Any thoughts on driving horses??? Could I train my mare?

It's good fun and there are lots of competitions about if that's your thing (also trek and fun/charity drives). It depends a little on your mare's temperament and age but I see no problem with it. It's a great way to exercise them and builds a very good bond and respect due to all the ground training (lunging, long reining, standing manners etc) and some of it can be great for the fitness of driver too.
Take a look at the BDS and british carriage driving sites/fb and you'll find loads of people who are friendly and helpful. It might be worth going to a trainer and trying one of their horses to see if you like it and get the basics, they will also be able to help you break to harness, or will do that for you.
It's such good fun, but the original outlay for harness and carriage can be expensive and it's even more addictive!
 
Hi Kylara, she is 12 years old and has a lively temperament, the reason I was interested is we are having a couple of problems riding her she bucks a bit. So could driving be a good replacement?
 
In what way it could be better? Just different. Some horses are good at it, some aren't, some like it, some don't. I do believe that all horses benefit from ground driving and learning to pull something lightweight - if done properly, it's a good exercise to build confidence and back muscles.

What's your mare like, what's her mindset? How old is she, how is she built? A horse with a working/driving breed background will almost always be more talented at driving than a modern Warmblood or, let's say, an Arab, because it will be physically easier on them due to their built, but it doesn't mean that any other horse couldn't do it at least lightly!

Edited to add: If your mare "bucks a bit", you've got to find the reason why. If it's out of character, a bucking horse is no safer when between shafts as when ridden, and training has to be done to avoid it! And, if it's out of pain, you always have got to sort that out first, whatever discipline you choose.
 
Considering your other thread I do not think it would be a good idea at this moment in time for you to train your mare to drive. You need professional help from somebody who can teach you a bit more about horse care and riding before trying something completely new.
 
She's a cob, 12 years, I bought her as a bombproof ride bit I am having a few confidence issues riding her!! She is quite forward going when I'm on her, although on the ground she is brilliant, very calm and when I walk her around our quiet lanes she seems fine!
Thanks for the replies!
 
Seriously if she is inclined to take off, although in the circumstances she may be forgiven, then driving is not a safe or easy option, if they take off in harness it is a whole different ball game and the consequences could be devastating.

I would get some proper help with riding her, a good instructor rather than a well meaning friend, will be a good investment and at this stage probably a better option than trying driving, to learn to drive properly, break the horse correctly and buy all the kit would be something to consider later on but for now get on with the riding and maybe find somewhere you could go for a driving experience to see if you even like it, I certainly feel safer riding than sitting in a vehicle behind a horse.
 
Lammy said:
Considering your other thread I do not think it would be a good idea at this moment in time for you to train your mare to drive. You need professional help from somebody who can teach you a bit more about horse care and riding before trying something completely new.
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Completely agree with Lammy here. Whether you choose to ride or drive your mare is irrelevant as she will still need a reasonable degree of fitness (being ridden 4 times in 7 months is just not enough) which is best found in a regular routine. As many have mentioned in your previous thread, even though the most bombproof of horses may have a little buck if ridden in an open field after very little exercise, that doesn't mean she can't be the confidence giver you bought her as, it just requires a little work and consistency from you. She's an animal not a machine afterall!

If you really can't bear the thought of getting on her right now, perhaps get a qualified instructor out to ride her for you a few times first. If nothing else it will mean they're best placed to advise you on how to ride and get the best out of her and sometimes watching someone else ride your horse can be a confidence boost in itself.

If you are interested in learning to drive I'd recommend finding someone local to you that can teach you on an established horse that knows what it's doing first so you can get a taste for it and see if you like it.
 
I just read your other thread, OP, and completely agree with FestiveFuzz and others above. What your mare needs now is consistent training, and a few times over several months is not nearly enough.
 
Any horse that bucks should not be driven unless you are extremely experienced and know what you are doing. (I also second the finding out a reason). A friend of mine (driving for well over 30 years) has a new horse that has to have a bucking strap and she is only working with him due to her experience.
Any horse that is known to take off is also a liability in a carriage.
If you want to do it, get her professionally broken. Get yourself lots of driving lessons, it is very different and can be hard to feel confident as you are so very far away from the horse.

Also be aware that novice (and experienced drivers) need a groom. You should always drive with one, especially with nervous/new/inexperienced drivers and freshly broken horses. It is very dangerous to go out on your own, and people only really do it with seriously experienced horses or in confined areas.
 
