Dangers of driving-risk assessment

[moriah]

I have been hoping to drive my two minis and have been in the process of training them and searching for the best cart for our purposes. The cart search has been frustrating.

And the more I do this, the more I wonder if driving is such a great idea. I used to ride big horses and have had to give that up. Training the minis is not really a problem although there are lots of differences between riding and driving. I just can't decide if the risks involved in driving are worth it. I've heard over and over how driving is more dangerous than riding. At the same time, I see lots of pictures of people doing it and having a great time - both experts in the show ring, and also the average backyard mini owner. Those of you who drive for pleasure and recreation, how do you feel about the dangers involved? How many people learn to drive later in life? Any kind of feedback would be appreciated.

There are lots of other things I can do with the minis for fun, but I thought driving would at least be able to remind me of the joy I found in riding. Thanks in advance.

 

[RhineStone]

You're right, driving is more dangerous than riding, maybe with the exception of some rodeo events like Bull Dogging and Bronc Riding. However, what experienced drivers are trying to impress on non-experienced drivers and potential drivers is that it is not something to "fool around with". You don't just "hook up your horse and take it for a spin".

You need to get good instruction in what to do, even just to double-check what you learned from a book. This doesn't have to be from a fancy trainer. You'd be surprised how many drivers are more than willing to help newcomers to the sport. But there is a purpose in this help. We don't want people in the ring with us that are not doing things safely, as that person is as much hazard as anything. It's self-preservation and education all at once.

I love driving. I'm not "older", but I find that I can walk normally after I get done driving (this is not the case anymore when I ride, and my husband and I met when we worked a summer job at a commercial riding stable!

). We are some of the youngest competitors (besides the Junior division) at our carriage shows. A lot of people are finding that they would still like to be involved with their horses, but find that riding just isn't their thing anymore, so they teach their kids' show horses how to drive and head out to the shows with them. This is pretty common.

Safety is a HUGE concern of drivers. When I first started taking kids to our State 4-H show and sat with the adult drivers watching the classes, they didn't critique what each kid was wearing or if their horse's head was down far enough like when I would watch the riding classes. They would express concern that some child did not have the bight of his reins "under control" and therefore posed a safety hazard of the reins getting caught in the wheels. The group of us decided that more education of the driving 4-H members was needed and after doing so, the numbers of drivers actually went up. Parents were EXTREMELY grateful for any help, as they totally admitted they had no idea what they were doing. I knew of a horse that qualified for State in Showmanship, but the family decided to teach it to drive and had it at State when it had been driving for a WEEK! It stressed out and reared in lineup, and could have caused a major catastrophy had I not been there to pull it out of the air! I saw the same horse a year later at a clinic I taught, and it was a great horse, but the people just didn't know. If you take a riding horse that has been under saddle for a week to a big show, it can still be a hazard, but just not as big a one.

I hope that explains why it seems that driving is presented as being dangerous. We just know of horror stories all the time of people who just don't know what they are doing having wrecks, and even those that do know what they are doing, but something goes wrong. If it is any help, I know that there are wrecks at most of the carriage shows I have been to in 10 years, but none have resulted in any major injuries.

They have been the result of runaway horses, welds that have broke on carriages, horses "jumping" stuff, horses slipping on wet obstacles or wet or dry grass, harness breakage, bee stings, etc. It usually means that maybe something breaks on the harness as a result (that happened to me when my pony spooked), something breaks on the cart, the horse falls but gets up again, etc. Those are all considered wrecks as the drive cannot be continued, but again not life threatening. (That's not saying that people haven't gotten majorly injured, just not at the shows I have been to, and I hope that doesn't happen!)

Driving really is awesome

, and it is even more so when it is done well and safely!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I am 56 and started driving 7 years ago. I knew nothing about driving, except that I wanted to do it. I am learning more and more all the time. I can see that it might be dangerous, but so is driving a car to the grocery store. If you know your horse it makes it much easier to get started.

