riding a driving horse!

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serena2005

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Hi all!

For those who own driving horses and broke in to ride at a later age...

Me and my sister have begun to ride a 14 year old Welsh type who has only ever been driven.
We haven taken it extremely slow but he is a quick learner and enjoys doing something as he has driven all year.
He is currently in a hanging cheek myler comfort snaffle, which apart from having his mouth open half the time, works soft and accepting.
Now I took him out in the field today and have been told when driven in his Liverpool bit is VERY VERY strong! Well he was calm but I didn't feel like I would have had any control if he had decided to sod off.
Not that I think he would as he's a gent, but he occasionally goes into driving mode!

So what do you ride your driving horses in? I thought it was a big no no to ride in a driving bit, and I thought I could separate riding and driving by different bits, but now I'm thinking it may be too confusing...
I'd like to know your thoughts

Thank you :)
 
Pearlsasinger said:
We've had several horses which have been broken to ride and drive, they've always had different bits for the two activities.
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As did my first pony, seemed easier going from riding to driving.

So you would recommend using 2 different bits? Which bit would you use to ride in? He's very forward going, but quite tight in his neck. And when he pulls.... hes tank!
 
The problem I have found is that horses that are broken to drive often lean on the rider's hands given half a chance. The only one that didn't was the section A. They've all had different bits according to their mouth conformation/preferences. The current mare is ridden in a NS Universal with 2 reins, she can be very strong hacking and I really like having the curb rein as back-up brakes when necessary. I've also used a PeeWee bit on couple of horses successfully.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
The problem I have found is that horses that are broken to drive often lean on the rider's hands given half a chance. The only one that didn't was the section A. They've all had different bits according to their mouth conformation/preferences. The current mare is ridden in a NS Universal with 2 reins, she can be very strong hacking and I really like having the curb rein as back-up brakes when necessary. I've also used a PeeWee bit on couple of horses successfully.
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Thanks, I'd describe him like a section D type. He's very upright in front with a large stepping action, in the school he's very light, but out in the field I felt no response from his mouth. Luckily he listens to voice more than hand so he's easy to calm.
I was considering a Pelham, too much?
 
Riding a driving horse is generally a very different feeling from a horse just used to being ridden. They already know how to lift their backs and use their backend to create power which is fantastic but can feel a bit much to begin with.
Definitely use two different bits to help seperate the two activities. Our cob mare hated jointed bits though as she had spent much of her life in a Liverpool. I use a Pelham for riding and worked in the school using seat and voice aids to establish basic control first.
She was used for weddings and could happily pull a landau with driver, groom and the happy couple in it. First few times we hacked I did feel very insignificant, but it is just more power than the average 'above the bit' riding horse, more grand prix dressage horse.
Have fun!
 
Our 13.2hh cob was a driving pony doing trials driving. He can be very forward going and although we started him in a snaffle, this was fine for road hacking we needed something stronger for grass. We tried a gag which helped on grass but he then wouldn't jump. He is now in a Wilkie snaffle. He is a strong, very keen pony but my daughter has done exceptionally well with him and he has been going to pony club rallies and shows for six months. He is even off to camp in August. He has changed shape from having massively strong shoulders from driving and is more evenly built and he is loving his job. But we have taken it slow over two years to turn him from 'a youn green 6yo cart horse' to a lovely pony club pony who's now attending ODE training with my 11yo daughter. He has his moments still (like charging around in gallop in a showing class last week ooops!) but I'm glad we persevered with the wilkie.
X
 
I regularly ride the carriage ponies at work. My job is to school them under saddle to help create bend, lift etc which helps their driven work. When I ride the two that are driven as a pair I tend to ride them in their driving bridles with their driven bits. They are driven in a Liverpool and one is in a Denny. The 5 year old is also started this way but after being driven for a bit she is now going to go into the show ring as a ridden pony so is now working in a snaffle and an open bridle.

It seems to work well this way for us as they have just qualified for the Open pony pairs driving trials and the 5 year old won her first ridden show and is going affilated showing now.
 
Please don't generalise Pearlsasinger. Leaning on the bit simply means its not been correctly schooled- riden or driven... My homebred is light in the hand doing either, serena. He's driven on the snaffle ring of a Nathe Liverpool and ridden in a French link fulmer. It sounds like he simply needs reschooling- keep taking it slow and he should come right in any bit.
 
katastrophykat said:
Please don't generalise Pearlsasinger. Leaning on the bit simply means its not been correctly schooled- riden or driven... My homebred is light in the hand doing either, serena. He's driven on the snaffle ring of a Nathe Liverpool and ridden in a French link fulmer. It sounds like he simply needs reschooling- keep taking it slow and he should come right in any bit.
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If you re-read my post you will see that, I mentioned the Section A who was the exception to what I have found to be the rule.
My experience of riding horses which have been professionally broken to drive before being ridden has been that they tend to lean on the rider's hands. I have had several heavy Draft horse /cob types. of whom this has been true. Yes of course they can be schooled to stop doing this but OP was asking about a bit for a very strong driving cob, which she hasn't had long.
 
We showed my friend's driving CB in a Pelham at Three Counties last weekend.. She is ridden fine in that..
 
Ridden in a fulmer snaffle, driven for the majority of her life and is now 11. The hardest thing we found with her was getting her to canter, and finding a saddle to fit a mare with big hulky shoulders from pulling bowtop wagons !:o
 
I used to ride ours bitless but they were 15 -17 hh working heavy horses ridden for picnics and fun or to the beach for a swim. Jumping was for a giggle and they loved it. They drove off voice and rode the same.
 
