Getting Ready for Christmas

Today was a great day.  I got to spend some good time putting miles on the horses.  It was 6 miles by the time it was all said and done.  I had the bells on the horses and they did wonderful.

What prompted todays trek, was a need I had to deliver a hay wagon to a friend who lives 3 miles away.  I will be pulling this wagon in the Greenville Christmas night parade, and it needs to be decorated how my riders want.  I knew right away I could just drive it over, but then I needed to have a ride home.  I came up with the idea to load my forecart onto the hay wagon.  This would give me a ride home.

My pioneer forecart strapped down to a hay wagon.  Quite the ride!!

I should probably back up a few days.  On Wednesday I had the farrier out and he put shoes on the horses.  (I got Rachael's shoes from Graber steel again.  Love those people, and love the drilltek shoes!)  Rachael got iron on all 4 feet without a problem.  Pam was REALLY being a moody preggo mare.  For the first time she kicked at me.  I couldn't believe it.  She stood for the farrier perfectly for the front feet, but when he went to work on the back, she swung her rear end towards him and kicked at him.  I was baffled.  This is definitely not my docile mare Pam.  I don't know if it was the cold weather, the preggo, or something else, but that mare was a tad unruly.  Since she's pregnant, the farrier didn't want to tie ropes around her.  We discussed how much I'll be using the horses on the road, and he felt that I would be fine with only shoes on the front for Pam.  This saved me some money, and saved us from fighting Pam a day before Thanksgiving.  :)  

Since the horses have iron, I had no problem running them down the road.  It was a nice ride too.  Both girls were stepping nicely and responding well to the lines.  I had the bells on, and the girls didn't mind them at all.  I actually enjoyed the ride sitting so high up.  I had a birds eye view.  I was sitting in the implement seat on the forecart.  It worked well.  I set out alone, but after half a mile, my white dog Saphra was following me, so she got pulled up on the wagon and came along.

A birds eye view.  This must be what a nice hitch wagon is like.

Another shot while riding the hay wagon.  Note the bells!! 

After I dropped off the wagon, I hitched up the forecart, and headed home.  The point of view was much different.  Instead of looking down on everything, I was peering between the horses at the road.  The pictures show this well.  The girls did enjoy having a lighter ride home, and they trotted well for me.  Driving with a dog  between your legs on a forecart was the most difficult thing I encountered.  :)

Forecart view on the way home.  Compare with above.  I prefer the high ride!!

My wife took this picture from behind me as I drove up the driveway. 

My wife took a video of me as I was pulling into the driveway.  It's listed below.  You can really hear the bells cut through it.  It was a fabulous afternoon!