[drivingpairs] Re: new to driving pairs

Hi Margo,
Thanks for your comments on Kerry's carriages. We are very excited. I 
wish I could have actually seen the Spitfire in person before we ordered 
one. But enough people, like you, have told us how wonderful his 
carriages are that we keep feeling better and better about our decision.
As options, we added the aluminum wheels rather than the steel, to make 
the weight even lighter. We added the single shafts for when we just 
want one to pull, like maybe in a parade. We added the torsion axle 
suspension, to make the ride even better. We chose the removeable spares 
pouch rather than the underseat compartment. And the marine material for 
the seats rather than vinyl. That is all I can remember, because it is 
pretty ready to go without too much more added. We liked that it had the 
little inward facing wagonette seats in back, rather than a removeable 
dickey, because we often volunteer giving rides at camps, so we needed 
to be able to seat 4 rather than just 2 like some marathon vehicles 
allow for.
Shipping won't be bad. There is a fee for customs at the border and 
crating for the company to transport it down here - That came to $175. 
And the transport itself from Alberta to Arizona will be $370, if I 
remember correctly.  So I thought that was all fair.

About the evener, I think it is like another singletree-looking thing 
that the singletrees mount to, instead of them being mounted on the firm 
frame. Then when one pulls less than the other, he is still in contact 
or in draft. But I've heard that the horses need to be experienced to 
use an evener - not for beginners, because it causes an weird pull on 
one when he starts out if the other doesn't help at the start.

 And about the horses pulling evenly and not - If I remember correctly, 
both Drew Callihan and Gary Gang, who have trained Bob and his pair, 
have had him shortening the reins on one horse to help with the uneven 
pulling of one of ours. It seems like we have shortened the rein on the 
horse that wants to work harder so that Bob can help him stay back 
alittle while the other is being encouraged up with his whip and voice 
and has more rein to go up more into.

About harness for pairs, we use a Zimmerman's pairs harness that was 
bought ready for a pair. I haven't tried switching it to singles at all. 
The only harness I've seen that was supposed to be changeable from 
singles to pairs was a Zilco mini pair harness. However, I didn't like 
the way the breeching was set up on it, since it had to be able to 
switch back to singles someday. It seemed that the breeching as a pairs 
harness wasn't able to really stop or brake the carriage, the way it was 
set up because it just buckled to the traces, instead of how ours does 
it, which is under the belly and snapped to the false martingale which 
is then a part of the breastcollar attached to the pole. In theory, they 
are both supposed to work, but the under-the-belly just seems to work 
better to me. So I have shied away from the kind that can be switched 
between single or pairs.

And one more thing - about shaped breastcollars - We just received our 
Carriage House shaped breastcollar made especially for minis. We had 
been waiting for the Zilco Empathy Collar to come out in mini size this 
coming summer. But when I saw this other one, I decided to give it a 
try. We just tried it out yesterday and seemed to fit very well. It 
probably doesn't have as much S-shape to it as the Empathy will. But it 
definitely dips down to free up the windpipe and does end up high enough 
to free up the shoulder. And the price was very nice, compared to some 
others. It is very nicely made,  a nice synthetic and has lots of 
padding built in. My only question was how thick it is where the traces 
have to buckle in (hungarian style), since I'm used to regular 
continuous traces with no buckle at that point. So the thickness there 
makes it look like there will be interference for the horse at the shaft 
area there. But Eddie didn't seem to mind at all yesterday. And that was 
just singles. If it was a pair, there should be no interference problem 
anyway. If you want to see them, go to http://www.thecarriagehouse.com

Enough rambling from me, especially since I usually just lurk on here 
reading and learning. It is such nice weather here today, so I'm off to 
drive a horse!
Linda and Bob Smith in Arizona


MARGARET TOWNSEND wrote:

>  I, too, drive a pair of bay minis! I have been driving pairs for about 9-10 
> years, putting several different horses together. All of the seasoned singles 
> horses did fine. The one fairly green horse did not-he leaned outward in his 
> harness, and did not do his share(I did sell him as a single several years 
> ago;he did fine in that job.)
>  My current pair consists of a gelding I raised and trained, and his"mate", 
> who I bought already trained to drive( and thankfully, a pretty good job had 
> been done with him!)Both are age 10, so experienced...they do better every 
> time we go out, but one is lazier than the other, and does have to be 
> encouraged more-both know their names, so I do much of it with my voice, but 
> do have to(subtley, but firmly)use the whip,also, on 'Mr. Lazy'!Though I have 
> been doing it for awhile, I don't get to drive pair too often, so still am 
> learning ALL the time(of course, that should always be the case, right?)-but 
> it it SUCH fun, and I love it! My only suggestion would simply be to be 
> persistent and consistent in encouraging the one that it not doing its 
> share--I do believe it helps, and eventually will work. 
>  To the Smiths--how exciting, to get one of Kerry Hofer's mini marathon 
> vehicles-I have been "drooling" over it since he came out with the design!! 
> Two questions, if you don't mind: are you getting any of the options(I know 
> the alum. wheels are an option; anything else?), and what are your plans for 
> the shipping of your cart-you are just one state away from me, and I have 
> really dreamed about getting one, but have wondered what the shipping would 
> add to the cost....if you'd rather not answer to the Pairs list, please email 
> me at NAMGO@xxxxxxxx Congratulations on your choice!
>  A couple of questions to all-what, exactly, IS an "evener" singletree? 
> And-does anyone have a beta pair harness, that can be converted to single 
> also, that they REALLY like? If so, what are its features, etc.? So far, at 
> least, all of my harness has been breast collar, but I would be interested in 
> hearing about your thoughts/experiences/feelings about either type.I am 
> actively "shopping" for a new pairs harness. My horses are 32-34"(and I am 
> looking at a slightly larger gelding-probably 35-36"),and don't intend to go 
> smaller nor larger. At my age, I probably won't be able to really "get into" 
> CDEs, but hope to sometime have a chance to do some "fun" type stuff in that 
> area-and I LOVE pair vehicles! 
>  Thanks in advance for any/all responses-and, great thread!!
>  Regards to all,
>  Margo Cox-Townsend
>  Edgewood, NM
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