Unraveling that harness the first time is enough to intimidate most people! I had never heard of an overcheck, let alone be able to recognize one or attach it correctly. But one step at a time, and it gets more comfortable and pleasureable.

 

[MiLo Minis]

I have both ridden and driven for years and now all I do is drive. It is almost the same as riding, at least the feeling of it is and it is as close as I can get now so it is definitely better than nothing at all!

Yes, driving is more dangerous than riding because of the added risks associated with the cart and harness. Think of the horse being a flight animal. Think of something spooking a riding horse - he can bolt and leave the scary thing behind. Think of something spooking a driving horse - he bolts and all of a sudden he is being chased by a rattling, bouncing, very scary cart hot on his heels! Unless you have some idea of how to handle that, it can end in disaster. There are quite a few more pieces on a driving harness than a saddle and bridle that can break and cause an accident. With a saddle, if the girth breaks, chances are you part with the horse and it is over. With a harness one part breaks and the cart is still attached - just not securely and usually all heck breaks loose then!

I too have seen some very bad wrecks involving driving horses but very few serious injuries, thank goodness!

The reason I always stress getting yourself some knowledgeable or professional help is to minimize those dangers. Learn how to properly harness, hitch and handle a driving horse. Learn how to properly care for a harness and what to watch out for in the way of wear and tear and how to recognize a quality harness. Learn the parts and names of the parts of harness - this is important because if someone hollers "you've broken a holdback!" or any other assorted piece you need to know how that is going to effect your stopping, do you halt NOW and quickly or do you carefully come to a gradual whoa or do you say thanks, I'll take care of it when I get back to the barn? Learn what makes for a safe and enjoyable drive and driving horse. Yes you can fumble through all this on your own with the help of computer advisors and books but NOTHING beats hands on experience as a teacher and if you can prevent yourself, and/or your horse, from being injured using someone else's experience I truly believe that is the best way to go.

I guess I am one of those "fancy trainers" although anyone who knows me would sure never call me fancy!

I can't tell you the number of horses I have had brought to me to be "fixed" by an owner who spent hundreds and thousands on a brand new harness and cart only to save themselves money by attempting to train the horse themselves. Their brand new harness and cart are in pieces and so is the horse, mentally if not physically. It is so much safer, easier and less expensive for me to start a horse from scratch than it is to "fix" them, some of whom never can be fixed.

I work very carefully to prepare both horse and owner to begin enjoying driving and I get a great deal of satisfaction seeing the smiles on those owner's faces once they start to enjoy one of my favorite sports. Every month of training comes with a free lesson and I won't send a horse home without that lesson - it does me and the horse no good at all if the owner doesn't know the cues and methods I have used to teach him.

No, you don't have to use a "fancy trainer" for either you or your horse but having worked with many different horses, all of whom have their own personalities and behavioural quirks, I can tell you I have gained vast amounts of experience and knowledge that someone, who has started their own horse and that's it, won't be able to pass on to you.

Driving is one of the most enjoyable and satisfying activities I know and I heartily recommend it to anyone who owns a horse. EVERY sport comes with inherent risks as does every day life - it is up to you to decide if you are willing to chance those risks to be able to enjoy the sport. I can tell you that if you are nervous to start but still want to attempt it, you would be very wise to begin YOUR training on a well trained and experienced babysitter horse who will keep you safer and minimize the risks.

Good luck and I hope you give it a try!

 

[targetsmom]

Wow, can I empathize with you! I am in my 60's and have just about given up on riding my "big" horse, but I do enjoy driving the minis. I try to be as safety conscious as possible (e.g. always wear a helmet), and I hope I do recognize the dangers. I did drive in college back in the 60's but was pretty much starting from scratch with the minis. In the intervening years I was rarely without horses and I think that helped. I also have been working with a trainer.

That said, I doubt that I will ever get our gelding hooked, as he seems to be too much of a challenge for me. And when we ran into a slight snag with the next mini in training (Princess), I started a THIRD one (Ruby), who turned out to be the charm. Now she and Princess are pretty reliable and both have been shown. In the ring I try to hang out near more experienced drivers and when there is an incident I will carefully avoid looking!

