This little guy is named Knockout. He is very cute and he is a wonderfully patient little guy. Knockout has been allowing me to learn how to drive a horse in harness. Cassidy is my human trainer. She is very knowledgeable about horses and especially mini horses. There are a couple of other ladies in my area that have been very sweet.
I have been driving an hour and a half to take lessons. That is one way. I have really enjoyed getting the opportunity to interact with another species. This is one of the few activities in recent memory that I have participated in where I am not thinking about what I need to do tomorrow or later and such. I get out of the truck at 10:00 and back into the truck at 11:30 and I haven't thought about having a smoke or what stores to go to on the way home. It is time out from the world.
I have been working my butt off to get ready for having a horse of my own. I have been moving "poisonous to horses plants" and doing a thorough job of cleaning up the horse pen area. I still have to finish moving the old compost. I also need to get a shovel out there and level out the mini sand dunes and pry out a few more roots from the brush that I removed and burned already.
We bought the non-climb horse wire and the 4x4 posts for the horse shed. Looks like the weather is sucking and I have several cleaning jobs coming up so I won't be getting anything done towards this project this week. Hubby is also working 5 tens, getting one day off and then working 5 more tens. There is no way we can do fencing until next week - at the earliest.
The little horse in the photo is about 30" tall at the base of the mane. Big horses are measured to the withers, mini horses to the base of the mane. Horses and ponies are measured in hands, mini horses are measured in inches. I am actually looking for a taller mini. They go up to 38". Of course, a few grow a bit over sized and are ineligible for mini horse competitions. I am looking for a sturdy, sound horse that is closer to the 38". I am also looking for a gelding that is trained to drive. I figure only one of should be a beginner!
It looks like I have a lead on a horse although I am going to have to be firm about not taking him if I meet the horse and don't like him. I went to see a horse that was 28 years old. Now, they do live a long time but that is just too old to want to take him on. I wouldn't have much time with him before I had to deal with the issues of a senior animal and I am not willing to do that. I said he was very sweet but no thank you.
The horse in question is a brown horse with a light mane and tail, I think. He is a gelding. He is a large size mini. But, he is a rescue horse and that could mean issues so we shall see.
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