Carriage Horses

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Snuffles

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Just seen a local company who do weddings etc,trotting along the main roads for at least 2 miles and pondering on whether horses legs are knackered fairly quickly or if it is a strengthening thing. I certainly rarely trotted my horse for more than a hundred yards on the roads.
 
John Parker was at the Royal Welsh yesterday and one of his horses was 18. Presumably a trot is the most used pace for a driving horse,but they haven't got the weight of a rider on top.
 
Trotting on the the roads is in many ways easier on the horse in harness that walking the carriage gains momentum and the horse learn to pull a little harder if it comes into draft and back off when the carriage is running along easily .
Driving horses do do lots of road mileage my horses ( singles ) would do six to eight miles roadwork most days when they where fit .on top of that they pulled on grass as well which is very hard work for them they prefer being on the road.
 
The top international carriage drivers are doing up to 20 miles per day to get competition fit! Not all at the trot, but they are as fit as fleas. I assume they will be pushing with their hind legs rather than the forelegs.
 
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It is conditioning work, which is why most hunters spend weeks just walking out on the roads. My lad is, despite being very fit (although getting a bit fat since moving!), is doing a lot of slow work on the roads as all our riding in Surrey was off road hacking/sand school. Therefore I need to condition his legs as we are now doing a lot of road hacking.
 
I do driving, and trotting is much easier for the horse than walking, especially up hills. The 14.2 I drive loves to canter up the hill to the stables even though he's not strictly allowed lol
 
i used to help a carriage driving company and they have twenty four year old 'cob' that they used a lot, he is as sound as a bell at 24 years old. does not seem to have done him any harm.
 
A fit horse can trot all day in harness. I've never had a driving pony with leg problems and they usually don't if they are treated sensibly. I was told by an old pony breeder of one of his stock that worked taking the mail between towns that did 60 miles a day, six days a week, for 20 years.
 
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2 miles :eek:

*rolleyes*

(Our 12hhers are fine up to 25km off road on hilly terrain, longer than we care to find out for a drive on road)
 
Firstly, there is a difference between a controlled trot and hammering trot - it's the second which isn't good for their legs. Secondly, as I said in my previous post, it is a question of conditioning. If you take an unfit horse and hammer it round the roads in trot yes you will knacker their legs, if you did the requisite walk work then miles of trot work will not be an issue.
 
My driving ponies will trot for > 10miles straight from the field. The better of them will maintain the trot all the way other than give-way junctions. They're ridden at weekends only, and could not be described as fit, but their (unshod) feet and legs are very tough from regular roadwork.

They too will canter (or gallop) uphill if I let them (my canter command on an incline is 'oh, go on then').
 
pennyturner said:
My driving ponies will trot for > 10miles straight from the field. The better of them will maintain the trot all the way other than give-way junctions. They're ridden at weekends only, and could not be described as fit, but their (unshod) feet and legs are very tough from regular roadwork.

They too will canter (or gallop) uphill if I let them (my canter command on an incline is 'oh, go on then').
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Big splash just thinks trot really means canter on hills lol
 
My little Dartmoor thinks that in an ideal world all driving should be done at a smart canter / barely restrained gallop. This includes the town centre. He's under control, but in order to maintain the trot, I have to remind him constantly. "trot-trot-trot Buster".
This with him overbent and snorting like a train!

When I do let him go, I bridge the reins and drive him like a motorbike, with the cart sliding sideways around corners (on grass obviously)
:)
 
All driving horses like to 'spring' up hills- it's easier for them ;) I'm cruel and make Con walk or trot up them ;) On grass he even has to do reinback-trot. He's destined to be a sumo arab!
 
2 miles is only 12 mins at a forwards (pony) pace I can't imagine many things in work would struggle- we school for much longer and ask them to work much harder than just trotting down a straight road!
 
rara007 said:
2 miles is only 12 mins at a forwards (pony) pace I can't imagine many things in work would struggle- we school for much longer and ask them to work much harder than just trotting down a straight road!
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When my sister-in-law was losing weight, she could happily jog 2 miles and at that point, she wasn't far into her diet. (and no offence to her, but she was huuuuge!) If she can do it, imagine what a horse should be able to do!
 
Chan said:
When my sister-in-law was losing weight, she could happily jog 2 miles and at that point, she wasn't far into her diet. (and no offence to her, but she was huuuuge!) If she can do it, imagine what a horse should be able to do!
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You made her pull a cart. That is cruelty - especially without getting her fit over 6-8 weeks first!
 
Would love to see that :D My sister could do pulling me round the block I think. I'd promise to only use the whip encouragingly ;)
 
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