# Driving Pony Chronicles



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

This is the story of the adorable Absolut Spirit....out of my Arabian mare, Alaska McTavish, and sired by my Paint stallion, Spirit of Kings. She is a beautiful bright bay with a chalice shaped star/strip/snip and some white on her feet. Her facial marking has a distinct blue line, and she has a roan spot near her throatlatch. 

This filly is so sweet. She reaches out so she can get a kiss on the nose. She is quiet and easily takes direction, so I have decide to train her to drive before I saddle break her. On her third birthday, she was 13.1 hh. I don’t expect her to be over 13.3, which means I will need a harness and cart to fit her....of course!

Here is a picture of her from early spring.


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## QueenofFrance08 (May 16, 2017)

Can't wait to read more! I have a 3 year old barely 14 hand mare out of a Arabian mare and a Paint stud too!


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Today was day 1 of Abby’s driving (actually, any formal....) training.

I took the measuring tape down to the barn to measure her for the harness, and then took my marathon harness off the hook, and threw it on her. When she didn’t flinch at that, I went to the other side and pulled the girth buckle all the way to the top, and fastened it....still had a few holes on the near side, so it is NOT too large! I pulled the blackstrap back, took the crupper up to the last hole, and put it under her tail. Pulled the breeching up a hole. 
The breast collar seems a little big, and the bridle is going to swallow her tiny head, but over all, Golden!!

DH pulled up on the tractor, and I led her out there for him to see, then took her back in, pulled the breast collar off, and ran the shaft keepers through the overgirth stays to hold the breeching from sliding around, and took that harnessed up baby to the arena! She has never been lunged, so everything was going to be new. 

I stepped back, pointed, and said walk. Tapped her with the lunge whip, and she walked. Rinse and repeat whenever she stopped. Reversed her, and repeated to the left, Then worked on “whoa from a distance”. That took a few tries, but we ended there, and took a picture!


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

The picture that refused to upload earlier...


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

She is adorable! Such a good girl


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Yesterday, the sweet girl got to wear the rubber bit all day! I left it loose, perhaps an inch too long, so she learned how to hold it up in her mouth. It took her a couple of hours to really get the hang of eating with it, but she did. She was quietly holding it when I checked on her, and had no problem eating dinner!

I gave her a decent grooming and trimmed her feet, too. 

Today, we will lunge with the harness and bit. Hopefully, get some pictures!


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