carriage driving

[Cazza525]

I'd like to hear from anyone on here about starting to carriage drive.
I have a welsh section B, that lost a foal this year and i have been umming and arring about what to do with her.
I have never driven before but would love to start and break this little girl to harness.
She has done extremely well at county level under saddle with a small jockey friend of mine, but i would like to do more with her.
She long reins and lunges perfectly and works to my voice so i think she would be ideal.
Thing is i just don't know where to start?

 

[HumBugsey]

First stop http://www.britishdrivingsociety.co.uk/
Find yourself and LHHI, they'll be able to guide you through the whole thing. You say your south west devon, there is a fantastic instructor down there called Johnny Arden. Absolute legend, not an LHHI but been around since year dot.
http://dartmoordriving.wordpress.com/
He did break and train, but he's getting on now so don't know if he still does but he has some fantastic lesson ponies. There's also Mark Broadbent in Wellington who does the works and is an amazing teacher and does break and train
http://www.fenixcarriages.co.uk/
Breaking to harness isn't too hard, just lots of long lining, progressively adding harness and getting them out and about. (although as a show pony I guess she's seen a lot!) However, for the actual initial putting to the vehicle it's probs better to deffer to someone else as if anything is going to go wrong it will there and there's no small accidents in driving.
There are two great (and quite cheap) books by sallie wallrond, "breaking a horse to harness" and "driving a harness horse" which are great starters but would def recommend getting a few lessons with someone before plowing on, it's an expensive discipline if you decide you don't want to do it! lol

Rara_2009 has a lot of experience with driving B's so she'll be good for advice.

Hope all that helps!

 

[Donkeymad]

Can't say much more than already said. Driving really is such great fun and you will be hooked. make sure your mare is 100% bombproof, get her out meeting everything.
Good luck and please keep us updated on your progress. You might like to join Carriage Driving Forum Board It's not a big Forum but very friendly and helpful.
Good luck

 

[HumBugsey]

Oooo there's Carriage Driving Magazine too which is really good. I've noticed they've started selling it in the big WHsmiths (and my local corner shop bizzarly) so keep an eye out. Its a monthly.

 

[boneo]

When my daughter outgrew her 11.2 pony, many years ago, we broke it to harness, and eventually ended up at the HOS, so it can be done! We started in a modest way, long reining, then driving her when she was pulling an old tyre to give her something to work against. From that we progressed, initailly buying a second hand set of Cottage Craft harness, then onwards and upwards! We all had great fun, even the old pony loved it, they hate to be just turned away, and retired, they love being active. after a very successful show career, she re invented herself, and lived a long and useful life in harness.

 

[Donkeymad]

Wow, I didn't know that (that they were now selling in some shops) I shall be taking a look in WHSmiths next time I go