Everything Horsies

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Here are some pics of the cones challenge. Before each contestant run, I would set the cones to a specific width, depending on the width of that particular carriage. It allowed about 6 inches on each side. There were tennis balls sitting on top of each cone. If either wheel bumped a cone, it would knock the ball off and points were deducted.

It's deceiving because it looks like the drivers are controlling the horse with their arms, but that's not how it works. You actually steer the horse with your pinky fingers. You hold the reins with them coming from the bottom side of your palms with your knuckles facing forward so your pinky finger is the first finger that touches the reins coming from the horse. All you do is put a little grasping pressure with your pinky, and the horse feels it and responds. It's hard to believe they can do this at a fast trot, but they do. I was amazed when I got to do it.

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Here are the mini's. They may be small, but they can sure move, and in the hazard section and maze, they can out maneuver a full sized horse.
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What great pictures! Thank you🤠🤠

I am glad you were able to experience driving. It takes a lot of training to get them to Gee & Haw with a light touch. I drove my granddad’s Welsh/Morgans when I was a kid. The highlight of my summer was him letting me bring the last load of hay in with a four horse hitch - that my cousin & I had trained under his watchful eye.

I’ve never seen the water hazard. That looks like fun as long as the horse doesn’t spook. No easy feat for the co-pilot to know when & how to lean. Kudos to your son - that takes some conditioning on his part.

I love Minis but wouldn’t own them. Believe it or not, they are a lot of care - at least they are where there is a lot of grass. They founder a lot easier on pasture than a normal sized horse will. But, they are smart and they are mischievous 😇❤️😇❤️
 
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Imogene said:
What great pictures! Thank you🤠🤠

I am glad you were able to experience driving. It takes a lot of training to get them to Gee & Haw with a light touch. I drove my granddad’s Welsh/Morgans when I was a kid. The highlight of my summer was him letting me bring the last load of hay in with a four horse hitch - that my cousin & I had trained under his watchful eye.

I’ve never seen the water hazard. That looks like fun as long as the horse doesn’t spook. No easy feat for the co-pilot to know when & how to lean. Kudos to your son - that takes some conditioning on his part.

I love Minis but wouldn’t own them. Believe it or not, they are a lot of care - at least they are where there is a lot of grass. They founder a lot easier on pasture than a normal sized horse will. But, they are smart and they are mischievous 😇❤️😇❤️
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Wow, driving 4 in hand is quite an achievement. I can see why that was the highlight of summer. It's one thing to keep control of a 1400 lb animal, but having 4 of them keep it together is quite a task. If even one of them spooks, you're in for the ride of your life. It might be an encounter with a Tom Turkey with it's feathers fanned out, or a gopher snake, or a startling sound, and off you go. Four horsepower may not sound like much in car terms, but it doesn't even compare to an actual horse, especially a draft horse that can pull a good-sized log out of the forest.

Interesting info on the mini's. I really don't know that much about them, but I can see how they would take a bit more care than a full-size horse. As for the hazards, yes it does take some desensitizing to obstacles, and I guess the horse just somehow learns to trust the owner.
 

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