Training to Drive

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HorseMom

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I've recently started my mini stud in ground driving. The trainer I'm working with has minimal experience with driving but I really like her and she gets results. For a horse that has had no training for all 7 years of his life, he certainly has taken to it. I bought him last year and his previous owners used him as a lawn ornament. We've gotten far enough in the ground driving (we can walk, trot, stop, back, and do circles and figure eights easily) that Crystal (trainer) and I were talking about rigging something up to resemble shafts and have some weight in the back to get him used to it before we put a cart behind him. I was wondering if anyone has done something similar? Would you be able to provide pictures and directions on construction?

Thanks,

Heather
 
Al B came up with a pvc rig that I copied and really like.

It's pouring down rain at the moment, but I can take a picture when the rain stops.
 
I don't remember getting the royalty check from that
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Seriously it's about $5 worth of PVC that simulates the shafts and something dragging behind. Very simple to build and cheap to replace.
 
pvc-1.jpg


PVC is 1"

From what would be the point of the shoulder:

cap, 10" pvc, straight connector, 36" pvc, t connector, 4" pvc, 45 connector, 26.5" pvc, cap

The straight connector is to allow you to put the tugs in front of it to begin (they will come out quickly) and behind once you're ground driving okay. I glue everything except the 45 connecrtors ( that allows them to fall apart if the horse runs off)

The pvc piece that connects the two shafts is 18.5", but you would adjust to your horse.

You can see in the next picture how the bottom pieces angle out to allow you to walk inbetween without getting tripped.

pvc2.jpg


Send royalty checks to Al B
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The straight connector is to allow you to put the tugs in front of it to begin (they will come out quickly) and behind once you're ground driving okay.
Sorry, I'm "reading for comprehension" challenged. What exactly do you mean? Are you talking about the 10" pieces? If it's glued, how can it come apart quickly?

Thanks
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The straight connector is to allow you to put the tugs in front of it to begin (they will come out quickly) and behind once you're ground driving okay.
Sorry, I'm "reading for comprehension" challenged. What exactly do you mean? Are you talking about the 10" pieces? If it's glued, how can it come apart quickly?

Thanks
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The shafts will come out of the tugs quickly if you put the tugs in front of the straight connector.

You don't glue the 45 degree connector (at the other end ) .
 
Thanks, JourneysEnd. I'll e-mail this to my trainer. This looks like it'll work very well. As soon as she gets back from the show we'll have to go shopping and get it together.

Al B, I'll have that royalty check in the mail ASAP.
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Heather
 
Just remember--do NOT try to back a horse in one of these rigs!

I have one I made years ago using directions from Doris Ganton's book; it looks much like an Native American 'travois'.

It works OK, but I've trained my last several horses w/o even using it. I just take lots of time; use a single piece of PVC, about 7' long or so, and 'pole' them with that, one side at a time, w/ one hand, while handling the reins w/ the other...if the horse objects, it is simple to just pull the 'pole' back out of the tug loop and drop it (though I've never had it bother a horse.)You can wiggle and waggle the 'pseudo shaft', turn the horse while letting it push into their shoulder as it would in turning a straight-shafted cart....has worked very well for me. Of course, you need to have built a firm, slow foundation--AND be an excellent one-handed rein handler!

Margo
 
I just take lots of time; use a single piece of PVC, about 7' long or so, and 'pole' them with that, one side at a time, w/ one hand, while handling the reins w/ the other...if the horse objects, it is simple to just pull the 'pole' back out of the tug loop and drop it (though I've never had it bother a horse.)You can wiggle and waggle the 'pseudo shaft', turn the horse while letting it push into their shoulder as it would in turning a straight-shafted cart....has worked very well for me. Of course, you need to have built a firm, slow foundation--AND be an excellent one-handed rein handler!
Margo
I totally agree with you Margo as taking the time to do this properly is the most important thing. I've heard of so many people that say just ground drive them 2 or 3 days then slap a cart on them and go. I do not agree with this at all as it is not fair to the horse. I always take my time to get a horse driving properly so that they understand and will be a safe and willing partner.

Kim
 
I am one that doesn't use the poles. I did make a set to use on the Morgans years ago--so many people said they were an absolute necessity & so we made a set--and absolutely hated them. Almost ruined one horse because of that contraption--and so we took it apart & never used it again. We have much more success without using the poles. I will use a single pole, held on one side of the horse as Margo describes, on some horses.
 
I agree completely with Minimor. It has been my experience that the best way to train a horse to shafts is to put them in the shafts of a vehicle properly hitched. There is nothing out there that truly simulates the shafts and the way they feel to a horse that is safe to use other than a light 2 wheel cart. That is not absolutely safe either but of all the things I have seen, heard of or tried it IS the safest method to use. All those contraptions will all work on SOME horses without incidence but the one they don't work on can be totally disastrous and very dangerous. It is a completely unnecessary step for 99.9% of the horses out there. Margo's version of poling is likely the best method although, again, fairly dangerous without an assistant and I don't think I would try it either - too many things can go wrong. When you put some thought into it how much does one pole on one side of a horse simulate the shafts anyway? It isn't the shaft the horse is frightened off exactly - it is being pinned between two of them. He bumps against one and when he moves away from it he bumps against the other - trapped!!! Can only go forward in fright and flight. With only one pole on one side he doesn't feel that so the first time you put him in shafts he is going to have the same reaction he would have without being single poled in the first place. A properly hitched cart will go with a horse in flight and give you the opportunity to slow and stop him without any harm most often. Training a horse to drive is really not advisable for a person with little or no experience.
 
Lori is right--the single pole method is no substitute for the feel of the shafts, just because of that "trapped" feeling she describes. I think I've used the single pole on only 2 horses, and they were horses that were just very very ticklish about anything touching along their sides. For them the single pole did serve a purpose. For most of the horses, though, there is no benefit in using a pole in that fashion, and the cart shafts are the best/safest thing.
 

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