# On the road to a combined driving event



## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Day one continued: 
The last time I drove Pilgrim was about 5 months ago. Because it has been so long, I thought it best to ground drive him for a while before I hooked him up again. I keep Pilgrim at work and there is no ring or arena of any kind, no round pen either. 
I began by ground driving Pilgrim in the pasture; the lower pasture is about 4 acres. Pilgrim was very good but he has big strides, it just about killed me to keep up with him, and walking in the rutted up pasture, I was sure I was going to break an ankle. It is about 85 temp today and after about 20 minutes I was sweating like a horse. 
I couldn’t find his driving bit anywhere, I sold a bridle last year and I hope Pilgrim’s bit was not on the sold bridle. Only bit I could find in a 5 ½ “was a mullen mouth pelham, so I used the snaffle rings and he did okay, not great... I need a different bit when I hitch him.
I am not walking around the pasture again, he did great today ,so tomorrow I am hitching him.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Day two: I went by Charlie’s farm and home today to see if they had a suitable 5 ½ “ bit to drive in, the only bit that size was an egg butt snaffle, not exactly what I wanted but it will do in a pinch.
I put the egg butt on the driving bridle and hitched Pilgrim to the Meadowbrook cart. Today I am going to drive in the pasture. He is rock solid for standing while hitching, since I usually am alone while driving, moving around is not tolerated while hitching and unhitching. We drove around the pasture for about 45 minutes, working mostly on walking, bending at a walk and standing patiently.
Pilgrim did very well, but boy oh boy do we have a lot of work to do. His halt is not square, he bends horrible to the left, and he is very strong at the trot, and that is just the beginning. We aren’t out to get a blue ribbon; we just don’t want to embarrass ourselves to bad.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I thought I would show Pilgrim’s scariest spots around the estate. The 4 pipes he is finally getting better at going over themwithout hesitation, but he absolutely hates the lake spillway pipe, especially if it is making noise. He is a ninny.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I am an Estate Manager on a property in east central Missouri. I have been employed on the estate for 29 years and I keep Pilgrim there. The property is 200 acres and has about 70 acres of cut fields, 30 acres of water, about 90 acres of woods and the rest around the house. There are about 3 miles of gravel or dirt roads.
*Drive three:* Hitched Pilgrim to the Meadowbrook cart and drove around the property today. We meet the first scary place, the 4 pipes, he did great, and he looked but walked over no problem. Today I wanted to work on getting in shape so we did lots of walking up the hills. I hate a horse that anticipates the hills and automatically breaks into a trot, with his build he has no problem walking up and down hills. We did pass the dreaded spillway pipe and it was making noise but he went by it, but he got very strong right after we passed it. He was better the second time by on the way back to the barn, next time I guess we’ll sit there a while. 
While driving on the “outer circle” of the property which is heavy woods, and the roads aren’t maintained as well, he got a little irritated at the uneven tracking of the cart. We were going over fallen tree branches anywhere from 3-7” in diameter, it was too rough to do anything but walk. We did some trotting on the nicer roads, working on some variations in speed at the trot; he right now thinks there is only one speed at the trot, extended. We were out for about an hour, it is 83 degrees today and with his winter hair on, he was drenched.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*Drive Four:* 3/19/12 Hooked Pilgrim to the meadowbrrok and drove for an hour. Went over the dreaded spillway pipe four times. I was going to stop and stand for a while but it was making tons of noise from all the rain we had this weekend, and he was nervous going by it. I will try again tomorrow; I don’t want to ask for a problem if it isn’t necessary. We did a lot more trotting, he is still very strong, we are working on doing circles whenever he gets strong, Unfortunately that is not always possible with the narrow trails and the muddy fields.
The farrier is coming tomorrow, he has been in Africa for the last two weeks, and he backed everyone up a week to keep his schedule, Pilgrims feet are growing like mad. I have Pilgrim go barefoot for the winter when I don’t ride him much, I have his shoes from last fall with borium on them , I guess it’s time to put them back on. 
I need to get a stopwatch to start timing how long it takes us to trot a kilometer. I took the truck around the property and marked off kilometers on the trails. For training level the time per Kilometer is no more than 4 min and 17 seconds, I will have to look up what the speed is for preliminary level. I expect I will compete in training level with Pilgrim, but I have plenty of time to decide that.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I bought a stopwatch today and checked P’s resting heart rate. I tried three times and got, 32-36 beats per min. I marked off three good Kilometers that can be traveled at a trot. Today I would like to time his trot for a K.

*Drive five: 3/21/12 *I hooked to the meadowbrook today. We walked about a Kilometer. I wanted to time a Kilometer so I asked for a trot, he transitioned up very nicely. He started off in a slow trot and kept a steady pace for about ¾ of the K, it was then that we passed the dreaded spillway pipe, after that he was much stronger and much more animated. He did the K in 4 min and 0 sec. We did a lot more trotting today, the temp was about 68 and there was not a 30 mph wind that we have had the past week. Still working mostly on stamina, bending and slowing the trot. We did stop on the way home at the spillway pipe, we rested there till he relaxed, about 20 sec then I asked him to walk on, it was a little too anxious for me, will do it again tomorrow. We met on our drive today the heard of deer we have on the property, I was wondering how P would react when we saw them. He came around the corner to the field where the deer were with his head so high in the air I thought he was a Saddlebread. No spook though. All and all he was a very good boy. We drove for 60 min.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I started getting the trailer ready today; it had a very moldy smell. I had started a thread on suggestions on getting rid of the smell. And a suggestion was to put vinyl flooring on the floor of the dressing room, sounded like that was the ticket, so I tried it. It looks great, but didn’t help the smell much, so I washed everything in my tack boxes and put in a new filter in the air conditioner. I also put in an air freshener, now it smells great. I put in the cloth backed vinyl that doesn't need to be glued down, instalation was easy as pie. I still need to take the trailer into the shop for a checkup, wheel bearings, breaks, lights, floor etc. 

*Drive six:* He is so good, much more relaxed at the trot, much better at upward transitions. In the hour we drove we trotted a total of 22 min. with the longest stretch of 5 ½ min. straight, it is very muddy so it was hard for him to keep a steady pace. We stopped about 40 feet before the dreaded spillway pipe for about 30 sec, walked on 10 feet and stopped for another 30 sec. It gave Pilgrim a chance to really look at the monster, it was making tons of noise, we walked on about 10 more feet and stopped again, this time he barely noticed it. He was so relaxed, he is getting to be a pleasure to drive. It is so muddy we can't go off the roads into the fields, to do circles and practice a little bending . As for now we try and do a little bending on the straight aways. A concept he is not to thrilled with.

Another thread suggested a book on how to condition a horse, I need to look that up and get that book. I have no idea if I am going to slow or not, but I couldn’t be going too fast. I always bring him back with a good sweat going.

I need to set up some traffic cones to make an obstacle course for us to practice. Too bad MODOT isn’t doing any road work close.:lol:


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*Drive Seven:* Great day for a drive. It is finally drying out a bit. Since the boy is doing so well passing the dreaded spillway pipe, I decided to try a different challenge. We walked up and over the skeet shooting bunker, and walked on the gravel area where the shooting stations are. He has never done this before and he didn’t care one bit, no problem. Tomorrow we will trot over it. He did poop on the range and I had to go back and clean it up, with a bucket of water too, so it was completely gone. My employer would “poop” if I had left it there.

We drove about an hour with 15 min of accumulated trotting. I need to up the trotting time, 20 min today, I need to work him in the AM, since I find I run out of time towards the end of the day. Pilgrim is getting so much more relaxed, we met the heard of deer and he did a half halt and trotted on with no more excitement as before we saw them. 

His BFF in the barn screams the entire time we are driving, Pilgrim never answers back and never even considers being barn sour. In fact my cousin and I are going to trail riding for the weekend and I have to bring the other horse to ride because Pilgrim can be left alone when necessary.

Good boy Pilgrim!!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*Drives eight and nine:* More of the same, working on stamina, bending and transitions, we are doing okay, I wish I had a ring to work in, I am not making as much progress as I had hoped. All in all Pilgrim is getting more relaxed and comfortable driving, so progress is being made towards a CDE. He still is a bit anxious with all of the animals around, jumping out from behind every bush. On drive eight a huge bird of some kind was in the trees over the trail and when we drove under it the big bird flew off and startled both Pilgrim and me. Pilgrim jumped forward a bit, not bad but I sure hate it when he does that. I hope with miles that nonsense will subside.

Sometimes I wish we were not a wildlife release center. There are so many animals here and right now they are flying, running, hopping, slithering and crawling all over this property.

