Using a golfcart for conditioning

I'm curious about using the golfcart for conditioning and rather than interupting the other thread , I thought I'd start a new one. We have an electric powered golf cart on our farm but I've never used it on the horses. Exactly how do you pony the horses with this cart. Do you need two people? How fast do you go? Have the horses ever gotten loose? How do you hold on to them? Am I sounding stupid yet?

Well, it takes a little practice. I'll give you some details here, so you'll understand. Now, if I miss something or you question something, please ask, because I'm in the process of trying to get the boys up for school, so I'll be running back and forth to their room screaming GET UP!!!!!

We also have an electric golfcart, that has a "flatbed" on the back of it.

When we first start a horse, course they lead, lounge, etc. Rick will drive, and I sit on the back holding the horse, making them stay right with me. That way, if I have to bale off, it's real easy to... we just sort of walk 'em at first around the barn. Second day, same thing, except we speed it up just a bit. You need to be able to get your horse to trot with you when you start this.

Second or third day, depending on how they're taking it, I'll sit on the right side, while Rick's still driving (usually me screaming to slow down), and I'll hold the horse - hold your hand out far enough where they don't get slam up against you... at a walk, then a trot.

Second or third day, whatever, depending on how they're taking it, Rick gets out completely, and I'm on the right side of the golfcart, and you'll get used to driving with your left foot, no biggy, and I'll start them in a smaller pasture. First, walk, then work up to a trot. When I see that they're right beside me, I'll get them into a long trot, and hold them there for a bit, and then bring it back down to a slow jog and then a walk. I always, ALWAYS when I get through working my horses, walk them back to the barn, at a real slow pace on the golfcart.

Now, as far as baling off - can't tell you how many times I've done that, and my fear is, if the cart goes rolling down the hill into the pond... so watch where you are when you're working 'em. But some horses are way too quick, and I'm baling off with the horse, and the golfcart's running down the hill... HA! So you've got a choice, bale or not to bale... sometimes I bale, sometimes I just let go, depends on which pasture I'm in.

And that's the key, you have to be real careful where you work 'em... like in an arena, or out in a pasture, I just make sure there's no other horses in the pasture that I'm working them in, and all the gates are closed - can't go far that way, may be running with a lead rope on 'em, but they usually run to the barn anyway.

If you have a top on your golfcart, I used to, and that's how I always worked mine; however, that top got to making all sorts of racket, was freaking Scamp out, so I took it off one day. And usually if the horse gives you any mess, you can just stand up and turn. Course, you've lost your top on your golfcart when it goes to raining, etc.

When I worked Jazz, I trained her by myself, she seemed fine, a little freaky, but she was okay, got back to the back pasture, and she literally jumped over the front of the golfcart and went running back to the barn, causing me a rope burn... needless to say, I went up to the barn, gathered her up, her and I went to the roundpen, learned some manners, and then back out in the pasture we went, and she was fine.

Now, on these HUGE horses, understand that you're about level with their belly...if you have to, and sometimes I had to do this with Kid, is I'll put a chain in his mouth, under his chin, whichever, depends on how he's acting, to be able to control him. Once he got going, then he was fine, and I could take the chain out of his mouth. He was just really wanting to go, if you know what I mean.

With Scamp the first of this year, he acted all stupid and like he didn't know what was going on... giving me this "duh" look, and it took me forever to get him to trot beside the golfcart, then got going down a hill, where he had to trot, once I got him in a trot, I kept him there. Well, his first time this year, he was about to pull my arm out not wanting to come with me; I sped up going down a hill, then all of a sudden, he wants to pull my arm out trying to hold on to him... so I go to the barn, get Kid's stud chain, put the chain under his chin, and we take off again... and I get this, "Oh, that's what you were talking about, Mom." Yeah, okay, tell me another funny.

But once you get them going, they'll usually work real well on it. Kid absolutely loved it. Scamp's full sister worked absolutely beautifully on the golfcart and she showed it. Never a bobble out of that one.

I had one that once she got tired of working, she just literally stopped. Wasn't mean, didn't rear up, just wouldn't untrack her rearend... so I backed her hiney up to a tree, tied her there, and left her down at the back of the pasture by herself for about two hours. (Kept an eye on her though), went back down and got her, and she decided working on the golfcart was much better than being tied to a tree where she coudln't see her buddies. Never had a problem since.

Their minds, though, are so much better working them this way, they get to get out, see everything, get a real good work-out, promotes a bond between you and your horse, also, where they have to trust you... well, okay, until you see the first deer. Thank goodness I had Scamp's full sister.. she saw them about the same time I did, and we both froze, then they ran on, and we continued.

You asked... sorry it was so long.

I WANT A GOLF CART!!! ....and a hill!

