This is Tilly. For those of you who aren't interested in driving a big horse, this is more fun than a ferrari sports car. Tilly lives to drive, and will go as far and as fast as you will let her. They come in small packages, but they think they are really big horses, and they are so easy to travel with. So there is no excuse that you can't drive. Get yourself a sports car pony and have a great time.

Carriage driving this weekend

I probably shouldn't call it carriage driving, since I was driving my cross country cart, but we did go out and have fun at the local show, with dressage, cones, and a mini marathon. Artist was such a good horse, and we came home happy and tired. Did a few driving classes as well, and won the reinsmanship class which is important, since Rose won the last one we entered, so we kept it in the Sisters Creek family.

Not many posts this summer, so here is the up date. Hot, fires, smoke, more smoke, more smoke from forest fires in the area for the last half of the summer. Put concrete foundations under the horse waterers, went to a few driving activities including a combined driving competition in 70 Mile house which was a blast. We had two entries from sisters creek, the team and my single horse. We both got eliminated but it was an honor to show under Muffy Seaton. She was just great, and gave us extra help and was so concerned when we got eliminated. We weren't able to complete hazard one in the marathon phase. Artist just didn't like the cut out moose and we had to be excused from that hazard.

So now we are working to renovate our house, to create a master suite at one end of the house, and put new windows in that area. Actually they are new to us windows, as a friend of ours was replacing what we consider to be beautiful, perfectly good windows, so we got the windows. Our old windows will go into our green house, so we will be going on with our philosophy of recycle when ever possible. Hopefully will start replacing the windows this week, as the frames for the greenhouse walls are ready. Unfortunately gh strained his back on the carriage with the team this weekend, so we will see how he does tomorrow.

Got most of the potatoes up today, tried two new varieties this year, Blush and Ptarmigan. Haven't got the Ptarmigan up yet, but the Blush potatoes got a good yield. We should have hilled them a little better, and one row got water and the other didn't, but not too much difference in the rows. It was a very dry year. The red burbanks were the star of the potato patch though; bright, bright red and huge with no scabs. The russet burbanks were smaller than we would like, although a good yield. The Shepody did well. All in all, the potatoes were very good this year with the dry weather. The red burbanks were planted at the edge of the garden, in a row that gets planted with potatoes every year, so I was surprised that they did so well. We try to edge our garden with potato plants as it seems to keep the weeds at bay just a little.

A rest day for the horses, although the six pack of standardbreds; Nron, Gerry, Buckley, Outlaw Rob, and the other two did manage to get out and wander around. Max is in with them now so he probably got the fence panel down. We found him in his favorite place this morning, outside the west side of the house, munching on the lawn. He was happy to go back in though, and for the most part they stayed in their pasture, so we just left them. They can't get anywhere as long as the gates are shut.

Rose drove Buckley(Pump Handle) this weekend and had a good time in the dressage. We were going to pair him up with Outlaw Rob, but Outlaw Rob seems to be a roarer when he is exercised, so Buckley will go back to being a single driving horse. I think he would prefer that, although he does like Rob.

Rained this afternoon, so no more potato digging. Managed to get all we dug today into the basement to dry. Put a fan on down there to circulate the air so hopefully will dry any moisture off them. We have a very good yield. Only one more row to dig, and I think some carrots still to get out of the ground. Our corn did well this year as well. Most cobs manged to mature.

Will try to keep up with the renovating so people can see what we are up to.

Combined driving clinic

We had a clinic with Elisa Marocchi two weekends ago and really enoyed it.
What I learned: (not in any particular order)
1. Plan your cones course from outside line to outside line. Sometimes it is better and faster to go the long way.
2. There are always many different ways to plot your path in a Hazard. The shortest isn't always the fastest. When you change directions it is like adding in five or six extra strides.
3. Half halts should be timed to co-ordinate with the picking up the the inside hind leg. (I am still working on when to squeeze and when to release on the half halt)
4. check your harness carefully for safety. Even if you think the blinkers are not rubbing on your horse's eyes, they may be. Have someone else look at them to see what is happening.
5. The breeching strap (the brake) should be wide - usually much wider than comes with most harness.
6. Be careful in your selection of bits. A loose cheek liverpool can really pinch a horse's lips, and a straight bar is more severe than you might think because there is no tongue release.
7. Try to use release rather than pull in steering your horse. Release the outside line to turn. (Half halt, release, half halt release)
8. A 40 metre circle has four points on the rail or at centre. Drive to each point to make a proper circle.
9. You have to have a nose band on a bridle - or caveson.
10. Wear gloves and carry your whip so that you can get used to the feel of it. The whip should be carried at a 45 degree angle across your body and should be long enough to be able to touch the shoulder of your horse.
11. Presentation dress should be conservative and coordinated. Women's hats should not be floppy. A small brim is appropriate.
12. Under your apron you can wear dark pans and black boots, or a skirt, if you are a woman.
13. I'll add to this as I check my notes.