I am going to board Pilgrim at the local dressage stable, for about a week, to use their ring and take a few lessons. The owner/trainer knows nothing about driving but I am hoping some of her expertise will transfer from her riding to my driving. I think I will move him when he is much more fit; I want to take advantage of the ring, driving Pilgrim at least twice a day. The owner of the stable would like me to drive when very few people are at the stable, I can understand that, I actually I would rather drive then myself.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*Drive ten:* I was very pressed for time today, so I decided to drive Pilgrim without turning him outside first to let him run off some steam. I usually let him out after being in the stall all night but he has been so good lately, that I went ahead and drove him. We started off great but he was defiantly feeling his oats. We walked about a kilometer to warm up, then trotted and walked for another kilometer. 

We were walking down a small incline that he had never been on this season because the bridge is out. Pilgrim saw a log that is half hidden by tall grass; Of course I was relaxed and got caught off guard to. He backed up 3 steps very fast and started to turn to the right while backing. I just said easy , tapped him with the whip to get him to stop backing, turned him back to the left back on the trail, we waited there about 15 seconds, I knew he was very nervous so we walked off the trail into the field , to the right of the log about 10 feet. He was keeping a close eye on the log as we walked by but no spooks. We then did about 6 circles around the log with no problem. 

We then went to check out the dreaded spillway pipe, he didn't even give it a flick of the ear when we walked by. We are working on doing more circles and practicing more and tighter turns. We were doing one turn and I made my “hup, hup” noise that I do when we need to do a tighter turn, well it startled poor Pilgrim, he had never heard that noise before and had no idea what it meant. I think I need to get him used to that. 

We were on our last trot up a long slight incline when we came out of the woods there was a heard of turkey in the field, that took one look at us and took off flying across the field. If we were facing the 12 on a clock, Pilgrim shied to the left and went trotting off towards 10:30, He never broke into a canter just a really strong trot, we went about 10 feet off trail, I just pulled him to the right slowed him down went right back to the trail without ever breaking stride. 

Since Pilgrim is such a spook under saddle, I always wondered what would happen if he ever got scared of something in harness. If today is any inclination, I think he did great, he was never out of control, and never threatened to take off. He was never dangerous although I think I will let him run around a bit before I drive him next time.

We drove for 60 min. 
This is a photo of the "LOG", I am almost to embarrased to show it. It is just to the right of his nose.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*When will I ever learn!!!* I tried to save money last time the farrier was here by not putting back shoes on Pilgrim, well now three weeks later he needs them. His back hooves are getting very short. We have been driving so much, and I guess there is just enough gravel on the trails that I am afraid of him getting ouchy and being laid up while the farrier fits me in his schedule. So Pilgrim is getting back shoes today. In the long run it is going to cost me more money.

When will I learn to *just pay the money in the first place, or you will pay more later!!!* I need to put this on the tackroom wall.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*Drive Eleven, Easter afternoon:* The weather was beautiful, my hubby’s family thought we were going to my families for the holiday, when in all actuality they came on Saturday, so we sort of got an out for brunch. Yea! Hubby went golfing I went driving.

Pilgrim was very good today, I brought an Easter bloody Mary with me so we took it relatively easy, after all I didn’t want to spill my drink, the cup holder is not to steady. We drove for about 90 minutes; he didn’t even break a sweat. We saw some wildlife, no real spooks mostly just getting stronger and more animated. Grade B

We drove up and down this hill several times today. It doesn't look like much but it is short and steep. Eventually I would like to trot down it, teaching Pilgrim to hold back the cart really using his rump.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*Drive twelve. 4/9/10:* The drive today was great we were maniacs on the trail; we trotted up and down every hill we could find. Whenever I saw wildlife, I pointed the boy towered the wildlife and headed straight to them, we were going to scare them before they scared us, it worked pretty well too. I think Pilgrim started getting Ouchy on his rear feet so we only drove 30 minutes, farrier comes tomorrow. Grade A


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*Drive thirteen, 4/10/12:* Pilgrim got back shoes today, Yea! I asked the farrier if he wanted to test out the new shoes with us. He unfortunately had 2 trims on his way home he had to do, so I went it alone. And it was a good thing. 

Pilgrim must have thought his new shoes were Nikes because he was trying to fly the entire drive. He was so strong, he would not calm down. We drove and drove and did circle after circle and we were not going to slow down. It was either stop or go at a trot as fast as we could. We were trotting down a relatively steep hill with a curve to the left the trail, and off to the right it drops off into the lake. It is not a dangerous spot but it is the trickiest part of our trail system. Well just as we were rounding that curve a nesting pair of wood ducks came out squawking from the edge of the lake and my beloved Pilgrim, jumps forward and speeds up even faster, Bad Boy!! He had been doing so well, he was really learning that it was okay to do a little jog trot, and he was embracing that jog trot, almost being to lazy.

We drove 70 min.
Grade D+ He never broke into a canter that is why he didn’t get a D-


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*Drive fourteen 4/11/12:* I came out today ready for battle; I was going to drive Pilgrim until he was gasping for air. I also ordered a mullen mouth butterfly bit, 5 ½ “. Well low and behold he was an angel. Nice working trot, no pulling, head down and happy, go figure. I was sure I was in for an argument. We went by all the scary objects and they are a non entity now, we even trotted down the hill where the wood ducks caused quite the stir, no problem, of course no wood ducks either. We drove twice around the trails and I thought I might have an attitude passing the barn without stopping; he acted like we do it twice a day. Good Boy!

Grade B 
We drove 75 minutes.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*4/16/12 DRIVE fifteen;* Tried a new bit… a short shanked, mullen mouth, Pelham, actually the first bit I used on him ground driving, when I started this journal. Well it was like I suddenly got *Power Steering, and Power* *Breaks.* I couldn’t believe the difference, he was great, and no pulling. We drove for about an hour, we were on cruise control. Grade B+

I have decided I am going to go to the CDE in Ames, Iowa. The Skunk River CDE, I am going to go in training level because, well, because, well, we would embarrass ourselves in any higher level. We will probably embarrass ourselves in training level too. I just heard my friend with a nationally ranked dressage horse is going to the same CDE, in training too, oh great!! 

I always liked competing in driving because most everyone is so nice and helpful, it is like you are not competing against each other you are competing against yourself. I hope it is still that way, because I think I can beat “Taffy and Pilgrim”, or at least I hope so. 

Photos of the cart I am bringing to the CDE. It is in deplorable shape, it needs serious refinishing. I can only bring one cart because of room, I am still actively looking for another competitor coming from the St. Louis area to travel with so I could bring the horses and they could bring the vehicles, no luck yet. Well back to the cart, do I start to refinish the cart a piece at a time while still using it for practice, or do I take the presentation/turn out deductions and say, “those snooty carriage competitors need a little riff-raff amongst them?”


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

April 30: Drives 16- 21. I am not keeping up with posting. I have been still working on endurance and stamina, I found a fellow driver that is willing to give me some pointers, as I have not competed in about 16 years, and she was a groom to a nationally ranked competitor. Yea! Still having bitting problems. My short shanked bit that was like power steering and power breaks, Pilgrim now has told me he doesn’t like the shanks and is flexing too much and getting behind the bit. So I now am trying a mullen mouth snaffle with a tighter noseband. That seems to have done the trick so far, much better than the broken snaffle. I wish there was such a thing as a bit library that you could rent bits for a few days before you buy them, I need to look into that.

Every day Pilgrim gets a little better, we are doing tighter turns, and going off of the trail and cutting through the trees, and practicing some circles. Less and less spooks and when he does spook it is now usually over before I can react or correct, mostly half halts and/or quickening of pace. We are also doing a lot of trotting down hills; he does a good job of slowing down and holding back the cart.

The wild life is still going crazy out here, we were driving and we almost ran over a turtle burying her eggs in the mud. Attached are photos of a wildlife rescue agency releasing fox on our property last year, I think 6 total.

All in all we had a good April driving a total of 14.5 hours; I would like to double that for May. 

For the month of March Pilgrim gets the MOST IMPROVED AWARD.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*Drive 22, May 1, 53 days till CDE:* Well entries open today for the Skunk River CDE. I won’t enter until later, there are too many variables in my life right now and I don’t want to waste the money. Holy Kamolly I have a lot to do… crunch time has started.

I have made a lot of progress on refinishing the cart; the really good thing is that the finish was in such bad shape that it didn’t need a lot of sanding. The fenders, half the floor and half the shafts are finished. I am saving the dreaded wheels till last.

Drove Pilgrim today he was a very good boy, we were crossing the dam and at the end of the dam he saw something, you never know what goes through that pea brain of his, anyway he stopped dead and was shaking. There was no place to turn around on the dam and I was worried he might want to back up, I told him to walk on, he didn’t, then he got a tap with the whip, no movement, I was afraid of the situation escalating so the boy got a good crack with the whip. Well that got his attention, he now had more problems with me than with the scary monster in the bushes, we went right on past whatever it was, sure glad I always carry my whip, without it, That situation could have been a disaster if Pilgrim had decided to turn around on the dam, or worse backed up into the lake. He gets braver and trusts me more every time we drive.