I love driving but I find myself being very more cautious than my younger friends. For example, while CDEs are appealing, I am more comfortable in the ring, so I may just stick with breed shows, Pleasure Driving Shows and ADTs. That is another great thing about driving - there are so many different ways to enjoy it!

As this ad for LB says... (that is me driving)...

 

[Aristocratic Minis]

I'm an old lady, and I love driving!!!! I tell people it's like driving a sports car convertible

I've been driving for about a year. In the beginning, I told the trainer that I don't fall "pretty" and I don't cry "pretty." I wanted to learn with safety in mind. My horses and I have had lessons for more than a year from a professional trainer. My trainer would never want the students to get hurt.

If you learn the basics correctly from an expert, have a safely trained horse and use safety precautions, you'll enjoy driving without being so terrified. That doesn't mean you throw caution aside, but you feel more confident that you know how to handle different situations.

This past year I even started showing. It is great fun and a learning experience each time you go into a class. I can't help but have a big smile while driving, because it is such a great way to work with your horse.

 

[Reble]

I have been hoping to drive my two minis and have been in the process of training them and searching for the best cart for our purposes. The cart search has been frustrating.
I believe the easy entry cart is your best choice.

I just can't decide if the risks involved in driving are worth it. I've heard over and over how driving is more dangerous than riding.

Hubby is the driver and trainer here, I help with the ground work.

We have always found the most important thing in driving a horse, is the horse should be able to stand, in the cart harnessed, after all your teaching and ground driving.

They should stand as long as you want them too. They should never move out untill you tell them too.

The horse should always know the meaning of whoa....these two things can help make a better driving horse for safety.

There are lots of other things I can do with the minis for fun, but I thought driving would at least be able to remind me of the joy I found in riding. Thanks in advance.

Hubby says Driving minis is the most enjoyable and fun.

JMO and experience

 

[michele80906]

'Hubby is the driver and trainer here, I help with the ground work.

We have always found the most important thing in driving a horse, is the horse should be able to stand, in the cart harnessed, after all your teaching and ground driving.

They should stand as long as you want them too. They should never move out untill you tell them too.

The horse should always know the meaning of whoa....these two things can help make a better driving horse for safety.'

Well I will just jump on in here and say (holding up my hand) I just had a cart accident about a month ago. Happened out of the blue, no warning, no nothing, and I can say I was caught off guard. I rode horses for over 30 years, broke colts, showed, jumped, ran barrels, road high mountain trails..blablabla. Can't believe it happened but it did. My little guy had at least 60 days of training and I worked with a friend of mine who has been driving. I also ground drove him all over on roads and places for months way before I ever entered the cart. I thought we were doing just hunky dorey...then bamo. Now my guy is NOT spooky and is very easy going, never even offered to buck or kick. We had been carting for over 6 months all over the place before this accident happened. Out of the blue, we were long trotting, and suddently, buck and kick he did, ran off with me, took the cart off road (we live in a very rural subdivision that is more like a forest than anything) and I finally had to bale as the cart was tipping over. Took me over 2 hours to find him and he was stuck with the cart between 2 trees. Sore and upset, I decided that first off I had under estimated the power of these little minis and 2, things happen because after all, they are horses! Who knows what happened? A rock, a bee, some predator spook...will never know but I was not paying enough attention and he got the jump on me. 3rd, I don't think we worked hard enough on "whoa". I am not afraid to get back driving but I have started back to ground zero, like I did with all my colts. I decided it's good for me and good for the mini and hope to be back driving by spring after all my ground work is done. Oh, and I rode big horses with my helmet...hello! I will be driving with a helmet after i get started again. Don't be afraid of driving, just make sure you have all your training in place. Oh, and I am a beginner also....and I'm 51 years young.

 

[MiLo Minis]

One thing that will cause a horse to bolt seemingly out of the blue is getting a hair caught in the crouper. You need to be very careful to lay all the tail hairs straight before placing the crouper under his tail. At this time of year it is easy to get a stray hair or two bent back and when he gets moving they can be plucked out stinging him into a buck or bolt or both.

