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Foster Foster Real Estate Services 1770 Kirby Parkway #109 Memphis TN 38138 ----------- Original message follows ----------- -- Attached file included as plaintext by Ecartis -- Return-Path: <drivingpairs-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Delivered-To: coldwellbanker.com%afoster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Received: (cpmta 28035 invoked from network); 5 Feb 2003 23:13:44 -0800 Received: from 206.53.239.180 (HELO turing.freelists.org) by smtp.c007.snv.cp.net (209.228.33.237) with SMTP; 5 Feb 2003 23:13:44 -0800 X-Received: 6 Feb 2003 07:13:44 GMT Received: from turing.(none) (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by turing.freelists.org (Avenir Technologies Mail Multiplex) with ESMTP id BDE8B390BBE; Thu, 6 Feb 2003 02:05:42 -0500 (EST) Received: with ECARTIS (v1.0.0; list drivingpairs); Thu, 06 Feb 2003 02:05:39 -0500 (EST) Date: Thu, 06 Feb 2003 02:05:39 -0500 (EST) From: FreeLists Mailing List Manager <ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: drivingpairs digest users <ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Reply-To: drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: drivingpairs Digest V2 #31 Precedence: normal Message-Id: <20030206070542.BDE8B390BBE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> drivingpairs Digest Wed, 05 Feb 2003 Volume: 02 Issue: 031 In This Issue: [drivingpairs] Re: Stallion Pairs [drivingpairs] Re: stallion pairs?? [drivingpairs] Re: Neck Yokes-Long [drivingpairs] Stallion Use-long [drivingpairs] Calender-Breast Collar ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 08:19:43 -0500 Subject: [drivingpairs] Re: Neck Yokes-Long From: Robyn Cuffey <robyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> My Eagle has a steel pole that pins to the carriage but hangs on a spring to adjust the height. It has a crab (SP?) end that pulls the neck straps sideways from the collars. I was told this is a drop pole because it can be released on to the ground. I have always been concerned about it pulling the horses sideways. Whenever I go to clinics or talk to more experienced pair drivers they tell me to keep my pole straps VERY short but that pulls more sideways. How do you prevent the horses from going crooked or prevent rubs on their shoulders. I am hoping to do competitive driving this summer and am already concerned about rubs. The spring does allow the pole to bounce and I would think that could sore up the top of their necks. It actually bounces more when they walk. My first down the road pair experience was with an old wooden drop pole with a yoke. (only my second time driving pair) 50 yards from my driveway one horse started to turn, the yoke "ring" broke (it was old and the safety strap was torn) and down it went. All would have been well if I had pulled back on both reins but I thought I should stop the turning horse by pulling the rein on that side and I managed to pull the off horse so sideways he fell over the pole in a heap in the road. Not good. Since then I have avoided any leather attachment setup. Robyn On Sunday, February 2, 2003, at 01:03 PM, kathy robertson wrote: > > I am going to say no to converting your present pole. > > There are three general classes of neck yoke poles. > Each works on the same principles, a yoke between > horses, but poles are NOT interchangable between the > styles of yokes. > > The first is the marathon pole for marathon vehicles. > Usually spring loaded to carry itself on the front of > vehicle. No weight on horses necks. Short pole made > of metal tubing, so yoke ends at horses chest. > Nothing sticking beyond the pole. Fits MODERN > vehicles, usually mostly metal ones. > > Second is the drop pole used on buggies. Very light, > and pretty long. This is the one used with light > weight, American vehicles, buggy types, surreys. Name > comes from being able to drop to the ground when not > harnessed. Yoke must hold pole up when driving. Pole > fastened to vehicle front with bolt, clip pins, which > allow an up and down motion for horse movement and > gentle hills in a road. Yoke leather tab slides over > the end of pole. Pole end has a cap with a raised > collar about 10" back to prevent yoke from running up > the pole. Pole should have a safety strap to fasten > around yoke. Strap is to prevent yoke from falling > off the end, by accident. Yoke should stay on until > safety strap is unfastened! Pole is longer than a > marathon pole would be, plus extra length beyond the > yoke. This allows horses to be hitched comfortably, > not tightly but not very loose either. Traces should > be tight before pushing yoke. Bigger horses would > need longer pole to not kick vehicle when trotting > fast. Yoke attachment plus straps to collar, will > allow more slack/play, than marathon yoke clips. I > would recommend using neck collars, not breast collars > for this kind of yoke. The horses will have to > support the pole weight the whole time they are > hitched. A neck collar is wider to