Learning & teaching a horse to drive

Roxy's Mum

Roxy's Mum

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Jul 21, 2009
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I'd love to be able to drive Roxy, as well as ride. I think she would look stunning trotting around with a cart/trap and for some reason I think it would be something she would take to very well.

But how on earth do I go about looking into teaching her, and me, to drive? I haven't done any driving with a horse at all, not sure about Rox.

My only concern being that on our yard, while we have great access to endless miles of hacking, to get out there from the back of our yard we have to pass through a small gate only just big enough for a horse & rider. The main entrance is down a very pot holed track and straight onto a busy dual carriageway. So we either learn in the school or up & down the track on the yard, or I take her somewhere in a lorry/trailor.

Does anybody know of anybody who teaches down south & is there anything we can do to get started on our own?
 
me either!!!

But i have been "breaking june to drive" slowly for the past 3/4 month

we started out with long reining in a roller and normal bridle to get her used to the concept as she had never long reined before. when she got used to that i bought her a little harness and started longreining her just in the roller and put the crupper on for 5 mins before we went and after we came back as she really objected to it at first.

then introduced her to a driving bridle but she really did not like it and sevearly objected to it to the point of her being dangerious so we sacked that and went back to a normal bridle. :devil:

i then introduced her to pulling a tyre round the yard then over gravel, grass, mud, through water, snow etc.

shes having a few months off and concentrating on being ridden once a week with her loaner until the night lighten up, then i may go back to it this year or leave it until next year depending on time/money etc!


Also did lots of research in the internet/books etc!!
 
Get someone tomake the gate wider!!:wink:

If it was my Dexter I could probably lead him through harnessed and then attach his vehicle. With a helper of course.

Lots of lunge work and long reining. To know the voice commands. Lots of long reining out and about. If all goes well introduce harness. Lots of long reining and lunging and walking out and about. Lots and lots and lots!!:smile:

Roxy is sooo Lovely she would be brilliant to drive. Is she bomb proof etc?

Oh and there is more to it after all that!!Lol!
 
RM I don't think your that far from me, and if you are willing to come into the Forest then I can put you in touch with a few people who will teach you to drive and can train horses for driving.

I went for lessons with the Hampshire BDS chappie Driving Instructor
he was a fair way for me, but I learnt all the basics and it gave me enough to start to do a little bit or harness training myself with my horse. They do 'Beginner' sessions, where even if you just treated yourself to the one lesson, they go through everything from tacking up a horse and explaining it all usually lasts about 90 mins - 2 hours, at the end you'll get a photo as a momento but nothing to stop you taking one yourself anwyay ;) . They aren't cheap though which was why I didn't do it long term.

I've got a HW cob as well and think he would be fab in harness with a carriage, I feel confident enough to get him used to harness (already done a bridle with blinkers and had a full harness on him out long reining) he didn't care, but I havent had him pull anything yet behind him. Next step for me when I've got some cash is to get an instructor out and do some with me, I know someone who came recommended to me from Brockenhurst, who is quite well known in the driving world and has written a few books on it. I've seen her out driving her horses anyway and was impressed with them.

There are few people on my yard who drive their own horses, so if I had any questions I would be happy enough to ask them.
 
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Dawny said:
Get someone tomake the gate wider!!:wink:

If it was my Dexter I could probably lead him through harnessed and then attach his vehicle. With a helper of course.
Click to expand...

Ahh that problem here is that the gate the back way out of the yard opens on to a Forestry Commission plantation so no vehicles allowed, so I can't get attach to a vehicle once through the gate. YO is FAR too stingy to replace the gate anyway, plus it would be tricky in it's location amid the hedgegrow etc.

Roxy is fairly bombproof, not much phases her. She's not only keen on dogs running around her feet but it doesn't freak her out, more she gets annoyed. She's not been phased by dog walkers, bikes, traffic when we've been out. She's happy with the tractor and trailors on the yard. She has jumped at a few things but she's definitely reliable and not stupid/daft at all (makes me wonder why on earth I'm so nervous hacking her out? :unsure: She really is very sensible).

Ruskii thank you VERY much for the info, I shall definitely look into that! No it seems we're not far from each other & the New Forest is pretty much on the doorstep of the yard so that's good to know. Thanks ever so for the info :biggrin:
 
A friend came and helped me when we decided to "try" and break Rob to harness - sadly it wasnt to be as he couldnt cope with the noise behind him. I also had driving lessons at Flodden Edge Farm in Northumberland - was a fair old trek but I throughly enjoyed myself and event though Rob is now out on loan - I still plan to go back and finish learning to drive as i really enjoyed it.

I would always get proper instruction when it comes to driving, seems to me that there is more to go wrong with driving - quite a lot to learn too, but that said I still want to go back and do it!
 
Silly me didn't think about how to get vehicle through. Lol! I would go spare having all those tracks to ride but not allowed to drive. Sometimes it is so unfair on us drivers.

Loving Roxy even more. She sounds ideal to drive. Start her off with the ground work and build a good trust and relationship. You may already have that but controlling with only your voice from behind is very different. You don't only do those exersizes for driving. Long reining is great fun and keeps both of you fit!!!!!(It is normally a yougsters ground work.) getting her really responsive to your voice is going to be your asset while driving.Get someone to perhaps lead her first With another line attached if you are worried. I invested in a few books and looked at stuff on the net and also got lots of info on here over the years. Dexter is to little for me to ride/school so longreining is how we get him fit mainly in the school. I perhaps only drive out twice a week as I don't always have a pal to come with me every day. I also lead him out on some great walks. Dexter and I have been together 25 years and he was 6 months old when I got him. I think I have only had 2 driving lessons! but always asked people for advice and done lots of research. Good luck.
 
Oooh me too! I've been long reining Willow, and I think I have just arranged her first harness. Keep me posted on what you're up too, it would be nice to have some one to chat to who's in the same boat!
 
Gosh, I feel a fraud replying as I know nothing about driving, but I do have a friend with a Saddle Chariot. The pro driving crowd our way hate them, but it is very small and light and might fit through your gateway? Could look a bit odd behind a heavy cob though!!
 
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