[drivingpairs] Pole height
- From: Hzlax@xxxxxxx
- To: drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 13:20:54 EST
In a message dated 2/15/2006 11:04:18 PM Pacific Standard Time,
ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
> What is the proper height for the pole (in relation to the animal)? Meaning,
>
> elbow height? Breastcollar height? Halfway in between? etc. I look at photos
>
> and it seems like the heights are all different. Also, would the height be
> different for a marathon vehicle vs. a pleasure vehicle? Thanks.
>
>
Yes, height can be different with marathon and pleasure vehicles depending on
the pole set up.
For modern marathon vehicle with a sprung pole I like a short marathon yoke
on the pole end with quick releases to snap directly into the breastcollar D
rings. For that I like to pole to be just slightly below the D rings, so it
rests with very little weight there. I don't want it entirely "floating" as
then
it tends to go up and down too much, so very little weight - like a pound or so
- which means that it's not really "hanging" heavily on the brestcollars, but
on te other hand doesn't come up too much and too high either.
For a Pleasure vehicle we have basically two different set-ups: The American
style Pleasure Vehicle has a drop pole and is also driven with a yoke. So
basically the same applies - only since it's drop pole, it does have a little
more
weight hanging there in front, but it should also be used with a yoke - which
would be slightly longer than the marathon yoke, but I would still like to
have the yoke attached close to the center of the collars, which then
automatically gives us the height.
The other set up is the European fixed pole with pole straps or pole chains
and no yoke. That pole should be longer so that the angle of the pole straps or
pole chains is not too wide so that the pole straps or chains do not pull the
horses into the pole. On antique vehicles we often see those poles extend
beyond the heads of the horses, which for the angle is fine. Modern vehicles
have
the poles not quite as long, as folks use them in CDE's for dressage an
cones, and for the cones don't want too long poles sticking out in front
restricting tight turns, but still the poles is longer than short marathon
poles. So
then we need to make sure that these poles do not hit the horses in the noses
when moving up and down with uneven terrain, thus they tend to be a little
lower.
In addition, since these often are fixed poles on antique vehicles, at times
one has little choice and can't change their height easily. That's why you see
different heights on different pictures, as different height horses were
still using the same vehicle over the years. Hope this helps.
Hardy
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