Well, that sounds complicated and a little scary! The problem for us is that we only have two small pastures that are fenced in. If I worked them on the cart in those pastures it would get a boring very quick. We live on a grape farm and I was really envisioning working up in the vineyards in the big field rows. We have about 75 acres behind the barn and that hooks up with all our neighbor's vineyards, too. There is probably 200 acres of open vineyards out back, which is where my daughter and her friends love to ride! Of course, I can't afford to lose a horse off the back of a golf cart. He could run for miles! I guess I'll start one of the horses this spring off the cart in the pasture and see how it goes. The 4 feet of snow in the pasture has to disappear first, however! Thanks for the info!

Well, Kell, load all those big-butted horses up and come on downnnn, seriously.

Stockman, it's not scarey, you just sort of have to get the hang of things. Work them in your small pastures first, until they get real good at it, then take them out in the bigger pastures.

I bet that would be gorgeous though to see all the vineyards... I bet the horses would absolutely love it!

Dang! ...now I want a vineyard!

wish we could use a golf cart,getting one alone would cost a fortune here and i bet some people would report me if they saw what i was doing .You guys are so lucky.im just going to walk loads and cycle.Will try to pony my filly off my mare but the prob is my mare is boss over everything and they all know it,even though she wont touch them when your riding her,they just sense she boss and thats that.

shazgeoff wrote:

wish we could use a golf cart,getting one alone would cost a fortune here and i bet some people would report me if they saw what i was doing .You guys are so lucky.im just going to walk loads and cycle.Will try to pony my filly off my mare but the prob is my mare is boss over everything and they all know it,even though she wont touch them when your riding her,they just sense she boss and thats that.

Hey last year I used an electric scooter to work my filly. After buying our horse trailer and vet bills etc I didn't have enough to buy a golf cart or 4-wheeler so I used the elctric scooter.

Now no one laugh at me I used what I could afford at the time and it worked!

Tara, how in the Heck did you do that?! Wasn't it hard to balance? I'm all for getting one, but I don't want Phenom tipping me over everytime he sees something resembling food

PHENOMADACIOUS wrote:

Tara, how in the Heck did you do that?! Wasn't it hard to balance? I'm all for getting one, but I don't want Phenom tipping me over everytime he sees something resembling food

I taught her like 7cedars said you know about keeping her own space, then if needed as I was chugging along I would watch her out of the corner of my eye and if she was trying to crowd me I would get my elbow up.

The balance part isn't bad because I could put a foot down if needed to steady myself if I had too. It was a cheap alernative and it worked for her.

edited to add what was nice about it was I could take the scooter to shows with me and pony her all over with it rather then wait for a spot to lunge. As long as the show has an open area that is.

thats a cool idea,but i`ll still get told off .Will see what i can come up with.i will ponder on that one

How much do the scooters cost usually?

I got mine off ebay it was like 100 dollars? something like that. Just make sure you get the one with the bigger tires.

Do you have a picture of the right kind? I'm picturing something very odd in my head!

PHENOMADACIOUS wrote:

Do you have a picture of the right kind? I'm picturing something very odd in my head!

this is like mine.

eBay: 600W TIGER MODEL HOT PINK BIGWHEEL ELECTRIC SCOOTER (item 280082760841 end time Feb-15-07 14:00:00 PST)

OMG! Cute! Can't you just see Phenom behind that!

I'm tempted to "buy it now" do they work well in grass?

I use mine through the pasture into the next field and even up the slight grade. Sometimes if I dont get a good running start I have to use my foot some going up the grade, but for a cheap fast way to work them without putting the money into a golf cart I was satisfied with it.

Do you have to charge it often? ...if you were me, and had to choose, would you pick "scooter" or "vac n blo" for your next purchase?

PHENOMADACIOUS wrote:

Do you have to charge it often? ...if you were me, and had to choose, would you pick "scooter" or "vac n blo" for your next purchase?

it has a meter that shows you how much charge is left. It depends on what you need more Kelly. I went with the scooter because, well I needed something I could work her from because straight working is better for them. I just used more elbow grease in the grooming but darnit I still want a vacumm

Quote :

darnit I still want a vacumm

ME TOO!

I may go for another brand though, the gal I stalled with last said she had a "vac n blo" AND the hand held version of the electro-groom (blue one), and she said the blue guy had way more power, BY FAR! ...you've seen pics of her horses, they dang near don't have hair!

http://www.muddycreekfarms.com/showhorses.htm

Almost anything that is motorized will work. I have some friends that use their John Deer Gator, Greg Whalen uses a little 3 wheeled ATV, I know someone who ponies off her bicycle (she is young and full of energy)

I would fall off anything that was two wheeled....

Maybe I should just hitch the horses to the back of one of my husbands tractors in the morning and let him exercise them all day!

You know, the first time I ever saw anything like this, was oh, gosh, years and years ago, at a racing breeding farm... this guy comes up with a golfcart, without a top, and it's got this bar behind it, and he's bringing up 4 mares. Kind of cool to watch. I'm just not that brave. HA!

HA HA HA ,,, Might gas the heck out of them going behind the tractor.. And, working all day is gonna make them skinny...