RhineStone
Well-Known Member
Last week, I posted a comment about a class at our local mini club fun show called "Blind Horse Driving". I was asked to explain further, and never got around to it. So here goes....btw, I don't think I have any photos, but wouldn't that have been great?
A pair of people was given a blindfold and a rope about 10' long or so. A longer lead rope would work. The front person (horse) was blindfolded and put the rope around their waist in their hands, so their hands were at waist level. It helped the "horse" to have something solid to put their hands against (hips) vs. the hands being "loose". This would "imitate" the jaw of the horse. The back person (driver) held the "reins". Each couple was to "drive" the obstacle driving course, the same one used for the horses. We also used this activity at a 4-H driving clinic for the kids to try. Some variations could include using actual driving reins buckled to a bit held by the "horse", trying a "tandem" (that would be awesome!), or having the "horse" pull a cart and using only voice to command.
What most everyone comes away with is that "slacky" reins don't help communicate with the animal very effectively. The other thing I found while being the horse is that when I wasn't being "communicated" with, I found myself pulling on the reins, "looking" for where my driver was. When the reins would go slack, my turns were more abrupt, and stops harder and faster. There was no "finesse" about it. Once I got Chad (husband) to "take up on the reins", the cues were fast and smooth, and so were we!
"Horses" could find themselves being confused by cues that were too soft in their minds, but "hard" in the driver's mind. This was also where voice commands would help "fill in the blanks", i.e. "No, not that way! Go left!" at which the "horse" tended to say, "That's not what you 'told' me!" It also pointed out the necessity of smooth transitions. Those drivers that pulled harder got faster stops than they wanted to when their "horse" all of a sudden stopped dead in front of them, sending them into the back of the "horse".
Each couple's course was timed first with one person driving and then the other, with the lowest total combined time winning. Of course, even if you only did this as an activity without the contest, it would still be an incredible learning experience, and a bit more fun than practicing on a rein board.
(It is also HILARIOUS to watch!)
Myrna
A pair of people was given a blindfold and a rope about 10' long or so. A longer lead rope would work. The front person (horse) was blindfolded and put the rope around their waist in their hands, so their hands were at waist level. It helped the "horse" to have something solid to put their hands against (hips) vs. the hands being "loose". This would "imitate" the jaw of the horse. The back person (driver) held the "reins". Each couple was to "drive" the obstacle driving course, the same one used for the horses. We also used this activity at a 4-H driving clinic for the kids to try. Some variations could include using actual driving reins buckled to a bit held by the "horse", trying a "tandem" (that would be awesome!), or having the "horse" pull a cart and using only voice to command.
What most everyone comes away with is that "slacky" reins don't help communicate with the animal very effectively. The other thing I found while being the horse is that when I wasn't being "communicated" with, I found myself pulling on the reins, "looking" for where my driver was. When the reins would go slack, my turns were more abrupt, and stops harder and faster. There was no "finesse" about it. Once I got Chad (husband) to "take up on the reins", the cues were fast and smooth, and so were we!
"Horses" could find themselves being confused by cues that were too soft in their minds, but "hard" in the driver's mind. This was also where voice commands would help "fill in the blanks", i.e. "No, not that way! Go left!" at which the "horse" tended to say, "That's not what you 'told' me!" It also pointed out the necessity of smooth transitions. Those drivers that pulled harder got faster stops than they wanted to when their "horse" all of a sudden stopped dead in front of them, sending them into the back of the "horse".
Each couple's course was timed first with one person driving and then the other, with the lowest total combined time winning. Of course, even if you only did this as an activity without the contest, it would still be an incredible learning experience, and a bit more fun than practicing on a rein board.
Myrna
