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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Lynda wrote:
> Training to the cart was easy.  Just walked him around with the harness at 
> first, then drag poles (PVC pipe works great, its cheap and if it breaks 
> they don't get hurt and you aren't out the big $$) and then the cart. 

How much walking around a day?


 Also
> "drove" him from the ground in the round pen (bridle, surcingle, over-check, 
> crupper, long lines). 

Lynda, please dumb it down for me.  You lost me after bridle..but I 
think I know/understand long lines-is that where you stand in the middle 
of the ring and control him on a long line?


 Then drove him from the ground behind the cart with a
> 50# bag of feed in the cart, then 100#.  After a couple of weeks we were off 
> and about.

You mean after a few weeks, you got on the cart and you were off and 
about?  Or do you mean you lead him around as he pulled the cart?



> > From there the training for riding is easy cause they are already use to the 
> bridle, a cinch and going where you want them to go.

I can bridle Jack myself.  He does fine with a bridle.


  I broke all my horses
> from the ground and to cart first.  Tie a sack of grain on the saddle to get 
> them use to the weight.  Plus we always used blankets with tennis balls on 
> the babies so they were never touchy about their legs.  Because they were 
> used to the "bouncing balls," the hanging human legs were no big deal.

This is a keeper post for me...


> I've never had an intact male donkey or horse bother the babies.  The 
> weanlings, sometimes, but the babies never.  The only problem I ever had 
> with an intact male anything was a Suffolk ram (I do NOT like Suffolk, btw 
> <g>) and he would head butt the horses to get to their feed.  He stopped 
> when an old gelding picked him up and tossed him.


OK...

--
"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public 
debt  should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered 
and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed 
lest Rome become bankrupt.  People must again learn to work, instead of 
living on public assistance."

--Cicero, 55 BC
http://erthnsky.blogspot.com/