We drove 60 min, Grade B+

I thought I would show this photo, my employer had a party last year and I took some of the guests around the estate in his auto top surry. Pilgrim was good but he was sure tired after three trips around with that big vehicle.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*May 2, Drive 23, 52 days to go:* Rain, rain go away!! Drove on the gravel roads today, it has rained about 4 inches in the last 4 days. All the spillway pipes are flowing at full force, Pilgrim hardly flicks an ear at them anymore…. But now a pair of ducks of some kind is nesting right by the spillway pipe so every time we pass the ducks fly out from the brush, Pilgrim doesn’t mind as much as I do. I am keeping of the grass for fear of slipping on the turns, we are growing grass for cow hay this year, and it saves on my mowing time but limits me driving in the fields.

One spot we were walking up a hill in the woods, I have no idea what I was thinking, and I was staring at the wheel looking at how much it was sinking in the mud. Pilgrim came up on a deer, I think, he stopped dead, legs splayed as far apart as they could get in the shafts, head as high as possible, then it was over before I even knew what happened. He just walked on, like nothing spooked him at all. Yea!!

Drove 50 min, grade B

This is the cart as I am working on it, dash is removed and shafts are being stripped of varnish. No dash makes his butt look big.
My hands are filthy, I need to get some comfy gloves and start using them. I love my lines with the pinky loop. Thanks cumberque.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*Drive 24, May 3, 51 days to go*: Working desperately on my cart. I put an ad on Craigslist seeing if anyone else in the area is interested in going to the CDE in Iowa, I was going to say looking for someone to share gas and trailer space but decided I might get some serious pervs answering my add, so I did not leave that much info.

I looked at the dressage test we have to do and it is frightening, I have to do a 40 meter circle in the middle of the arena, just 2 definite points of reference, I much prefer 3 points to touch on my circle. I am having heart palpations thinking about it.

Pilgrim did well today, still muddy as blue blazes as my mother would say. My boy has a memory like a steel trap; as we were heading to where the deer was yesterday he was on high alert. All in all a really good drive.

Drove 70 min, grade B

Photo is of Pilgrim's BFF, who is slowly realizing that life does not come to an end whan you best bud leaves the barn for an hour.:wink:


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 25, May 5, 49 days to go: It was so hot and steamy today, I tried to drive early but in all actuality I got Pilgrim in the shafts about 10am. I am now driving him without lounging or letting him out first, I just don’t have the time. He is doing well with it though, no huge bursts of speed, or pulling, we usually walk for the first 20 minutes or so then get to work. I was planning on working on some circles around trees and such but my boy threw a shoe just as we were getting warmed up.

The farrier is coming on Wednesday afternoon to reset Pilgrims’ shoes, Pilgrim was on the schedule for the 9th, so he will get done a week early, that works out great anyway because that gets the next reset right before we leave for Iowa. I spent about an hour in the heat looking for the lost shoe, never found it. Will look again Sunday, those shoes are way too expensive to not at least look. I wish I had half the shoe budget that Pilgrim has.

Well with Pilgrim down, I can concentrate on the cart, Time to start on the wheels while I am not using the cart every day. 

We drove 45 minutes, Grade A; I think he actually was reaching for the bit today… and there is hope!!

I cleaned the tack room today! Now I have to clean the tack.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

New shoes tomorrow, Yea!! Back to work!

Partial to do list: 

Need to find a groom
Need to find a trailer to get horse and cart to Iowa, probably Mom’s
Need to join American Driving society, $75.00
Need to finish refinishing cart
Need to sign up and pay entry fees, $100.00 entry, and $100.00 stall, I think $50.00 is refundable if I clean the stall.
Need to buy gloves and make an apron
Need to get an outfit for dressage
Need to find a cute hat for dressage, hard hat for cones and marathon
Need to put together a spares kit
Need to purchase several little pieces that are missing on the cart, shaft tips, the leather loops on the shafts and single tree and leather straps holding on seat cushions.
Need to clean harness
Need to take whatever trailer I use, probably Mom’s, to the shop to check wheel bearings, breaks, lights etc.
Need to save money for gas, 5 hrs, 53 min, $135.00 one way, $270.00 round trip
Need to save money for hotel , 3 nights, $189.00 + tax
Need to find somewhere to put pilgrim’s BFF while we are away 3 nights, $60.00
This is killing me!! 

Making progress on the cart!!

This better be fun!!!!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 26, May 10, 44 days to go: Pilgrim got shoes yesterday, I never found the lost shoe but by Wedenesday he had lost the other front shoe in the pasture. 

I am really getting nervous I thought of some more things I need to do before I go. Pilgrim got his teeth done in September of 2011 so they should be fine; Dr. Cole, the dentist, said Pilgrim was the poster child for Dental health. I am a seriously proud Mama. But he needs his vaccinations this month. I need to take a sample of manure to vet to get a parasite check, and if needed give him a Panacure power pack. I need to clean his sheath. I tell my husband every morning that the horses need vaccinations and a Coggins test, and every day it doesn't get done. I think I am going to have to call the office and make an appointment. You know what they say, The shoemakers kids always go barefoot.:wink:

The cart is coming along nicely; everything is refinished but the wheels. 

Short drive today, I put the dash on the cart and I must have put it on wrong because the singletree was banging on it, and it was driving me crazy, realizing it was chipping the brand new finish with every stride Pilgrim took. Also I harnessed up incorrectly I forgot to put the traces through the breeching straps and it was very sloppy and drooping, and that is not something I feel comfortable adjusting on the trail by myself, I am a safety girl. No matter how many times you harness you have to check and double check, tomorrow I tripple check.

Drove Pilgrim about 40 min. Grade B, Nothing wrong, but nothing great either. 

Pilgrim getting fitted for his new shoes.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 27, May 11, 43 days to go: I need to up the trotting time, I feel we are nowhere near being able to trot for 25 min straight. We are getting closer though. The bugs are getting irritating, I got Pilgrim a fly bonnet, it is a bit small, but he is dealing with it.

We drove today and the spooks are getting almost nonexistent, if they happen at all he deals with it himself before I can even react. Today we were coming across the dam, we saw, correction, I saw a deer, It was standing in the middle of the dam, the deer was actually so big I thought it was a stray cow. Anyway we were trotting so I slowed to a walk, I did not want a spook on the dam, Pilgrim did not even see the deer, and I tried to point his head to it, which was easy because it was straight ahead of us. If he did see it he did not even faze him. He is getting so good I can’t even believe it. I never believed that he would become an accomplished driving horse, and I believe there is something there. He enjoys driving much better than riding; he is so much more secure in harness. 

Drive 60 min, Grade B.

Pilgrim in his fly bonnet, I don't think he likes it!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 28, May 13, 41 days to go: I drove twice today, 60 min in AM and 30 min in PM.
We need to get used to driving in the heat and the bugs, gosh I wish I could find a fly spray that really works. I think mine left over from last year is not as good as last year, maybe if it freezes it affects its potency.

Pilgrim is amazing; he can do an extended trot through the field and come out with an entire mouthful of grass. We walked through the first field and he had so much grass in his mouth I had to stop, get out of the cart and clean his mouth out, all he was concentrating on was all the grass in his mouth, so much grass he couldn’t swallow. I cannot wait till the hay is cut and I can use the fields again.

Pilgrim did well; he hates the flies and had terrible itches on his knees after we went through the tall grass. I bought Bronco fly spray I hope that is better than what I have.

Drove 90 min, Grade A, just for being a good boy as I got out of the cart and cleaned his mouth out on the trail. He did not move a muscle, except to object about me taking his grass, he wanted it back after I got it out, and after all he found it.

Here is Pilgrim feeling his oats in the morning.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*Drive 29, May 14, 40 days to go: I found a groom,* I* found a groom,* I found a groom, I am so excited it is now coming together, I guess I will enter the show tomorrow, Pilgrim is healthy, truck is running, I have a groom, I don’t need much more. Drove Pilgrim 65 min today and we reached the equilibrium of kilometers, meaning we trotted same distance in Ks as we walked. I need to work on time equilibrium now, equal time trotting and walking.

My groom is a graduate of Stephens College with a degree in equestrian science; several of my friends are having her ride their horses. I asked if she was interested in the experience of going to a CDE and giving me a hand , she jumped at the chance, I told her I couldn’t pay her but I will make sure she doesn’t spend any money on the trip, she said, " sounds good," YEA!! Number one dilemma solved.

Drove Pilgrim 60 min, Grade B-; we should be getting better but I don’t see a lot of forward progress. We are at a plateau and fighting discouragement.