spread load on a > bigger neck area. Evener with singletrees is how > traces attach at vehicle. > > Third type of neck yoke is the draft horse hitch, > usually seen on big wagons. That neck yoke is large, > thick with a big metal ring to fit over the heavy > dropped pole used on wagons. Pole end sticks out of > neck yoke ring a fair length, to prevent yoke coming > off by accident. There is a stopper on the bottom of > pole to prevent yoke running up the pole. Extra > length of pole gives horses control of vehicle as well > as preventing accidental yoke coming off. Draft horse > style hitching is usually pretty loose, since they > have a long time in harness. Don't want to sore the > horse, but does give more room before horses and yoke > get in draft. Extra pole length beyond yoke stopper > is REALLY needed. Also may be used to put more horses > out front, like a four or six, so additional divider > pole and eveners would be hung off the pole's end on > wagon. Again, neck collars are recommended. Wagon > poles are VERY heavy. Pole weight is on horse necks > the whole time horses are hitched. > > Both the dropped pole and wagon poles must have extra > pole length beyond yoke or safety strap to prevent > yoke from coming off. Too long of traces allow horses > out too far. They can push yoke off the end of pole. > Removing the yoke will allow the pole to DROP > instantly. It WILL spear into the ground, stopping > vehicle, usually creating a bad accident, since horse > have NOT stopped. Pole might slide on pavement. I > don't want to picture it! > > Fixed polesstick out the front of vehicle, no give, > hold themselves up in front of vehicle, use pole heads > with rings for straps or chains. These do not change > into any other kind of pole. Vehicle must first be > suitable for a yoke style pole. Fixed poles are > HEAVY, THICK, because horses use the long pole to > control the vehicle (usually heavier than a buggy) for > turns, stopping. Fixed pole should stick out past > horses heads to lessen the angle of pull sideways. > Long pole makes strap to chest almost staight ahead. > Horses stopping, are almost straight back, in their > push against the breeching and pole straps of chest > connection. Martingales ARE recommended. There is a > mathmatical formula for length of fixed pole and horse > size, to get the best use of animals. A size table is > posted at the ADS site. > > Perhaps you can post some pictures. We are better > able to advise, when we see what you are working with. > However if vehicle has got a fixed pole, it probably > won't change well. Body designed to work a certain > way. Many vehicles available with other pole > attachments, that might suit you better, if you wish > to change. Perhaps someone local can let you see a > drop pole, modern or marathon vehicle in action. Each > style has good and bad. You may dislike them after > seeing them in use! > > Kathy Robertson > >> Those of you who use a yoke on your pole - that >> seems like a good idea. My pole >> now has the loops right on the end. I looked in the >> Witmer catalog and saw 3 >> yokes. They all seem to have a little leather tab >> with a hole in it as the >> center element. Can I just take the crab off my >> (wooden)pole and attach the >> yoke? What kind of hardware do you need to attach >> the leather tab to the pole? >> Neither my husband nor I are all that experienced >> with driving a pair, but he >> is an engineer and _very_ good at making stuff. I >> did get a very good reminder >> to have some safety backup keeping the yoke on the >> pole - that certainly seems >> like a good idea. >> Stephanie >> Blasted Rock Farm >> Naples, NY >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Date: Sat, 01 Feb 2003 22:44:24 -0500 >> From: dogsnponies@xxxxxx >> Subject: [drivingpairs] Re: Marathon yoke >> >> >> My old boyfriend made me one using a spare >> swingletree from the carraige. Took a little >> ingenuity and a few trips to the hardware/auto parts >> store. They don't come cheap from the manufacturers >> and unless you are ordering it on the pole to begin >> with- even worse. I have a very clever metal >> fabricator here in NJ that helps me with a lot of >> modifications. >> Tracey >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> End of drivingpairs Digest V2 #27 >> ********************************* >> > _________________________________________________________ >> To Unsubscribe, change to Digest or Vacation mode go >> to: >> http://www.drivingpairs.com/dpmem.html >> > ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` >> > > > __________________________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. > http://mailplus.yahoo.com > _________________________________________________________ > To Unsubscribe, change to Digest or Vacation mode go to: > http://www.drivingpairs.com/dpmem.html > ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` > > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 05:47:27 -0800 (PST) From: JLO <cicera65@xxxxxxxxx> Subject: [drivingpairs] Re: Stallion Pairs