Stripe13
Well-Known Member
I've been driving for about a year now, and I've been absolutely loving it! I have my main show horse Jessica, who really helped me learn how to drive. She was broken for driving before I got her and she took it right in stride once I started driving her again. I love driving Jessica, but I do have a few questions about how to make both Jess and I become better. I know the basics, however I come from a western riding horse background and I'm sure theres more to it than just the basics. I want to start showing in more breed shows this upcoming year, and I really need to get more refined in my driving training XD Sadly I don't have any advanced mini trainers I can get lessons from in my area, so I decided to ask here!
Here are my questions:
How do you get a driving horse to soften into the bit?
How do you get a driving horse into the right bend? Is this even important? (I would hope so?)
How do you get a driving horse to collect with its whole body?
How do you get your mini to drive with their hind end instead of their front?
how can you tell if your mini is nicely collected/driving with their hind end?
What exactly is "bridling up" your mini?
I've noticed that Jessica likes to "hang" on the bit while turning and will sometimes counter-bend. She will do this both in the cart and ground driving. How can I help with this?
I know judges like to look for extension from the front end and engagement of the hocks in the back while in driving classes. I'm planning to show Jessica in the western country pleasure/classic pleasure classes at breed shows, but she doesn't have the super long and graceful strides that most of the horses showing in these classes have. She also really doesn't have the fancy extension that the other breed classes have, however she does have a pretty nice low neck. I know most movement is mainly based off of conformation, but Is there a way to improve her movement and get nicer strides?
how can you work on headset with a mini? Jess normally has a nice low headset however sometimes she likes to bring her neck up and her nose out, especially when she'c clipped. How can I work on this?
are there any more advanced tips I should be aware of that you can think of?
Do you have any tips for breed show driving? (especially trail driving and western country pleasure/classic pleasure)
Here are my questions:
How do you get a driving horse to soften into the bit?
How do you get a driving horse into the right bend? Is this even important? (I would hope so?)
How do you get a driving horse to collect with its whole body?
How do you get your mini to drive with their hind end instead of their front?
how can you tell if your mini is nicely collected/driving with their hind end?
What exactly is "bridling up" your mini?
I've noticed that Jessica likes to "hang" on the bit while turning and will sometimes counter-bend. She will do this both in the cart and ground driving. How can I help with this?
I know judges like to look for extension from the front end and engagement of the hocks in the back while in driving classes. I'm planning to show Jessica in the western country pleasure/classic pleasure classes at breed shows, but she doesn't have the super long and graceful strides that most of the horses showing in these classes have. She also really doesn't have the fancy extension that the other breed classes have, however she does have a pretty nice low neck. I know most movement is mainly based off of conformation, but Is there a way to improve her movement and get nicer strides?
how can you work on headset with a mini? Jess normally has a nice low headset however sometimes she likes to bring her neck up and her nose out, especially when she'c clipped. How can I work on this?
are there any more advanced tips I should be aware of that you can think of?
Do you have any tips for breed show driving? (especially trail driving and western country pleasure/classic pleasure)