A question to all the Driving Peeps that come on here Sorry Long ...

[Eaglestone]

I have been helping my friend recently by being her ’Back Stepper’ whilst driving round the lanes and tracks and have been having a great time

She has been trained by a professional who is very high up in this discipline

However I have found that some of the ’practices’ that I have been taught seem to go out of the window in the driving fraternity, so have been rather confused and wanted to hear from other Driving peeps

I commented that a lot of trotting is carried out during the Drive and my friend says that this is what she has been taught

So here are my queries

a) We always start trotting as soon as we leave the yard .....

<font color="purple">
From my perspective, when going out hacking, I was taught to warm up for about 20 minutes before starting to Trot or Canter in most instances … perhaps an ‘old school’ policy

</font>

b) We seem to be trotting for most of the ride

<font color="purple">
As the going is mainly on tarmac roads, surely this is not doing the horse's legs any good, all that jarring, even if fit for the job

</font>

c) We continue trotting down hill, even on tarmac

<font color="purple">
This may be just a ‘bogey’ on mine, however trotting downhill on tarmac, puts shivers down my spine and I must admit I hold my breath each time I go out back stepping, when we trot down hill on tarmac

</font>

These are not criticisms in any way, more of an observation and would like others opinions, please

 

[Natch]

How much of the ride is hills? My VERY LIMITED understanding is that its easier for a horse to pull a carriage up a hill in trot. I'm not too sure downhill though, we always walk.

 

[Eaglestone]

[ QUOTE ]
How much of the ride is hills? my VERY LIMITED understanding is that bits easier for a horse to pull a carriage up a hill in trot. I'm not too sure downhill though.



[/ QUOTE ]

There is as much up hills as down hills ... and yes I totally agree with you about the up hill bits ... and horses seems to love trotting up hills as well

 

[shadowboy]

We dont drive professionally but me have broken horses to harness in the past. When we go out, most of it is on wide tracks offroad, expecially the start and we always walk to start with, but only for about 5 min or so. When we are on roads we do trot uphill, but we walk downhill/although essex isnt exactly hilly. We trot probably more in harness than when riding, but I wouldn't say exessively. We dont compete- so I dont know how the competitive people will answer you

 

[Eaglestone]

shadowmonkey - well it is only pleasure driving that my friend is involved in, but her professional apparently trots everywhere on roads

I know that they must be forward going ......

 

[Flame_]

I'm from a riding background and have worked for nearly five years looking after HDT ponies, doing the fitness driving, backstepping and navigating at competitions. If some of the competitors read this I will probably get slated (and possibly sacked LOL). Many of the stalwarts of HDT are very old-school and have not caught up with modern ideas at all. Some commonplace practices - such as the temporary stabling and concussion on the roads would horrify people used to training ridden competition horses, I know they did me! Not everyone involved with driving is in the dark ages, and alot do understand the effects of concussion and why it is foolish to hammer a horse down a tarmac hill with the weight of a carriage behind it. I would tell your friend not to disregard all her/your riding experience and to mix it with the sensible information she gets from her driving trainer.

 

[Eaglestone]

KVS - thank you for your reply .... mmmmm very difficult to tell my friend really, but I really do want to say please think about his legs ... I for one knows that 'no foot no horse' is one of the ten commandments in the horsey world

... let alone the rest of his legs

 

[Irishcobs]

A) I wouldn't trot straight away, whether I was driving or riding. As you say to warm the horse up in walk first.

B) Trot is generally alot smoother that walk for the people in the carriage. It is also an easier pace for the horse to pull in.

C) Trotting down hill is not something I would do unless it was very shallow as I don't think it is fair on the horse to hold the carriage back (even if the carriage is braked) when trotting it is much easier to do it from walk, and you risk the horse slipping. But you can have road studs which would help the horse going down hill.

 

[brighteyes]

Where's Rara_2008?

 

[Donkeymad]

QR
I am actually quite shocked and disgusted that your friend has been taught this. It is not something that the BDS would encourage, but HDT follow different rules.

It is quite usual for carriage horses to be warmed up for a short time, maybe five minutes, but trotting is never done going downhill. As stated, trotting uphill makes it easier for a carriage horse. Whilst trotting on the level is probably done a little more than when hacking on the road, it is not done excessively.
Is threre any chance you could PM me the name of the professional (don't worry, I won't be telling anyone)
I suppose with HDT horses there is a need to get them very fit and maybe there is not the opportunity for some to train off-road, but off-road is where their events are carried out.

 

[Eaglestone]

Irishcobs - thanks for your response .... the horse has road nails and the carriage is braked

 

[Eaglestone]

[ QUOTE ]
QR
I am actually quite shocked and disgusted that your friend has been taught this. It is not something that the BDS would encourage, but HDT follow different rules. It is quite usual for carriage horses to be warmed up for a short time, maybe five minutes, but trotting is never done going downhill. As stated, trotting uphill makes it easier for a carriage horse. Whilst trotting on the level is probably done a little more than when hacking on the road, it is not done excessively.
Is threre any chance you could PM me the name of the professional (don't worry, I won't be telling anyone)
I suppose with HDT horses there is a need to get them very fit and maybe there is not the opportunity for some to train off-road, but off-road is where their events are carried out.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can you confirm what HDT and BDS stand for although I guess BDS is British Driving Society .....not sure whether I should name the professional even by PM at this stage, as this was more an 'ask' and was never meant as any sort of critism ...

I was also thinking there may have been some sort of 'misinterpretation' of things .... who knows

 

[MillionDollar]

a) I always walk for the first half mile, they need to warm up.

b) Mine do a lot of trotting, but we walk aswell. I know someone near me who trots constantly! The trouble is with driving, is the driver doesn't do any work and you don't realise how much work the horse is doing. But I will say they seem to be able to do a lot more driven than ridden!

c) I hardly ever trot downhill. The weight of the carriage is pushing the horse and if it slipped, well it's not worth thinking about.

Thats my views anyway

 

[Eaglestone]

_Claire_ - I am with you 100%

Oh what a dilemma, I really do not want to suggest to a friend, who is sensible and caring, that what she is doing may harm her much loved pony