I’ve had a drink

[RHM]

So guys I’ve had a bottle of wine and somehow convinced myself that I should learn to drive my pony. Been watching some videos of Emma massingale and her ponies and am feeling suitably inspired.

Not thinking he will pull a cart but rather me on rollerblades ? (I’m pretty nifty on skates)
So my question is how mad am I? Think this is possible and where on earth do I start?

P.S. pony is very tolerant and generally pretty bomb proof so I hopefully won’t die too quickly.

 

[Upthecreek]

Do not start now. Don’t want you drinking and driving ?

 

[Upthecreek]

And if you do it on rollerblades (you are nuts by the way) please post a video.

 

[RHM]

And if you do it on rollerblades (you are nuts by the way) please post a video.

Haha more than happy to provide a full blooper video ?

 

[Jellymoon]

Sometimes I wish I had roller skates on when I’m long reining! Sounds fun, I might have a go myself! You can alway let go, hahaha!

 

[OldNag]

Probably better to wait until daylight?

 

[Jellymoon]

Where to start...long reining in the driving position with normal shoes on I would have thought, in the school and/field, then when you’ve got the hang of that, around some quiet roads...running behind, make sure you’ve got a woa and a go. Then pop the skates on!! How fun!

 

[DabDab]

Where to start...long reining in the driving position with normal shoes on I would have thought, in the school and/field, then when you’ve got the hang of that, around some quiet roads...running behind, make sure you’ve got a woa and a go. Then pop the skates on!! How fun!

I should think the OP will need a collar or something at the very least. Not that I know anything about driving, but just hanging onto a horse's mouth as a method for them dragging you along doesn't seem terribly advisable.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Sounds like what you want to do is Skijoring, but without the skis, and snow, and with rollerblades instead. Note that even though the picture is taken when there is slack in the line, there is a line between the skijorer and the harness. The horse isn't pulling him by the reins without by the harness, the reins are for steering.

Or since you said you're good on the rollerblades, perhaps it's something like this you had in mind?

By the way, here's another way of attaching a skijorer to a harness

 

[Red-1]

Sounds like what you want to do is Skijoring, but without the skis, and snow, and with rollerblades instead. Note that even though the picture is taken when there is slack in the line, there is a line between the skijorer and the harness. The horse isn't pulling him by the reins without by the harness, the reins are for steering.

Or since you said you're good on the rollerblades, perhaps it's something like this you had in mind?

By the way, here's another way of attaching a skijorer to a harness

I found out about this only when I insured a horse. Was talking through the exclusions, or at least the lady was droning on about them on the phone, and found I wasn't insured for horse-skiing. I queried that, as I had never seen a horse on skis, thought it was a mis print she had read, but no, it was this I would have been excluded from doing.

 

[DabDab]

Sounds like what you want to do is Skijoring, but without the skis, and snow, and with rollerblades instead. Note that even though the picture is taken when there is slack in the line, there is a line between the skijorer and the harness. The horse isn't pulling him by the reins without by the harness, the reins are for steering.

Or since you said you're good on the rollerblades, perhaps it's something like this you had in mind?

By the way, here's another way of attaching a skijorer to a harness

The off-road kjoring over jumps is popular in Switzerland - I went to a show there years ago and it is proper insane, it blew my mind. Great spectator sport though.

 

[RHM]

Sounds like what you want to do is Skijoring, but without the skis, and snow, and with rollerblades instead. Note that even though the picture is taken when there is slack in the line, there is a line between the skijorer and the harness. The horse isn't pulling him by the reins without by the harness, the reins are for steering.

Or since you said you're good on the rollerblades, perhaps it's something like this you had in mind?

By the way, here's another way of attaching a skijorer to a harness

Oh these videos are amazing!

 

[RHM]

I should think the OP will need a collar or something at the very least. Not that I know anything about driving, but just hanging onto a horse's mouth as a method for them dragging you along doesn't seem terribly advisable.

Yeah this is what I was imagining, some sort of driving breastplate?