 

[michele80906]

'Hubby is the driver and trainer here, I help with the ground work.

We have always found the most important thing in driving a horse, is the horse should be able to stand, in the cart harnessed, after all your teaching and ground driving.

They should stand as long as you want them too. They should never move out untill you tell them too.

The horse should always know the meaning of whoa....these two things can help make a better driving horse for safety.'

Well I will just jump on in here and say (holding up my hand) I just had a cart accident about a month ago. Happened out of the blue, no warning, no nothing, and I can say I was caught off guard. I rode horses for over 30 years, broke colts, showed, jumped, ran barrels, road high mountain trails..blablabla. Can't believe it happened but it did. My little guy had at least 60 days of training and I worked with a friend of mine who has been driving. I also ground drove him all over on roads and places for months way before I ever entered the cart. I thought we were doing just hunky dorey...then bamo. Now my guy is NOT spooky and is very easy going, never even offered to buck or kick. We had been carting for over 6 months all over the place before this accident happened. Out of the blue, we were long trotting, and suddently, buck and kick he did, ran off with me, took the cart off road (we live in a very rural subdivision that is more like a forest than anything) and I finally had to bale as the cart was tipping over. Took me over 2 hours to find him and he was stuck with the cart between 2 trees. Sore and upset, I decided that first off I had under estimated the power of these little minis and 2, things happen because after all, they are horses! Who knows what happened? A rock, a bee, some predator spook...will never know but I was not paying enough attention and he got the jump on me. 3rd, I don't think we worked hard enough on "whoa". I am not afraid to get back driving but I have started back to ground zero, like I did with all my colts. I decided it's good for me and good for the mini and hope to be back driving by spring after all my ground work is done. Oh, and I rode big horses with my helmet...hello! I will be driving with a helmet after i get started again. Don't be afraid of driving, just make sure you have all your training in place. Oh, and I am a beginner also....and I'm 51 years young.

Oh, one thing more. In all my reading prior to driving I never heard of a kick strap. After further study and research, I am definitely getting one, period the end. I have a pro working on me with this one, someone who drove for many many years, big and small horses, competitions and training horses for driving. She designed this particular kick strap and would never drive without one. And on my internet searches, all the trainers and drivers that use them would never drive and certainly not train without one. Probably would have given me that little bit of edge in my particular situation. Just more education. It's interesting to me in all the reading I have done and the people I have talked to and all the books and videos I have seen and read why no one seems to want to discuss this particular issue. They all talk about having lots of ground work and training and how important it is but no one that I have read discusses what to do in an emergency situation and perhaps, like the kickstrap, equipment that might possibly help. Maybe it's like getting bucked off...no one wants to talk about it.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

It's interesting to me in all the reading I have done and the people I have talked to and all the books and videos I have seen and read why no one seems to want to discuss this particular issue. They all talk about having lots of ground work and training and how important it is but no one that I have read discusses what to do in an emergency situation and perhaps, like the kickstrap, equipment that might possibly help. Maybe it's like getting bucked off...no one wants to talk about it.

And that, my dear, is why God created the Internet!! *LOL* No, seriously, there is a lot of discussion on internet forums these days about kick straps, emergencies, and how to handle them, and I think that's a real blessing. You're right that a lot of older driving books don't cover those subjects in any detail but that seems to be changing. A kick strap is a piece of safety equipment just like the helmets bullriders now wear and the flak jackets eventers wear, and just like those I think there was a certain stigma about using such "sissy" things at first. Traditional drivers considered using one to mean your horse had a problem and of course 99% of the time nothing happens, so why use one? I don't know if you read the "Safety Equipment" thread but I posted a similar experience to yours there and it reinforced my feeling that I should never be without a kickstrap in my training arsenal. I am one who probably won't use it all the time simply because it's one more thing to have to buckle up and I'm experienced enough to gauge the risks, but I will always use one on a green horse, a known kicker, a horse going out in company or out somewhere exciting for the first few times, anytime a child of mine is driving, etc. And if I don't use one, you can bet I'm going to have a helmet on and be on alert!

