Molly driving pics

[dollylanedales]

Man who has the stables next door told Rick today he was doing a demo with his driving Dales and Fell, tonight, for the local bridleways group - would we like to take Molly along. This was tea time, the demo was at 7.30pm, Molly was stuffing her face in the field. And guess what? Somehow she had found some mud to roll in!! A frenzy of brushing followed, and somehow we were ready to go at 7pm - well, after some adjustments to the harness as someone had put on weight.

Molly has not driven since the Derbyshire Fell and Dales show last June (although she has been ridden of course!) but she behaved beautifully tonight.

We gave a talk on the difference between two and four wheelers, unharnessed the ponies and showed how to harness up, Rick gave a demo of Mollys ability to turn on both reins at speed, and she gave a beautiful rein back. Then the bridleway people were given a ride round the car park and bus turning area, and those confident enough had a little drive.

Then Paddy the Fell, Blossom the Dales and Molly, set off in convoy doing a brisk trot, heading for home - it was 9pm by this time LOL!!


Molly waiting for Paddy and Blossom to come down the track to set off.



Molly and Paddy demonstating how to eat ....



Whitworth Blossom who did not show herself up by stuffing grass down like there was no tomorrow like the two others!



Molly demonstrating how to turn on a sixpence!!


Showing how good she is LOL!!




molly giving rides

Paddy, Molly and Blossom ready for home ......

[clara]

What fun, this is what driving is all about! Molly certainly looks like she is having fun and made sure she kept to her eating agenda. Well done you all for promoting the sport!

[dollylanedales]

I found it amazing that out of the 15 or so people there, none had ever been on a carriage before - but they all agreed that it was nice, and some even said they would like their ponies broken to drive!! The funny thing is watching them want to use their legs - even though you explain that you only have your hands and voice when on the carriage.

Another interesting thing was they all thought Molly was very responsive, and how did she know her lefts and rights from voice commands LOL - I explained that comes from cone and obstacle driving!!!

[harveydales]

What a lovely evening. Looks like everyone enjoyed the demo and I bet Molly did too.

[dollylanedales]

I think we have 7 carriages Heather .....or is that 8, not sure!! We have the cart in the pics, which is a Hillam, we use for every day driving over our rough tracks, a posher Hillam, and then a private driving vehicle, and a 4 wheeler .......I would advise a two wheeler on pneumatic tyres to start, and you can enter exercise and pleasure driving classes with that one. You can have a back step on two wheelers if you want - not all are suitable for this, and there is the weight of the backstepper and balance to consider of course.

The man who makes the Hillam has a company that sells agricultural stuff, so although Hillam is his name, it comes under something else. It will come to me if I stop trying to think of it .....Tinkerdorisalison will know, as she has groomed for them at events.

[dollylanedales]

Heather, I have just found the website. It is under Hillam.

www.hillamfarmmachinery.co.uk

[harleydales]

I wish that sort of thing happened up here, looks lovely! :-(

[PonyGirl]

Lovely pics.

[alisondaily]

hey mair brill piccies,all look to be enjoying themselves.horses and humans.

[bevbob]

Great pics Mair, I will never forget taking the reins from Rick at the performance show that time, she was fantastic and fasssst!

[dollylanedales]

oh yes, Bev ...you enjoyed that, didn't you!! I have the pic Zelda's Tom did, or you Rick and Molly. Gosh, thats a while back, as Molly seems to have been getting in foal for years LOL!!