Pilgrim enjoying finishing morning workout.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 30 & 31, May 15 &16, 37 & 36 days to go: I am falling behind in my journal; I can’t keep my drives straight. These two days went well, driving an hour while trying for 30 min of trotting accumulative. I think we went on the 15th, twelve min straight trotting with 25 min accumulative, on the 16th a little longer. I am not moving fast enough in the fitness department. I need to look at it this way…. If I can do 25 min straight in step aerobics, Pilgrim can do 25 min trotting in the cart. 
It is getting boring driving at the estate one bridge is out and one path is too muddy from the neighbors’ lake leaking on our property. So that cuts driving distance in half. 
Next week when my groom comes to drive with me, I plan on going out the back gate and 100 yards down the black top road to the neighbors 300 acres, they have some logging roads throughout their property. I think that will be a little more interesting for us. But driving the first time over there I prefer to have another person with me if only to get out and open the gate.

Possible ways to braid Pilgrims mane for dressage, I am not going to trim it short.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

A little info on what a Combined Driving Event is:


American Driving Society 

And just for fun, a photo of the first day I hitched Pilgrim up at home. He was 3. I had him about a week.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 32 & 33, May17& 18, 35& 34 days to go: Still no coggins and vaccinations, I guess I am going to go up to the clinic and give them myself, can't do Coggins though. Working on extending the trot time. We are up to 15 min straight, walking 4 min, and then trotting another 5 min. Getting much better at bending and more willing to turn the way I want and not the way he wants. NO SPOOKS TODAY!!

We are working on doing some tight turns at a trot, turning around trees and around sharp corners, practicing for those hazards on the marathon. He is doing well with those turns crossing over his front feet as he turns; I put overreach boots on now that we are doing more sharp turns. Eventually I would like to see us pivot on one wheel, like a zero turning radius lawn mower.

Drove 60 min each day, Grade B+

Photos: Driving across dam at the estate, with surry
Two years ago discussing obstacles stratagy before my turn.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Have you considered holding a CDE on the property you are using? Looks like it would be a great place to do some driving events.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

churumbeque said:


> Have you considered holding a CDE on the property you are using? Looks like it would be a great place to do some driving events.


I have put together a mini marathon on the property, for the local driving club. That was a lot of work. Now there is not even a driving club anymore. I would love to get some drivers together again, and do fun stuff like that again.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I am so far behind writing this; I need to catch up now, so here goes:

May 17 through May 31, drove 9 drives with a total time of 8 hours, 45 minutes. 
Some interesting things that happened. I am refinishing my Meadowbrook cart and I took off the singletree to varnish it, well I thought I put it back on tight enough, I was driving and I noticed that the single tree was rubbing on the crossbar of the cart and it had never done that before. I asked Pilgrim to stop so I could check it out. Oh My Gosh the singletree bolts had worked themselves loose and you could rock the singletree back and forth in the iron bracket it fits in. We cut that drive short and walked home. I now have a lock nut as my second nut on the singletree bolt. That could have been a fun accident.

Fewer and fewer spooks, Pilgrim did spook yesterday, in the tall grass the deer are very hard to see and they startled him. We were trotting down a slight incline and he veered off to the left, but never broke stride, I told him to get back on the trail and he did, he was on high alert after that but settled down a few minutes later. I guess his spooks are something that I am just going to live with.

We have worked our way up to about 20 minutes straight trotting, with a total of 30 min.
Sometimes we trot 10 min, walk 3min than trot 12, varying the times. I need to find a decent fly spray, the bronco is better than the other kind I was using, buy the speckled deer flies are biting his face to pieces.

I finally got him his vaccinations and cog gins they were not due till the end of June but I did not want to go out of state with them so close to being due. That is another big scratch off of my to do list.

My groom is coming over once a week to drive with me, and to learn how to help me harness, and get to know what is expected of her. She is doing great; I did not know she drives one of her horses, so she might be my competition if I go to another CDE, Big If. 

I am trying to make cones out of PVC pipe, I have all the materials collected so now I need to assemble them and try it out. Refinishing the wheels are taking forever to sand and varnish, they are about a third of the way sanded, I had better get my butt in gear, it is crunch time.
I HAVE 23 DAYS LEFT!!!


A couple of photos of other CDE's a long while ago.
1st photo was on the cover of 'The Whip", the national magazine of The American Driving Society, I think in 1993.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

OHHHHhhh......be careful with those beautiful wooden wheeles. I would hate to see one hung up on an obstacle.....


It's fun going through this training with you. If you ever get to a CDE in NC (Bill Long is in Southern Pines and has a fabulous set of obstacles there), please come look me up.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

That is my dream vacation, going to NC with my horse for 10 days of lessons with Bill Long, or to VA for lessons with Bill Lower.

I am afraid I would get eaten up at a CDE in the Carolina's:wink: 

On my Meadowbrook I do not even have flush hub wheels. My cart that has flush hubs is way to small for Pilgrim, I even thought about switching out the wheels and axel, but I think that is above my carriage building skills. Seems like a good idea in theory, but something always, for me anyway, goes wrong that puts a project in a whole new difficulty catagory.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Just saw this photo of a hazard at the CDE.... Looks like a real wheel hub buster.:shock:



Hansen's Hill has a new look! Photo by Sandee McKee​


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## Dressage10135 (Feb 11, 2009)

Just read all four pages, it sounds like you are doing a great job! Just last week I was introduced to driving by a woman who does CDE's with her husband and their Friesians. She actually asked me to be her groom/ person who rides on the back (drawing a blank on what they are called :lol at a show this coming weekend. I have to say I'm a bit nervous but from the little amount of driving we did last week it was a blast! 

Since I'm new to this.. how do the levels work?


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Just got back from the lake and read your post. All I can say is GO!!!!

You will have a blast, you will learn so much.

With a single horse with a cart, which is what I will drive you have one person ride in the vehicle with you. Acting as your navigator/groom, they have dual duty. To the driver they help to stay on course, keep proper time, navigate through the obsticals, they also help in balancing thevehicle around sharp tight turns. To the officials they report any break in gate over 5 sec. and report any off course infractions.

With a pair you have both a Navigator and a groom. basically same duties but the balancing the vehicle comes much more into play with a 4 wheeled vehicle. You will see the people hanging off the backs of the vehicle for balance and actually lifting and bouncing the vehicles with their body weight around objects. Bring your hard hat and you nerves of steel for that job. It is soooo much fun.


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## Dressage10135 (Feb 11, 2009)

It sounds like a total blast!! And the way I figure it, I can always bail off the back if things get too out of hand :lol: 

I think Teresa just does the single horse with a cart and Will does both.. Here's a picture of them at their last one. (I have permission to share it)


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 43, June 4, 19 days to go. 

I was out of town for the weekend, a much needed trip to Lake of the Ozarks. Drove Pilgrim early in the am before the heat and the bugs get very bad, he hates the bugs, I hate the heat. We drove an hour with three 12 minute trotting periods. Took it a little easy because he has been off for 3 days, he did very well, no wanting to break gate, faster or slower. We worked on steady gaits, which is difficult going up and down hills, but we gave it an effort. 

I got the tractor out to cut some driving paths through the tall grass, to make it a little more interesting, but the small tractor would not cut the grass. I am going to try and get the bush hog out with the big tractor and give it a go. I cleaned his sheath and went to deworm, but every one of my dewormers were out of date. What a waste of money. 

I have been working lately on my position while driving. I have a tendancy to lean forward when I drivelike in the photo. Although the photo is taken during an obstical class, I also lean forward in dressage, big no no. So I have been concentrating on sitting back against the seat rest, and relaxing mu upper body.

Drove 65 min, grade B


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I have terrible posture and have started to do some excersises to help and I can tell it is getting better. I like your jacket it looks nice with your cart and interesting


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Thanks for the compliment, but more importantly what exercises do you do?
I swear my back hurts so bad sometimes it is noon before I can bend over to tie my shoes.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I have been laying on my stomach with arms out to side and lifting and squeezing my shoulders together. Hold for a few seconds each time. I also use some light weights.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Taffy Clayton said:


> Thanks for the compliment, but more importantly what exercises do you do?
> I swear my back hurts so bad sometimes it is noon before I can bend over to tie my shoes.


I looked again and it looks like you are sitting way back on the seat bench.
You really should try sitting forward on the edge of the seat, that should help and you won't get hit in the back by the seat back. My legs are not on the seat at all but on the edge.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

churumbeque said:


> I looked again and it looks like you are sitting way back on the seat bench.
> You really should try sitting forward on the edge of the seat, that should help and you won't get hit in the back by the seat back. My legs are not on the seat at all but on the edge.


Even in dressage? I usually drive sitting much more on the front of the seat for the marathon, but I usually sit like the photo in dressage, leaning forward.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I'm not sure if dressage is different but I don't think it is. I'll do some research and see what I can find
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 44, June 5, 18 days to go:
I took pilgrims heart rate this morning tacking up, it was 36 beats per minute. We then drove the length of the marathon today, 25 min trotting, 9 min walking, then took his pulse and it was 50. Well within “fit range”, heck he did not even break a sweat, of course it was 8 am and 70 degrees. The heat could be 95 in Iowa on the 24th. I think training level goes first in the morning that would be sweet. 

