To cart or not to cart???

[gotkiger]

Ok so i am sure everyone knows this is dollie. She has been off for just about a year and a half with no serious work. This was day two of starting to do some conditioning, still only walk and trot. We are also getting back into ground driving as i am thinking that I might want to hook her up to a cart.

I moved this from a different area as i would like as much advice as possible. I dont even know if she would work well as a carriage horse, but it is a thought. Even if all I do is get her back into shape and do a lot of ground work and get back on, I would like to do more then just putts around on her (and eventually Frodo).

So i know this isnt the best video in the world... in fact it is pretty raw. but it is the best I have been able to do by myself while lunging. Let me know your thoughts, comments, concerns ect... I am hoping to get someone else out there with me so i can do a better video as well as get some pannels to make a round pen somewhere. Thanks


www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOWl9zwFQNI

Oh and neither of us have really had any training (her since before i got her by many years probably, and me ... well never). So there will be a lot wrong in what and how things are done.

[Michelle Clarke]

Dollie is a lovely mare and I think she would be fit for most anything you would want to do with her. Figure out what your goals would be then slowly move towards them. The first thing to realize is what your likes are. If you enjoy riding just because it is fun, then you may want to consider sending Dollie off to a trainer to accomplish your goals so you can just enjoy. If you enjoy the journey of the training, bonding and working with your horse, then there is a whole world open to you.

Personally, just looking at the video, I'd say first priority is getting her moving in a more forward and relaxed way. Right now she is all scrunched up, with her feet doing a little trit-trot, head up, back dropped, etc. If you put her on a cart right now - this would only make this worse and compress her spine more; which obviously leads to long term damage and loss of use. This is especially important if you want a nice riding horse. She needs basic training, then you can go any direction with her.

The basics are simply this:

1) Movement ~ developing relaxed, responsive movement forward, backward, left and right

2) Yield to your body ~ which means she gives to your energy, seat/leg

3) Yield to your hands ~ she softly and willingly gives to your hands both on the ground and under saddle.

[gotkiger]

thanks Michelle I am sending you a pm