I want to start driving my gelding again

[Kira98]

Okay I havent drove him in over a year or so now i think, he has just been out to the pasture

I want to get him ready to start goin with us to the open show circuit i will be showing my full

size horses at ( they have a pony halter class and pleasure driving class

What should i do this winter to start getting him back in shape anything other than lunging in the roundpen

how long should i do that like 5-10min a day for a while and upping it slowly ? thats how i do the biggies

and should i lunge him in a Surcingle with sidereins ?

He is hard to bit and I want one to use on him that would be comfortable for him any suggestions.

He was trained to drive and is a roadster type but he does go at a normal pace doesnt carry head down for

country pleasure but for the open show circuit i just want to show him it would be fun

I havent shown a driving horse before and

i have an enclosed wheel sulky that i plan to make a basket for out of oak so that i can use that

any help on proper way to harness him and get him goin so that we have a good time this spring would be

greatly appreciated. I figure if i show the biggies at halter and drive the mini I will get back into the

swing of things i have been missing

Also what do they wear in driving lol i just usually drive for fun

you can email me at [email protected] or look me up on facebook too

its hard for me to check the forum on my cell phone as im away from the house most of the time

thanks for all the imput and if you know were to look for a nice used show cart that wouldnt break the bank

i have a nice show harness i can take photos etc.. if some one needs to see how it is etc.. and my cart too

 

[RhineStone]

What should i do this winter to start getting him back in shape anything other than lunging in the roundpen

how long should i do that like 5-10min a day for a while and upping it slowly ? thats how i do the biggies

Conditioning and training a mini isn't very much different than a big horse. They are still horses. Actually, I think a lot of people get themselves into trouble with the idea that minis are different than big horses. They really aren't. The training is pretty much the same. The only thing that is different in relation to driving is the weight ratio they can pull. You can easily overface a mini, even though they can pull more pound for pound than a big horse.

The rest of your thread is about 6 different topics rolled in one!

I'll have to email you on some of it. I don't have time tonight, though.

Myrna

 

[MiLo Minis]

Okay I havent drove him in over a year or so now i think, he has just been out to the pasture

I want to get him ready to start goin with us to the open show circuit i will be showing my full

size horses at ( they have a pony halter class and pleasure driving class

The first thing I would do is have his teeth looked at to be sure there haven't been any dental changes since the last time he was bitted.

What should i do this winter to start getting him back in shape anything other than lunging in the roundpen

how long should i do that like 5-10min a day for a while and upping it slowly ? thats how i do the biggies

and should i lunge him in a Surcingle with sidereins ?

Lunging in the round pen is a great idea to get him in better condition BEFORE you ask him to pull the cart again if he is pasture soft. I don't like sidereins as they make a horse stiff not allowing for bend. If you use one side at a time you won't get the full benefit and could cause other problems. Sliding side reins are a better choice.

 

Once he is in more fit condition I would run him through a quick training refresher course and then work him in long lines. Once you are sure he has everything back in his mind hitch him to the cart.

He is hard to bit and I want one to use on him that would be comfortable for him any suggestions.

If he is hard to bit it is likely that either he has a dental condition, he doesn't care for his current bit OR someone has been rough while bridling/unbridling him. He needs retrained once you have had his teeth checked and ascertain whether or not his bit is fitting him correctly. There are hundreds of bits out there so to try to suggest one of them without seeing the horse is just about impossible. I will say that most Minis don't do well with a broken snaffle mouth or any really thick mouth. Half cheeks are a traditional driving bit.

He was trained to drive and is a roadster type but he does go at a normal pace doesnt carry head down for

country pleasure but for the open show circuit i just want to show him it would be fun

I havent shown a driving horse before and

i have an enclosed wheel sulky that i plan to make a basket for out of oak so that i can use that

Sounds like a good plan.

any help on proper way to harness him and get him goin so that we have a good time this spring would be

greatly appreciated. I figure if i show the biggies at halter and drive the mini I will get back into the

swing of things i have been missing

If you don't know how to harness you are going to need someone to teach you. I would not advise trying to learn how to harness and drive from "forum lessons". Find someone nearby who is a driver and ask them for a hand. You can google driving clubs in your area.

