Heading for competition!

So now we really are heading for the first combine driving competition with Shetland pair! Pretty amazing! Leaving tomorrow and competing Saturday and Sunday. Both dressage and cones are driven on Saturday and marathon at Sunday. I really shouldn't be blogging but packing right now! The Finnish spring is really not helping either as it has snowed a few cm snow during the night :P 

I have packed some stuff already, unbeliveable how much blankets and stuff you have to have with you with two ponies! Today I will drive the ponies in pair so cleaning up the tack must be done late this evening. Then there is packing of the carcaravan also, very handy to live in during competitions!

I just printed and collected all the documents you need, ponies passports, healthy cards for the driver and groom for marathon etc. Really a lot to remember!

Yesterday I tested if I could plait the ponies manes, looks nice here but as I drove it got loose, so I'll let the original pony breed compete with mane loose waving in the wind :) This is Paulette.

We had the vetenarian come to our stable at Tuesday. All 2 yr olds teeth were checked and wolfteeth removed, also Paulette's, Ivanhoe's and Verano's teeth checked and three young ponies vaccinated. Paulette and Ivanhoe had also to be measured officially due to the competition regulations and the document has to be with them in the competition, Paulette was 99 cm and Ivanhoe surprisingly 104,4 cm. We have got a measurement document of him taken in Sweden when he was a trotting pony and then they had measured him to be 102,9 cm, maybe it is the muscle he now have in his neck that makes him 2 cm higher ;) 

Then we even had a friend massageing Ivanhoe and Paulette, she studies to become a equine masseur. If you have ponies working hard you can't expect them to keep fit if you don't take care of them. Both enjoyed their massage and was pampered with Back on Track backwarmerer blankets afterwards. Next week they'll get their second massage after the competition. They were in quite good muscle condition now which I was pleased to hear as they still had a long stand in the trailer in the weekend to the camp and back home and hard training passes both days, so not any very sore points found, just some harder parts in muscles where one can expect with Shetlands, in the shoulders and lumbar region (hope that is the right term). So they had recovered from the training very good!

Hope I have time to put some photos from the competition on our facebook page during the weekend!

Training camp greetings!

We had a wonderful weekend at Kiuruvesi Equine Collage at combine driving regional training camp! We participated with pair Ivanhoe av Friheten and Swinghill's Paulette. 

At Saturday we drove a dressage training which went quite well and in the evening a second training with cones, both drives was in a manege. It was the first time I drove cones in pair so after one slow round I managed to drive 40 seconds faster the second round, still maybe not fast enough but it will do. In Finland in regional level one is not allowed to gallop so that is a bit of a problem in my pair. Ivanhoe who has been a trotting race pony in Sweden before he came to us is a very good trotter of course and Paulette has sometimes problems to hang along in trot. As she is not as experienced nor trained yet otherwise either she easily starts to gallop, that won't be a problem when we start driving national level :D :D :D if we ever will... We forgot the camera!!! Can you imagine! Thank God for smartphones with a camera...

 

Waiting for the cones training to start with a Shetland pony Qulla. Ivanhoe on the left in pair and Paulette on the right (looked from the viewer, not driver)

 

 Driving dressage on Sunday

On Sunday it was time to drive dressage again, this time we drove on outside arena, which was very heavy for the ponies. We drove the dressage program which will be the program on next weekends competition. Could have driven better but as we had so long very icy roads and snowy fields I have not been able to drive dressage much, it is understandable. Anyway next week we start in a novice class so we'll take it calmly anyway to get a good start with the pair.

At the camp three other Shetland drivers pariticipated, all drive single. It was nice to meet all and get inspired by others who share the same passion - and of course it was very interesting to see all the drivers with horses too! That is not affordable for me now but maybe we drive some other combination later in life, who knows!