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Agreeing with the others, not a good idea for you right now. Bucking horses should not be put in carriages until you at least know why they are bucking, and many drivers just wouldn't do it at all (driving horses do occasionally buck but it is a much bigger problem in a carriage than ridden due to the chance of getting a foot over a trace/shaft/kicking board). Add to that the fact that you would need a lot of lessons to learn to drive before you could do anything yourself, it really isn't a plan as an alternative to riding.
 
Wightman said:
Hi guys could I train my mare to the cart? Any thought on driving? Better than riding? Thanks
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It is great fun driving, but please don't try on your own get in contact with the driving club and find a trainer near by to help you, and see if your horse has the potential as a driving horse as not all horses or breeds can make the grade.
 
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Personally I don't think bucking under saddle necessarily prevents a horse being a candidate for driving - my first pony was a nightmare to ride (bucking, rearing and very strong) but was always 100% in traffic, broke well to drive and has spent the last ten years doing Disabled Driving. He just preferred it, and he was the kind of wilful creature who is a saint so long as he is happy in his job.

However, I agree with the other posters, that your horse doesn't sound ready, and if you're not confident riding her, you certainly shouldn't try to drive her, as your confidence is an essential ingredient in a successful driving partnership.
 
I learnt to drive while my leg was broken I was lucky I bought a fabulous horse who had been on the the british team he was just the most lovely genuine chap .
I went on to have other horses and start them ourselves however I had a groom at that time who was very experianced with driving horses .
Driving horses need to be perfectly voice trained and good in the long reins and that something you can crack on with yourself , as with the standing training , the driving horse must stand when told ,all ours would stand on the yard for long periods not tied up ,this is essential for safety when driving it's easy to do but it takes time but the training to pull and put to in the carriage is like backing for riding best done by people who do it all the time and and are confident with it all.
Personally having seen the a clip of a bucking horse catching the driver in the face and having helped get a friends horses leg back over the shaft when it bucked and got into a muddle I personally would bother putting in the work to train a bucker to drive .
However the ground work for driving will only do your horse good so why not start with that.
I am a confident rider IMO driving is much more scary and I always had in the back of my mind that consequences of driving going wrong can escalate very quickly and end very badly .
Driving is huge fun but it is serious stuff if a horse throws it's rider the chances are it will stop itself a loose horse pulling an empty carriage is a whole lot more dangerous
 
simple answer is no you cannot break your pony to drive that is not to say she couldnt be but it is an expensive job to have done properly by a good professional driver who will assess her suitability to start with. I am sorry there are no easy options you need good instruction and experienced help to do anything with horses they are big, strong animals that could do untold damage to you if you dont get the right help. Everyone has to learn but you cannot learn without the right input from the right adult people
 
All of ours are broken to drive because it's what they are bred to do. That said, I decided that if I ever had a non-Standardbred youngster to break in to ride I would break it in to drive first. Mainly because the education they get sets them up for being backed later on. I've backed a couple of ours and brought them on under saddle and the foundations we've laid when breaking them to drive have made them such wonderful horses to ride. Pretty sure any horse can be broken to drive in theory, but I suspect temperament plays a massive part in their aptitude for it.

That said, OP I've read your other thread and I think you should focus on one thing at a time; in this instance, creating a routine for you both and building up your relationship. Walk before you run.
 
In this situation I think personally that driving would certainly NOT be a safe alternative to riding. A horse alone is potentially heavy and dangerous if out of control. A horse linked up to a carriage with all of the harnessing involved is even more potentially dangerous and serious injury COULD result to the horse, you and other road users.
There is no reason in the world why you should not be able to build the confidence you need and ride her safely and well if you carry on with your own lessons and take time to strengthen her trust in you - and yours in her - through ground work. There's no rush; take your time, just a few hours per week, just enjoy everything you do with her so that you really start looking forward to seeing her instead of being apprehensive.
Actually, on the subject of driving, you wouldn't believe how long it takes to harness a horse to the carriage (sorry if that's not the right terminology). You could go to somewhere where they do driving as part of a Riding for the Disabled programme to see what is involved but with limited time you might find that outings with the horse (driven) just took far too long for the preparation.
Stick to a sensible riding development plan and in a year's time you will look back, hopefully, and be pleased with your progress.
 
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