FEEDBACK: Jeff Morse Clinic ~ Paola, Kansas

Jeff,

 

On behalf of the Carriage and Driving Society of Greater Kansas City, I want to thank you for  a wonderful weekend.  Not only was it educational, it was  inspiring to us that drive.  You definitely have way in  getting us hard headed people to understand how to make our horses better and for this, we cannot thank you enough. 

Thank you for sharing you gift of teaching with us. ~ Judi Adams

Jeff Morse Carriage Driving Clinic 

Somerset Lake Stables, Paola, KS

Jeff Morse has been training horses and people for carriage driving since 1992 at Green Meads Farm in Richmond, Massachusetts. He has bred, trained and competed Morgan horses since 1974. Jeff is a member of the USEF Carriage Pleasure Committee, and the Director and Chairman of the ADS Pleasure Driving Committee. He conducts carriage driving clinics and seminars nationwide and webinars for the American Driving Society. We are very pleased to have him coming to our area. Of the 22 lessons offered, only two are still open as of this writing. These individual one-hour lessons are $100 each, including audit privileges. Please note: this clinic is for equines that have been driven previously, NOT as a training clinic for first-timers.

GOOD NEWS! We have plenty of room, and welcome auditors for $15/day or $25/weekend. Clinic sessions will start at 8:00am with a one-hour break for lunch. Included with the clinic and audit fees is admission to Jeff’s Thursday and Friday evening talks that will begin at 7:00pm at the Paola Inn and Suites. Topics will include “Bits and Bitting,”and “Retraining a Show Driving Horse to Carriage Driving.” On Saturday night at 7:00pm we’ll have a dinner at Beethoven’s Restaurant, (913) 294- 3000, 110 West Peoria Street, Paola, KS 66071. Great German food!

 For reservations or more info, contact: Judi Adams, 913-441-3723 adamsjudi@sbcglobal.net or Mary Lu Norland, 913-533-9923, ygonefarm@gmail.com
Additional info and the schedule will be posted on our website www.cdsgkc.org

Directions 
Somerset Stables 5525 303rd St., Paola, KS 66071, 913-557-9277 — halfway between Hwys 69 and 169 in Kansas.

If going via 69 hwy, exit at 311th St. (next exit past Louisburg), go West 4 miles to Somerset, and turn back North to 303rd St. Stable is on the right (east).

If going via 169 hwy, exit at the Paola exit (Baptiste), and turn East towards Hospital. Follow curve to T intersection. This is 311th. Proceed 4 miles to Somerset Rd. which is just after Oak Grove Rd. Turn north and proceed 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 mile. Location on right (or east).

Directions to Paola Inn and Suites 1600 East Hedge Lane Court, Paola, KS 66071 Phone (913) 294-3700 (Southwest corner of 169 Hwy & Baptiste).

When not to use WD-40

Details here:  http://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/6226/when-should-i-not-use-wd-40 

I know some drivers use WD-40 to de-squeak and lubricate carriage parts, particularly springs. As you'll read in this web site, WD-40 is not really a permanent lubricant. It's too thin for that purpose plus it *attracts* dirt. 

What it*is* good for is as a penetrant to unstick parts (although there are more effective ones like Kroil) and as a temporary lubricant to get you and your equipment to the time and place where you can use a more permanent, more appropriate lubricant. 

So far, for me, I find good quality spray silicone lasts fair long and does NOT attract dirt or even leave any visible trace (i.e. good for use on high quality polished carriage parts.) I mainly use it to quiet carriage leaf springs.

That said, I find most squeaks occur between metal and wood parts rather than metal on metal. In those cases, if practical, I make a washer or spacer out of a piece of polyethylene milk bottle or oil can plastic , loosen or separate the metal and wooden parts, slip the spacer in and re tighten any bolts or screws.


Usually this fix last forever....well, I can't actually swear to that since I haven't lived that long.

Troika Speed

A troika, a three-horse drawn sledge, competes on the frozen Yenisey river during an amateur horse race near the settlement of Novosyolovo. The Ice Derby has been held in Novosyolovo annually at the end of each winter since 1969, drawing participants from the entire region.