 

[RHM]

Probably better to wait until daylight?

Haha even in the cold light of day I still think this is an excellent idea. Think the OH was hoping some of the enthusiasm would have wore off with the alcohol!

 

[Bernster]

In the cold and sober light of day, I feel the need to be sensible as I saw a video of someone on a sledge which would have been funny, but the lines were attached to the horse’s mouth But yes pls do it, with the right kit, and we look forward to the video!

 

[RHM]

Agree I need the right kit. Does anyone know what this might be? Trawling online has made me none the wiser, seems to be quite a few types of harness!

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Agree I need the right kit. Does anyone know what this might be? Trawling online has made me none the wiser, seems to be quite a few types of harness!

Besides using harnesses, a type of skijoring that have become a bit popular in North America, is the one where a line is attached to a D ring or similar at the back of the saddle.

In Sweden, if the horse owner already own a harness which fits their horse, they use that one, regardless if it's a breastplate, or collar type of harness. (The following 2 photos are simply found by Google, no idea if they're Swedes or not.)

Note that the white line in the last photo disappears into the snow, but you can see she's holding onto something attached to her waist.

But most Swedish horse owners probably doesn't own a harness, if they buy one for skijoring, then the most sold Skijoring harness type in Sweden is the one intended to be used together with saddle + rider, which looks like this:

When you want a harness for riderless Skijoring, you can either look for something specifically made for such Skijoring, e.g. this type of harness:

I think the above is made by someone in Canada, http://www.pattysponyplace.com/skijoring-harness--shafts.html

Or you could look for a simple breastplate harness similar to the ones they use for Skijoring races in Switzerland, and Russia etc:

No idea if this have made it clearer for you what to look for or not, but that's what I know about the subject.

 

[katastrophykat]

Hi RHM! I suppose it was only a matter of time before a driver found the post...! So... the question is, will you be wanting at some point to drive ‘properly’? At which point, buy a decent set made by Zilco, Tedman, Heartland or ideal. Zilco tedex is generally cheapest of the bunch and you’re looking at £180-280 secondhand.

If you aren’t, I’d note that none of the horseboarders/Skjoring lot use skates, however great you are (aside from a randomer or two on insta ?) and always have an off road board/skis etc. There a good reason for this ?

if you want to use a ‘standard’ harness for the job, you still need the full set of you don’t get specialised kit- you need the trace carriers to lift the angle of draft to make it easier for the pony and they attach to the breeching, that’s held up by the back band, that needs the saddle, and a breastcollar is a given... ?

good luck

 

[Annagain]

I saw a display of horse boarding at a country fair a few years back. There was a rider on the horse pulling someone on a sort of skateboard around an obstacle course. It was mostly young couples - they had obviously found a way to combine their hobbies and spend time together.

 

[RHM]

Besides using harnesses, a type of skijoring that have become a bit popular in North America, is the one where a line is attached to a D ring or similar at the back of the saddle.

In Sweden, if the horse owner already own a harness which fits their horse, they use that one, regardless if it's a breastplate, or collar type of harness. (The following 2 photos are simply found by Google, no idea if they're Swedes or not.)

Note that the white line in the last photo disappears into the snow, but you can see she's holding onto something attached to her waist.

But most Swedish horse owners probably doesn't own a harness, if they buy one for skijoring, then the most sold Skijoring harness type in Sweden is the one intended to be used together with saddle + rider, which looks like this:

When you want a harness for riderless Skijoring, you can either look for something specifically made for such Skijoring, e.g. this type of harness:

I think the above is made by someone in Canada, http://www.pattysponyplace.com/skijoring-harness--shafts.html

Or you could look for a simple breastplate harness similar to the ones they use for Skijoring races in Switzerland, and Russia etc:

No idea if this have made it clearer for you what to look for or not, but that's what I know about the subject.

Those harnesses look absolutely perfect! Now to decide on a colour! I think my pony would look particularly fetching in the pink ?

