amish breakdown

We had quite an eventful and long weekend. And pretty much none of it has been spent doing things with Shyloh. I feel I should rename this blog adventures with other people's horses. . . but more on that at another time.

Jaime and Kyle went on a much needed vacation out of town so me and Terry were in charge of the barn. We felt like little kids who's parents went away for the weekend! We had a bunch of chores to do and we also had some fun.

After our chores, which was mainly scooping poop, lots and lots of poop, we decided to take Reba for a drive around the block. The "block" is a little over four miles all the way around, which includes mostly fields of corn and wheat. 

Reba is a good horse, but she can be a picklehead (Terry's word). Reba won't do anything stupid, but she does require her rider/driver to pay a good deal of attention to her. And, let's not forget the fact that our horses are pretty heard bound and love being with each other.

Reba is so shiny!

So, we harnessed Reba and hooked her to the cart and off we went.  Reba actually left the property and went down the road much better than Terry anticipated for Reba going out alone. I was just enjoying the ride.  We were laughing and joking that we should dress up in bonnets and dresses like Amish for our drives down the road. Then I said that we should moon the drivers as they pass by. . .they totally would not expect that from the Amish!

At the first corner, Terry handed me the lines, just as Reba spooked at a bird flying out from the ditch. I immediately gave the lines back and Terry said this was Reba's trouble spot. . .Thanks Terry. . .

We trotted on because Reba was incredible looky and just waiting for an excuse to spook again. The trotting kept her mind focused on that. We also worked on the different trots Reba will have to do for showing; park gait, which is slower and more collected and road gait which is faster and extended. 

Big butt!

Once we turned the next corner I did drive Reba for a little bit. She was still a bit looky but I think it was just because she was alone. She still listened, but the minute she got some slack in the lines, she was weaving or trying to turn down a driveway in the direction of the barn. 

We turned the third corner and Terry commented on the contract of the wheat and the sky and the green, so I hopped out to get a photo of her and Reba. 

Wheat photo

When I got back on, I said, Uh Terry, something is wrong, stop her, I am getting off.  Reba could tell something was not quite right, as well, and began to be a handful. I hopped down and saw that the welds on the cart at the bottom had broke. I said, Terry, get off the cart, now. I was calm, but I had visions of the weld completely breaking, Reba spooking and running down the road and in the ditches and fields with half a cart attached and Terry getting lost somewhere along the way. 

Broke down at the X, had to go to the O

As Terry was trying to get Reba to whoa and the cart was bending forward more and Reba kept backing up, a van pulled up and asked if we needed help. No thanks, we got this, we said as Reba just about backed the whole cart into the van. Oops. Terry finally got off and we noticed that the welds on both sides were broke. Crap. We had no choice but to walk back to the barn, all mile and a half of it. . .with a Shire attached to a cart. 

Right where the dash touches the floor is where the welds broke.

The cart was fine to stay attached to Reba for the sake of walking back, but not safe for passengers. I bet we looked super cool. First, Terry tried to walk next to Reba, but Reba was having none of that. So we took turns line driving her home. We made up a new rule. . .always bring halters and lead ropes when leaving the barn with horses!

Reba's long leg strides were too much for Terry's little legs, haha.

And that is the story of our Amish breakdown and accidental exercise with Reba. Always a fun time!