Sable Morgan Horses

Eventing down on the Farm

Well Eventing down on the Farm takes on a whole new meaning for me. When I first started training and working with Boogie everything was a new event.

Boogie was the first stallion I have ever raised from a foal and I'm so lucky he is the kind gentle forgiving boy that he is otherwise I'm sure I would have faltered many times!

Right from the start Boogie didn't act like a stallion, he was so laid back and easy going so I figured I should drive him as a 2 year old. Well never having driven a horse before I decided the right way to start would be to go to an auction sell and buy second hand harness. So I found a double team harness that was about 50 years old or so and really dried up and made for a big team. Perfect, I thought I can start with this and see if I like it.

Well I had known that Boogie's mom was broke to drive so I decided to drive them together. I had spent a bit of time cleaning the harness first and found lots of cracks and some parts of it didn't look very good but I used some twine and fixed it up and figured it would do just fine. I think I ground drove them 3 or 4 times and figured I was ready to go.

I didn't have a cart or anything but I did have an old stone boat I fixed up and put some sides and a front on it. There was still some snow on the ground so I figured this would work like a sleigh.

I had an old farmer come over and show me how to do up the reins so I figured I must have them on right and what else was there to worry about.

A friend of ours had also come over that day we decided to hitch up for the first time and he helped us get ready.

We got them all hitched up and joined to the stone boat and we were off. They went pretty good for awhile although Nikki (Boogie's mom) was really not pulling nicely she kept swinging wide and it was kinda rough going. Well no problem she will settle down as we got going I'm sure (I later learned that she had only driven single and that had been years ago, guess I should have asked that before I started).

. Boogie was doing great though! Head up ears forward, no problem about this thing behind him, he seemed to love the experience.

Well we made one trip around the field and Nikki started picking up some speed, pretty soon we were cantering! Egads, maybe I should be going this fast the first time out so I pulled back on the lines and SNAP!

The outside line to Boogie broke. Hmmmm this doesn't look so good. So there we were loping across the field and Nikki wasn't listening to Whoa! Boogie was content to follow his mom and he kept up with her with no problem. We were making a big circle out in the field and had made 2 or 3 rounds with no slowing down in sight. I had began to wonder how long this would take before they stopped or headed to the barn.

After the 3rd round or so Nikki decided she should head back to the barn. Well this wouldn't be a good thing as there is no direct route to take to the barn. My friend finally said that maybe we should pull back really hard on the one line which would turn Boogie into Nikki and make them stop. I had visions of 2 horses getting all tangled up but the specter of hitting some of the big machinery running into the yard was no better so we both hauled on the one line and I yelled WHOA for all I was worth.

Well it worked as Boogie's head came around into Nikki and he stopped but he also stepped over the pole with his hind leg. I quickly hopped off the stone boat and my friend went to Nikki's head to hold her and I released Boogie line and then lifted up his back leg and put it on the right side. He didn't fight me and he had no scratches on his leg.

We unhitched them and led them back to the barn. Both were fine and we survived the event with no lasting damage. I decided that I did like driving but rather than using an old harness I needed a new one so I went over to my neighbors and ordered a fancy new double work harness with lots of silver spots on it. Laverne has been making harness for over 40 years and I told him I needed a couple of lessons as well but that is another story.

PARADES PARADES PARADES

I remember as a kid riding in a parade or two. Back then we just cleaned up the horses as best we could (I worked for free at a riding stable and got to ride the horses) and then rode several miles into town and did the parade thingy and then rode home. It was great!

When I first decided to ride Boogie in a parade I was a bit nervous as he was just a 4 year old and being a stallion, well ya just never know! Our first effort was the Birch Hills parade, a small town and a small parade. I figured it would be ok. Well it was! I really enjoyed it and I never looked back.

Over the years we have been to many parades and eventually my kids wanted to come along as well. The first year I took my oldest son when he was about 7 and we rode in the Birch Hills parade again. I thought that this is old hat and even though it was the first time I had a passenger ride with me I had no worries.

Well we were all in a big empty lot next to a railroad track waiting for the parade to start. It wasn't really organized in that there was just floats and cars and wagons all over the place. There was about 5 or 6 other horses being ridden and they were being groomed before the start. I was already up and riding with Chase behind me and having a good time just walking around the lot. Then I looked up and saw a train! We were fairly close to the tracks and Boogie had never seen a train before. I wasn't sure what to do as I had no time to find someone to help Chase get off. I just hoped he wouldn't blow his whistle!!

I got a good grip on the reins and told Chase to hang on just in case Boogie jumped or something. Well Chase got a death grip around my waist and I was holding on for all I was worth and I had Boogie pointed right at the train so he could see this big rumbling monster. The train got to the crossing which was on the other side of the lot (not that far away from us) and blew his whistle!!

The other horses went crazy and started rearing and pulling back on the ropes and the one horse jumped and tried to run a bit but she managed to stop him. The wagon teams were just standing there not moving and Boogie just cocked an ear and looked at it. Um ok well Chase perhaps you could let me breath again and I sat up straighter and loosened my death grip and tried to look natural. What did I expect, he is a Morgan!

Of course there is another story in which Boogie managed to embarrass me so I'll share that as well, since I don't want you all thinking he is a total angel. We were riding in the Prince Albert Parade which winds its way down river street (yes its beside the River) and people are not as thick out here but there are some regulars who I see every year.

Now I should say the only thing in parades that Boogie has never taken a liking too and will back away from are those big stuffed creatures that walk around, you know like the A & W Root Bear? For some reason he just doesn't like things that look alive and are bigger then him. anyway we are heading down River Street and Boogie plants himself and refuses to move. What? I don't see anything. I am talking to a lady who is sitting right at the edge of the street on a chair. I talk with her every year but this year she wasn't on main street she had moved to River Street and was by herself. Boogie keeps backing up and refusing to go foreword. Now this is a 2 lane street with cars parked on our right and the lady on our left and there is no where else to go, we are starting to back up the parade and I am trying to figure out how to get him moving! Then it dawns on me. The lady is about 300 pounds and is talking! Gads, Boogie must have figured she was one of those big furry things he doesn't like!!

I finally got him to go sideways and he very obviously was giving her the eye as he scuttled by, I was really embarrassed and mumbled something about the weirdest things making horses stare. I just hope she didn't catch on that he was looking at her! Morgans are so much fun!!