Sock's progress - Pictures - Pictures - Horse Community, Horse Pictures, Horse Forum and Information

Posted : 7/29/2013 7:05:02 PM

Okay, just in case anyone is interested, here are a few pictures of Socks' progress:

Socks' partner is a grey draft mare. She isn't very fond of Socks and I have to keep an eye on her as we go. Thankfully for Gracie, she isn't going to drive with the cheeky fellow anymore. They're about as poorly matched as a team as it is possible to be (other than height). I do hope he gets along better with Riverdance. River can get nasty if she wants to. We'll have to see.

Anyway, after getting going with Gracie in these pictures, I took Socks out again in the cart. He was a delight to drive and behaved beautifully! His progress is thrilling to say the least:

We had to make an adjustment or five whilst driving. Found out most of the problems were that the seat was out of balance. Once I straightened that out, everything else fell right into place. Glided along with the greatest of comfort. The vehicle is a Pacific training and show cart. It makes a bang-up training cart. Not very elegant or durable for show though. Anyway, I have found that this configuration (axle over floor in lieu of under) works to provide the best ride. Can't see very well, but that's an acceptable compromise most of the time. One just has to be more active in looking around the horse. The extra effort is worth the smoother ride.

I've been dying to post these pictures to the Hackney Group. However it wouldn't be wise to let the previous owner know how well Socks is doing quite yet. She isn't quite... trustworthy. I don't even have a bill of sale yet and am getting nervous about all of this . She is going to get pressured a lot before long (she was paid, after all, four months ago) as I want to start showing him and am unable to do so without his papers. Thankfully I haven't had a need to cross the state border with him yet. There is a show up in Oregon that I would like to attend, can't do that till some kind of ownership can be displayed. Funny... we used to go all over the country without anything of the sort in the seventies and eighties. No one cared. Now, the State and Feds want all kinds of paperwork.

Oh well, let the worries of tomorrow take care of themselves! For now, Socks is doing great and I'm content.

Connie

Posted : 7/29/2013 10:10:21 PM

Finally found the pictures. Socks looks good. As for having to look around the horse to see what is ahead, that is the only way I have ever driven a Standardbred.

danastark

Posted : 7/30/2013 1:04:47 AM

Wonderful pictures! He is a fancy boy, isn't he with all his bling and picks his knees up nicely. Glad his training is coming along so well ':)'

He's lucky to have an experienced person training or retraining him ':)'

Thanks for sharing!

studeclunker

Posted : 7/30/2013 4:41:44 AM

Yeah, Socks has that Canadian flash to him. I really prefer something more like Riverdance, but she's not going to be a driver any more, poor thing. As to luck, I hope it keeps up for the both of us. We're going to need it. I'm stretched just about as thin as I can go with three BIG horses to feed. These kids can really EAT! Hopefully, some more work will come my way this year. Socks is going to need a new harness for the shows in September and October. Where the money for that is going to come from is anyone's guess.

Anyway, here's a few from today. Might as well post pictures whilst I can as when we get back to Fawn Lodge tomorrow, that's out for a few days.

danastark

Posted : 7/30/2013 5:56:10 AM

Totally understand about feeding a big horse. Cody weighs about a ton and would eat all day if I'd let him... takes a lot of hay to fill him up although he doesn't actually require many calories.... hard to believe Bermuda hay was more expensive than alfalfa this winter and Orchard was outrageous. I was paying $24 a bale but now it's gone down a few dollars which is wonderful! Such a pretty picture of him going along the road ':)'

Durangogramma

Posted : 7/31/2013 3:45:11 AM

Great pictures! He's looking good. Hope you get the legalities worked out soon. If you do get up to Orygun, let me know when and where. I'd love to meet you and watch you two compete. (Will depend upon how far I have to drive and the price of gas. *sigh*)

hunterseat

Posted : 8/2/2013 5:09:47 AM

WOW he's a beauty!!! You should do weddings and such! Maybe Senior pictures...

studeclunker

Posted : 8/4/2013 4:28:50 PM

LOL, maybe in a year or two, Hunter. Though this boy stands beautifully, he still shies and is a bit inconsistant with his gaits (which equates to a rough ride for the passengers). He might look nice in front of a small Victoria.

We went to the arena in Palo Cedro yesterday and Socks did pretty well. He drove in the Arena with two other horses and accepted the other turnouts without any issues at all. I am very happy with the progress of this "undriveable horse". He is right on track for the HDT at the end of October. I might even drive him at the Tehama Fair. Gosh, they'll actually have a driving horse there for the first time is several years!

The owner of the stable called me over and wanted to know if this was the horse I had trouble hitching a few weeks ago. I told her yes, he just wasn't ready that day. She thought it a good idea not to push them faster than they were ready for. I got a kick out of her comment that Socks is an "expressive mover". LOL, yeah, that's what Hackneys do![ ':D'

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Jmebear's sisters (from Oregon) showed up and went for a ride. Her baby sister even drove for a bit. It was a good day.

Durangogramma

Posted : 8/4/2013 9:52:22 PM

My daughter's had a Hackney pony; about 12 hands. I loved to watch him move. He was a wonderful little horse and really taught my youngest daughter how to ride. He'd been a stallion up until the year before we bought him (at 8 years old) and only driven. Had to teach him about the saddle. [ ':)'

] I rode him off and on, whenever he would need a "tune up" from the girls. Wonderful LONG strides, not pony-choppy at all. The reason I say he was a great teacher for my youngest is because he would have never hurt her, but he didn't always want to "go along with the program". She had to learn how to stick it out and make him do what she asked. I'd have another in a heartbeat. I especially love the top center picture of Socks and your little cart.

Connie

Posted : 8/4/2013 11:48:20 PM

Like your pictures of Socks. He is a beautiful horse. I miss driving....but not enough to go back to work.

The Hambletonian was raced yesterday. A million dollar purse for 3yr old trotting colts. The winner was a horse bred by people local to Vernon Downs (15 miles from me) and driven by the son of a former Vernon driver. Kind of nice to know our area has a local celebrity. Actually several, horse, driver and the people who own his sire and dam.

Larry's Country Diner is on and BJ Thomas just sang Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head. Ah, old songs from old times.

Have a great week everyone.

studeclunker

Posted : 8/5/2013 4:33:19 AM

You know Connie, much of the foundation stock for the Standardbred was Yorkshire-bred Hackney. Also, there quite a few people who say Hambletonian (10) was more than half Hackney.

Connie

Posted : 8/5/2013 10:29:08 AM

I learned something. Thank you, Stude. Just read that Hambo's Dam was by Bellfounder a Norfolk Trotter stallion (Hackney breeding here) and it read as though he has more of that Hackney blood from Messenger.

I do know, that some trotters seem to have backs that never jounce up and down when really moving out...they look incredibley smooth when they move out. Many of them have high knee action, too.

Thank you for the lesson.