Horses are risky, there's no getting around that basic fact. So are cars, and that's why we wear seat belts. It's foolish in my opinion not to use every piece of safety equipment we can to make it safer. That includes good training, investing enough time to do things right, having good equipment and safety training, and using helmets and kickstraps when appropriate. As Margo has said before- a kick strap is insurance. You hope you never need it, but boy you're glad you had it if you do!

Driving should be fun and the less you have to worry, the funner it is.

Leia

 

[michele80906]

'One thing that will cause a horse to bolt seemingly out of the blue is getting a hair caught in the crouper. You need to be very careful to lay all the tail hairs straight before placing the crouper under his tail.'

I heard that from someone else. I have no idea if that was what it was but usually I check to make sure there is nothing under the crouper or the tail...it will remain a mystery. Thank you for the advice. Michele, Colorado

 

[michele80906]

"I don't know if you read the "Safety Equipment" thread but I posted a similar experience to yours there and it reinforced my feeling that I should never be without a kickstrap in my training arsenal. "

I had not read your thread but I did go back and read it yesterday. Your accident sounded a lot like mine but I had no open field for him to run into. Once you go off road it's lots of cactus, arroyas, cedars, pines, dips and gullys. There are hundreds and hundreds of miles in our gated subdivision with lots of places to run away too. Anyway, the only way I found him was I did find his tracks where he tried to get to the road and my water bottle. He was trying to go home poor thing but to get to the road he would have had to drop off a cliff area, so he turned around and headed back whence he came. He then tried for a straight line home, cross country down a deep arroya and got stuck. I started calling him name and he snorted, then whinnied...and there he was, part way down the hill. He was still fixed to the cart by the traces and his breast collar. We have lots of predators in our area and I was very worried about finding him before nightfall. He was not hurt at all...just shaky and glad I rescued him. Harness being repaired...cart was ok surprisingly..just a little bend in a shaft, easily fixed.

I received lots of advice to start him over...but at that point I didn't need any. I decided for myself it wouldn't hurt me or him to start from beginning so that is what we are doing. Lots of longing, will do lots of driving again with the reins, and slowly back to the cart when I feel I have instilled the "whoa" in him for emergencies. AND...a kick strap and a helmet for me. I sold my helmet after I sold my big horses...lol. I am hoping his accident did not instill any fear in pulling the cart again...my gut tells me no. I never had any big horses ruined from accidents I had with them. Any advice on that one? Michele, Colorado

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I am hoping his accident did not instill any fear in pulling the cart again...my gut tells me no. I never had any big horses ruined from accidents I had with them. Any advice on that one? Michele, Colorado

Honestly? The best thing to do is get them back in the cart for at least a few minutes as soon as possible...preferably right after the accident if the horse is not hurt. If the last experience the horse has with the cart is a scary or painful one, that's what they're going to remember most and it will grow in their minds the longer they stew on it. Even just a few moments of stop/start/turn the cart right after it happens or the next morning would help. It's good that you're going back to basics if he doesn't have a proper "whoa" and I'd encourage you to go ahead and do that but from his perspective it's going to look an awful lot like being hooked to the cart is a Big Scary Deal and even Mom is afraid of it now!

If he's comfortable with it then hitch him up and drive a little in an enclosed area, end on a good note, then go back to groundwork for awhile.

The kinds of driving accidents that ruin horses are the ones where they get hurt by the vehicle or take off and then become terrified by it chasing them. Simply running away, having it turn over or getting stuck like your guy did usually does not leave mental scars.

Leia

 

[ruffian]

I have been hoping to drive my two minis and have been in the process of training them and searching for the best cart for our purposes. The cart search has been frustrating.
And the more I do this, the more I wonder if driving is such a great idea. joy I found in riding. Thanks in advance.

