First time in harness

[Leo Walker]

I think my little cob might have found his vocation in life. I finally bought him a harness and he tried it on this afternoon. Before anyone says I know its not perfect and its probably not fitted properly as it took 3 of us about 20 minutes just to get the pieces in some sort of order :lol: but its just to long rein him in. He will go away to a professional before he does anything with a cart etc.

But I was thrilled with him. Harness on and couldn't care less. When I put the driving bridle on there was a few seconds where I could see him thinking "what new nonsense is she up to this time?" and then he just shrugged and said "no problem" He did 10 mins in the school and then went down the drive all foot perfect. We even took him down to his stable and dragged the whip along the corrugated iron making a huge, weird noise behind him and he couldnt have cared less! I forget sometimes just what a good boy he is!

What other stuff can I do with him? It will probably be early next year when he goes away, so I've got lots of time to do more stuff with him and he really did enjoy himself so definitely something I am going to do more of!

 

[pennyturner]

What a lovely start. I cannot recommend anything more highly than going out and about with your long reins. We take youngsters out on quiet lanes at first, then around housing estates to see parked cars, hedge trimmers etc, before taking them right through town, on busy bus routes etc. Gets them used to just about everything, and the voice commands well established.

You could also start dragging tyres about, but we've found that asking a friend to put some weight into the traces works and is more controllable, as the amount of weight can be varied at will.

 

[Leo Walker]

I'm a bit scuppered in that I cant walk overly far, but hes pretty established on the long lines from when he was a youngster so I'll be roping in anyone and everyone who wants a go. Hes rock steady in traffic and goes off voice commands as I spend a lot of time watching other people ride him, and he goes off what I say even then I think theres work to be done on standing. He stands just fine but seemed to stop crooked today, not sure if that was the blinkers throwing him off a bit or if he always does it and I've just not noticed, but definitely something to work on.

I was stunned that he didnt react to the whip on the corrugated iron, it was a horrible noise, but he is just uber chilled generally about stuff like that! I think I need someone out to check the harness is right before I get him to pull anything. It looks ok to me, but I strongly suspect its just a bodge job by people who dont know enough to know its not right :lol: But there are plans afoot to have him harrowing the school.

I've just found out that my YO used to drive a lot and actually has a suitable cart in storage that we could use so that might be an option rather than sending him away. I'm just really excited about it! I'm too fat and broken to ride now and it does make me a bit sad sometimes not being able to do much with him, and he just so clearly got this, so I'm hoping this is our thing!

 

[Dave's Mam]

When he's up & running, he can harrow your fields.

 

[Leo Walker]

When hes up and running I will be working his little cobby socks off with anything like that :lol:

 

[Dave's Mam]

Like, like, like.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Watch youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E4gVO3Qsw8
there are lots of de sensitising ideas, from puddles to corrugated sheeting, scarey baloons, chains, car horns, bugles bagpipes, anything you can throw at them.
Most important with a driving horses is that they must stand still on a slack rein, while traffic whizzes past, while dogs run at them, anything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D22YFzj5KBM

 

[Dave's Mam]

Yes, a driving horse must be stock still, calm and perfect.

 

[dollyanna]

Do be very sure of YO's actual experience with driving before opting to go down that route rather than send away. Many drivers who have done a lot still wouldn't have the skill to start a new horse correctly and safely - and if it goes wrong it can go very wrong. It is still very useful to have someone on the yard to help out in the first year or so while you are learning the ropes (and I'm assuming you will get lessons too before driving?) but unless she has done it before, successfully, preferably a few times at least, I would go with a professional anyway.
You can do loads longreining, set up arena obstacles (watch some indoor driving videos for ideas), horse agility type stuff, work on transitions etc, all very useful for the future, as well as covering as many miles as you can - and look for people mowing lawns, motorbikes, chainsaws etc to walk past. You can't overdo spookbusting of a driving pony in my book!

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Agree, I was told by several folks they had driving experience, but when shove came to push they had only driven quiet types, the equivalent of having a few lessons on a RS horse.
Also the putting-to must be smooth , without drama, if one person is not sure what to do, day 1 / week 1, or month 1, in harness, is not the time to discover this.
The harness must be fitted correctly and strong, and the carriage must fit the horse.. There are cheap Chinese carts with bicycle wheels, no brakes, no fifth wheel, they are not really the best thing.
There are quick release options which are for both safety and convenience.
I think you should send him away, and go regularly to check how it is done, even holding the reins is strange to me, and I have long reined with a whip for many ponies, breaking to harness and to ride.

 

[ROMANY 1959]

I did this with big lad when I lost confidence and got too heavy to be balanced in saddle...but I would advise you to get someone in to teach you to drive, it's not as easy as it looks... I had 6 lessons after I sent dubs to a pro from a driving club, he stopped there for two weeks with a lady in ellesmere, Shropshire...she was great with him. I got back a confident obedient horse... We had few years fun before I sold him to his sharer... Look into local driving clubs...they will be the ones to help and teach you how to drive a horse, and lessons on how to easily and correctly harnes up

 

[Goldenstar]

Teach the horse stand as a command and then leave him standing on the yard in a headcollar while you do stuff everytime he moves put him back .
Park or rest ( or whatever you chose ) is a good thing to teach as well
I teach mine stand means stand as in a dressage test Park means you can rest but be still like when your are talking to some one .
So I can do stand park then back to stand then walkon .
My ridden horses all know this as well .

