KBR Horse Net
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Ready for the wedding
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A number of years ago I would pass by a herd of Belgian draft horses on my way to work which were in a poorly kept, run down pasture. They seemed thin and uncared for and a couple of times I stopped and gave them carrots. In late spring one of the mares dropped a foal which concerned me as the mare looked very thin to begin with. I inquired with the county's Animal Services Department to see if anyone was aware what the status was of these animals and I was informed that they had been put there as a result of an animal cruelty case, their owner was supposed to care for them, he had not been doing so for some time, and the matter was being attended to. Little did I know that our neighbors, the DeBorbas, were looking for some draft horses to publicize their DeBorba Hay Company, and lo and behold they purchased three of the horses; Molly (the dam), Millie and a stallion. | |
This arrangement worked out very well as the more experienced Molly helped guide the inexperienced Dan through learning what being a good driving horse was all about. |
Driving near the ranch
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When Don first picked her up, she had been in pasture for several months and hadn't been handled, and we knew she hadn't been driven or ridden for years, so we put a saddle on her to see what she would do. Molly had some of the best natural self-carriage I'd ever seen, but she was a bit difficult to steer and had no idea what a leg aid meant. If I tapped her with my right leg, she'd fire back with her right hind. If I tapped with my left, she'd fire with her left. If I tapped twice, she'd fire twice. Don and the other spectators were howling with laughter.
This situation seemed a bit disconcerting to me since I'd been bragging about draft horses at a local barn and had accepted a challenge to put Molly in the upcoming saddle horse show at Brentwood Oaks. We had only four days to "tune" Molly up! |
At the saddle horse show
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