I never rode my sec D in anything other than a snaffle, if we went anywhere where he could get excited I added a standing martingale bit this was years ago!

A Kimblewick could be useful in your case or a butterfly Pelham maybe?
 
I ride my driving horses in snaffles ( various different ones to suit each one )
Non have been very strong ridden one was a bit keen when he first went hunting bit soon settled when he realised how long it went on for.
My cob can get a bit strong when excited but it just normal horse stuff no different to a non driven horse.
Remember that you can use the voice command to very good effect with a driving horse when they get strong and do lots of transistions .
it might be worth trying a snaffle with rollers on the mouth piece or a Waterford if you feel you need brakes it's important you feel safe .
I like to avoid using poll pressure on them when ridden because if they are driving with bits that act on the poll it's good to give them a break from that .
 
Another who rides driving horses. I drive in liverpools and ride in a rubber snaffle and they are just as responsive and adaptable in both and really enjoy the variety. Funnily on roads when hacking the like to leave room for the non-existent carriage and step along just that litle further out from hedges - makes me smile anyhow
 
Thanks everyone, all very interesting information and experience.

He's around 15 hands huge shoulders, but very light, and lots of power.
He's coming along fine schooling :)
It's just the brakes situation in the field. I talk to him loads which he responds to extremely well.
But yes I'd like to feel I could stop if I needed to! Lol didn't get that feeling using the hanging cheek.

Canter is an issue but I understand it must be physically difficult for him as I don't think he's ever been asked to canter, and when we have free schooled he goes like a bat out of Hell!!
 
Molasses said:
Another who rides driving horses. I drive in liverpools and ride in a rubber snaffle and they are just as responsive and adaptable in both and really enjoy the variety. Funnily on roads when hacking the like to leave room for the non-existent carriage and step along just that litle further out from hedges - makes me smile anyhow
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Hahaha! Yes this lad looks around a lot it's like he's still shocked how much he can see. And asking him to turn it's like he is expecting to feel the shaft on his shoulder
Bless them, he's such a gent and willing to please!
I wish I had a pic to post, he's a poser too ;)
 
My boy is driven in a liverpool and ridden in a mullen mouth kimblewick. He hated a joint and we went through loads of bits but he is brilliant in his mullen mouth kimblewick.
 
Here's a thought, if he's used to a liverpool, going OK in a snaffle, but you feel like you might need something extra...

Reversible military bit? Acceptable for ride and drive, and if you use two reins, you can bring the lower rein into play if you need it!
 
I have never had a driven horse lean when being ridden. All the ones I have ridden/driven have had different bits for each discipline, although one had the military reversible and used it for both, perfectly acceptable.
 
I bought a 14.2 section D driving pony earlier this year. I have been riding her in a full cheek sweet iron snaffle. She goes very nicely in it, no leaning. She can be strong but I have been doing a bit of light schooling (mainly hacking though, we both like that better) and I haven't really had a problem with her. Certainly haven't lost control or anything like that. The things we have had to work on the most have been steering and cantering. She has a fabulous power trot! I've not driven her since I have had her, I would like to at some point.
 
I drive mine in a mullen mouth liverpool with the reins on rough cheek and ride her in a NS verbindend, she doesn't lean on either.
See how your horse responds to the voice and maybe school to improve his response before going to a stronger bit.
 
i have a 6yr old 14.1 driving pony i have had for 8 months now. He had only ever driven. With help from more experienced people i am teaching him to work normally. its taken a while to get where we are atm. I ride him in a plastic happy mouth snaffle (took many tests of different kinds of bits to find the right one!)with a martinale and flash for my benefit but the bit because hes sensitive. hes pretty good at comming back to me when i ask so no problems with the brakes! i suppose its down to you to have a test with different bit to find what suits you!:) Good luck!
 
AbbieTom said:
i have a 6yr old 14.1 driving pony i have had for 8 months now. He had only ever driven. With help from more experienced people i am teaching him to work normally. its taken a while to get where we are atm. I ride him in a plastic happy mouth snaffle (took many tests of different kinds of bits to find the right one!)with a martinale and flash for my benefit but the bit because hes sensitive. hes pretty good at comming back to me when i ask so no problems with the brakes! i suppose its down to you to have a test with different bit to find what suits you!:) Good luck!
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Thanks!

I took him out in the field in the hanging cheek tonight. He was amazing! We had our first canter, he didn't get strong once :) he listened and was an absolute angel! So sticking with it for now! :)
Thanks for all the advice, I just need to take my time and give him more credit :)
 
Molasses said:
Another who rides driving horses. I drive in liverpools and ride in a rubber snaffle and they are just as responsive and adaptable in both and really enjoy the variety. Funnily on roads when hacking the like to leave room for the non-existent carriage and step along just that litle further out from hedges - makes me smile anyhow
Click to expand...

I had one who although ridden when young had not done much ridden work for years and I think they had schooled him rather than ridden out.
He could not work out what to do with a wicket gate he would watch the others closly go through then go half way and think but I can't, took him a little while to get it.
And he would stop before a gate and wait for a backstepper to arrive to open it.
 
I ride most of mine in French links :) Usually go back to an unjointed bit for competitive dressage,or a double, as they're happier in that but harder to school ;) If they're strong I put them in a double.
 
I ride mine in a small ported pelham most of the time, or sometimes his liverpool or butterfly.
He is very strong and always has been, i've known him since he was 4 and he's now 24.
He used to sometimes be ridden in a single jointed pelham but i've found he goes much better in a french link, so i lunge him in a french link snaffle.
 
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