I would rather get the worst scores in CDE history than have an unfit horse, Oh wait I did that already….I was all signed up for a CDE in Kansas city and my horse came up lame, so I brought the only other driving horse I had at the time, my Clyde Seamus. Talk about unfit; we walked the entire marathon incurring a penalty every 5 seconds for not being in the right gait. There is a time limit in the marathon of 10 minutes over optimum time or elimination, we worked very hard to make that time. At the end of the event we had penalties in the hundreds. Seamus and I did get a blue ribbon for acquiring the most penalty points without getting eliminated. I still cherish that ribbon today.


So now we are fit, it is finally time to move on to other projects. I have a dressage lesson on Thursday, and if all goes well on Friday also. The instructor doesn’t know anything about driving, but I am bringing her my dressage test so we can go through it together. I am sure I will learn something.


I looked through some of my old driving dressage tests and one thing stood out on every test, bad points for impulsion; defiantly need to work on that.
I will start working on cones next time my groom comes over; I need someone to right the cones I knock over.

Drove 60 min. grade B

Photo is Seamus walking through the hazard on the marathon.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Taffy Clayton said:


> Even in dressage? I usually drive sitting much more on the front of the seat for the marathon, but I usually sit like the photo in dressage, leaning forward.






In this video she is sitting on a wedge and forward in driven dressage and she is a top level driver.

It looks like if they are driving a 4 wheel carriage they are sitting back and a 2 wheel cart they are more forward.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Taffy Clayton said:


> Drive 44, June 5, 18 days to go:
> I took pilgrims heart rate this morning tacking up, it was 36 beats per minute. We then drove the length of the marathon today, 25 min trotting, 9 min walking, then took his pulse and it was 50. Well within “fit range”, heck he did not even break a sweat, of course it was 8 am and 70 degrees. The heat could be 95 in Iowa on the 24th. I think training level goes first in the morning that would be sweet.
> 
> I would rather get the worst scores in CDE history than have an unfit horse, Oh wait I did that already….I was all signed up for a CDE in Kansas city and my horse came up lame, so I brought the only other driving horse I had at the time, my Clyde Seamus. Talk about unfit; we walked the entire marathon incurring a penalty every 5 seconds for not being in the right gait. There is a time limit in the marathon of 10 minutes over optimum time or elimination, we worked very hard to make that time. At the end of the event we had penalties in the hundreds. Seamus and I did get a blue ribbon for acquiring the most penalty points without getting eliminated. I still cherish that ribbon today.
> ...


Just practice running them over and resetting themselves up, It is good practice. Some you go right down the center and some are best to go over the lip.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

churumbeque said:


> Sherri Dolan with Smoke Black Prong 2009 - YouTube
> In this video she is sitting on a wedge and forward in driven dressage and she is a top level driver. You are so right she is not touching the seat back at all, She is however sitting straight, which I still must work on.
> 
> It looks like if they are driving a 4 wheel carriage they are sitting back and a 2 wheel cart they are more forward.


I would have thought the oppisite, sitting forward would unbalance the cart.

I went to audit a clinic with Robin Groves and she was a very good instructor also.

Thanks for your info, that helped alot


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 45, June 6, 17 days to go;

Drove today taking it easy walking and trotting at leisure. We are starting to try some sharp U turns, Pilgrim did very well, but my whip was hitting the leaves of the trees and he did not like that noise, just got a little faster though, maybe he thought he was going to get hit. Sometimes I wonder about that boy. 

Today we ran smack into a deer; it was standing in the middle of the road. We saw it I just kept Pilgrim trotting towards it, which he did; I was waiting for the spook. We got closer and closer and still the deer did not move, we kept right on going. Finally when we were about 15 feet from the deer it jumped away, Pilgrim did great, he just cocked his head and watched it go. Good Boy!!

I have been for the last several weeks, feeding at 7 AM, he doesn’t get much grain and a flake of alfalfa mix, letting him eat for 40 minutes and hitched by 8. He is doing well with this, no more of the nonsense he used to do fresh out of the stall. We walk for about 4 min, trot 2, walk 2, trot 4, walk 3 and then start to do the longer trots. I figure this warms him up a bit and helps get the digestion going. I am always questioning how soon to work after a meal.

Pilgrim is really embracing this new slow trot, sometimes I think if he goes any slower he will tip over, and when I say “Whoa” you better brace yourself or you will slide right off of the cart seat.

I have been making “cones” out of PVC pipe; I read an article in Driving Digest on how to do it. It works pretty well. Frankly I can’t afford 40 cones at $16 each. I do have 6 though. I have 10 made already. I have 500 feet of 1”PVC left over from when the well pump went out and we replaced the pipe. I knew I would eventually find a use for all that old nasty pipe.


Drove 45 minutes, Grade B

First Photo- Pilgrim in the pasture

2nd Photo- Pilgrim in the dressage arena


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 46, June 7, 12 days to go:

I am having serious heart palpations about this whole CDE thing, I hope I did not bite off more than I can chew. *I am a nervous wreck.*

Dressage Lesson, well sort of. It took an hour and a half to figure out how to get the cart to fit in the three horse slant trailer. It did not, well not until I took off the fenders and scratched the shenanigans out of the fenders in the process, the varnish had made the nuts impossible to get off and I stripped the wood trying to do so. Still would not fit. I had to tie the shafts up in the air to close the door, now it fit. Lesson was at 3pm so I took the cart over in the am, and came back with Pilgrim at 2:30. While I was harnessing, the instructor came and asked me if I minded not having a lesson today, AHHHHH! She had a good excuse so I said no problem, can I use the ring? 

So went up to a beautiful chat dressage ring, Pilgrim was looking around; we walked several times around in each direction and then picked up a trot. Around the first corner the cart didn’t track right and it actually skipped sideways around the corner. I didn’t bother Pilgrim at all but it sure startled me. I went slower around the next corner and it didn’t happen again. Then I turned around thinking that if I was tracking to the right the weight would be to the inside and it would not skip like that. Didn’t happen, skidded all the way around the corner. Well I did a few more maneuvers and was wondering what this was doing to my wheels. So I unhitched and went home. Total driving time 20 min. Total packing and travel time 3 ½ hours and I still have to go and get the cart. I am going to ask/beg the instructor to come to me.

I bought some suit material to make my driving apron, black and caramel, to match the boy.

Drove 20 minutes, grade B


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Don't fret about the CDE. I have watched some and just go with the idea of learning and not winning. I would say the biggest thing that bothered me when I went was people pushing their horses when they weren't in condition to do what they were asking. I don't mean that they were breathing hard but more just tired and not willing and they were smacking them with the whip to try and get them going faster.

Also when warming up I would walk briskly a minimum of 10-15 minutes before any trotting. Better to be safe and not strain anything.

When hauling in my 3 horse slant my horse is in 1st stall the shafts go up and over the horse tied to the ceiling snuggly. Be sure to secure the body towards the front and the back so it can't roll back and forth. I attach to my steps(gig) and crank the body down. Pull a few miles and then go back and tighten. The bouncing will loosen up and it will need adjusted again.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

post a picture of the cones. I didn't see the article. You can get nice cones on line for about $6.50 min of 30 not FEI though.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

churumbeque said:


> Don't fret about the CDE. I have watched some and just go with the idea of learning and not winning. I would say the biggest thing that bothered me when I went was people pushing their horses when they weren't in condition to do what they were asking. I don't mean that they were breathing hard but more just tired and not willing and they were smacking them with the whip to try and get them going faster.
> 
> I guess I am most nervous about all that still needs to be done, with horse. job, home and garden. I do feel that Pilgrim will be in shape at least for that short marathon. I don't even venture to think about winning, but I don't want to make a fool of ourselves either..... Oh wait I have done that before and I lived through it.:lol:  I do get a little worked up before a competition, Maybe I should borrow some Xanax from someone.:wink:
> 
> ...


 
I bought my slant trailer thinking this would work, but I think the basket on the Meadowbrook is too big for it to work. I saw everyone doing this and thought great, but no luck.

I WILL photograph the homemade cones. 


churumbeque said:


> post a picture of the cones. I didn't see the article. You can get nice cones on line for about $6.50 min of 30 not FEI though.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 47, June 8, 13 days to go:

Since the Meadowbrook cart was still at the dressage stable I got the high-riding cart out of storage. It was in my neighbor’s barn for the last 3 years, I can’t believe it has been that long since I used it. It has custom seat covers on it, and I took them off to shake them out, good thing too, there were 3 live wasp nests just under the seat, right behind where my knees would go. OUCH!!!

Started to hook up and realized that along with the cart were my whip and the tug straps. I brought Pilgrim back inside and got the tugs from the other harness and my old whip that got chewed in half and I repaired it with electrical tape and a dowel rod. Went to hook up and the new tug straps were too wide to fit in the breast collar buckles, I crammed them in there, but they would not go into the keepers, so I used electrical tape to make my own keepers and the whip was so heavy and unbalanced I almost went without, but that is a driving NO NO. I am having a hard time getting to drive this morning.

