Age to start driving?

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Kub

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Just wondering what age you can start a horse driving from. I have a cob who's a very late foal (1st September) so just 2 and a half, and wondering if I could break him to drive this year or if it's too early? Or if I should wait until he's broken to ride and then go on to driving?

He's got a superb temperament and doesn't bat an eyelid being tacked up, has walked around with a young girl sat on him for a few minutes and was fine, but I want to let his back develop more before being broken for riding, so thinking of starting him off driving instead.
 
I wouldn't attach a vehicle to him until 3 1/2, so give him another year. You are not allowed to compete until 4 years and some people do, so presumably the horses will be broken before 4. Having broken many horses to drive myself, I would never attach a vehicle until they are strong enough and I would say 3 1/2 is early enough. It also depends on the breed - ponies tend to develop earlier, as do some horses, whereas heavier horses take a little longer.

However, there's no reason why you couldn't long rein him and get him used to the idea of being driven in different situations - in the school, around fields, on the road (with someone leading for safety). If you do that this summer and gently introduce the saddle later in the year (without a rider) then by next spring he will be ready to break and will take to it better. There's no reason why you should wait until he's broken to ride before breaking to drive, I find it makes no difference either way.
 
We usually long rein at 3 with them being in the sulky at 4 and to the races by the end of that season and hopefully qualified (our pacers have to run a qualifying time in order to race properly), then in their 5th year they should be competitively racing.
HOWEVER in the harness racing world there are races for 2 and 3 year olds - same as in flat racing, but we don't run anything in these as we don't believe they're strong enough, even though a sulky is much lighter than a trap or normal driving cart.
 
I think it depends on the horse. Some its best to leave them, break in then keep going, others seem to benefit from getting in young establishing some basics in something light or in a pair where they don't have to do too much then being turned away. It's defiantly a feel your way kinda thing, most important thing is to not let them have a bad experience in harness, it's very hard (if not impossible) to bring a driving horse back from an accident.
 
Mine was broken to drive at 18 months, not by me. However, the stud did say that he looked very immature! At least he got used to reins, long lines, things behind him which has made him SO easy to handle.

It is the back and neck that mature last, so presumably light driving is less stress than being ridden.
 
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It is the back and neck that mature last, so presumably light driving is less stress than being ridden.

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I think that's why traditionally you break to drive before you break to ride. A lot of people think nothing of at least starting a 2 1/2 yr old in harness.
 
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