Drive on Rosie!

I bought a new cart for Rosie last year and never got around to using it.  I know--hard to believe. Who in their right mind would invest in a pony cart and not use it? Maybe you shouldn't answer the "right mind" question.  ha ha   Part of the problem was that Rex was all consuming and sucked the energy out of me.  And, part of the problem is that it has a lower line of draft than my EZ Entry cart, so I need to use a collar and hames.  That meant getting new harness parts and that took a while to get figured out.

To make things even more interesting now, it turns out the Comfy Fit harness I bought for Rosie early in her 5th year is too small in places now.  She has grown more between years 5 and 6!  Wow!  I really thought she was done growing way back because she has always looked more mature than her age.  Even when she was 5 months old, she looked like most yearling or 2 year old mini's.  Not just her size, although she was large for a young mini, but she also had a non-baby appearance.

Trainer Melody came to help me get the harness adjusted and new cart hitched.  First thing she said was the dreaded "Umm ... some of your harness doesn't fit."  Ugh!  Even her bridle browband doesn't  fit.  I bit the bullet and ordered new parts:  larger collar, overgirth extender straps, longer martingale to work with the collar, saddle connector strap to work with the collar (I know some people don't use anything, but her neck is so short that the collar ends up in back of her ears every time she puts her head below horizontal), larger browband, and something new--a neck collar.  Everything has pink accents!  I drive her with a side pull and I think a neck collar will be easier to work around than a halter.  It may be another couple of weeks before I receive everything, but at least it's a step in the right direction.  Oh yes, and the cart shafts need to lose 2 inches to fit Rosie better.  Better too long than too short--I can cut off, but I can't add on.  Melody's husband is doing that for me.

Her new custom Bellcrown Minicrown cart the day I picked it up from Carriage Machine Shop in Pennsylvania.  It's an absolutely wonderful cart.  VERY comfortable seat and spacing for my legs.  No where near as cramped as I was with the basic EZ entry cart.  I had them make it without the step-over bar, so I wouldn't be as likely to get tripped up getting in/out.  Rosie checked it out immediately after I brought it home.  I think she approved.

Rosie rocking her collar, saying "Someone save me!"

Jerry just watching the cart/harness fitting show, thankful it's not him.

I'm really loving having just the two mini's.  Chores are so much easier.  I knew big horses were more work, but this is my first time actually experiencing only mini's.  I'm not completely closing the stall door on getting a riding horse, but for now this works very well.  I need a break, physically, mentally, and emotionally.