[drivingpairs] Re: Always Bridle Driving Horses
- From: "Laura Crews" <barnrats@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2003 21:36:29 -0400
When I am first introducing a pony to ground driving, I will do it in the
halter, but only for a few lessons, and in a controlled area. I'll start
the lesson in review of longeing, then progress to walking behind. Once the
pony understands the concept of stopping and turning, I quickly graduate up
to the bit in an open bridle. I'm talking about maybe half a dozen lessons
in the halter.
I feel that a few lessons with the reins on the halter help make a nicer
mouth because there is no "shock" of sudden exposure to bit and reins and
the person "doing it wrong" by walking BEHIND the horse. After all, the
horse KNOWS you're supposed to be BESIDE HIM or IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ARENA
-- but apparently you can't make up your mind, which makes you look pretty
stupid and fickle. Think about it: you break a horse to walk beside you.
Then you change your mind and want to longe it. Then you change your mind
AGAIN and walk BEHIND it.
I add blinders only after the pony understands and obeys me behind him.
And I never, EVER attach ANYTHING to the pony without blinders and a bit! I
would never ground drive a pair in halters. The chance of a little teeny
thing blowing up and out of control is just too great. With just one horse,
you can turn him or slam him into the wall, or whatever, if you have to. A
pair -- you just plain can't. If they start "feeding" off each other,
you're in serious trouble real fast.
I read once where Lori Namphere (I hope I spelled it right) said, "When
something starts to go wrong, I have two strides in which to fix it." I
thought that was one of the most profound things I've read. If you are
ground driving two horses or ponies in halters, and they decide to be silly,
can you stop them within two of THEIR strides? Have you ever been jerked
off your feet? It ain't fun!
Laura Crews
Country Roads Farm Welsh Ponies*
Virginia
*and Fancy Rats
"So long as I remain alive and well I shall continue to feel strongly about
prose style, to love the surface of the earth, and to take a pleasure in
solid objects and scraps of useless information." -- George Orwell, 1947
"?a story always sounds clear enough at a distance, but the nearer you get
to the scene of events the vaguer it becomes." ? George Orwell, 1936
Orwell accomplished something few authors have been able to do: he added
his name to the English language.
Yet a man and his work are inseparable: before he was George Orwell he was
Eric Blair; respect him -- remember discreetly his 100th birthday, 25 June
2003, and handle gently his little grain of dust.
REMEMBER: STUPIDITY IS A SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE!
>From: kathy robertson <goodhors@xxxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To: drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [drivingpairs] Always Bridle Driving Horses
>Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2003 10:37:52 -0700 (PDT)
>
>
>Sorry. I strongly disagree with any horse, long
>lining, or driving as in pulling something, being used
>without a real bridle, which includes a bit in the
>mouth. Sidepulls, bosal, halters, do not work
>correctly with driven horses. They are meant to be
>used with almost a 90 degree sideways rein pull,
>bending or breaking the angle of horse head on neck
>for turning. Not to hurt the horse, but rider reaches
>reins way out to the side to start pull and turn. A
>trained horse is much more refined for signals, but
>that is where you start. I am not a fan of these
>bitless methods, even on riding horses. With ground
>work, angles of long lines is very different than
>riding reins. Plus you have no weight or legs along
>with 90 degree sid-pulling arm, to aid your requests.
>Whip can't do it all, in the same way.
>
>Horses are horses, they do unexpected things, for no
>reason we can see. Sometimes they do good things,
>other times it can frighten us and themselves.
>Happens in familiar and unfamiliar places.
>Bridleless-bitless, you have an illusion of control,
>ponies are working with you. If a "situation"
>develops, you really can't stop or turn them, as
>halters slide around on their heads. You sure don't
>want a vehicle or tire, attached in the bargin!
>
>First and most important rule at any driving event is
>"Don't remove the bridle of a horse hitched to a
>vehicle."
> You will be eliminated from the show and asked to
>leave. Doesn't matter if you do it regularly, or if
>you are at the barn or trailer. You are done for the
>day if someone sees you! You are being unsafe for the
>rest of the folks.
>
>Call a tooth person, get the mouths attended to. Then
>drive with bits in their mouths. Sorry, you just
>don't want to do some things with driving horses, that
>you can with a riding horse.
>
>For the shots thing, we do a good pinch of horse,
>sking and flesh, then hold it, letting it numb up,
>before injecting the needle in skin. The pinch trick
>works well with everyone, from the most sensitive
>babies, to the very thin skinned TB crosses. All act
>very well for shots, with being pinched first. I
>would practice pinching neck on both sides, along with
>the alcohol smell, maybe some other medicine smells
>just dabbed on. Vets do smell funny, even if they
>have clean clothes on! Like the dentist office,
>always smells, but the workers never notice it
>anymore.
>
>Kathy Robertson
>
>
>they are coming 3 and 4 in
> > May and still definitely teething.so even the ground
> > driving right now is
> > just in halters...single.
> >
> > Has anyone ever ground driven a young pair in just
> > halters? I have an indoor
> > arena that they love to be in and are not spooky
> > in. This pair seems to be
> > very willing and I want to keep them that way.
> >
> > The only problem I've had so far is the younger one
> > hates getting shots and REALLY FIGHTS it.
> > They've had all their spring shots so aren't due
> > again until fall - so I have some time to figure out
>what to do. The vet thought maybe the alcohol smell
> > helped to wind him up
>
>
>
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