Driving horses to riding horses

[hopscotch bandit]

My friends just sent me this link https://classifieds.horseandhound.c...iving/pair-of-friesian-x-kwpn-geldings-503581
Aren't these gorgeous boys??

Talking in general and not about these horses as I don't know them nor the owner but I've noticed that driving horses don't appear to fetch much money? Is it because they move in a particular way when being driven and have built up certain musculature and to reschool them for riding it would be too hard. Or is it that their legs may have taken a pounding?

It seems these days you couldn't get one nice looking horse of that breeding/height/age for that price let alone two.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Horses can do both I worked at a yard where all the horses were backed then taught to drive, most of them did both quite regularly without any problems, we did have a section c stallion that had to be ridden with a blinker bridle on the road as he used to spook, but I rode him a lot and did sponsored rides with him and he canteredand jumped really well, and for years he was only driven he actually went to hoys a few times with his green grocers trolley.

 

[Leo Walker]

I think they are cheap for a pair to do commercial work. When I was looking to see if I could stretch to an established pony I was looking a a minimum of 5k for a lower level established pony which is a fair whack for a 13.2/14hh. Mine rides and drives with no issue. A driving horse doesnt move in a certain way. Rara has the smartest big moving warmblood type small horse for driving. He would have no issues being a very, very smart riding horse and she does do some ridden dressage and things with him. I have serious horse envy! However hers isnt the only quality horse I see out competiting.

I would not let anyone buy my pony for riding. Shes a driving pony, she loves her job and shes good at it. The riding she does is just cross training. I find horses love driving and seem to enjoy it more than a lo of riding horses enjoy being ridden. Their legs may well take a pounding, but they are much sounder than riding horses. I suspect its to do with less work on a surface and much more proper fittening work

 

[ester]

I think it depends on a lot of factors, the same as ridden horses, and also a whole heap of reasons a pair might be 'cheap' especially with such a minimal advert!

Good horses still demand good money.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Mostly it is snobbishness on the part of the buyer. Personally, I don't think you can beat a good ride and drive horse/pony, so long as you don't want to go to the Olympics jumping.

 

[Leo Walker]

This is my green pony mare. Broken in Jan, had been in work 3 weeks at this point. I'd be happy with that shape either ridden or driven 3 weeks in.

 

[Leo Walker]

Mostly it is snobbishness on the part of the buyer. Personally, I don't think you can beat a good ride and drive horse/pony, so long as you don't want to go to the Olympics jumping.

Maybe not the olympics but we might do a workers class or two!

 

[ester]

Section C at the event last year went to hoys as a worker last year (I think as a 5yo).

so crack on LW

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Their legs may well take a pounding, but they are much sounder than riding horses. I suspect its to do with less work on a surface and much more proper fittening work

There may be something in that comment. I know some surfaces have a lot to answer for.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

but they are much sounder than riding horses. I suspect its to do with less work on a surface and much more proper fittening work

and the fact that horses are better built for pulling than riding. when I took some lessons the instructor told me that driving was less hard work for a horse than ridden, we even had discussions about breaking my lusitano to harness after stifle rehab if he came sound enough and I was having lessons with a view to breaking the Exmoor to harness. I just didnt like driving unfortunately, seems bonkers dangerous to me if it goes wrong but I love watching competitive driving in Portugal.

I would not want to ride another Friesian if you paid me, every single one has been really uncomfortable.

 

[Micky]

Mine was an ex driving horse, problems? Banana shaped head carriage and insisting on being in the middle of the road when I first hacked him, retraining that out of him took time, he still bananas when I let him! Front feet took a bit of pounding but touch wood 13 years on, his legs are great, we’ve done dressage, xc and showing (local riding club levels) he’s gotta a great pop over fences and bascules v well..maybe I got lucky, however he doesn’t love tractors trailers .or lorries, I think he had blinkers on before I had him! Few people say I paid too much for him but he has exceptional manners, long lines perfectly better than ridden to be honest! Well worth the money..a lifelong friend/horse..

 

[Rosemary28]

insisting on being in the middle of the road when I first hacked him

Friend's ride and drive Welsh cob used to do that, because he had been taught not to go in the gutter/kerb when driving. He eventually learnt the difference and is lovely to hack out, and he has also now made a cracking show jumper, he loves it.

Hairy pony was originally bought as a riding pony for a different friend's grandchildren, I rode him when I was a (mad) teenager, but always felt he preferred to be driven. If anyone rides him now it has to be in blinkers or he just doesn't listen, even with a competent rider on him, but that might be because he hasn't been ridden regularly for a long time now.

