reins. I had a bit of a panic as I then remembered that Albi hates things coming up behind him when we are out hacking, but with the blinkers he was much calmer and although his ears were flicking back and forth, he didn't put a hoof wrong.

Then it was time to....... attach the tyres to the traces!!!!! :eek: Dom led him initially, just in case he panicked but again he was a total star. Back and forth we went, up and down the track in the field, over the rutted terrain as we turned. After a couple more loops, I told Dom to unclip his leadrope and step back with me and Albi just trundled on like he's been pulling a tyre all his life. In the end I suggested we just went out 50yds up the lane, so that Albi could hear the sound of the tyre on tarmac and he just took it all in his stride. Dom walked ahead of us and video'd us walking back to the yard (I knew Albs would be find for this because he was "going home" :p )


So very proud of him. More of the same tomorrow......
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ruskii
My exercise cart arrived yesterday so we have brough Matilda (trailer) home tonight to transport it over to the yard in the morning. Going to use Wally's tip and cover it with carrots so that Albi can "meet" it.... although obviously it won't be used until I am confident that he is completely happy with the tyre.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gimp and Ruskii
Today Albi met the "Black Monster" (cart!) up close. As we approached it he snorted but he then sniffed it and deemed it not scary after all. I chucked some carrot pieces on the floor and seat which he helped himself to and then Dom wheeled it around and we followed it without any visible fear.

After that he pulled his tyre round to the school and was a good boy again. The tyre didn't displace the sand like I thought it would but just flattened a nice neat track. ...although sand did collect in the centre, which just added to the pull weight. We even did a couple of trots down the long sides. Although it exhausts me to run on the sand in my clumpy Muck boots so we didn't do much! :p

Hoping to do a bit of tyre practise every day this week, in the school and out in the lanes and if all goes well we will put him to the cart at the weekend.... *gulp*
 
have someone pull the cart behind you long reining, he can used to the noises and rattles it will make.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ruskii
Yes we did that yesterday too. ... it is surprisingly silent, even on uneven ground.... must be because its new!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gimp
Rosie is being desentised to noise behind her by having a sometimes ' loud' 4yr old being dragged around behind her! Pallets Ive found good for noise! I like to try something really noisy and rattly behind them until they accept that, but looks like your guy is very chilled out anyway!
 
Shame on me, but I'm new to all this so forgive me this once! Today we put Albi to the cart. We've been out and about a few times this week in all weathers and on all surfaces pulling the tyre, through puddles, mud, bumpy ground and tarmac - all without incident, so I really did feel that Albi was ready for the next step.

Firstly Dom took the U-frame of the shafts off and we hung them down each side of him to see how he reacted. He was fine so we progressed to putting him to..... which took a little time as we had to adjust the width and length of the shafts, as well as the angle so that the seat sits level, as well as the shafts. Looking at the pics, I can see that tomorrow we need to adjust the angle further as the seat is tilting backwards slightly.... but it is a massive learning-curve for us. Anyhoo..... Albi was so accepting of everything today - he plodded around, in-hand, pulling his cart as if it were an everyday occurence! In my bones I have always felt that he would be fine, but today I was SO very proud of him as he was so good. Amazing to watch him crossing over his front legs as he turns already! As he was so relaxed and calm, I couldn't help but hop on for a photo opp.... and then a very small walk around half the school before disembarking to smother him with hugs of gratitude.... and this is where I'm embarrassed to admit that I TOTALLY forgot to wear my riding hat!! I never thought we would get as far as we did - and I really don't feel like Albi was pushed, or overloaded or flooded, so it just didn't occur to me to take it round with us.... but I will tomorrow!!!

I'm still grinning like a Cheshire cat!!!



 
  • Like
Reactions: blazer, Vicki100 and joellie
The boy done good! :D Down in Greater London with my family yesterday so it has been a whole week since I have had Dom's extra hands to help put Albi to his cart. This time he pulled it up the hill to the school (in-hand). Quick whizz around the school in-hand and on-board to check he hadn't forgotten his manners and then it was out into the field next door to practise on grass for the first time. And he was once again a total star. And we even trotted a whole loop!



I'm teaching myself the one-handed way of driving, but when he trotted it felt so fast in the cart that I panicked and reverted to two reins.... consequently he zig-zagged all over the place as I'm learning the right contact. Second time I maintained single-handed and because the reins felt even he did a much straighter line.... so I need to practise as well as him!! Such a beautiful day and so proud of my boy. Next week we will do more of the same on Saturday and then on Sunday we will take him out in-hand on the LANE!!! :eek: ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: juliecwuk, Fleabitten Grey and Ruskii
Good boy, Albi! Today we finally went out in the lane. We usually turn right out of the yard and have very quiet lanes and open access to fields but today we turned left and headed half a mile up a hill to the housing estate. I drove him in the lane and trotted up the hill. As a ridden pony, Albi is great with traffic. He has also been fine being overtaken when long-lined in blinkers but I wanted to expose him to a fair amount of cars in his full driving set-up, with Dom around just in case, hence the housing estate. I got out of the cart and reverted to walking him and Dom led him too, whilst we went past a lot of parked cars (didn't want to risk damaging them!) Needless to say, my fears were unfounded and he was no different in his cart than his usual placid self. On the way back I got back in and drove him back to the yard.
Now I feel confident that the occasional vehicle we may encounter on our usual routes won't cause him issues. Phew!

Vid...
 
  • Like
Reactions: joellie, Ruskii and juliecwuk
Seeing as the weather forecast for the rest of Easter is so pants, we seized the opportunity in yesterday's lovely sunshine to venture out into the lane in our normal direction. Dom very kindly came with us partially and even though we went off solo, we remained within sight, thanks to being able to a loop down, round and back up a large hill.... Dom stood at the top and watched us to save him walking!! This time I got straight into the cart and drove Albi out of the yard.... we encountered our first proper hills up and down. We did some road work and some off-road work and Albi even threw in a few canter paces a couple of times. It looks so weird from behind, I actuallly thought he was bucking but then realised that he'd fallen into canter :oops: He was foot-perfect throughout and although we were only out for 25 mins, the combination of the hillwork and the warmth of the day meant that he produced his first driving sweat!! :p
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fleabitten Grey, Ruskii and joellie
newrider.com
Top Bottom