[drivingpairs] Tandemania

    Well my dream to have a Tandem will be coming true this weekend. I am going 
to Vermont to participate in 3 days and 5 lessons with Sterling Graburn. I will 
tell you a little how I prepared for this opportunity. The leader has about 10 
years of single driving experience and the Wheeler has about 4 years. Both have 
driven extensively out on the roads and in competition. They are STB sisters. I 
had to think what might be helpful to prepare them for the clinic. Due to the 
neverending winter I have only been able to work with them for a few weeks. I 
decided to start to tune them up by grounddriving first to get them very 
responsive to voice. When grounddriving my leader I put her way out in front so 
that I could get use to her being farther away. They were ground driven single. 
They have both been driven a few times as a pair mainly to see how they would 
respond to each other. 
    I then decided to "ride tandem" . I rode the wheeler and longlined the 
leader in front of me. I have to say this was one of the most difficult things 
I have tried. Fortunately both horses were pretty calm about it. I also tried 
to practice my whip skills with a longer whip and lash. I think a rein board 
would have been a very good idea and I appreciate the suggestions on how to 
make one. I suspect I will need alot of hours of practice before becoming more 
proficient.
    Will let you know how the clinic goes. I do have Mary Ruth Mark's handbook 
and have read it several times. I think it is an excellent resource . Sometimes 
you just have to pursue your dreams whether things work out or not!

Ansley

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