Training with a coach

As a beginner in combine driving it is extremly important to rely on professionals/coaches so since I started driving combine driving we have packed our ponies and carriages and went to training with three different coaches. You really have to be enthusiastic as that is not then at the nearby riding club but at least 150 km away from us as there is not so many drivers interested in training with a coach nearby and we have to find enthusiast further away :) So yesterday we drove to Vaasa, 150 km, to train with Ben Simonsen (for example silver in World Championships with single).

The ponies have practically not been driven the whole autumn because I was so busy with the job I had. I started training them before Christmas and we have just been jogging and working them with long more slow pace work-outs so the training was the first dressage drive for them in a long time. That I think was just an advantage as I think they don't forget what they have learn earlier but on the contrary are keen to work again. So I was very pleased the way they worked though of course they were a bit rusty.

One thing that is very annoying for me is when the ponies run againts the bit with the mouth open, in the beginning when I started driving Ivanhoe the dressage way in stead of the way he had learnt when he was a trotting race pony, he did that all the time. Easily you think that you are too hard on your hand (which also might be the case) or that you have to change the bit (which also might be the case), but Ben convinced me to be calm and wait, the pony have to first learn where you want it to be and what the right position is and then - as if by magic - they shot their mouth and work in the right shape when they understand what you expect of them. So I try not to worry about the mouth too much and wait, and it is just as he says. Then when the magic happens ;) it is your turn to ease your hand and touch. Not very easy in fact, I tend to be too slow and hang on the reins though one should have already eased the touch to the reins as the pony already works in a right way. Well, the point is anyway, I still drive only with straight bit and a slightly curved liverpool and that is all I have needed these two years and might be the only bits I ever need with Shetland forward, as they shut their mouth and relax when they start working the right way, trust it, they do; so = wait until your ponies learn to work in right shape first with a nice normal straight bit which they can rely on, then start make it complicate with ten different bits if you still think it is necessary ;) You can't expect the pony to work in a right position if you haven't taught the pony what it is you want. Of course ponies vary in the shape of their mouth, their temperament and spirit and might need for example a different bit, but still, think first where the problem might be, I usually find it in the other end of the reins... Be first sure of that both you and the pony understands what it is you are doing and what you are asking of the pony, I think it is very very very simple in the end, not easy though!

Ivanhoe had not been drivien with liverpool for a while and as we have only done some jogging work-outs he was hanging on the bit a lot in the beginning with open mouth

But he has not forgot what he has learnt earlier so after a while he was in the right shape

For Paulette (two photos above) the liverpool is too hard as she is a very sensitive mare so she is driven with a straight bit. She is very forward so the driving becomes easily a pulling contest but Ben drove her a few minutes and quickly she figured it out what is expected. She has been on a training like this only once before and driven only sporadic and more in pair, so I really have to work with her more to get her in the right shape.

Working in circles with Paulette

She has a nice trot too!

Training halt too above with Ivanhoe

 

And then again trot (Ivanhoe), it is very important to drive with a coach who look at it all from the ground and tells you what to do to learn it right straight away

As my ponies has only worked a few weeks now I'm very precise of how much I demand of them to keep it fun for all parts and then I have to notice also that they stand in the trailer a few hours also. So we stopped when both the ponies had had a good work out but in good time before they would have been tired. Then they are walked a while with two fleece rugs, the rugs changed once and after a while still one new fleece rug and normal outdoor rugs for transport to protect them from draft in the trailer. I cover their feet with boots and fleece or wollen wraps which is important as they have studs on their shoes and I don't want them to get hurt on their feet if they would loose balance in the transport. Home they got their Back On Track backwarmers on with a fleecerug for the evening to warm the muscles.