I set up a cones course with my home made cones; I had 10 pair so it made a nice course. I made a circle with four pair, a serpentine with three pair, and a U turn with the last three pair. We did pretty well we only annihilated one cone. I practiced cones for about half an hour, but did not go around the property because the tug-keeper issue was not the safest set up for going through the woods.

Some things did go right. I found my spares kit in the high riding cart. The spares kit is a collection of safety equipment that every competitor must have to go on the marathon. It includes a mandatory rein splice, for repairing a broken rein, a tug splice for repairing a broken tug, a wheel wrench for tightening a loose wheel and a hole punch. I also include in my kit, electrical tape, a screwdriver, both Phillips and flat, they can be used as a hoof pick, a vice grip, a wire cutter, a knife, leather laces and a roll of vet wrap. The other thing is I found out the barn leaks where my high riding cart was and it ruined the finish on one of the shafts.

I decided to not go back to the dressage stable for my afternoon lesson and I went to get the meadowbrook. The instructor is going to come to my place Monday afternoon, and I did have to beg.

Drove 30 min, grade B


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## enh817 (Jun 1, 2012)

Just wanted to drop a note and let you know I've been following your thread. I have no cart experience, but it's something I'd love to get into one day!
I've learned a lot reading your posts!



Things seem like they're falling into place for you and Pilgrim. I hope you'll have someone with you at the CDE, who can be on camera duty, so we get lots of pictures!
I love the way Pilgrim looks all hitched up! So handsome


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

This is a photo of the "cones made out of PVC pipe. I worked with them yesterday and they worked great. I do not glue them together so if I crunch one they will just fall apart not break.



They are made of 1" PVC pipe, Start with a 4 way junction, add 6” pieces to opposite sides for a total of two; add a 2” piece to one of the open 4 ways and a 10” to the other open 4 way. To the 2” add a 90 turn with a 24” upright pipe, and to the 10” add a 90 turn with a 12” upright pipe. The directions call for caps on the 6” pipes and on the 24” pipe and the tennis ball on the 12” pipe. I did not add caps because I don’t care if it rocks a bit because I am not putting a ball on top.

A 5” piece of PVC will make one cone.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 48, June 9, 14 days to go:

There was a house full of guests at the estate this morning; I was going to give pony rides to all the children there at 9:00 am. So I decided to drive Pilgrim early to be back at the barn by 8:30.

When I got to work at 6:45 all the adult toys were out in the driveway, so as not to run into anyone on the trail, I took the keys out of all the 4-wheelers and the dune buggy, and took Pilgrim for a drive. I had gone about a third of the way around the trails when I remembered all the bicycles in the driveway and imagined a child or an adult coming down a hill on a bike as we were coming up the hill, not pretty imagery. So I turned around and carefully walked back to the barn.

Good thing too all the kids were in the barn feeding the ponies alfalfa, and waiting for their rides.

Not much of a productive drive but it was very nice. We had just walked down the hill to start to cross the dam and ran into all the geese, all 60 of them, all ages. Pilgrim was quite surprised, there is a tree that blocks the view of the dam until you are on the dam and the geese were about 40 feet in front of us. Pilgrim stopped and said I am not going any farther until those things are out of here, then he walked on.

The wheels on the cart are sanded as good as they are going to get, I have to start staining and varnishing tomorrow.

Drove 20 minutes, Grade B-


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 49, June 10, 13 days to go:

All the guests were gone this morning, yea! Hitched up around 9:45, walked around the trail for about 25 minutes. When we got back to the main house I took Pilgrim a few times around the cones course, we practiced bending and being up on the bit. It was kind of a disaster, great to the left terrible to the right, and the cone closest to the barn we missed every time, he wanted to go home and we overshot it every time. I got frustrated so we trotted for 27 minutes, going around the property. We broke a good sweat today.

I hitched with Pilgrims good harness today; I want to use it for several days to get all the adjustments correct. I will write down which hole # each buckle goes into then clean it so I can harness fast on show day and am not dinking around with adjustments when time is of the utmost importance. I put the stain on the cart wheels today also.

I found out that the CDE has over 50 entries, that is huge. The biggest classes are training single horse and training single pony. The event is so big that they are asking the training singles if anyone wants to volunteer to take the dressage test on Friday evening. I won’t take it on Friday, we have too long of a drive and who knows when we will actually arrive.
I am planning on arriving at 2:00 pm but……..

Drove 70 min, Grade C

PIlgrim in his good harness, still need breeching adjustments.
Stained wheel


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I was trying to get to Kansas City for a lesson with my friend; well it looks like it isn’t going to happen. She is way too busy with that fancy dressage horse of hers. I did call her to ask some questions and bless her heart she gave me a dressage lesson over the phone. My friend from KC is going to the CDE in Iowa and she told me that her old groom Jane Doe is coming down from up north, (some “M” state) to be her groom, I asked if it was the Jane Doe I knew and she said yes. 

Okay now this is going to be fun, we all showed together 18 years ago, always in different divisions, and always had a blast. Soooooo I had to ask my mom to come with me to the CDE for old times’ sake. Mom will probably drive me crazy but she has always been good at polishing brass.

Pilgrim has been stepping on the insides of his back hooves and pulling the nails out. Last Thursday, after our drive I picked his hooves and he had only one nail on the inside rear of one hoof and two nails in the other. *Emergency* farrier call, that afternoon I met the farrier at a fairground 45 min away and got some nails put in. The shoe was still good and tight so it only took about 10 min. The farrier said he was not doing this on the fly but it was happening in the stall, and showed me the marks on the inside of his back hooves. Butt high and base narrow. I put on bell boots on Pilgrim in back and hopefully this helps.

Pilgrim is also due for a reset the week *after* the CDE, so I asked the farrier could fit me in a week earlier so I could go to the CDE with new shoes. He will call me with the where and when.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 50, June 11, 12 days to go:

Dressage lesson canceled by instructor again, I guess I don’t blame her as I am not in her “program”. It is my fault totally for procrastinating this long to concentrate on the dressage part. So I found another dressage instructor, she does pony club and I think does some driving, at this point I don’t even care. My Dressage lesson over the phone from my friend in KC lost something in translation. When I tried to tell Pilgrim what I learned, well he was just not interested.

So in place of my dressage lesson a local friend came over to drive and we had a grand time. We drove for about 2 ¼ hours. I was driving with my good harness and I readjusted it about 4 times. The breeching was giving me trouble, I just did not like the way it was laying. And it was either to tight or to loose, it reminded me of Goldilocks, I needed to get it just right. I drove the cones course a few times in-between driving on the trails. 

Oh my I almost forgot we had the biggest spook to date, and it was on the dam. We were trotting and almost to the end of the dam, and of course my friend and I were chatting, when he just jumped to the lake side of the dam, one wheel actually went down the hill toward the lake. By maybe a foot, I didn’t think it was that bad but my friend almost threw her phone on the ground so it would not get wet. I think she was a little melodramatic.

When I brought the cart out in to the sun, boy was I sloppy with the stain. I restained the wheels, I do not know whether I will get to varnishing them or not, I am not going to stress over that at all. I made about 4 more pairs of the PVC cones, so now I have a nice little course set up. Remember my old friend that was a groom for a nationally ranked pair’s competitor that was going to help me; you might wonder what happened to her…. Well she was so inspired by my getting back into driving that she is starting to drive again and hence has no time to give me a hand,,,,, Ahhhhh! Oh well

My new goal for the competition is …….. DO NOT GET ELIMINATED!!!! 

Drove 135 minutes, Grade B

Photo is my view while driving......... not bad !!!


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

How are you to get into your dressage instructors program if she keeps cancelling?
Sounds like she isn't very reliable.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

True .... I never thought of it that way.

I hope the pony club instructor works out. That would be great to have someone take an interest in my horse and me. I have never had that before.


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## enh817 (Jun 1, 2012)

So since the girl you had lined up to groom for you, is now competing, does that leave you without a groom?


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

enh817 said:


> So since the girl you had lined up to groom for you, is now competing, does that leave you without a groom?


No the girl that was going to help, (Nancy) she was never going to be my groom, couldn't get off work. Rachael from WiLLiam Woods College with an Equestrian degree is going to be my groom. I was going to just ask the organizers of the CDE to find me a groom, but they would find someone to just ride in the cart with me on the marathon, and I want some one to help me polish brass and clean the horse, cart, and harness. In general a slave for the weekend.:lol: Rachael I hope you are ready!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 52, June 12, 11 days to go
Every time I write how many days to go I get Heart palpatations!