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I saw a display of horse boarding at a country fair a few years back. There was a rider on the horse pulling someone on a sort of skateboard around an obstacle course. It was mostly young couples - they had obviously found a way to combine their hobbies and spend time together.

Looks as exciting as the Offroad Kjoering over jumps they did in the video from Switzerland!

By the way, it's not just English saddles that can be used, without also Western saddles. But I presume that with either type of saddle, you should also be using a martingale or some type of breastplate.

 

[RHM]

Hi RHM! I suppose it was only a matter of time before a driver found the post...! So... the question is, will you be wanting at some point to drive ‘properly’? At which point, buy a decent set made by Zilco, Tedman, Heartland or ideal. Zilco tedex is generally cheapest of the bunch and you’re looking at £180-280 secondhand.

If you aren’t, I’d note that none of the horseboarders/Skjoring lot use skates, however great you are (aside from a randomer or two on insta ?) and always have an off road board/skis etc. There a good reason for this ?

if you want to use a ‘standard’ harness for the job, you still need the full set of you don’t get specialised kit- you need the trace carriers to lift the angle of draft to make it easier for the pony and they attach to the breeching, that’s held up by the back band, that needs the saddle, and a breastcollar is a given... ?

good luck

Thanks for the advice! Not looking to drive as pony has an old leg injury and might be putting too much pressure on it.
Do you think a off road board might be more sensible? I am fairly shite on a snowboard so that does not bode well! ?‍

 

[RHM]

My next question for all you lovely folk is how do I get pulled? In some of the videos the people are attached to the pony! That gives me serious heebie jeebies! Could I fashion something to hold like the boarders do but then still hold reins? Or is there a quick release thing so if I fall on my face the pony then doesn’t drag me into oncoming traffic ?

 

[FinnishLapphund]

If you look at the Miniature Horse Skijoring video, they're showing how their quick release system works both at around 1:45, and 2:36. They're the onea selling the Canadian Skijoring harnesses, and it says in their link that they're also selling their quick release system.

Other than that, I presume there must be someone selling Skijoring hipbelts with quick release functions? If nothing else, perhaps a dog Skijoring/Canicross hipbelt with quick release function could be better than nothing?
E.g. https://www.thedogoutdoors.com/ultra-paws-skijor-canicross-hip-belt.html

 

[katastrophykat]

My next question for all you lovely folk is how do I get pulled? In some of the videos the people are attached to the pony! That gives me serious heebie jeebies! Could I fashion something to hold like the boarders do but then still hold reins? Or is there a quick release thing so if I fall on my face the pony then doesn’t drag me into oncoming traffic ?

This is the problem ?

if I’m doing something similar, ‘pull’ is from the breastcollar back through the traces- so one hand on a pole through the trace ends and the other on the reins handling them in the left the same was as I do when driving coachman style is the only thing I can think of ?

and yes- I’d use a board. The first time that skates hit a bump, you’ll have a flying lesson and break an ankle. Oh- sorry, that’s me ??? you might have more luck!

 

[oldie48]

Every time I see the title of this thread I think it's someone confessing that they have fallen off the wagon!

 

[Mrs Jingle]

Every time I see the title of this thread I think it's someone confessing that they have fallen off the wagon!

Yes me too! I thought oh dear God - don't tell me we are now having to gently coax one of our more inebriated and alcohol dependent members off the bottle, whilst enjoying a rather nice glass of red myself. so hypocritical!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Are you sure it was just the one bottle of wine that made this sound like a good idea?
?
I absolutely cannot wait to see the outcome

 

[RHM]

Are you sure it was just the one bottle of wine that made this sound like a good idea?
?
I absolutely cannot wait to see the outcome

Haha I don’t feel comfortable answering that question ?

I’ve emailed that Canadian company to order a harness, you could say things are getting serious ?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Haha I don’t feel comfortable answering that question ?

I’ve emailed that Canadian company to order a harness, you could say things are getting serious ?

Good lord ?
I sometimes do/decide random things after “a bottle” of wine... but I back out in the morning