[drivingpairs] Re: Pole bumping horse in the nose



Good morning everyone,
Thanks Hardy for your experienced words of wisdom.
I appreciate your time and consideration to answer all.
I agree that the alignment and degree of the pole combined with the 
adjustment of the harness is the determining factor on where the pole end 
will stay. You are right, I also have the harness adjust a  little tighter 
than I would on a  single. I learned this by trial and error.
Another determining factor as to why the pole hits  the horse in the nose 
may be due to the design of the pole itself.  I always enjoyed watching 
other drivers on the marathon. It is quite exciting!  I have also witnessed 
various different makes and models of  carriages. I was surprised to see 
when some these pairs came through the hazards their fixed  poles were 
bouncing anywhere from 2-4  feet in the air!   There needs to be some give 
and take on a fixed pole  to allow for movement and terrain but  I felt this 
was dangerous. My pole has about 1 1/2 feet, more or less, of play with a 
good size shock absorber for rebound.
I do have a question. I too have noticed the trend is to have a yolk that 
moves up, down, back and forth.
I can see the advantage in the marathon phase by moving the pole length back 
to the breastcollar thus making tighter turns in the hazards. I hit the end 
of my pole on a hazard making a tight turn. I was using my pole straps and 
crab. A few more inches would have made the difference.
Question: By using that kind of  yolk,  wouldn't that put the inside horse, 
on a turn, back a bit too far toward the carriage causing him to bang his 
hocks? No amount of  harness adjustment  could compensate for that.
I appreciate your input.
Happy Thanksgiving next week!
Best wishes to all!!!
Terri Barker

I

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Hzlax@xxxxxxx>
To: <drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 10:14 PM
Subject: [drivingpairs] Pole bumping horse in the nose


>
>
>
> I know it's not easy and this can be a problem. You have to make sure that
> all your harness is adjusted properly, the pole is of the right length and 
> the
> right hight! Not too high, not too long, AND your pole straps can't be too
> lose, or connections between pole head and collars too long (how long are 
> their
> necks, how many shackles do you have between the yoke and the quick 
> releases and
> the breast collar D ring, etc ?) , AND you need to drive your horses on 
> the
> bit and have enough contact to keep their heads in the right place. Then 
> you
> should be ok. If the pole head hits them in the face, then you are not 
> adjusted
> properly. It's hard to suggest from here what is wrong, as all of the 
> details
> need to be in correct order, but perhaps your pole is too long and / or 
> too
> high and / or your connection between collars and pole head are too long. 
> So
> ask an experienced pair driver for help and  to take a look. Same with 
> your
> breeching issue.  If you hit the horses in the hocks with your carriage 
> when you
> don't use your brake then you are hitched too close or your pole straps 
> are too
> long. Otherwise even without breeching they should hold the carriage with 
> the
> neck straps - which they'll do mainly even with breeching, as for normal 
> pair
> breeching to be effective, it really has to be adjusted very tightly, much
> tigher than most have it, and then so tight that it will restrict the 
> stride of
> most. That's why you see most advanced drivers without breeching, but yes, 
> you
> also should hold the carriage with your foot on the brake, even with
> beeching. Why have the horses do the work that you can do so easily with 
> your foot on
> the brake? But if you are not sure of how to do all that, then by all 
> means,
> do use breeching.
> I looked at Terry Barker's pole head pictures. Looks ok to me, but for 
> modern
> marathons I like a wider yoke, which then can't have independent ends, but
> needs to swivel up and down as well as back and forth as most modern 
> marathon
> pair carriages of the top carriage builders have now. Just look at some 
> pictures
> of advanced pairs - in Bob Mischka's Photo Album A Driving Horse for 
> example,
> look at the pictures of Larry Poulin, Lisa Singer, Alan Aulson, Miranda
> Cadwell, Fritz Grupe, Walt Rector, David Saunders. No hitting in the faces 
> there,
> wide yokes and properly adjusted.
> Best of luck.
> Hardy
>
>
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