Drove around the property, working on who knows what. We came to the area of the dam where Pilgrim spooked yesterday, only we were going the opposite direction, so it was at the beginning of the dam this time. Well Pilgrim said he did not want to go on the dam. Of course I insisted, still he was very hesitant, I looked all around for deer and there were none. I asked him to stop so I could assess the situation not wanting a blow up; he knew there was danger lurking on the dam. I was preparing for battle when 2 geese popped out of the tall grass and waddled across the dam and into the lake. Pilgrim then trotted on as if saying, “You never listen to me, I told you something was there”.

We lost one trail because I have decided that my neighbor that borders that trail is crazy, so I am staying away. So we tried another trail that I have not been on lately, it’s a little overgrown but Pilgrim did great on it. When we trotted through the uncut grass and I couldn’t see his head, he was grazing on the fly.

I dug out my black fly bonnet for Pilgrim, it is a little bigger than the red one and it looks nicer too. It looked like it fit him but when I got back to the barn it had slid to one side and was covering one eye. Poor boy could hardly see. He probably shifted it when he was having his grass snack while driving.

When we got back to the barn I did the cones course a few more times, we crunched a few. I need to measure my wheel base so I can put the cones at the proper distance apart. I get 15.7” extra to go through the cones, 7 ¾” on each side Yikes!!!

I am methodically getting things done one at a time and crossing things off my list.


Wait till I tell you about my dressage lesson I finally had. We are a disaster.:lol:

Drove 45 minutes, Grade B


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

My cousin who has been reading my journal E-mailed me with a title for my Journal which I thought it was funny.

*The Last Cone…….A story of tragedy and triumph in CDE driving.*

I did explain to her that we were avoiding tragedy and had not triumphed yet!


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## enh817 (Jun 1, 2012)

Taffy Clayton said:


> No the girl that was going to help, (Nancy) she was never going to be my groom, couldn't get off work. Rachael from WiLLiam Woods College with an Equestrian degree is going to be my groom. I was going to just ask the organizers of the CDE to find me a groom, but they would find someone to just ride in the cart with me on the marathon, and I want some one to help me polish brass and clean the horse, cart, and harness. In general a slave for the weekend.:lol: Rachael I hope you are ready!


So is Rachael at all handy with a camera? Or will someone be able to get lots of pictures?!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I have Rachael, my mom, and a girl named Sue going with me. Hopefully we will get some good photos. I think I am going to get a new camera, mine is about 15 years old and s o s l o w. I want some photos of the intermediate drivers, and some four in hands and of course some photos of me.

I feel like a Rock Star bringing my ante rage with me.:wink:

Pilgrim looks like Groucho Marx when he wears his do that goes under the harness bridle.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Am I a bad wife or just an equestrian?

My husband has to have a cardiac cath. done, might have to have a stint put in. We were at the doctors office discussing the procedure and the scheduling of the test. The doc left to send in the nurse, after telling hubby that I was sorry and it will be alright, I said if It was at all possible lets not do yhe procedure on the 21 or 22 of June. After looking at me curiously, I said that was the CDE....... I really could not believe it came out of my mouth. I did start to back up....Beep....Beep....Beep. I said I would of course miss my CDE but I would prefer not to. He smiled and shook his head.




Thankfully I did not have to choose.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 53, June 13, 10 days to go:


Let me start by saying I have never really had a driving or riding lesson ever. In driving I have gone to a few clinics about 18 years ago with my push button Arab. In riding never had the time or the money to take lessons, I have taken one or two but never more than that from the same instructor. My Mom rode jumpers for the Anheuser Busch family and her Idea of teaching her kids to ride was to over mount us and throw us on. We either learned how to ride or fell off. I fell off a lot.


Dressage Lesson one: Where to begin. Well being as I have been driving horses for 20 plus years, I was feeling relatively confident in my driving abilities. I had been practicing Pilgrim on bending and transitions, while they were not the most beautiful movements they pretty good. Well now I know we were bending, using all the wrong muscles. He was using all his under the neck muscles and not the upper muscles of the neck. Our lesson did not even get out of a walk, I could not do anything right. Poor Pilgrim I think he is forever scarred by my driving. Our transitions were sloppy, he would not stay on the rail, my circles were collapsing and this was all at a walk. I felt so totally inept; I thought I was going to cry. How could I have waited this long to take a lesson? This was stupider then trying to have Pilgrim go barefoot in back. I was a mess it was like I could not walk and chew gum at the same time. Plus under stress I cannot tell my left from right, I can’t count the times the instructor said …”no the other left” and “No the other right”


At the end of the lesson we did decide that I was sitting entirely to low in the cart. My high riding cart sits much higher but is not safe on the marathon, too high of center of gravity, and since I only have room for one cart and the Meadowbrook can do both marathon and dressage, that is the one I am taking. I called Whitmers Coach Shop and ordered a couple pieces of foam to try and make something to sit on that gets me higher in the cart….we will see if it helps.


Also decided to use a shorter lash at the end of my whip, Pilgrim is ticklish and he over reacts to the long lash. 


Gosh I hope tomorrow’s lesson is better.


Drove 45 min at a walk, Pilgrim grade B, Driver grade D


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 54, June 13, 10 days to go: PM Drive

We got back from the disaster lesson and decided I needed to practice what I learned today. I drove in the high rider because the Meadowbrook was still at the lesson site. I did so much better in the higher cart. Mostly drove the cones course, then went around the property, trotted for 15 minutes straight then came back and played in the cones some more. Practicing bending the way instructor told me, defiantly seeing some improvement in me and Pilgrim, but crunching a lot of cones. Still having trouble understanding the the why of some moves but I am doing them.

I am going to ask the instructor if she will come to me tomorrow, so she can show me some exercises to do on the trails, since that is where I do most of my driving. Plus her stable has a chat ring and we slid around the corners on that ring, just like the other. Of course we were just walking so it wasn’t bad, but I hope to trot eventually.

Still have not varnished the wheels.

Drove 45 minutes, Grade B, Driver C-


*Help! I need another month!!!*


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 55, June 14, 9 days to go: AM Drive 

Oh my gosh, It is single digits to the event. Drove Pilgrim to the high rider, Walked around property for 20 minutes, then drove cones walking and trotting for 15 minutes, then trotted for 20 minutes. Practiced again what I “learned”. I am still asking Pilgrim for a bend, just in a different way. 

The dressage instructor is coming to my place this evening around 6:30. I went and got the cart from her place and had, the husband of one of her clients teach me how to do the running braid. She said he was the best and fastest at doing that braid, go figure. Went home to practice the braid.

I hope this afternoon lesson is more encouraging for me.

Drove 55 min, Grade B,


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 56, June 15, 8 days to go: PM drive

Dressage instructor (DI) came to me this evening; we started off driving around the property, at a walk. She was showing me exercises that I could do along the trails to encourage proper bending and rounding. While I am beginning to understand the theory, the results are slow. Now I am not talking about Instant gratification and short cuts. But my turns are big and sloping now, while that works great on a 60 meter circle, but in a hazard where I need to turn ASAP not so great. I guess we are going slowly now and things will pick up later. It is however working beautifully to get him on the rail and straighten him out in the shafts and do the dreaded circles. 

We were walking and had just rounded a turn when we saw 2 small birds on the path, DI and I discussed that they might be Quail, Of course we had not seen Quail in these parts for years. We kept walking, well they were not Quail they were baby turkey, and mama turkey and 12 babies flew straight up out of the tall grass about, not kidding, 8 feet in front of Pilgrim’s nose. 
It happened so fast I do not know what I did but the instructor grabbed for the lines, I thought OH MY, I do not like that! But what she did was take my hands with the lines and talk me through the event. Explaining what she was doing and how to handle it, I swear she was so calm Pilgrim did not even veer off the trail or break into a trot. As a matter of fact Pilgrim only got animated when she let me have the reins back. She explained that I was boxing Pilgrim in and not giving him an out or a safe place to go, holding him to tight and making things worse. Now of course this makes tremendous sense looking back at the spook journal, most of the good, no problem spooks were the ones where, I pretty much ignored them. 

I then practiced what I learned at a trot, more difficult but it just takes time to remember to do it. If the DI told me once she told me 100 times to relax my elbows. I had always been told I was a quiet rider with good hands, but obviously no one told me my elbows were locked up tighter than the Franklin Mint. DI gave me an exercise for that…. Do small backward and forward circles to help oil those elbows, I wonder if Cosoquin would help?

Okay by now I am exhausted and want to end this fiasco, when almost to the end of the trail we ran into a heard of deer just off the trail by 25 feet, about 5 of them. I started to get nervous and the DI just took one of my hands this time and again walked me though it. One deer did jump off but Pilgrim and I were great. I said I can’t believe that we walked right by that heard of deer, the DI corrected me and said through the heard of deer, there were two more on the other side of the trail that I did not even see.

When we got back to the barn we went through the cones course, with DI giving me pointers. She then took the lines and drove Pilgrim and he did great for her. Lots of nice steady movement and bends, even some shoulder work. My drive not so good, but better.

Much better lesson today, there might be hope, not for this CDE but maybe the next one.

