Any Any Driving people out there? Advice needed!

ElleSkywalker

ElleSkywalker

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Hi all,

I have a lovely little 40" shetland who is bored bored bored and a bit tubby, she would love a job to do.

I got a cart and 2 sets of harness with her that were used by her mum, so they are all to correct size etc, and and planning to break her to harness so she can get some excercise and have a purpose rather than just lawn mowing!

So, here come the numpty questions;

1) Do I have to get her a driving bit? To begin with I will be long reinging her, should this be done with a driving bit if that is what she needs?

2) Does anyone know of a place in the Midlands that gives driving lessons? Or good book suggestions?

3) I have a tire for her to tow, (came with the trap & harness!) but have heard mixed opinions as to whether it is a good idea to get her to pull the tire or just once basics established go straight ahead and put her to the trap? Opinions?

Thanks for any help :D
 
When I first started long reining my mare I just used a snaffle bit, but she was only 3 so had not been bitted much previously.

As for the tyre, personally I would never use this technique again, we were told to do that to our mare, but as soon as she started to tow it along the tyre started spinning and at times went out to the side, it was so uncontrollable it was dangerous in my opinion.
 
My opinion (which is only mine & may be acted on or ignored;) ) is:

1. Yes, the usual riding bit you use will be fine for starting off.
2. Not in 'my patch', but look out for books by Sallie Walrond, Minta Winn has also got something out - do a dig on Amazon or Fleabay.
3. We always used tyres, then log, then popped them into the breaking cart. The only time we put a doddery shettie gelding in shafts straight away, it all wen't Pete Tong:o.
Firstly, dont hitch up to the tyre, get a 2nd assistant (you'll have one also at ponies head the 1st time?) to drag tyre behind you for the 1st time or 2 (a number of people don;t do this - and then get into a pickle)
Then use twine from the traces to attach to the tyre or log - keep handy knife or scissors to hand to cut if required.
Ensure you get a few days practice towing - bending round corners & also trotting before losing assistant at head & going it alone in a paddock.

Worked for us with the tinies, but do as you think is best - good luck :)
 
any bit is fine, try using a small light pallet instead of a tyre it will give a more true resistance. I would do a fair bit of long reining and get her responsive to voice commands and then try her with the pallet attached to the traces, and go from there.
(Just to add I don't think our shetties were ever broken to harness as such, they just got driven!) ;)
 
Thanks guys :D She only has an in-hand bridle with in hand bit so think a little shopping trip for a normal brifde and little bit is needed!

She is already bitted, to the extent that she used to be shown so wore an in-hand bit, do you think I had better get a snaffle to start her off long reining in THEN get a driving bit, or just a driving bit and be super gentle with my hands, or just a snaffle and give the driving bit a miss altogether?!!

Is she were but 4 hands bigger would have plenty of bits she could use, but alas I have none teeny enough for her!:D
 
Don't be hell bent on a 'driving bit' until you are able to 'put her to'.
If you find something like a small Liverpool or a Wilson snaffle, then pick one up.
Mind you, we preferred where possible to break with simple snaffle, then follow on with the Wilson snaffle - purely cos the liverpool type can be painful when bashed in the leg/hip by small pony ;)

I'll take a looky in the bit box, may poss have something small still there, no promises but will look tomorrow for you.
 
Dont use a driving bit, they are part of tradition, not needed
Work her in her harness every day, [not blinkers] to get her used to things flapping around and the crupper.
You can use a tyre but you need a quick release knot.
Walk her in long reins and have someone follow with a noisy wheelbarrow with some metal things in it.
You need someone to show you how to adjust the harness.
You should ask on the British Driving Society site [membership £30.00] for local assistance.
You need three people when first "puting to" that is slipping the shafts in to the tugs.
there are one or two good books on the basics, you need to know all the names.
Good luck and good driving
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
Don't be hell bent on a 'driving bit' until you are able to 'put her to'.
If you find something like a small Liverpool or a Wilson snaffle, then pick one up.
Mind you, we preferred where possible to break with simple snaffle, then follow on with the Wilson snaffle - purely cos the liverpool type can be painful when bashed in the leg/hip by small pony ;)

I'll take a looky in the bit box, may poss have something small still there, no promises but will look tomorrow for you.
Click to expand...

Thanks :D

Chuckle, didn't think of that, their little heads are just right height to give a good thwack to the thigh aren't they!:D
 
ElleSkywalker said:
, or just a driving bit and be super gentle with my hands,
Click to expand...

Don't be tempted to think that a driving bit is more severe than a snaffle. Your hands should be super gentle anyway, and the pony properly prepared for the bit.

Lots of people make bad mistakes when starting small ponies for driving, as they seem to think there is no need for the usual preparation of the pony for the job. Treat your pony just the same as any other horse for a driving career, and you should make a decent job of it.