A happy driver and too lovely ponies on their way back in the trailer and home :D

Shetland size equipment wanted

It is quite difficult and expensive to try to find suitable equipment for Shetland ponies. It seems manufactures has not yet realized there is a market for Shetland size sheets, wraps etc. Still there is an increasing number of especially adults who drive and train their ponies goal-directed. If you are lucky enough to find for example a suitable sheet, it is probably pink. Well a bit exaggrated by generalising. But you don't always find what you are looking for. One major problem is that often the product is just a smaller version of horse size without no adaptions for Shetland propotions, this leads to for example bits with horse sized rings or sheets that are suitable in lenght but hangs to knees. As I am quite pedantic of colors (visual as I am...) I sew two green cooler sheets and two tartan driving sheets for special occations as you don't find such in shops. I've always used green as team color but with Shetlands I also use both brown (because of our gig) as deep red as it looks great on black ponies. As Paulette and Ivanhoe are in training for next summers combine driving competitions one have to take extra care of them when driving and afterwards to keep their muscles relaxed when we can have temperatures as low as -15C when driving. Of course they have a good coat as I haven't clipped them, but therefore it is even more important to have good fleece rugs to help them dry. I put a fleece sheet on neck and a fleece rug on them after driving - and change into a dry new rug after 30-60 min, if necessary I change the rug once more and might ad a Back On Track back-warmer (horse size but covers a Shetland nicely). You can read of Back On Track products here, they are much used in Finland by trotters.

I'm definitely not a good sewer but these will do :) Swinghill's Paulette presents the cooler sheet and driving sheets I sew :)

 

Cooler is handy when you walk a horse after driving

 

Driving sheet likewise but these ones I might use on a colder day in spring or autumn before and after performance

About harness

I have been planning to buy a synthetic harness for single for a while. Mostly because I want to have it a bit easier to wash the harness though I prefer leather. We have Ideal single and pair leather harnesses so I have enough of washing already! :D

So after reading a lot of postive feedback of Zilco harness in the facebook group Shetland Pony Driving I gave it a go after I found one second hand. The harness is as new though it has been used for a year. Swinghill's Paulette was the one to test it first because on her carrige there is no loop in the end of the shaft, as the harness don't have quick relase it is not so practical to use with a carriage with loop. Driving yesterday was interesting in +0,5 degrees Celsius and heavy snowfall so the whip, pony and harness became soaken wet! Couldn't have been happier to drive synthetic instead of leather... I think the harness fitted quite well on Paulette, I'll try it on Ivanhoe today. Especially the ergonomic breastplate was very pleasing as it suited very well which I was most worried about.

 

Paulette must be thinking, you can't be serious to think we are going driving in this weather?!

 

But afterwards there was both a jolly pony and driver! And that is one of the most importat things! 

It will be interesting to see in how cold circumstanses one can drive with it, I'm a bit doubtful as we drive until it is -15 - -18C... 

Zilco harness internet pages

Photos from competition

Got these lovely photos from Hanna Käräjäoja who had photographed last spring at Shettis Cup performance class competitions in Kalajoki. We participated in long reins and driving class and in the Match Show held at the same time, Ivanhoe was Best In Show and Paulette Best In Show II! Ivanhoe was also chosen Performance Champion!

Swinghill's Paulette right and Ivanhoe av Friheten left (from the carriage viewed)

Ivanhoe long reins

Best In Show and Best In Show II heading home

Finally tandem!

We have driven Ivanhoe and Paulette long reins in tandem before (you'll find a video somewhere in the blog) but finally we put them in cart too. Was really fun but we need some more practice in the turns... :D

From foal to driving pony part 1.

So there was discussion of breaking a Shetland to harness a time a go in Shetland Pony Driving group in Fb so lets see how I and probably most of Finns do it.

Foal to yearling

The best way to get a driving pony suitable for yourself is to breed one! :D This is something I've noticed through the years, then you have the trust all the way and you know who the pony is - unless you spoil the trust with your actions. Here comes the advantage of having experience, then you know when to push more and especially - when to leave it. I don't use goodies or special technics like natural horsemanship, I just build the trust with the pony from the start and always try not to loose it, I think it is called common sense ;) It is always, in my opinion, so much easier to start doing things with a foal than have an adult pony who is not used to work with people and tend to already have its own opinions of doing or not doing things you ask for, so we start "working" with ponies in a normal calm pace to reach a driving pony who can basics in 3-3,5 years. Then to talk about training a pony forwards from that, is another story.

