[drivingpairs] Home Method Of Putting To



Hi Kathleen, 

Our method of putting to at home is different than
what we do at shows.  We have a barn with a front to
back aisle, 12 ft wide, 12ft high between the sides
with stalls.  There are two sets of crossties, 12ft
apart.

Our horses get used to being tied, then crosstied as
younger animals.  Two seperate lessons to learn well. 
As horses get old enough to drive or ride, they spend
more time in crossties being saddled or harnessed,
shod, trimmed or vetted.  It is a familiar place, they
know stand-still expectations of the location.  

When they are ready to drive, they are harnessed and
then hitched outside the first few times, then moved
to being done in aisle.  Crosstied with halter over
bridle while cart is hooked, then driven at a walk
outside, hooked up.

When we hook pairs, horses are stood beside each other
in aisle, with one crosstie on outside of halter, lead
rope tied between horse halters.  Lead between heads
prevents head swinging, biting or chewing, walking
away, playing on the shelves of stall windows.  We
harness them, then pull vehicle forward and attach it
in the regular manner, reins, pole straps, traces,
while animals are still in crossties.

We unhitch in reverse order, with horses first being
haltered over bridles, tied to crossties.  Then we
unhitch vehicle, unharness horses.

We hook all the driving horses, the Pairs, 4s, Tandem
in the aisle.  We use the second set of crossties for
the leader or leaders of 4, to hold them in place for
harnessing, hitching, unhitching and unharnessing.  We
have found aisle and crossties to be a safe method
with our horses.

  This is with our 12ft width and height.  NOTHING
else in the aisle, on walls, no projections like
blanket bars on doors to snag.  Have not used a
smaller space. 

I should say our crossties are not stretchy, will not
break, though they are equiped with barrel snap quick
releases.  Snaps won't shake loose, but twist open
under any pull.  Photo at site below, snaps are worth
the money.

http://store.ryansproducts.com/1eyebrpasn.html

  We use poly rope, the kind in swimming pools, thick,
cuttable if needed.  I am not a fan of chain
crossties.  I don't want my horses learning they can
get loose if they pull hard on ANY rope or crosstie.

  Crossties are our spare person if only one of us is
available during harnessing.  Sometimes there is only
a short driving time, so one of us will get horses
harness ready, then we can put to vehicle, drive
immediatly when other person arrives.
  Wide aisle allows room to move around standing 17H
horses, between them, to put harness on, do
adjustments.  Vehicle can be pulled up behind animals,
ready to put to.  Animals can't leave, yet happy with
friend beside them in a familiar place.

Groom person will remove halters when driver is in
place on vehicle.  Driver can remove halters while
holding reins, swing halters away if groom not handy. 
Always move in front of hitched horses, never behind
carriage.

When hooking young, new-to-Pair horse, a groom has
always got a lead on new horse until seated driver
tells them to step away.  Green horses are unreliable,
excited to be doing DIFFERENT things, so you want
control.  Some anticipate, try to help!  This step in
training process is where the accidents happen,
loss-of-control stuff gets started.

I strongly urge you not to take your new Pair out
alone for at least 50 hitchings.  Sounds excessive,
but is not as a safety measure.  You NEED that extra
pair of hands, groom available, to do the odd things
you just can't manage by yourself with a Pair.  Rein
adjustments, change the trace length so young animal
is not working so hard.  Chase off a big fly!  Quick
hop down to steady an animal by physically holding it
for a moment as you stop, while driver maintains rein
contact, talks to animals.  You would be amazed at how
many times you will use the groom.  Just way different
for Pairs than a single.

  The two animals need lots of work time together to
learn Pair thinking, movement, each other's reactions
to new viewpoint as a couple.  Smooth out the rough
spots with time together.  JH is good as a single
driving animal, not a lot of time in a Pair (that I
know of) so he is learning too.  Think of them as
being just married, have to learn how to get along,
move with each other comfortably.  50 hitchings is not
a lot to get them comfortable, especially if they are
short sessions for young Agnes.

  We try to change sides in Pair every hitching with
our older animals, every third time with new or green
animals.  Keeps both sides developed, flexible.  Maybe
do a ring or field driving day if she is not road
steady for the left side yet.

  Tell all your friends you need help, get them to
come for a ride WITH you.  Fall weather is a great
time to go out in carriage, make it enticing!  I know
how much you want to progress, how much work you have
done, but don't rush this part.  Just a real touchy
time, getting a new Pair steady.  Prevention of
problems ever happening is the goal.  You really need
the extra hands available, a huge safety factor is
involved at this green stage.
  
  We keep track of progress with green horse on a
daily calendar, mark each step so we KNOW exactly what
we have done with him.  Hang it on stall door or tack
room door, so it is handy to make notes.  Too easy for
us (ME) to forget specifics when you have more than
one.  What he did, with who, which side, is easily
checked by reading the dates.  Not blending mental
information with our other horses.

Keep us posted on progress.

Kathy Robertson

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