CDE training, looking for info

[Sunraye Miniatures]

Are there any good books or websites that explain it really good about CDE training?

Anybody here do CDE?

 

[countryrose]

check out http://www.minihorsecde.com/

Also the link to american driving society for patterns, etc.

I have volunteered at some events and participated once. It is challenging and a lot of fun.

Good luck

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Me, me me me memememe!! LOL. I've got this giant shipment of books coming from Amazon today for exactly that purpose.

: The best book I've found so far is Heike Bean's Carriage Driving: A Logical Approach Through Dressage. At least I think that's the title, I'm at work and can't really check. Awesome, awesome book which takes horse from start to finish and even explains driving pairs through dressage tests. Most of the books I've ordered today are for ridden dressage or long-lining because the principles are exactly the same. Master the five main principles and teach your horse to use his body and you've got it.

Start by ground-driving your green horse in a halter, just carrying the bit but not using it. Phase in use of the bit once he understands giving to pressure. Work in circles and introduce transitions, starting with installing brakes at the walk. Do not pull the horse into a halt or downward transition, rather give him gentle half-halts with the reins, think "walk" or "whoa," and allow him to gather that forward energy into a smooth transition. Don't short-circuit the energy. Do everything both ways and to both sides. When he gives to the bit, ALWAYS give something back. The horse must learn that the bit is his friend and will never hurt him. Handled this way he should enjoy holding contact with the bit and seek after it when it is removed. The horse must learn to follow after the bit when the reins are loosened and to accept it calmly and willingly when you take stronger contact. Allow your horse to work in a long, low training frame. You want him to learn to round his back up and reach forward and down.

Now start working on the five elements of correct movement. The first and most basic is rhythm. Without rhythm, the horse can't achieve anything else. Lots of long steady trots and large gentle figures until the horse develops a good metronome-like gait. The other four elements, embarrassingly, I can't remember in order. I do not have my book and I am SUCH a student at this point. That's why I'm still reading the book! LOL. I've got two more months until I can really start working with my horse as the weather improves and by then I hope to have it all as memorized as I do the basic ideas of dressage. I will post the rest in order after I get home tonight.

Leia

 

[Sunraye Miniatures]

Thanks!

That websites real helpful. I will defintelly get that book :bgrin .

I have a mini that is trained to drive, and is currently being trained for obstacle driving as we speak, so she's a really good driving horse.

CDE I took a real interest in and I think she can do it.

Are there any events located in the midwest?