Troika Fire Department Horses

More great photos in this set

Update: Breeching Forces in the Extreme

Update: Consider using tug stops on the shafts of single's vehicles to help disperse the load from breeching by using some pressure on the saddle to help slow and stop the forward motion of the vehicle. As potentially beneficial as it may be to have as little 'weight' on the saddle most of the time, it may also prove to be beneficial in the long run to share some of the vehicle stopping forces between the saddle and the breeching. Thank you, Elsie Rodney, for pointing my thinking in that direction. 9-1-11


Consider the stresses placed on the sacroiliac joint and pelvis of the single driving horse. These structures play a primary role in the transfer of the power developed from the hind legs to propel the horse and carriage and humans forward, they also perform the integral function of transferring the weight of the carriage and humans via the breeching to the horse for braking purposes. Breeching forces at the extreme moments of performance may take these structures to and beyond their limit causing compounding damage over time.

For some perspective, consider the single standardbred race horse. There is NO braking force occurring in their performance. It’s all forward. Now visualize the single combined driving horse with several hundred pounds of vehicle and human weight with the breeching forces shoving the horse from behind in the extremes of full gallop turns on a side hill in a Combined Driving marathon obstacle. These forces are not always symmetrical or predictable to the horse. Imagine yourself running on uneven ground (i.e with each foot on a different elevation) when, out of nowhere, you are shoved to the side from an angle from behind. Do this enough ties and your chances of injury are quite high. It's not hard to imagine the high toll that is taken on the pelvic structures of the equine.

While the following concerns the sacroiliac joint and pelvis, it is similar to the injury cycle of other structures of the horse.

THE INJURY CYCLE – Initial Sprain or over stretch injury Pain and inflammation • Powerful muscle spasm to protect or guard the joint during this painful stage • Pain and inflammation resolve • Powerful muscle spasm remains holding the joint in an abnormal position • Increased stress through the joint, because it is rotated or sitting in an abnormal plane • Arthritic changes set in • Another bout of pain and inflammation occur due to the arthritis and the cycle REPEATS.

Each time the cycle repeats the muscles get tighter, further affecting the function of the sacroiliac joint, pelvis and spine. In summary, the initial sprain leads to a pelvic rotation, which leads to a loss of function. The horse then has to compensate for this rotation at the pelvis, placing abnormal stresses on a whole new set of joints and causing further problems.

Best kept secret in the horse world

Morgan Ponies have earned 7 out of 8 USEF NATIONAL SINGLE PONY CHAMPIONSHIPS

......and the 8th one was a Morgan cross!

Why the Model-T replaced the horse

From the Horse & Buggy to the Ford Model T

The wheel making sequence is particularly interesting. Also note how many bodies are involved in this assembly line process compared to today's assembly lines

What's Old is New

Note the use of the carriage lamps, obviously state of the art at the time. The wooden spoke wheels and pneumatic tires look the same as many European carriages today. The seating is remarkably similar to Combined Driving vehicles of today as well. The top is a direct adaptation of a driving vehicle folding top. Gotta love the 'steam punk' dash! There are, no doubt, many other similarities if one could examine this car more closely.

Watch horses pull a tanker truck out of snow

Watch horses pull a tanker truck out of snow

 Joel Appleman was driving to work in Central Pennsylvania when he came upon an Amish horse team pulling a tanker truck safely out of the snow. Fortunately, he had his camera and captured the conquest of old technology over new.

One Horse Open Sleigh

Liz and Dave Herrick enjoying the ride!

Rum Brook Gallant Rhythm

(Br. 1999, Green Meads Galaxy x Rum Brook Promis Promises)
Owned by David and Liz Herrick

Mount Vernon, NH

American Driving Society & Morgan Horses @ WEG

SBS Risky Business ~ Jeff Morse, Driver; Jen Morse Navigator

American Driving Society Driving Derby
and
American Morgan Horse Association Breed Presentation
at the
2010 World Equestrian Games
Equine Village, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY

Chiro Anyone??

This is why horses might benefit from chiropractic adjustment. Envision the curvature of the spine from head to tail and the muscles that attach and support it. Think what is going on in the pelvic area here.