YES it IS a great idea. It's a lot of fun. and IMO SAFER than riding. If you fall, it's a shorter distance to the ground. More straps would have to break to have the cart come off like a saddle would if the cinch breaks. A riding buck will put you way up in the air. Pretty hard to get thrown into the air real far from a cart. Yes, it can happen, but anything can. Pretty easy to get a foot caught in a stirrup.

I've been tossed from a cart - horse went left, I went straight.

I've been tossed on to the back of the horse - silly horse ran into the barn wall. In both instances came out OK.

So I would vote for continue on your cart search and get your guys driving. It's a blast!

 

[RhineStone]

I find "not spooky" horses scarier than "spooky" ones. At least you know when spooky horses are edgy about something! Stoic horses seem to take it all in stride and then when they blow, they blow hard and fast. I find it VERY important to try to spook a "not spooky" horse in the training process just so you know how they will handle it when it happens.

 

[wildoak]

I got a taste this past year of what can happen if things go wrong in a cart, and it's made me a lot more cautious. No serious injuries and no major equipment failures, just two horses who should have been very broke if not very experienced - one runaway in an arena, and one who decided to kick the cart (a lot

). I've started 7 or 8 horses probably since we've had minis, with no issues at all until now. I don't consider myself an expert by any means, but I've ridden most of my nearly 60 years and shown, started colts, etc. This year slowed me down pretty significantly - I also got tossed off a 16 hand gelding, another one of those out of the blue things, and it's impacted my confidence in a big way. Never thought I would have any fear of getting on a horse but I'm having to push myself now, and can't imagine giving it up completely.

The risk comparison isn't black & white - riding you deal with 1000 pounds of horse and there is no question that you can be seriously injured. Driving a mini, you have to factor in any number of malfunctions you can have with horse & equipment. You aren't dealing with the sheer power of a big horse, but 250 pounds of terrified horse can still wreak havoc. In either case I think you just do all you can to insure your safety, get expert/professional help, and don't ride or drive without someone around. There is no other feeling like it in the world, so we all gamble just a little bit with our safety in return for a great ride/drive.

Jan

 

[Ferrah]

Maybe it's because I'm young, but my view on the matter is that I am just as likely to get hurt, injured or die just by getting out of bed in the morning. I'm not going to stop doing what I love and what I was born to do just because there is a chance I might get hurt. If I lived with this kind of attitude I wouldn't drive a car, ride a bike, get on a plane much less try to tell a living, breathing, thinking animal what to do and strap a cart to him. Spend too much time worrying about being hurt and you forget how to live.

That being said, you should always arm yourself with as much information as you can, so you are prepared for an emergency to protect both yourself and your equine partner.

 

[Sandee]

You've gotten some pretty good advice here. I'll add my experience anyway.

I too gave up riding because of bad knees. I thought all was lost but then we bought a mini that drove and had been shown. This old been there done that guy taught me just about everything I know about minis. I was handed the reins and told "it's just like English riding!" Don't know how it's been for him (outside of he no longers has lice or worms) but it's been a blast for me.

Yes, you can get hurt. Heck, stepping outside on a frozen pavement in a Wisconsin winter, I could break my neck. The main thing to remember is that these little guys are still HORSES! I have always thought that most accidents occur because the rider or driver isn't paying strict enough attention. [As a "horse person" you know it's the calm quiet horse that suddenly kicks you in his stall --because you never thought he'd do ANYTHING.]

Always beware of what's around you and your horse. Always pay attention to feeling him in the reins. Always remember that he takes his cues from you. If you panic so will he. If you're calm and quieting, he'll come back under control sooner. If you've ridden much you know these things and it's like riding a bike, it will all come back. (Oh, just don't try to do those TIGHT turns for a stop. Make them a little bigger)

By the way that "old'" gelding suddenly came alive in the arena on my first try at obstacle driving. Seems he suddenly recognized what was going on and he took me through the cones at a clip that showed shock/terror all over my face. Then he came right back down to complete the "wheel between the poles". The ride was thrilling! How do I know that my face showed the surprise? Well, as I looked back, the judges were all laughing themselves silly but we won the class. That's when I got HOOKED on driving.