[drivingpairs] Re: hitching pairs



I see potential for an accident with some of these practices. 

Hooking the traces first for any type of vehicle is very dangerous.  If 
you get the traces hooked first and the horses move, the vehicle will 
start to move.  Now, if you would be able to get the horses under 
control, the vehicle will hit them the backs of their legs causing them 
to panic and take off again.  If they do take off, the pole is not 
connected to the horses so the vehicle has no steering.  The vehicle 
will at some point likely roll and cause a bigger mess.  Always hook the 
pole first.

Trace order.  The inside should be done first so if the horses move you 
can back out of the way without getting caught between the traces.  It 
is best to hitch one horse fully before starting the other.  I can't 
think of a specific reason at the moment for fully hooking one first, 
but it seems that 2 horses partially hooked to the traces could create a 
bigger mess than one hooked and the other not.  After the first horse is 
hooked in the tugs, either walk around the rig or step through the 
vehicle (if this won't cause your horses to think it is time to go), and 
hook up the other horse, inside trace first.

Now, I am just starting to do some horse training, but the guy I am 
learning from says to always hook the green horse first, then hook the 
seasoned in the traces.  His reasoning is that if the green horse 
spooks, the seasoned  horse can keep up with the green horse because the 
seasoned horse is not pulling the weight alone.  Also, the weight of the 
vehicle will  tire the  green horse faster and  possible slow them up 
earlier.

Jeff & Ginny
Big Black Horse
http://www.bigblackhorse.com

FriesianPrDriver@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
> Being only 5'3", and reaching across behind large (wide) horses, I prefer  to 
> hook the inside trace first.  Then I know I can easily get out of the  way if 
> the horse were to move the carriage forward.  At this point, I  haven't yet 
> asked them to slide over to the pole yet, so there is still some  room 
> between 
> the carriage and the horse.  Once the inside traces are  hooked, and I can 
> usually do both inside traces from one side, I ask the horse  to move over 
> next 
> to the pole, and hook the outside.  I may hook one horse  totally first, and 
> then the other if I am dealing with a green horse,  leaving the green one to 
> last.  It all depends on the horses in the  turnout, and the vehicle in the 
> turnout.  I tend to do the pole straps  last when I have a suspended pole, 
> and the 
> pole straps first when I have a drop  pole.  
>  
> I have just been doing what makes me feel safer, knowing the animals  
> involved, their level of experience, etc.  Any opinions, differing  ideas or 
> suggestions welcome.  
>  
> Karen  Wilkin
> Star Cross Stable Friesian Horses & Sport Ponies
> _www.starcrossstable.com_ (http://www.starcrossstable.com/) 
> 47  Yellowbrook Rd.
> Freehold, NJ 07728
> 732-919-3827
> f:  732-919-3828
> e-mail:  FriesianPrDriver@xxxxxxx
>
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