What type of movement do you like in a prospective driving mini?

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targetsmom

targetsmom

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I found the thread on bloodlines for single pleasure driving - along with the photos - very informative and now I wonder about other types of driving. In particular, what type of movement do you look for in a prospective driving horse? Or even one that already drives? And what type of driving do you prefer? Or doesn't it matter?

I look for a long stride, especially at the trot, but often seen in the walk too. I love to see the horse stretching over the topline and stepping into or over the prints of the front feet. A look of "floating over the ground" is wonderful. I like to see good use of hocks, but don't really care that much for the high action of single pleasure. Maybe that is because I show mostly at ADS and Pinto shows. When I look at the horses in my rotating avatar, it seems that I am pretty consistent; does anyone else notice that the frames and strides of Target (my riding horse) and the two driving minis are similar?

I would really like to hear what others look for, especially those with more driving experience than I have. Am I missing something I should be looking for?
 
In general, I like a lot of extreme knee and hock action - a very upright moving horse. I cannot stand a "boring" moving horse that will put you to sleep watching them, all of my horses have some nice action to them.
 
I am learning that the laid back shoulder allows the horse to be more free in their front end movement and be more upright. Neck tying in high allows for good wind. A long hip will allow that back end movement. A short back will help with everything. Please help me go further on this idea! Just learning!
 
I like nice round action--if you imagine a wheel, and make a mark on one spot on the rim of that wheel, then watch the pattern that mark makes as the wheel rolls--that kind of describes it. That round action was easier to find in the Morgans than it is in the Minis, but there are now getting to be some Minis that do have that sort of action.

Doesn't matter what division--that general round action needs to be there. The single pleasure horse will just have a little more height than the country pleasure horse, which in turn is a little higher than the WCP horse...but regardless of division I like the horse to have lift on both ends, with good hock and knee flexion.

I absolutely loathe the fling-the-front-feet-out-in-front type of action we see on so many Minis in the breed ring--that just isn't what I go for at all.
 
I love a good country pleasure mover. I want an upright, arching neck coming high up out of a laid back wither and also coming high up out of the chest. Clean throatlatch to allow the horse to come easily onto the bit. Longer, more upright humerus bone (the one between the shoulder bone and elbow). A long forearm connected to a short, clean cannon and well-sloped longer pasterns. UPHILL BALANCE!!! If the horse is built downhill, it will be very difficult to get it to lift and reach in front while engaging the hind. A well-muscled long hip. I will post a couple of photos I think illustrate what I believe is a good conformation for CP movement in a while, apparently I allowed my domain to expire. Also, if you know Pat and Linda McGuiness' B mini Royal Red Bird's Tyke (Tiger), that is an awesome horse!
 
I have re-read your original question, and realize that I got off topic into what conformation makes a good mover.

First off, I will tell you that Patty Cloke has a new video coming out showing the different "styles" of movement and what class they are most suited toward. It should be out in the next month or two. I know she REALLY wanted it out before convention, but she had a bit of a family emergency and that has set her back a bit.

I also think that a good-moving horse of ANY style, even Single Pleasure or Park, can be a winner in ADS. Once the check is dropped, even the most extreme mover will lengthen out and reach into a longer frame. If you look at the top drivers in the world, they are driving BIG moving horses, that would be at home in any Grand Prix Dressage ring.
 
Amy - Thanks for letting us know about Patty Cloke's video - I think that will be very helpful (or else more confusing, LOL!).

When you were describing your ideal conformation, all I could think of was "warmblood". Those are the things I look for too. It works for most of our minis, but we have one that has a fairly short, choppy strides. He wasn't selected for movement and is also spooky, so I doubt he would be suitable for driving anyway. Because we used the same standards of conformation when selecting him, I wonder if the short strides can be related to his spooky temperament? It is almost like he is on edge.

I think it is also clear from this discussion that there is quite a bit of variation in what people consider ideal movement, which I think is just great!
 
targetsmom said:
I found the thread on bloodlines for single pleasure driving - along with the photos - very informative and now I wonder about other types of driving. In particular, what type of movement do you look for in a prospective driving horse? Or even one that already drives? And what type of driving do you prefer? Or doesn't it matter?
I look for a long stride, especially at the trot, but often seen in the walk too. I love to see the horse stretching over the topline and stepping into or over the prints of the front feet. A look of "floating over the ground" is wonderful. I like to see good use of hocks, but don't really care that much for the high action of single pleasure. Maybe that is because I show mostly at ADS and Pinto shows. When I look at the horses in my rotating avatar, it seems that I am pretty consistent; does anyone else notice that the frames and strides of Target (my riding horse) and the two driving minis are similar?

I would really like to hear what others look for, especially those with more driving experience than I have. Am I missing something I should be looking for?
Click to expand...
I definitely want free forward movement no matter what the class. I've seen the minis that really don't look comfortable pulling a cart - - I mean they have no desire to MOVE forward but are doing so to please their driver. My western driving horse started that way but after 1+ years of driving, he muscled up some more and does much better. He really would stop in a class because he didn't want to go on!

I prefer the Pleasure Class, maybe because I have not shown in that yet. For that I want a horse that shows knee action not just an extention. My filly has loads of extention and she loves "to go" but she'll never be more than a Country Pleasure horse, IMO, because she barely breaks at the knee.

I've seen that floatly trot that you refer to in a horse that probably would only be in a Country Pleasure Class but they are (at least it seems) very few of them. I'd love to have one!
 
Oh, I'd like to see Patty Cloke's video. I was wondering about this myself.
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I'm trying to learn more about driving and correct driving conformation myself.
 
The lack of desire to move forward - especially when first hooked to the cart - doesn't bother me at all! I guess this comes from my dressage background and all the lessons I took on Target (see avatar). Dressage (and driving) horses have to learn to "go" before you can get anywhere, and lots of transitions and encouragement (leg, whip, aids) will help if they aren't forward to begin with. For a more timid rider/driver, it is more comfortable to start with this type as opposed to one that wants to GO the second you mount (cart or horse).

I think we need a discussion about what can be changed with training versus what you just have to live with. For example, that common looking pinto in my avatar has done a credible piaffe with a trainer riding him!!
 
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