Harri is just as loved now as he was the first time I saw him nearly 2 years ago ! He has the sweetest nature and a real pleasure to own. Last year as a 3 yr old he did two in-hand shows as education and was such a super star he won a championship for the potential ride & drive section.
I decided to leave him until his fourth year to embark on his further education under saddle and in harness as the winter up here is not conducive to building continuous and suitable training. In April 2015, Harri was sent to a professional and recommended trainer who specialise in carriage driving. He settled in well and started with an excellent report ! I visited him every week and began my education of learning to carriage drive with an experienced horse and my trainer, Teresa – who very much likes things done properly !
However, (as these things happen from time to time) as Harri’s work progressed and introduced to different driving harness – such as blinkers, noise, dragging chains/tyres and being exposed to other carriages/drays being driven by Clydesdales with their grooms and drivers it became apparent he was seriously terrified – for what appeared to be no foundation to this behaviour and it was totally out of character. It was then decided to concentrate on his ridden element which he took to like a duck to water – not a bit of trouble and before long he was hacking out on the farm, cantering and being the supreme lovely boy he has showed from the start ! He was exposed once again to all the trappings of other driving horses and their carriages whilst being ridden – he began to settle and become more confident around the different carts and carriages, noises and clatter.
In early July he was reintroduced to his harness and slowly began to work away with a blinkered bridle and dragging his tyre.
It is now planned to introduce the carriage over the next couple of weeks. So it is work in progress ! I must emphasise that the training he has been given and is been given is to the highest standard and with the utmost care with lovely kind and dedicated people. I could not have found better.
Over the past few months my driving has become more proficient and so looking forward to being able to drive Harri myself in the coming months and years ahead. As to aims – it will be ‘slowly does it’ over the next year, honing our skills and becoming confident to enable both Harri and I to enjoy carriage driving down our lanes and through the countryside. I am also looking for a rider to continue his ‘under saddle’ career as this is really important. It is unfortunate that my riding days are at an end due to the ongoing physical issues that I have.
Clare