Our two year old colt Thorin Ax showing off for mares and foals. Your ponies moves a lot naturally if you pay attention to how you draw your fences, here safely colts and a gelding besides mares as there is a dtich between but you still get the effect of  ponies moving in stead of just eating all day long, you know how Thelwell's these are...

So the summerfoal Shetlands have a few hectars pasture and lives in a herd or mares and youngsters, that makes them move and play all day long - never forget that a horse is born to move, so as we live on a farm, tiny paddocks is not an option, our ponies have lots of space. Summerfoals have their collars when their hooves are done and they get their medicines for worms from the age of 7 weeks and vaccines from the age of 6 months. I walk around in the pasture in summer (or I should say all year long) just to make a good connection with the foals and the best way to do it is to scratch them a lot, they love it and thinks only positively of you from the start! When they come to the stables in the summer for different reasons (their dam being washed, hooves etc...) we start leading them at the same time, following the dam makes it natural for them.

Jenniefer (the broodmare), Elenya Ax and Mithrim Ax happy of getting a new friend to play with.

First time their hooves are done we have them in the box with their dam but then often on the stable corridor with the dam waiting in the box, I keep the foal and Marko works and I give them a lot of scratching all the time which they enjoy. Here they learn to stand in the corridor and it is just as natural as being free, it just is a thing you do as a pony and the don't question it as it is okey to be there and be scratched ;) Often you hear questions when to learn a horse to stand on the corridor for example, well we don't learn them in a certain point, it is just something that follows in the process and you just know when you can for example start to have them attached from the collar, usually I don't do it before they are yearlings and always first attached from just one side and keeping the rope yourself from the other side. You don't want to frighten them by attached them at once, they must first learn safely that if they move there comes a pressure and then they just have to move back to loosen, usually they do learn quickly when you can add a bit of flexibility keeping the other side to yourself at the beginning and as they are used to the same logic when being lead! It is so important to learn horses to adjust to pressure from they are foals, if you don't they will get the panic the first time it happens and if they are adult, it is much more dangerous! Two weeks ago our three summerfoals were microchipped and the registrator did not stop wondering how well beahaved our three foals were when chipped and taken blood tests to verify their parents, though it snaps them a bit, they trust you.

Being in a horse transport comes naturally if we take them to breed shows with their dam as summerfoals, if not, then they usually do it with a friend or and older pony when they are yearlings and we have never had a problem with them loading or when driving the trailer, they just trust it is okey as it is you who present the new thing and they have a friend with them. Usually we taken a short drive or two the days before the trip to show them it is okey. They don't usually question walking to the trailer either as ponies are curious if you let them be - and again - they trust you. Let them look at the trailer and smell the floor and take their time and soon enought they walk in.

Foals are naturally curious and  open-minded, just as kids...

When they become yearling in the spring/summer we put the bits on when we take them on a walk around the farm and they get used to have something in the mouth. At the same time they get used to follow the human away from the herd, which they also have to do at the shows. It's usually no problem. Then we also teach them to trot and here I might have Marko behind the pony also asking the pony with voice commands to trot along if they don't start trotting with just me besides them. It is much easier if you be consist and in a friendly manner, demand them to do what you want (and I DON'T mean hitting!), because after a few tries they'll do it naturally the rest of their lives. Just be determind and still friendly and remember to praise them A LOT!

 

Colt Dunedain Ax at official breeding evaluation for foals as yearling

Well that's about what we do till they turn 1 year :) I would never ever recommend someone to just leave the ponies until they are five, it is not fair to start demanding them then, if you don't have shown any interest before. You must give their minds and bodies time to adjust to work gradually as they grow and not take for granted that they will serve you perfectly at once when they are "grown up".  You also very much must take their personalities in consideration, if one pony learns quickly it doesn't mean every one does. The most irritateing thing to do is not doing the basics properly and for examle hitch the to the carrige before they can handle it, so make it a fair experience for the pony, do your homework and make a connection with the ponies from the start, life is so much more simple after that!

Autumn drive with Shetland pair