No desire to pull a cart.

[Range]

I've been working with my mini mare for two seasons now, and we're still not close to me riding in the cart! Is it possible that she just has no desire to pull a cart and I shouldn't force her?

I ground drove her all last year and have finally gotten all my harness and cart issues fixed. She pulls the cart when I lead her, but as soon as I get behind her to drive that way (not IN the cart), she pitches a fit. A BIG fit. She wants to go where she wants to go and when I try to direct her, that's when she pitches a fit.

So, I'm just wondering, is she just not cut out for this?

 

[hobbyhorse23]

It's possible. Pulling a cart is not something every horse enjoys or is well suited to do. There are a lot of things it could be with your mare and it's hard to tell when we can't see her in person. You said you've been ground-driving her- has she taken direction when you're behind her that way? Have you tried having someone else lead her while you drive from behind the cart in order to make the transition easier? Is she just being tempermental (i.e. throwing a tantrum) or does she appear scared or confused? Does she try to whirl and find you? Have you had her drag a tire or skid before you tried hitching her to the cart? Has she been introduced to turning with shafts around her? Have you checked her bit and mouth to make sure she isn't reacting to pain when you try to steer her?

I think one of the best things you could do would be to take her to a professional trainer for an evaluation and some lessons for both of you. Someone who can see what is going on will be able to give much better advice than we can over the internet.

Leia

 

[nootka]

Leia pretty much nailed what I might have said and then some.

I do believe, that even in the absence of any physical reason that might be stopping your horse from pulling the cart, there are certain animals that just don't "get" what their typical jobs might be (such as a dog that doesn't like protecting his home, or a horse that doesn't like being ridden/driven, etc.).

Good luck figuring out what the problems are!

Liz M.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Try taking the blinders off- also do not do this with her in the cart, please, a lot of horses are actually happier without blinders but the odd one will have a breakdown.

Back to basics!!

Ground drive without blinders and see if she is better.

Also , have yo a person to help??

Someone to stand at her head whilst you drive??

That would solve that issue.

:

 

[Jill]

What Jane / Rabbit says is EXACTLY what sprang to my mind. An open bridle may solve this problem. Most if not all my driving horses have been started in an open bridle and have been driven with the cart for awhile in an open bridle before the blinders were ever used. It "freaks" some horses out to not ever have seen what's behind them and it is probably making your mare flip out when she feels weight behind her and has never realized WHAT is behind her. Another thing I think helps before you are at the point of hooking them up is to have an assistant pull the cart first in front of the horse, then to the side, and then behind over a period of several days to help the horse fully see what the cart is and understand the noises that come from it.

It may take "a long time" with your mare now because I think at this point, she's built "what's behind me" into something to be afraid of but I do feel an open bridle is the likely solution to the problem...

So far, I have had only one horse that I wanted to drive who was not able to be trained and maybe a different trainer would have gotten her into the cart. This mare was / is (I sold her) very jumpy and would just be spooked by things easily. I just finally concluded that even if another trainer could get her into the cart, she probably was not "my type" to drive because I do not want to be on edge about a hot driving horse.

But, from what you describe, I don't think you horse is truly hot or "nutty" at all, just really afraid since she has not ever been able to see what is following her

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