Training Penny

Penny, our 5 yr old mini horse, is almost ready to pull a pony cart. Training is a long process.
First, Amber made a custom harness for Penny with Marla Trowbridge's help. Marla is our neighbor and good friend and has been making harnesses and custom leather products for years. Amber met with Marla every week to receive instruction and construct each piece to fit Penny just right. Then Marla would supervise as Amber used her equipment to stitch the pieces. Amber spent over 50 hours constructing this harness and she did a great job. Marla was there every step of the way. Thanks, Marla!
When the harness was complete, and we tried it on Penny, she did not take to it very well at first. It was awkward and she did not understand when we wanted her to go or when we wanted her to stop. We knew it was not yet time to hook her to a cart.
During the past two years, Amber has spent time "ground breaking" her. This means teaching Penny how to respond to her commands without hitching her to a cart. Now Penny can stop and go, and turn right or left in response to the reigns and Amber's commands as Amber walks behind her holding the reigns. She has become very obedient and trustworthy. This spring, we will attempt to hitch her to the pony cart and take her for a drive down the lane. She will be able to pull about 200 pounds. Won't that be fun? The cart is being stored in the barn for the winter. It has been test driven by the kids. They use it like a rickshaw, toting each other around the yard. So far it has proven stable and road worthy. We are hoping to put it to the use it was intended soon. We shall keep you posted on our progress.