A Good Morgan Pair

2010 Vermont Heritage Days Novice Carriage Driving Champions

Marle Hill Concert Master (Charlestown Symphonic x Marlehill's Anniversary, br 1996)
Rum Brook Gallant Rhythm (Green Meads Galaxy x Rum Brook Promis Promise , br 1999)

Driven by Jeff Morse
Owned by Liz and David Herrick, Mount Vernon, NH

Why Auto Racing is like Combined Driving

Great quotes that may apply to how you view Combined Driving

If you’re in control, you’re not going fast enough. – Parnelli Jones

To finish first, you must first finish. – Rick Mears

Nobody remembers the guy who finished second but the guy who finished second. – Bobby Unser

The winner ain’t the one with the fastest car, it’s the one who refuses to lose. – Dale Earnhardt

You win some, you lose some, you wreck some. – Dale Ernhardt Sr.

Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death… – Hunter Thompson

I don’t know driving in another way which isn’t risky. Each one has to improve himself. Each driver has its limit. My limit is a little bit further than other’s. – Ayrton Senna

To achieve anything in this game you must be prepare to dabble in the boundary of disaster. – Sterling Moss

What’s behind you doesn’t matter. – Enzo Ferrari

When you win a race you’re on top that day, so take it for what its worth, have a good time and party, cause the next day when you get out of bed, the meter goes back to zero again. – Bobby Allison

If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. – Mark Donohue

Why worry about death, it’ll come sooner or later. – Jim Dunn

Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary… that’s what gets you. – Jeremy Clarkson

Auto racing began 5 minutes after the second car was built. – Henry Ford

You can tell that you’re in trouble when you feel the air on the back of your neck instead of in your face. – Buddy Baker

I got hit in the head pretty hard. My clock ran backwards for two years. – Buddy Baker

He ran out of talent about halfway through the corner. – Buddy Baker
After the third flip, I lost control………… – Don Roberts after crashing in the Jade Grenade at New England Dragway in 1975.

Just added: Clinic in New Mexico

From the 2009 Clinic

Before/After

April 3 and 4, 2010
Carriage Driving Clinic at the home of:

Tom and Lisa Phillips
10916 N Valley Dr
Las Cruces, NM 88007

Contact:
twinpine@q.com
(575) 526-1028 - Home
575-644-5216 - Mobile

Upcoming Clinics

Absolute Morgan Farm Clinic Series

Clinic Dates for 2010

March 6/7 ~ April TBA ~ May 1/2 ~ June 26/27
July 17/18 ~ August 28/29 ~ September 25/26

Absolute Morgan Farm

139 Schoolhouse Road -Waltham, VT 05491
Contact: Janet Yager at 802.545.2457

morgans@madriver.com

More....

Free ADS Webinar: Harness, Bits and More

AADS Presents a free webinar Harness, Bits and More with Jeff Morse

Join us for a Webinar on February 11 Jeff shares his extensive knowledge of harness and bits with the driving community. Whether you are a beginning driver or an experienced whip, this seminar will provide useful, practical knowledge on the most common equipment used for driving horses. Jeff Morse has been a professional horseman for more 40 years. He currently serves on the USEF Morgan and Carriage Pleasure Committees and is the ADS Pleasure Driving Committee Chairman. He has been training horses since 1970, Specializing in Carriage Driving for horses, ponies and people since 1980. Currently training people and horses for carriage driving at Green Meads Farm, celebrating its 85th year, in Richmond, MA. Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/809783306 Title: Harness, Bits and More Date: Thursday, February 11 Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME Cost: FREE After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar. System Requirements PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

San Francisco 1906: video on the street

This film, originally thought to be from 1905 until David Kiehn with the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum figured out exactly when it was shot. From New York trade papers announcing the film showing to the wet streets from recent heavy rainfall & shadows indicating time of year & actual weather and conditions on historical record, even when the cars were registered (he even knows who owned them and when the plates were issued!).. It was filmed only four days before the quake and shipped by train to NY for processing. Amazing but true! Music: "La Femme D'Argent " from the "Moon Safari" album by Air

Pair in Progress

Marle Hill Concert Master and Rhythm owned by Liz and Dave Herrick
October 23, 2009

Upcoming Clinics

Jeff Morse Clinic ~ September 12-13

Absolute Morgan Farm ~ 139 Schoolhouse Road -Waltham, VT 05491

One hour sessions on carriage driving for $60

Contact:

Janet Yager Absolute Morgans 802.545.2457 morgans@madriver.com