I'm new to driving..... but when driving you should have light contact, right? If you give them slack, they speed up. Please correct me if I'm wrong here. Well our pony seems to think that he needs bit contact when someone rides him too, or he thinks he should speed up. So, you can't have him walk on a loose rein. If the reins are loose he thinks he's supposed to go faster. I want him to be ridden on a loose rein. Is this going to confuse him? Will he understand that it's different with riding vs. driving?
bit contact, driving and riding
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disneyhorse
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''contact'' is something that is difficult to discuss online, do you have a trainer or someone knowledgeable in your area that can help you? How a horse reacts and handles vs. how you want it to is something you have to train and negotiate with the horse!
I think every horse is trained differently. Some speed up when given more rein. Some slow down.
My stallion slows down when he's given more rein. He is trained that when he can have his head and mouth back he can cruise along and relax. When I collect him up and ask him to go, he is supposed to frame up and work. But I trained him specifically that way.
Andrea
I think every horse is trained differently. Some speed up when given more rein. Some slow down.
My stallion slows down when he's given more rein. He is trained that when he can have his head and mouth back he can cruise along and relax. When I collect him up and ask him to go, he is supposed to frame up and work. But I trained him specifically that way.
Andrea
Ive always worked mine the same as Disneyhorse. A loose rein means they are free to strecth out and relax, ie Im not asking anything of them. The way I was taught to drive it that is is exactly the same as riding (rein contact wise), the only difference being use of a whip in place of your leg to ask them to for more speed / impulsion.
I've seen a lot of mini folks that like to drive with slack in the reins, but it inevitably leads to a pony thats unbalanced and stretched out behind instead of balanced and under themselves. When driving, even more than riding your reins are you only source of contact with the pony. The way my trainer described it to me what that riding / driving is like having a slinky in your hands... too much pressure you get a big ball of nothing, too little and it just falls apart in a big mess- but with gentle consistent contact you can make it work.
I've seen a lot of mini folks that like to drive with slack in the reins, but it inevitably leads to a pony thats unbalanced and stretched out behind instead of balanced and under themselves. When driving, even more than riding your reins are you only source of contact with the pony. The way my trainer described it to me what that riding / driving is like having a slinky in your hands... too much pressure you get a big ball of nothing, too little and it just falls apart in a big mess- but with gentle consistent contact you can make it work.
runamuk
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I will third the above.
All my training ridden or driven is loose rein is relax and stretch firmer contact is used to increase speed. (very simplified explanation)
I once in my life rode a very well broke mare who had been owned and trained by one person (super nice guy btw) BUT he knew nothing of any formal training and quite literally his horse worked completely backwards of any horse I had ever ridden...it sure made for an interesting first 1/2 hour while I tried to figure out her cues....after I had it figured out she was one of the best trail horses I have ever ridden
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All my training ridden or driven is loose rein is relax and stretch firmer contact is used to increase speed. (very simplified explanation)
I once in my life rode a very well broke mare who had been owned and trained by one person (super nice guy btw) BUT he knew nothing of any formal training and quite literally his horse worked completely backwards of any horse I had ever ridden...it sure made for an interesting first 1/2 hour while I tried to figure out her cues....after I had it figured out she was one of the best trail horses I have ever ridden
