Introducing a horse to driving (or has she done it before?)

[ponynut]

I am becoming increasingly intererested in driving.
I plan to go on an introductory course and find an instructor through the BDA to learn the basics thoroughly but having thought about it I think my horse knows more than me already!
OK she was bought as a ride and drive but the ride part at least was shaky! She was very heavy on her forehand and she jumped into transitions in a very odd way. She has never understood leg aids but responded to a tap on the shoulder.
I have given her intensive schooling- long rein (she loves), lunge (she used to just walk to me) and ridden -which got better over time.
I thought this was just her being green but am now thinking she was originally a trotter as she never used to canter but just do an exaggerated trot at a phenominal pace. (if so I dread ringbone!)
This does not mean I am rushing off to buy a cart and harness but do my ideas about her unknown past seem feasible?

 

[Wally]

We bought "Fat Cob" along with tales of his driving past.

Never beleive all you hear. You really cannot tell unless you are an experienced driver and watch the horse through it's training.

Never assume a horse is broken to harness unless you have either seen it driven or driven it yourself. Assume they are not harness trained and start from the beginning.

However if you start from the begining of harness training you will pick up on whether this horse has been driven before by the way it takes to then training. After two basic sessions I was almost certain that "Fat Cob" Knew his stuff. We went much faster than normal with him and had him back in harness within a week.

A good harness horse should not display odd transitions, the basics of driving and riding are the same.
The fact that a tap on the shouder made her go may mean that she is used to the whip being used in the correct way. But the whip is only there in the same capacity as a riding whip, to re-inforce the aids. It is there to encourage or distract, it is not there to initiate the transitions. Voice is all.

In private driving, canter is not an issue, it is never used, it is considered bad form, so this may be why canter is not offered, it does not mean she is a trotter. It may be that she has been discouraged from canter and just asked to cover more ground in trot.

Driving trials are different, canter and gallop are used in the obstacle section.

See how she is on voice aids, if she is really used to driving she should go from the vioce well.

 

[Cathy Reynolds]

We have 1 too

Wally is right as usual, response to voice aids is a good sign; we haven't had a problem getting beastie boy Benny going (he'd only done a little driving training) but I absolutely agree with you about getting yourself some training too - and jolly good luck the first time you try to hold 2 reins and whip properly and control pony. If you are a rider it will feel like playing the piano cross-handed. Visit the BDS site and get yourself a subscription to Carriage Driving magazine. Very useful!

But BEWARE driving is even more addictive and expensive than riding - we haven't done much with Benny yet, but I just couldn't resist a second hand Bennington backstep which is now standing in one of the shedds at the farm. Carriages are NOT CHEAP and you get what you pay for. If you haven't got tack suggest some of the webbing stuff to start with. Then it doesn't matter if you get wet and muddy.

 

[Wally]

OOH you lucky think, a Bennington Backsetp, I'm positively green!

I shall have to sell Frances' kids for medical experiments so I can have one too

 

[floppy]

aww not only does wally pick on frances but now frances' kid!

 

[H & Bailey]

Hi I ws interested in the way you said how your pony responded to your tap on the shoulder paces etc.I have just bought a 3yr old.He was backed and ridden round a playing field by children the bloke I got him off didnt know what he had done before.He bought it for his kids over the summer hols.Probably found out that there is more to a horses than just tethering it on a football field!My pony will trot all day if you cluck(you know what I mean)at him.He also responds to the tap at the shoulder didnt know what canter was and is strong on his head and knew if he pokes his nose out & up he can go where he wants.I have basically started from scratch lunging(didnt understand but is quick 2 learn) and long reining(seemed to know what 2 do).I am trying to ride him as I did with my last horse by only using my reins for minimal contact and using my seat and legs this seems to be working but if we go out for a hack with others and they trot on and dont pace for us and I have to ask to trot out I find him hard to come back.He will if I close and hold the reins But dont want to pull on his mouth if I try to trot with a good hold collected we get left and I end up having to check him more ,Let us know if you put your pony in cart to see what her reaction was as it will be interesting

 

[Cathy Reynolds]

Hey Wally, I had to sell a car to get the Bennington. AND say I would rather have a trap than a trip to watch Barcelona play footie for my 50th! Leave the kids out of it!!

Interested in your 3 yr old Bailey, I think this one may well have been driven a bit by the sound of it. Do as much as you can from the ground. Try a pelham or kimblewick when hacking out as an experiment because maybe the pony may respond well to a light curb chain if it's been driven in a Liverpool.

B is finally back where he was earlier in the year (he's had problems with a locking stifle) and is working well in the school on side reins. He is really good at voice commands, but the downside is he listens to Granny, but not to little Hannah when she rides him. Poneynut, I have managed to get Benny to extend (he even extends in walk in the cart when I say 'eeeeeXtend' - amazing) - I daren't do it in trot until I try out the Bennington because the the little cart I am using at present doesn't have enough space between his bum and the swingle tree! He rushed when I first started schooling, so I think it is just worth persevering. If he rushes on long-reins, then take him back to walk and start again. It's taken me nearly 9 months to get anwhere with B - but is a stubborn Weslhie!

 

[Cathy Reynolds]

KIMBLEWICK

Just saw Mossy's comment on another thread about hacking out in a Kimblewick. Definitely worth a try.

 

[H & Bailey]

Hi thanks for suggestions on the bitting side,as I had started off in a snaffle but have just got him a fulmer which I had tried off my friend first.He definately goes better and steers alot better in this bit.I was going to take him out 2morrow but he's lost a shoe so we will have 2 school if the weather is fine,this will do him good.There is a gent that has a driving pony in the field behind my house I may ask him to tack bailey up in traces 2 c what he does?should be interesting I will let you all know what he does if I do it!