Driving Horse Update

[Cindy]

Hello All,

Now, about 6 weeks have passed since the last update on your successes and training ....let's hear how your horses are coming along. Pretty soon we'll all be too busy "showing and going" to be able to write and discuss!

Also, add a bit about what you are doing to continue to learn new skills ....are you reading a special book, taking lessons from an experienced driver, or perhaps have you purchased a new video to learn from.

Here in New York ....still cold and blowing outside in the 20's so we're not driving or longlining but simply loving on our minis right now! But, I'm reading Heike Bean's wonderful book.... Carriage Driving: A Logical Approach Through Dressage Training. Spectacular book and my husband, Walter, and I have made plans to attend The Driving Forum next month in Massachusetts in order to attend two of Heike's seminars. Really looking forward to that!

So, let's hear from all of you who still live in "all-around driving climates!" How's it going?

Cindy

 

[targetsmom]

Sorry I missed the last check-in. I had surgery in December which put quite a crimp in our driving training, but I was able to resume the long line work for awhile before the deep freeze. And now we have snow on the ground so not much further progress. But, I did find a local driving trainer through the www.cde4vse website! She trains mostly big horses and shows at places like Walnut Hill. She and her husband came over a few weeks ago for an assessment and confirmed that our filly is ready to be hitched. We are just waiting for better weather and safe ground conditions. Also, I have signed up for a driving clinic with Mike McCabe in late April, sponsored by the Northeast Miniature Horse Club. I am so excited about this that I have started a second filly! I am hooked. I am also reading the Carriage Driving book you mentioned.

 

[maranatha minis]

I am hopefully picking up a horse this weekend that has been at the trtainers since Oct. Then plan on going to a 3 day driving clinic at Parnell Stables the end of March. I want to try to train my 3 yo filly my self.

 

[Cindy]

I saw both of those clinics advertised ....well, there is much to be learned and I bet those will be great educational experiences for everyone. Glad to hear about the plans! Please post information about these clinics when you return ....kind of like a report to help all of us who cannot attend. That would be very helpful ....

Cindy

 

[shane]

hi guys....

its going GREAT!!!!! my boy loves it and so do i....im going to my first get together next sunday, and theres going to be a lot of experienced drivers there, we are going to get advise on harnessing, which is great as ive got three new harnesses and they are all so different, my cart is fantastic its excatley as it says on the tin lol,

i cant wait to see old friends and new ....we are having a blast!!

my boy is loving his new job as his wife is having a baby lol

roll on spring though as we are getting a lot of rain

ive been looking at driving outfits and whips, and also ive joined a DRIVING club!!!! they are a great bunch of people and ive been going to watch for years so know quite a few of them

this is always a thread i like to see, thanks for keeping it going :aktion033:

 

[wiccanz]

So far so good...

I have sold one of the fillies I was starting in harness, the one I have kept has been longreining in full harness (breeching included), but we are about to come to the busiest part of our show season, which ends with the New Zealand Miniature Horse Show on 9,10,11 March.

So Cracker's training is on hold until after that, then I will have all winter to put in some serious training. :bgrin

Here she is back in January

 

[dangerranger]

One of our girls[Phebe] is doing well in the harness, the other [ Sassy]I went back to the ground basics with. Im going to start Phebe dragging poles this week.I already contacted one driving coach this week but she was booked up. so Im looking for another. I do enjoy reading of others progress, so how is everyone else doing? DR.

 

[CheyAut]

I've barely done any work on the horses I want to train! But... my schedual changes in a week, which will allow me MUCH MUCH more time to work with the horses, so I"m planning on restarting then

Jessi