 

[Leo Walker]

and the fact that horses are better built for pulling than riding. when I took some lessons the instructor told me that driving was less hard work for a horse than ridden, we even had discussions about breaking my lusitano to harness after stifle rehab if he came sound enough and I was having lessons with a view to breaking the Exmoor to harness. I just didnt like driving unfortunately, seems bonkers dangerous to me if it goes wrong but I love watching competitive driving in Portugal.

I would not want to ride another Friesian if you paid me, every single one has been really uncomfortable.

I wouldnt want to drive anything with a question mark over the back end. I was at a clinic a few weeks ago and they had an ask the experts panel and the single most important thing you look for in a driving pony/horse is a good back end. Thats where they "pull" from, as driving is actually pushing, the hind legs push forward and thats what moves the carriage.

I can move my carriage about myself and I am so physically knackered its untrue. Once its moved off from stationary it floats along behind you. They dont even know its there on a smooth, flat surface. They do start to know about it on deep surfaces or up or down hills.

 

[rara007]

You can’t generalise. There’s driving horses then there’s driving horses then there’s driving horses. Just like there is riding horses. You can spend very little on something without class and with only basic schooling or into the 6 figures. It’s worth considering these commercial horses don’t usually come onto the open ‘leisure’ horse market, and like any centre that uses horses for work there’s a reason behind their decision to sell. They may have had a hard life, they may have barely worked, they may be schooled and go well enough to enjoy, they may only have two speeds, they might go fine by themselves, they might always need company. Same as if you were getting an ex trekking centre pony really!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I wouldnt want to drive anything with a question mark over the back end. I was at a clinic a few weeks ago and they had an ask the experts panel and the single most important thing you look for in a driving pony/horse is a good back end. Thats where they "pull" from, as driving is actually pushing, the hind legs push forward and thats what moves the carriage.

I can move my carriage about myself and I am so physically knackered its untrue. Once its moved off from stationary it floats along behind you. They dont even know its there on a smooth, flat surface. They do start to know about it on deep surfaces or up or down hills.

it was a general discussion about some horses with preexisting conditions being ok for some driving and they offered to assess my horse after rehab should I want to. I'm sure someone with several decades experience and some national titles under their belt has some idea of what they were talking about-it didn't happen as the horse did have a question mark over its back end and didn't come sound.

 

[Mule]

I think they are cheap for a pair to do commercial work. When I was looking to see if I could stretch to an established pony I was looking a a minimum of 5k for a lower level established pony which is a fair whack for a 13.2/14hh. Mine rides and drives with no issue. A driving horse doesnt move in a certain way. Rara has the smartest big moving warmblood type small horse for driving. He would have no issues being a very, very smart riding horse and she does do some ridden dressage and things with him. I have serious horse envy! However hers isnt the only quality horse I see out competiting.

I would not let anyone buy my pony for riding. Shes a driving pony, she loves her job and shes good at it. The riding she does is just cross training. I find horses love driving and seem to enjoy it more than a lo of riding horses enjoy being ridden. Their legs may well take a pounding, but they are much sounder than riding horses. I suspect its to do with less work on a surface and much more proper fittening work

It can't be good for horses to carry humans on their backs. I'd imagine that's another reason driving horses are sounder.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I have had a few ride and drive horses and to be honest, as far as hacking out and about they were mostly far better than non driven horses IME. I guess all that driving out on the roads made them more reliable in traffic etc. I do agree with what someone else said - you do initially have to work on their tendency to drift to the middle of the road and banana a lot and wean them off the blinkers.
As for the Fresian pair - I wouldn't touch with a barge pole - the couple of Fresian drivers I have ever ridden where SO upright and uncomfortable it wasn't a pleasant experience at all.
But horses for courses - and I think if you are lucky enough to find yourself with a reliable driving horse that also is a pleasure to ride you have really won the lottery!

 

[Leo Walker]

Blinkers tend to make things more scary rather than less. They

it was a general discussion about some horses with preexisting conditions being ok for some driving and they offered to assess my horse after rehab should I want to. I'm sure someone with several decades experience and some national titles under their belt has some idea of what they were talking about-it didn't happen as the horse did have a question mark over its back end and didn't come sound.

And equally this was a panel of people all with several decades of experience, a vet, a physio and a couple of international competitors who are all working to bring cutting edge research to driving the way it has been brought to other equestrian sports. They one thing that came over repeatedly was not to drive anything with a weakness in the hindquarters or poor hindlimb conformation. That and the fact that driving is in the dark ages with the way things are done and that there is far too much reliance on how things used to be done, but thats a whole other topic!

As someone who did drive a pony with a weakness in his stifle/upper hindlimb not knowing any better, I wouldnt do it again.