 

[Leo Walker]

I'm definitely going to have some lessons. I havent a clue past long reining! Its not something I am doing right now, its a longer term aim. I just happened to get some money for my birthday and come across a harness for sale locally at the same time and thought I might as well get it and start long reining him in it see what he made of it. I thought it would take him a lot longer than it did to get the hang of it

I've got someone lined up to break him properly, probably spring time next year although I will speak to my YO see what they have to say. I know they have broken a few previously but I dont know if they still do or want to or are suitable to do it, so its just another option that has come up.

In the meantime I am going to periodically work him in the harness and get him out and about in it. It keeps him occupied and its something I have done lots of previously, just not in harness, so I'm happy doing that bit. And in the meantime I'll get some proper lessons. The only driving I have done has been with travellers in trotter carts and that is not the sort of driving I want to be doing!

 

[Snoozinsusan]

I have recently bought a Blagdon filly and am aiming to drive her. I haven't driven properly in the past so I'm going to a 'Try Driving' course on 1st October to get the basics. If you want to go I can give you a lift there. I can pm details if you want to go.
Tilly tried the girth part of her harness this morning and I led her around the school with lots of halts and standing still.
Goldenstar - I'll use your methods. Thanks

 

[Leo Walker]

ooh yes please! That definitely sounds like it would be really useful!

 

[WelshD]

There is someone down Oxford way that does taster sessions for driving, I wonder if thats the place Snoozinsusan is off to? they are supposed to be great

Lovely to see you having fun with your boy

I recognise that school - my pony is having lessons there on Tuesday evenings at the moment!

 

[Leo Walker]

give me a shout when you there next. I'll come and say Hi

 

[pennyturner]

Teach the horse stand as a command and then leave him standing on the yard in a headcollar while you do stuff everytime he moves put him back .
Park or rest ( or whatever you chose ) is a good thing to teach as well
I teach mine stand means stand as in a dressage test Park means you can rest but be still like when your are talking to some one .
So I can do stand park then back to stand then walkon .
My ridden horses all know this as well .

I haven't ever seen anyone use a verbal command for this. Most of mine do it as a default, dropping happily onto 3 legs and zoning out until further notice if I jump off, but I never gave it a voice command. They learned by association that when they're left alone 'whilst working' i.e. they're still wearing saddle / harness, they're expected to stand still until further notice... very handy whilst you pop into the pub for a pint!

I do think it's especially important that harness horses don't need someone by their head to make them stand still. It should be a default setting, even if you've just razzed them up something terrible and they're half a mile from home, they should still be waiting for your word to move on. I use 'ready' before asking for walk on - this is their half-halt and signal to pick up their 4th leg. Otherwise they tend to assume they can go when you pick up the reins, and move off too early.

 

[Antw23uk]

I've been long reining my 16.2 ISH allrounder recently whilst he transitions to barefoot and I am seriously tempted to carry on and see how it goes with the possibility of sending him off to an expert for carriage training. That would be rather an awesome ride and drive, lol

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

I haven't ever seen anyone use a verbal command for this. Most of mine do it as a default, dropping happily onto 3 legs and zoning out until further notice if I jump off, but I never gave it a voice command. They learned by association that when they're left alone 'whilst working' i.e. they're still wearing saddle / harness, they're expected to stand still until further notice... very handy whilst you pop into the pub for a pint!

I do think it's especially important that harness horses don't need someone by their head to make them stand still. It should be a default setting, even if you've just razzed them up something terrible and they're half a mile from home, they should still be waiting for your word to move on. I use 'ready' before asking for walk on - this is their half-halt and signal to pick up their 4th leg. Otherwise they tend to assume they can go when you pick up the reins, and move off too early.

That is clever.
I watch these competition horses, they are desperate to go, but they wait,...

 

[Leo Walker]

So I spoke to my YOs this evening. Its a livery yard/riding school/breaking and schooling yard and has been for 20 odd years, but I was a bit concerned it wasnt suitable for driving breaking. Turns out they have done loads and did a lot of driving stuff a few years ago and are keen to do it again. I haven't committed to anything but they are going to do lots and lots of long reining in blinkers/harness which is something I sadly cant do as I cant walk more than 500yds and its even less if I'm trying to keep up with a keen cob on long reins! And as I said previously they have a suitable cart so they can put him to intially. I've bought some driving books to educate myself on the theory so if its not going how it should be, I will know.

I'm going tomorrow to watch the first lng reining session and will decide as we go along, but I am feeling pretty comfortable with it so far. Watch this space! As someone who cant really walk at all and is now to fat to ride it will be amazing for me if I can go out driving! But I do still have a dedicated driving person as a back up as my long term plan

 

[Dave's Mam]

All sounding good! I am excited for you!