As has been mentioned, you should have a helper, and quick-release knots on every part you attach...ie, the traces to the swingle tree, and the load to the swingle tree, and so on. That will allow you to quickly detach any part should things go pear-shaped.

You would be wise to do lots of work with a rope, getting your pony used to the feel of it around and over her body, especially around the stifles and hocks, in preparation for the traces and their carriers. Get your helper to hold the traces behind the pony while you long rein, and ask the helper to allow the traces to lie against the outside hock and gaskin as the pony comes round on the turn. Later, the helper can lay some weight on the traces to prepare for yoking the tyre or log.

Your pony should be quietly and gently taught to yield to the outside rein, and, as she comes round, and the outside rein becomes the inside, to be stopped and to yield the other way again. This will help prevent the pony from spinning in the longreins or harness. If she does manage to spin, she will already be used to ropes around her legs, and shouldn't panic, but you must learn not to pull on the reins if she spins. Rather, give the reins and she will not be forced to back up and perhaps rear.

It may sound like common sense to do these things, but you'd be amazed by how many people neglect to properly train and prepare a pony for diriving. Better to be safe and sure of your animal, because a bad fright or experience can ruin a pony for driving very quickly.

When training a driving pony, always check and double check all harness fitting and points of attachment, both before and during the work. Never leave a pony alone, even for a few seconds, without someone at its head, when it is put to a vehicle or implement.
 
No bit,no blinkers,no problem
And all the other advice too

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Jinglejoys love the pic!! What a lovely sensible looking chap he/she is :D

Thanks for all the advice & the links, & to TFF for bit searching for me! Will have a look for suggested books and see if I can find a helpful person near by to give me some lessons, :) in meantime will try & find a nice snaffle bridle to start working her in :D

Just one more silly question, how much weigh could my shetland pull? She is currently 230kg, but am hoping to get her down to 220 with work :)
 
I was told a fully fit shetland can pull it's own weight I'm told. Probs not something you'd want to do but they're very strong.

I don't get this "driving bit are strong" mentality. All driving bits are designed to be used on multiple horses so have many different "settings." A decent 3 slotted liverpool has 10! Plain cheek, rough cheek, top bar, middle bar, bottom bar then turn the bit over on the rough for all 5 again. The other useful thing, especially with fresh horses, is that if you're out and they get strong you just adjust the bit, when they're back to respecting you, put the bit back meaning you can keep soft hands and never have to haul. There's nothing worse that a heavy dead hand but the rider/whip chanting on "oh but look, he's in a SNAFFLE I can't possibly be hurting him."

It is true though you can drive most animals bitless and blinkerless with correct training although like many disciplines bitless it currently not legal in most areas. Blinkers interestingly although invaluable in keeping young horses straight and relaxed are a relatively new concept. Theory is they came in during a war when all the well trained horses went to the battlefield the idea being that before a horse gets too close to something scary they can't see it so listen to their driver to gain reassurance. Next time they see the scary they should just go past. The odd horse can take exception to them but it's rare, quite a few of the HDT lot drive blinkerless in the marathon so the horses can see more in the obstacles. Important thing is to NEVER take blinkers off a horse that has only been driven in them, it WILL cause a huge accident.
 
I used a wilson snaffle on our shetland driving pony. We broke him to harness ourselves - lots of long reining in his riding gear, then lots of long reining in his driving gear. We didn't use a tyre, just used an exercise cart. He was a lovely pony and we had great fun driving him. The Sallie Walrond books are good. I was taught to drive by an old groom and actually did it for a job for a while. (Carriage rides at a National Trust Property, weddings and a little showing.) It was a long time ago - I don't think my current horses (TB's) would be very co-operative if I tried it with them! I hope you have lots of fun with your pony.
 
ElleSkywalker said:
Hi all,

I have a lovely little 40" shetland who is bored bored bored and a bit tubby, she would love a job to do.

I got a cart and 2 sets of harness with her that were used by her mum, so they are all to correct size etc, and and planning to break her to harness so she can get some excercise and have a purpose rather than just lawn mowing!

So, here come the numpty questions;

1) Do I have to get her a driving bit? To begin with I will be long reinging her, should this be done with a driving bit if that is what she needs?

2) Does anyone know of a place in the Midlands that gives driving lessons? Or good book suggestions?

3) I have a tire for her to tow, (came with the trap & harness!) but have heard mixed opinions as to whether it is a good idea to get her to pull the tire or just once basics established go straight ahead and put her to the trap? Opinions?

Thanks for any help :D
Click to expand...

i used to drive my shetland in a ordinary riding egg-but snaffle, but it depends how strong she is.

http://www.karenbassett.co.uk/ i dont know if this is in the right place in the midlands but she does driving lessons

and using a tyre is good i still use tyres on my ponys but some dot like the noise at first so get someone t0 help you. if you use the tyre up hills it will biutld alot of muscled up. with my pony when i use the tyre when hes going down hills i sit on the tyre :)

good luck driving her, all the best xxx
 
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