Back from Florida

Back from Florida

     As I thought, Dawna Lisa did not compete at Black Prong.  No problem for me.  Instead, I got to spend some quality time driving her on Sunday.  It is hard to completely convey the differences that I saw driving Dawna Lisa on Sunday.  I guess words sometime defy us and even me <VBG>.
     While Dawna Lisa has always been a good riding pony, the whole driving thing came to her later in life being as a seven year old.  Frankly, I have never had a driving pony that was broken to drive at such a late age.  I am not going to go into the reasons WHY I was so late in doing this but just state it as a fact.  I guess I will just firmly say that I will never do this again.  Her full sister, Maggie, will be going to Larry as a late two year old in the fall for some simple ground work…
     Dawna Lisa is maturing well in her new driving endeavor.  Her confidence is growing.  Thankfully, the driving thing is becoming JUST as ‘ho hum’ and her riding thing is.  While I have tried hard to put driving mileage on her at home, it is difficult when you can only sensibly drive from April to November…. Having Larry driving her nearly daily from December to now is making a huge difference.
     Sunday Larry and I hitched Dawna Lisa to the borrowed Pacific Coast Carriage Dartmoor.  She stood very well and never moved a limb.  Yes, standing patiently has been a minor issue.  This is the same vehicle that she competed in with Larry at Nature Coast.  Bitting has also been a minor issue with DL.  She is now in a Glory liverpool which seems to be right bit at this point in time.
     I jumped into the single drivers seat and made her stand while Larry jumped aboard behind.  Off we left at a dignified walk.  THIS has also been an issue in the past…  It is getting better.  Off we went down the trails.  We went past the hated dogs that ran up and down the fence line, past the evil white mail box that can eat Cobs alive and past the neighbor’s horses that love to run the fence line.  When we were getting a tad too enthusiast, Larry reminded me of the brake.  DUH!  I am NOT used to having a brake to help slow down anything.  I am learning…
     The rest of the drive was very pleasant and peaceful.  I was getting used to the delayed steering on the vehicle and the increased sensitivity of Dawna Lisa to the lines.  I felt very comfortable getting back to my semi Achenbach way of handling the reins.  The whip was not to my liking being rather heavy in the butt and I had to grip it higher than I like to come up with some form of balance in my aging hands.  MINOR problems for me to handle in the big picture of driving my mare.
     A bit into the drive, we came to a long straight section between pines trees closely lined up on either side.  What a nice place to ask for the working trot.  Dawna Lisa trotted down nice and straight with a lovely cadence.  Larry leaned over from behind and said “Claudia, watching her breathing.”  While I had been working on keeping her perfectly straight, I saw what he was saying.  She was very relaxed and breathing in perfect cadence to our trot.  Frankly, I never thought about breathing showing her complete obedience.  NOW, I am going to think about it…. I guess this is WHY I am having Larry train ME and my mare.  
     The rest of the drive was rather heaven.  I was able to do a nice slow trot, walk long and low yet able to collect her back into my hand with NO resistance.  Transition became almost seamless.  With only a little release of my fingers, the working trot became a trot on.  It was like doing dressage out on the trails.  YEAH to this.  Yes, this mare is getting it.  
     Back at the barn, Larry jumped down and headed her.  I looked at Larry and said “How do I get out?”  He chuckled and said “Pivot her to right and you will see the foot rest.”  OK, I guess another idiot question from Claudia who is not used to this kind of vehicle.  After the graceful right pivot, I got out without some ungodly jumping over a wheel.  This made me very happy.
     Larry and I are making plans.  We went through the Omnibus.  I want Larry to do another CDE with Dawna Lisa before I try one.  We looked at some small one day things.  Yup, I think I can do dressage and cones without any problems.  We just need to pick the next CDE carefully.  THEN, I really want Larry to navigate for me on our first CDE.  
     We will see.  All will happen with time.  Looks like Larry is doing as much ‘training’ of me as he is Dawna Lisa.  I think/know training ME maybe harder than Dawna Lisa.  
Yours, Claudia