Driving people - can you please check this for me?!!

M

mollymurphy

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Well, we failed miserably in finding an instructor to come out and teach us to drive, so we've done it ourselves. The driving societies have all been very unhelpful.
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Here are a few pics of Molly. I'd appreciate any comments on the fit of the trap and harness. I know it may be difficult to see from pictures, but i cant think of anything else to do.

She's been going really well in it, which makes me think everything's ok, but i'd like other peoples' opinions.

Excuse the lazy donkey-poses - she was half asleep - it's still taking us a while to harness her up, so she gets bored!

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Oh, and ignore the bridle. We didnt want to use blinkers, so we're driving her in her riding bridle and bit for now.

Thank you in advance.
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Lou. x
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the belly bands goes on the outside of the traces, you need to try & i would do the breaching straps that attach to the shafts the same either side & the reins need to go through the rings on the breast collar to keep them up away from the tips of the shafts.

pic shows belly band & breast collar rein ring
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Thank you for that! Will go and compare pics now! Forgot to say in the origional post that we'd forgotton to thread the reins through the other rings. We fixed it before we took her out though. Thank you.
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Ditto the above response. Be careful not to allow your reins to become so loose as they can catch under the shaft tip.(which will be helped by correctly passing the reins through the d rings as mentioned above) If your horse is OK without blinkers, that is fine, but if you want to show or do BDS affiliated stuff, you will need to get your horse used to blinkers too.
Your girth also needs to be more in-line with your saddles as you are making the saddle sit backwards and it could rub.
 
I think maybe the breastcollar may need to be a touch higher as it should be above point of shoulder. Also I would probably have the traces a little longer.
Then, when she is in "draught" you should be able to fit one hand width between the breeching and the horse. the Breeching is a little small and maybe could be a touch lower.

Belly band is maybe a bit tight too, as lillie says traces should be underneath.

She certainly looks pretty happy!
 
Thanks everyone - Will do my best to fix everything! Have just been PMed some info on Scropton Riding & Driving Centre, so i'll be looking into that for some lessons.

As for the blinkers, there's no way we'll ever be competing in driving classes, so we should be ok. I just think she's fine to ride without them, so i dont want to drive her in them. Think they might make her spookier.
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Thank you all again!

Lou. x
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You know I drive my three blinkerless and one bitless, no groom and no whip Jinglejoys. Now stop showing me my saddlechariot, you know I want it back!!
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Having just struggled to pull my Hillam out of the barn and into the trailer to take for sale,I know why I've never got in the thing--there's no way you'll get the S.C. back unless I leave it to you in my Will
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I can pull that with one hand.
 
There are some people who drive in an open bridle. Prince Philip has been seen to drive his ponies with an open bridle (but more commonly uses half-blinkers) and Ann-Christine Arvidsson (one of the best single pony drivers in the world) won the last World Champ marathon without blinkers (see photo)

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Blinkers are most useful for traffic situations.
 
Just adding, its not crucial that the belly band goes in or out of the traces, withmodernharness its what you prefer.

Id say the breeching is too high and tight and the traces are too short(making shafts too long)
 
The loin staps are a little too far back and the trace carriers are too long which is why they are all bunched up.

The breeching is definitely too high but not by much and the breastplate need to be slightly higher.

Your horse is also too close to the carriage, you should allow at least 18" and possible more pending on your horses paces.

Also I would advise having a pad under the saddle as without can cause muscle wastage and a sore back.

Where are you based? I ask as if we knew that there are bound to be plenty of people who will know someone who could help you.

As you are a complete novice I would recommend that you try again to get some help. Remember this quote


"You don't know what you don't know until you know"


Cheers
 
The loin staps are a little too far back and the trace carriers are too long which is why they are all bunched up.

The breeching is definitely too high but not by much and the breastplate need to be slightly higher.

Your horse is also too close to the carriage, you should allow at least 18" and possible more pending on your horses paces.

Also I would advise having a pad under the saddle as without can cause muscle wastage and a sore back.

Where are you based? I ask as if we knew that there are bound to be plenty of people who will know someone who could help you.

As you are a complete novice I would recommend that you try again to get some help from an instructor with the BDS or an experienced BHDTA competitor.

Remember this quote


"You don't know what you don't know until you know"


Cheers
 
Trace carriers? What trace carriers? I can't see any!
The reason your shafts appear too long is because they are far too far-forward. The tugs should be in FRONT of the tug stops, not behind them.
 
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