Driving question

[RAPfrosty]

I've been thinking about Fever's driving training. I have decided to send him somewhere to be trained to drive as I know I can't do it myself due to lack of experience. However, my timing is a bit off. With summer coming I would have so much more time to go and spend with him and sending him off seems like a waste of good one on one time with my horse. So I was thinking, maybe it would be a good idea to have him trained during my freshman year of college (fall 2008) since I wouldn't have much time to spend with him and atleast he'd be getting attention.

So my question is, would it hurt to wait anouther year and a half or so when he's 4 to have him trained to drive or do you think it would be better to just do it now when he's 2 almost 3?

Thank you so much, I hope that's not confusing!

 

[MiLo Minis]

It won't hurt at all to wait if it suits you better. You can teach old horses new tricks :bgrin I have started 12 and 14 year olds to drive and they did just fine.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I don't think it would hurt at all. It will give his bones time to strengthen and fuse more, his muscles to fill out, and his brain to grow up and be ready for anything you want to teach him. It's just more time for him to learn to trust people and accept anything you can throw at him as normal. Go for it!

In fact older horses are sort of nice in that you can progress as fast as their personalities will allow without having to hold back in consideration of their physical immaturity.

Leia

 

[wade3504]

I have a gelding that was started at five and he does great most of the time. I have a gelding that just turned 3 and could kick myself now for pushing him so soon. He's mentally not like he once was now and I wished I hadn't done it. I also suggest when you send him off send him somewhere where you can check on him frequently.

 

[targetsmom]

There might just be another option. We don't like sending our horses away either, so we found a local driving trainer who is going to help us. Of course she doesn't specialize in miniatures, but we did find her through a link on the CDC for VSE website http://www.cde4vse.com/. Good luck, whatever you decide to do.