First try at driving

[dangerranger]

When your mare is in season { skip that day and try again later} When the local dirt bike kids are buzzing around the barn [skip that day.] when your coach cancels [skip that day, are you noticeing a pattern yet?] I broke my own best advise and tryed to harness her, " just to lead her around with the cart ". I lunged her first[ not quite LTD, but for a while.] then I harnessed her and ground drove her for another 15 min. I let her sniff around the cart before I put her to it. I brought it to her with no problems. I conected the tugs on each side, when I tryed to conect the traces and I was having a hard time . while I was doing this the local bikers took off racing down the street. this startled her and she jumped with all fours streight up in the air.I was thinking that a bucking strap should have prevented this but it actualy helped her get the cart about 3ft in the air. after one more jump she stoped and looked back at me as if to say she was sorry. the harness needed restiching and the over check replaced but every thing else seems no worse for ware. it took another hour to calm her down. so much for a gentle intro to the cart! cant wait for next time [ If the coach will still talk to me.] DR.

 

[wiccanz]

:bgrin Worse things happen at sea!! :bgrin

Strangely enough, the first time I hitched my latest horse (Saturday), she was also in season! Didn't seem to bother her much, and today we are driving around the paddock just fine!

Don't give up yet - Things can only get better! :bgrin

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Oops! Yep, that's the reason they say to have a helper around holding onto the shafts while they rest unsecured in the tugs at first. That way it can be quickly and safely removed in case of problems! I'm glad everything turned out okay and next time wait until you have a helper.

:

Leia

 

[rabbitsfizz]

You might also try pulling the cart yourself, alongside her, without blinders, so she can get the feel of it.

When I first hitch up I do not hitch the traces, when I am ready to attach them I do it with string, so they will break easily.

Without the traces attached you will need to pull the cart yourself as the tugs will not do it, but if you practise it is easy.

Good Luck!!

 

[MiLo Minis]

For sure get yourself a helper for the first hitching if you are at all concerned BUT I would say this mare was not ready to be hitched. I would go back to ground driving and introducing everything you can that she would likely meet when in the cart. Have your "friends" on the bikes come racing around while you ground drive her until she doesn't give a fig that they are there. You should also take a really deep breath and try to relax so that you are sure you aren't the one making her nervous or have someone else who is sure about what they are doing to hitch her for you next time. I would also skip the overcheck

You may also have to face the fact that she just may not make a driving horse. She will meet all kinds of noisy scary things out on the road and if her reaction is to buck or bolt she is an accident waiting to happen. Go back to ground driving and see if you can't get her past that first. Good luck with it!

 

[Sandee]

Don't get too discouraged. At least she STOOD while you were trying to hitch up. I had a (14 yr old) QH mare that I sent to a trainer to see if she would drive and was told they couldn't get her stand still long enough to hitch. She'd ground drive but wanted nothing to do with the cart.

 

[NVsOkapi]

LOL, I'm not laughing at you, I am thinking of a time that I did that same thing....but with a HUGE appaloosa mare! :new_shocked: She tried to kill the cart....and then me! I am lucky to be alive! At least it was a mini! (and at least you and and your mini didn't get hurt! ) :bgrin

 

[Chamomile]

I know this is not something most mini people do, but I hitch first to a travois and that seems to help avoid any problems once we get to the cart, plus I don't have to worry about the horse doing any damage to my cart... I drive with the travois for a least a week before I go to the cart.

I'm sure glad that you both came out alright!! I'm sure all will be fine once your coach comes and lends a helping hand! Good luck and we can't wait to see pictures of her driving like a pro!!

 

[PaintedPromiseRanch]

i was very interested to read this as i have just started teaching my pony to drive with the help of a friend who trains... so far we have done ground-driving 4 times, the first three with me on the reins and someone also holding her lead rope, and last night i drove her without assistance (no lead rope) and she is doing very well. but my trainer told me, ground drive only until she is really really good... and only then, move on to the next step. which she says should be to put a couple of PVC poles through the harness loops and drag them... then something with weight on it once she is ok with that. (we have an old tire that my oldest daughter used years ago to teach her horse to drive, the weight is good and it makes noises being dragged so they get used to that kind of thing as well)... it's hard to be patient but i am trying to listen to the instructions and advice and not put her to a cart until she is REALLY ready...

the trainer was also telling me a story about another gal teaching her horse to drive, some dogs came running out and spooked her and kaboom! i told her no worries with my pony, we have EIGHT dogs and she's not afraid, she even plays with them... however i also know that if at some point we are out and a strange dog approaches, it could easily be a different story.

good luck!

 

[wrenhart]

: I feel for you...I have a green mare that I took to a trainer and have been driving for about two months and the other day I hooked her up to my easy entry with a 3 fold top, very cute cart, and drove her about 40 minutes well she decided she was going to jump and boy did she all four feet came off the ground as she bawled and hopped well I came off but held the reins and she kept it up a few more jumps and the cart top and seat snapped off, very diapointing but I new better, I should have kept her in the other cart with no top, well you live and learn...I need a good cart repair man now but am OK and so is she, I am sure she wasin heat too...thanks for the thread I learned a thing or two...good luck

Renee

 

[Sheryl]

Oh boy, that sounds like a bit more excitement then I'd want!

I just helped a friend do her first drive on a very sensitive and spirited 4 year old Morgan. She did a ton of preparation with him, ground driving, driving with poles and kinda dragging the cart behind him. It paid off, it was a complete success and he got off to a great start. She is about 10 drives into it so far and so far, good.

Anyway, the first actual hitching session she led him and made me provide cart power. We had the cart resting in the tugs, but didn't hook it up expect him to pull it right away. Once we got past that and he relaxed, we hooked him up and she climbed in while I led him. After a few laps, I put the lead over his neck (in theory so I could grab it if things went bad lol) and walked along. Then I moved further away and she took over driving. He drove like a pro and we stopped on a very good note. The next day, she did it again with another helper and she trotted! Now, she is on her own, but still in the arena.

 

[dangerranger]

I would say she feeds off of my nervousness. she is normaly fearless around bikes, children, cars, etc... We will wait a week and try again. and Renee if you dont find someone local Im just on the other side of Fresno from you.[ if its metal. ] if its wood thats broken i may know a guy in farmersville who could help. DR.

 

[FairytailGlennMinis]

Wow what an adventure! I agree with teh "back up a bit" idea. And you reaaaalllly need help here....one person is not enough for this stage!! I am a certifiable "I want to do it by myself"-er and I even drag hubby out to help lead while I ground drive and then rattle the cart, push and pull, etc. As for the bucking strap--can you imagine what would have happened if it wasn't there and your horse got a leg over the shaft? Wow.....

Anyway, back up, slow down and all will be well. Before you know it, you will be driving all over the place! :bgrin

 

[wendymac]

Oh my goodness! That sounds like something I would do. LOL I'm glad that you and the mare aren't hurt. I agree with what everyone else says...go back to ground driving, and give her enough time to forget anythign happened.

When I first bought my Quarter Horse, I started ground driving. He was fantastic. Then I got the smart idea (well, what SEEMED like a smart idea at the time) to attach pvc poles in the tugs and let him feel those pressing against his sides. Everything seemed to be going well, until I had a complete brain freeze and took him into the 60' roundpen to ground drive. He walked for a bit, not really caring that the pipes were there...UNTIL he turned to try to look at me, the pipes went out the round pen, started banging around, and he about came unglued. I calmly removed the pipes, threw them out of the round pen, and called it an end to my driving ambitions. LOL He's 13 now, and I think I'm going to try teaching him to drive again...this time, the correct way. It's amazing what you learn in 11 years.