Took a trip to meet a few girls and a boy. - Pictures - Pictures - Horse Community, Horse Pictures, Horse Forum and Information

Posted : 8/26/2011 2:10:35 AM

Well, I finally made the much anticipated trip to Fresno and Grass Valley. All of the horses were quite satisfactorily huge! Well, Riverdance was huge like a sow ready for slaughter! LOL, she's so fat that she jiggles when trotting. That girl seriously needs a diet! I just might pass on Socrates. He likes to kick out. Not a good trait for driving horses.

Anyway, here's a few shots:

Pleasingly plump Riverdance, LOL!

Condessa is closer and Riverdance on the far side of the rail.

Riverdance in the Bull Pen. Very willing and anxious to please. River loves attention, seeks it out even. She was fun to work with.

Condessa in the Bull Pen. She was willing, though a touch confused. I think she might turn out to be a nice pleasure horse.

Condessa cooperating nicely for the pretty picture.

Riverdance however, was a bit camera shy.

Chambord's Socrates. He's a nice fellow.

Now, is that a friendly face or what? Seems that Socks has a tendency to kick though. He was poorly started out and when they put him to the cart, he reduced the shafts to matchwood. When I attempted to ride him (first time for me in well over twenty years) he kept throwing little bucks. Every time I queued him to trot, he would buck. That was enough for me. I don't think I'll be going back for him. A horse with a tendency to kick is not appropriate to the shafts. However, other than that, he'll likely make someone a wonderful riding horse. He has a sweet personality though, and really likes being around people. I liked him a lot. He's just not what I'm looking for.

hunterseat

Posted : 8/26/2011 2:18:50 AM

*drums fingers on desk* [ ';)'

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hunterseat

Posted : 8/26/2011 2:19:30 AM

(waiting on pictures) [ ':D'

]

studeclunker

Posted : 8/26/2011 2:30:38 AM

Sorry Hunter, working with Sloooowzilla Smoulderfox here. IE8 is not compatible with this website and Microsoft forcibly upgraded me (I just love MS don't you?). Also, my connection is dial-up. So, give me a little bit and you'll find the pictures uploading one by one. Sigh, drives me around the twist sometimes...

hunterseat

Posted : 8/27/2011 9:55:24 AM

Oh, VERY nice!!! Are these hackneys? Zow-ee they're big!!

Is that you and Paula? HI! *waves*

You look right in your element! [ ':)'

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danastark

Posted : 8/27/2011 9:10:41 PM

I like them all, Stude but I like Condessa the best! She is very nicely put together and just looks like she has a really nice personality. They certainly aren't starving are they? They actually look a lot like a horse at our Pony Club barn who is a combination of welsh and arab and pretty portly right now, but he is the most wonderful boy, so willing even with the youngest rider on him. Same coloring even!

So are you thinking of bringing these mares home when/if you get your fencing done?

studeclunker

Posted : 8/29/2011 5:29:00 AM

Thank you both for the compliments. Yes, these mares will come home as soon as I can get some fencing and hay. I'll have to build some kind of burglar proof Hay storage as the Goats will be in it in a shot if I don't. Thus fencing is critical.

Fencing is not the only issue though. I also have to get the Crawler going as it will be necessary for the tree-milling work. There are thirty acres of beautifully cured Oak, Pine, and Fir that need to be processed. All I have to do is get to it and do the milling. I need the timbers for the Barn Frame. Wish me luck on that score. There's a sixty-foot Timber frame Shedrow Barn that needs putting up. Anyone for a barn raising?

I agree, Dana on Condessa's confirmation. She is a typical Brood-Mare though. It's going to be a challenge starting her out at nineteen. Riverdance has the wonderful personality and attitude. Socks has turned out rather well also. He is a willing and cooperative fellow. I'm still not decided on him yet. The last two days it's like Socks realized that he's on trial and he was really putting his best foo... uh, hoof forward. As for the comment about his light rear; yeah, he's really lacking in condition for an eight year old horse. Socks has largely had nothing at all done with him. He was left at pasture till three years old, then taken in and worked with by people who shouldn't have been doing so. After a disastrous attempt at Driving training, he was switched to several riding diciplines by the same apparently incompetant (so-called) trainer.

Hackneys are setup very straight in the front and erect in the neck/shoulders area. This is the result of two hundred or so years breeding for driving. Also, Hackneys are a very forward horse. That is to say one has to drive the horse into the bit, not bridle them back. Try to 'set' a Hackney and one is in for a fight. They are not ameanable to performing at tricks and rigid training. These are road horses.

I spent the past two days working with Socks and attending a private clinic by Frank Leutz. He's one of the top driving trainers on the West Coast. Frank has had the advantage of a huge volume of driving experiance as well as the best of european equestrian education. I'm not terribly fond of the Achenbach school of driving, however Frank's knowledge and skill were considerably impressive. That and the Carman Ranch of Grass Valley is a really cool place to hang out! Just came back from Thirty-six hours of total equestrian immersion. Heaven, just heaven!

hunterseat

Posted : 8/29/2011 11:01:23 AM

Sounds like fun! Thanks for the explanation(s). I'm so dense I had to be told these are Hackneys. So big and "with color"?! Huh. Learn something new every day! [ ':)'

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hunterseat

Posted : 8/29/2011 11:12:16 AM

Don't forget to check. This thread's had 40 hits. So a lot of people are enjoying your pictures. Not just we two who replied! [ ':)'

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Rod44

Posted : 8/29/2011 5:34:11 PM

I didnt know they were Hackneys either!!?? Nice horses. If you think one might buck or kick in the shafts, put a buck strap over his hips and connect to each shaft. Hard to lift the whole cart if he wants to buck or kick.

Connie

Posted : 8/29/2011 5:52:02 PM

[quote=Rod44]

I didnt know they were Hackneys either!!?? Nice horses. If you think one might buck or kick in the shafts, put a buck strap over his hips and connect to each shaft. Hard to lift the whole cart if he wants to buck or kick.

Been there, done that, it works.

hunterseat

Posted : 8/29/2011 11:49:18 PM

I've got a guy down the road who used to drive. I'm going to get him to come help me hitch my boy up. Since I can't afford the gas money for you guys to c'mere.

DesertHorse

Posted : 8/30/2011 2:28:57 AM

I've never seen Hackneys, though I have heard of them of course. Lovely horses, and I had no idea they were so big! I'm so tickled at how plump they are...so much better than skinny, even if they do need a diet! I like how they are put together...I want to ride them!! One of these days I'll have to learn how to drive...it's on my list of really cool horse things I'd like to try. ':)'

danastark

Posted : 8/30/2011 2:41:01 AM

Me too, Desert Horse! I can't wait to learn how to drive w/ my big draftie boy! I know he'd be great at it ':)'

studeclunker

Posted : 8/30/2011 5:57:14 AM

Actually, Hackney Horses are an endangered breed in the United States. There are currently less than a thousand. Last year you could have counted the registered foals on one hand. The biggest problem with the breed is how they are shown. Snatching their knees as high as their chins (no exageration... really!), they have a tendency to put people off thinking they are not capable of real work. A fru-fru horse. This breed is a working machine! Many people get them and try to work with Hackneys like they're Quarter Horses and disaster strikes. They're a challenging breed of horse and I'm looking forward to it. Hackneys are a lot like Arabs with a lot more mass.

This is what most people think of when they think Hackney;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-VdvB7W7a0&feature=related

Socks is a half-brother to this horse. They share the same sire, Cuillon's Laddie.