Drive 50 minutes, Grade A-, Driver better


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

You might be surprised on how well the taller cart will do. If driven properly and at lower level center of gravity isn't an issue. My instructor always worried about the center of gravity and then she went to a competition where some top level drivers had high carts and moving and turning quickly. If it is bigger it may give your horse more room in the shafts and he will turn better. You might get Muffy Seatons video on bending the driving horse. It is easy to follow and very helpful.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I measured the seat in the hi-rider, and it is sadly too small for my groom and me to fit, without being very uncomfortable. I have used it in a marathon before, (in my thinner days) and it did pretty good. I am defiantly looking for a higher cart when I get back home from the CDE. I hope to scout out some cool vehicles at the CDE for reference. I would ideally like a lower center of gravity but a seat that sits high. I don’t know yet if I want a 4 wheeler or not, I am going to check those out too.

I ordered the book and DVD that you suggested, Bending the Driving Horse; you have suggested it before to someone else. I checked out EBay and Amazon with no luck. Then found both for $50, I think on Seaton’s website, I just wish I had ordered it a month ago.

I found a photo of the high-rider on the marathon. It was not me that drove it was my mother. She is driving the horse on the left; I am driving the horse on the right.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Nice photo. The video is very easy to understand and follow. I wish I had gotten it sooner and it is reasonable priced. Let me know what you think after watching it.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 57-60, June 16, 17, 18, 7-5 days to go: 

Wow I can’t believe it is less than a week away, driving sometimes 2 times a day, it is getting in the mid 90’s every day; I am trying to be harnessed and driving by 8 AM. We are working on keeping our stamina up, he is getting very lazy, I remember when we first started this journal he was all go, go, go , now if he trots any slower he might fall over. I have to keep after him to keep it steady. We walk for the first 20 minutes, then trot for about 12-20, then walk for a few min, then do the cones course. I am actually hoping to see some wildlife so I can practice my new “anti-spook” maneuvers.

We are still practicing what the DI told me to do. I am hoping that the book and DVD I bought, Bending the Driving Horse, will help clarify some things. I am a visual person and need to see it a few times, kind of dense sometimes. Of course it will not help for this CDE but if there is a next one???? I did ask them to send it overnight but it was like an extra $30, and I thought that was excessive.

I have been working on my to do list.

Picked up Mom’s trailer, and washed it. Mom got new tires for the trailer; I didn’t want to drive 14 hours on ten year old tires.

Got the truck serviced and tires rotated, washed and gassed up.

I have fitted the good harness and am now starting to clean it; I will use the everyday harness from now on.

Put a coat of varnish on the cart wheels in the evening, under the florescent lights. Thinking I was finished with the cart, but when I came back in the morning there were little dead bug carcasses all over the freshly varnished wheels.So I put on another coat of varnish in the am. NOW, I think I am finished with the cart.

I got an E-mail from the CDE organizers stating that we all should give our horses a Rhino vaccine within 90 days of the competition; I hope 6 days is okay. I went to vets immediately and got a Rhino Vaccine to give it to Pilgrim right away. I have no idea why but Rhino is not something I regularly vaccinate for. It seems Rhino is going around up there, not at the competition site but in the Iowa area. Great!! They told everyone not to pet horses without washing hands.

Dewormed Pilgrim and cleaned his sheath again, I do not want anyone commenting on his personal hygene.

Drove 4 ¼ hours, Grade B, Driver C


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Keep in mind that this will take lots of practice and you won't have it all down in a day. LOL

It will help with your spooking also as you can learn to turn your horses head away from something scarey but still drive in a straight line past the object and it is about driving the horse at the shoulders.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

churumbeque said:


> Keep in mind that this will take lots of practice and you won't have it all down in a day. LOL
> 
> 
> *What about two days? :wink:*


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 61, June 19, 4 days to go:

Drove to the high rider because the wheels on the Meadowbrook need more drying time. The cart looks great by the way; I guess I might sell it if I find something I like better, in my price range. I measured the wheel track of the cart and set up the cones course with cones at a distance of wheels + 15” apart, boy is that tight, I thought training level got 20”. Well I did the course and there were several dead soldiers in my wake. Some sets of cones I even hit both sides, *that is a feat*. When I was finished it looked like I was *trying* to knock down the cones. I need to remember that one cone down is 5 penalties, the equivalent of 10 seconds over maximum time, so I need to take my time! He is very lazy doing cones after trotting the 20 minutes, tomorrow cones before trotting distances.

Of course I have a million things to do, and apricots are ripe, as well as onions and garlic, so that adds harvesting and drying to the list. Watering is taking hours a day, between home and work it never ends. Hopefully rain tomorrow.

The gloves I ordered from www.drivingessentials.com are too big, but the saddle and breast collar pads are great. I finally got the foam and shaft tips from Whitmers Coach Shop, still no bit from www. smuckersharness.com. I still have 2 more days until I leave.

My groom does know how to do a running braid so I don’t have to practice that. YEA!

I clipped Pilgrim. I love that I do not show breed shows where you can spend hours clipping and grooming your horse. I only clipped his bridle path, a few whiskers and the huge tuffs of fur coming out of his ears, nothing on the inside of his ears, and done, 6 minutes.

Drove 45 minutes, Grade C+, for laziness


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Drive 61 & 62, 3 &2 days to go:

Well we are here what is done is done; we are as good as we are going to get. Did some cones driving and some trail driving. Pilgrims BFF went to “camp”. Pilgrim got a bath. We are all packed I am sure I forgot more than I remembered.

We are leaving at 5 AM, I hope. Trying to bring a couple of bicycles with us, they are not packed yet. 

I hope we have fun; my goal is not to be eliminated.

Drove 2 hours, Pilgrim A+, he is trying so hard, this experience has made me love him all the more.

Will send photos

TC & Pilgrim


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## enh817 (Jun 1, 2012)

Good luck!! Have tons of fun


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

thanks so much!!!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Pilgrim is a mainiac today!!!

One cone obliterated!!!!

Can't wait for tomorrow. The marathon is 2 kilometers longer than posted on the show info.

The second photo is during warm up, I had to put the lines down a notch, he was being a monster.


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## enh817 (Jun 1, 2012)

you both look just lovely! 

Good luck on marathon!!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

My friend from KC best overall dressage score


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Some multiples


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Some multiples


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## enh817 (Jun 1, 2012)

I love the drafties!!!


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## Jake and Dai (Aug 15, 2008)

I came to this thread late but am really looking forward to hearing a recap of your weekend Taffy. What a handsome boy Pilgrim is!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

enh817 said:


> I love the drafties!!!


Those are a team of belgian draft horses. He drove them two at a time and then drove them as a four in hand. they were great to watch.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Pilgrim was so good on the marathon.


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## enh817 (Jun 1, 2012)

Thanks so much for posting more pictures of the Belgians! I love them 
I don't think I've ever seen a roan Belgian before!



Pilgrim looks so handsome!! And like he was really focused on his work! What a good man 



So are you happy with your performance? Did it turn out as you had hoped? I hope you are inspired to keep working with him and go to more CDEs. I've loved following you on your path to this one! I hope there are more in your and Pilgrim's future


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

We had a blast!!! I was hoping to get my dressage and cones class videos posted by now, but my groom is doing it for me ,and I have no idea how to do it.I will post the link when they are on you tube. 

Untill then We had a great time.

It was so much fun seeing my friend from KC, and Mom had a great time too. Mom is trying to talk me into going to the KC, MO CDE in Sept. My groom was awsome I couldn't have done the marathon with no penalties without her.

So in dressage we got 7th place, in cones we got 5th place which put us in 6th place. On Sunday we got 1st place along with 3 other single horses. SOOOOOO we got 4th over all. I was very pleased. Pilgrim was a good boy, he worked his heart out on the marathon, dressage was a different story.

I will talk about dressage when I post it on you tube.


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## enh817 (Jun 1, 2012)

WOW! No faults on marathon? That's awesome! 
Sounds like you two did really well! Congrats :clap:




AHHHHHH the Fjords!!! So cute 
And the other pony (welsh?/haffy?)
But that Fjord team is the best thing ever!



ETA -- I love the pictures taken with the corn fields in the background. Props to the photographer!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

What a great day to drive today. We drove an hour and a half, it was 70 degrees with a light wind and sunny. I went by myself but I did have a Sunday morning Mimosa with me, but, best thing, Pilgrim was perfect.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Pilgrim and I had a long lining lesson last friday. He did very well, I don't know if he has ever been "long lined" before. I have ground driven him plenty but the instructor was making him *work*. He got a little irritated when he went to the right. 

And he went to the dentist Thursday, Busy week.


We haven't done ANYTHING since the CDE because of the weather. 100 plus is just too hot. WE are now back in the harness getting ready to head to another event, not a CDE just a fun drive, no competition and no schedules, just for fun! A 5 day fun drive. I can't wait!!


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