Also what do they wear in driving lol i just usually drive for fun

you can email me at [email protected] or look me up on facebook too

its hard for me to check the forum on my cell phone as im away from the house most of the time

This is a huge subject - dressing for driving. For the breed ring regular classes you can just wear your show outfit or a skirt or pants and a jacket. Be sure you choose a jacket that is comfortable and looks nice in a seated position. For stake classes normally you dress a little more formal/fashionable.

thanks for all the imput and if you know were to look for a nice used show cart that wouldnt break the bank

i have a nice show harness i can take photos etc.. if some one needs to see how it is etc.. and my cart too

Graber makes a nicely balanced show cart for less money than the more expensive Jerald.

 

Hope this helps!

 

[REO]

Hey Erika, I miss your coming down and driving together! I have driving stuff and a show cart. How come you didn't ask me?

 

[Kira98]

Hey Erika, I miss your coming down and driving together! I have driving stuff and a show cart. How come you didn't ask me?

OH Robin I FORGOT YOU HAD THAT !!!! MAY I BORROW IT

I miss comin and driving too! Work has me so dadgum busy i am goin to try

hard to work Pharoah between runs and get him ready i want to show him

Thanks guys for all the info - I think the bridle issue is from roughness he has been like that since well way before i got him

and hes not as bad now but I am goin to have his teeth checked out its about that time anyway and I need to get with Rita and find out

what bit that was he was using.

Milo Minis thanks for all that - as for the bit you suggest a mullen mouth type half cheek? I will check my ozark tack catalogue

also i know how to harness im just rusty i love driving them I just want to make sure this new harness is done up correctly cause it

is a no breechin show type

Myrna, thanks and yeah i know they are not dif than the biggies i just want to make sure that i dont over do it starting out

and i plan to condition him before hitching you guys can see him on my webpage under minis in the sulky n harness i have the day after i got it www.rockinelmranch.webs.com and Myrna i just love that pic and that blue cart is fabulous !!!!

I dont know how to drive properly and would love a lesson or two I will have to drive about 2hrs to get to the closest place in OKC

but it would be worth it

thanks for all the info IM goin to try to start getting him ready because my jr riding horse it bred and my other mare is bred and the babies wont be ready til fall so i might as well take the mini with us with the gelding youth horse and her mare

Robin I will email ya later toots ! I totally forgot about that and you should look into this lil open show cirucit its super cheap

and its close there in Wichita Falls and Vernon im goin to try to get Julie to go to and bring a few drivers and halter they only had one mini show up this past OCT !

 

[Kira98]

Hey Erika, I miss your coming down and driving together! I have driving stuff and a show cart. How come you didn't ask me?

OH Robin I FORGOT YOU HAD THAT !!!! MAY I BORROW IT

I miss comin and driving too! Work has me so dadgum busy i am goin to try

hard to work Pharoah between runs and get him ready i want to show him

Thanks guys for all the info - I think the bridle issue is from roughness he has been like that since well way before i got him

and hes not as bad now but I am goin to have his teeth checked out its about that time anyway and I need to get with Rita and find out

what bit that was he was using.

Milo Minis thanks for all that - as for the bit you suggest a mullen mouth type half cheek? I will check my ozark tack catalogue

also i know how to harness im just rusty i love driving them I just want to make sure this new harness is done up correctly cause it

is a no breechin show type

Myrna, thanks and yeah i know they are not dif than the biggies i just want to make sure that i dont over do it starting out

and i plan to condition him before hitching you guys can see him on my webpage under minis in the sulky n harness i have the day after i got it www.rockinelmranch.webs.com and Myrna i just love that pic and that blue cart is fabulous !!!!

I dont know how to drive properly and would love a lesson or two I will have to drive about 2hrs to get to the closest place in OKC

but it would be worth it

thanks for all the info IM goin to try to start getting him ready because my jr riding horse it bred and my other mare is bred and the babies wont be ready til fall so i might as well take the mini with us with the gelding youth horse and her mare

Robin I will email ya later toots ! I totally forgot about that and you should look into this lil open show cirucit its super cheap

and its close there in Wichita Falls and Vernon im goin to try to get Julie to go to and bring a few drivers and halter they only had one mini show up this past OCT !

 

[MiLo Minis]

Milo Minis thanks for all that - as for the bit you suggest a mullen mouth type half cheek? I will check my ozark tack catalogue

also i know how to harness im just rusty i love driving them I just want to make sure this new harness is done up correctly cause it

is a no breechin show type

A mullen mouth can be a good one to try - a nice simple bit. Make sure it is slim enough that he can close his mouth around it comfortably and that it has a big enough arch it isn't squashing his tongue. He may find it confusing as with a straight bit when you operate one rein you actually affect both sides of the bit, if he does you could try a french link. As I said there are so many bit types it is hard to suggest one without actually seeing him.