Well, I've trained many a mini. That is a WHOLE other world. They are not nearly the same as two 1000 lb Cob stallions or even my two 600 lb section A's. My boys are NEVER allowed to behave badly. They can display a bit of excitment while breeding, but not in any other circumstance. We plan to put a ton of mileage on Comet before we ever even think about pairing him. Louie, his potential partner, is only 2 now, so in my opinion he will not be broke for another year. I feel it is a criminal act to start younger than three. I know that is a very personal decision, but for me it would literally keep me up nights worrying what I was doing to his future soundness. Same situation for the Section A team. Dude is being started now (age 5), Gator is a year away from even thinking about being hooked. Just wanted to know if there were any crazies out there doing this with the bigger boys. Both our pairs will be salt and pepper. Each team will have a black pony. The other half of the teams will be lighter in color. One Buckskin and one Chestnut. Oh and we will need navigators for both teams LOL Jodi in Morriston FL...who can never be a navigator under any circumstances. ------------------------------ From: "Don Hayes family" <djthayes@xxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [drivingpairs] Re: stallion pairs?? Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 07:56:16 -0600 Well, no, I haven't personally driven any stallions, in any combinations. However, the same things apply as with any other combination you want to drive together in any type of multiple. That is: Are they good single? Do they generally get along in other situations? When handling them in ANY situation, are YOU in charge? I don't think it matters what size or breed they are, some will do fine and some will never work. This is no different than a combination of any gender. Some will work, and some won't. If you don't feel that you can judge for yourself, get a trainer to help you decide if the ones you choose will indeed work the way you desire. A good trainer should be able to evaluate them for you for the price of 1 or 2 lessons. Cheap enough to prevent a disaster. Don ----- Original Message ----- From: "JLO" <cicera65@xxxxxxxxx> To: <drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 9:15 AM Subject: [drivingpairs] stallion pairs?? > > I was wondering if anyone has ever driven a pair of stallions?? We > have two potential pairs of stallions in our future. So far we have > one of each pair in training. Comet our senior stallion already > drives and we have a buckskin Cob up and coming that we would love to > pair with him. I have Dude, our Section A, well on his way to being > driven and would just love to pair him with Gator, our coming 2yr old > Section A, some day in the not too distant future. > > Can anyone tell me if the has been done? There are times I think it's > a fabulous idea and then times I think that Russ and I have lost our > minds. They would look SPECTACULAR!!! > > Jodi in Morriston FL > > _________________________________________________________ > To Unsubscribe, change to Digest or Vacation mode go to: > http://www.drivingpairs.com/dpmem.html > ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ------------------------------ From: "Don Hayes family" <djthayes@xxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [drivingpairs] Re: Neck Yokes-Long Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 10:45:25 -0600 This is exactly why I don't like the leather attachment for a neck yoke. More modern, and safer, attachments are available. I do have an old "buggy" yoke that has a metal "ring" that replaces the leather piece. It is about an inch or so wide, fastens to a similar ring on the yoke with a swivel, and is (well, was) lined with leather where is slides onto the pole end. I don't know if these are being made by anyone anymore or not. I don't remember seeing any in the catalogs that we get. These certainly look a lot safer to me than the leather flap with a hole in it! Don ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robyn Cuffey" <robyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > My first down the road pair experience was with an old wooden drop pole > with a yoke. (only my second time driving pair) 50 yards from my > driveway one horse started to turn, the yoke "ring" broke (it was old > and the safety strap was torn) and down it went. All would have been > well if I had pulled back on both reins but I thought I should stop the > turning horse by pulling the rein on that side and I managed to pull the > off horse so sideways he fell over the pole in a heap in the road. Not > good. Since then I have avoided any leather attachment setup. > Robyn ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 09:04:50 -0800 (PST) From: kathy robertson <goodhors@xxxxxxxxx> Subject: [drivingpairs] Stallion Use-long First, let me say there are many wonderful stallions out in the performance world, doing their best work, with skillful handlers. That said, all stallions are not equal in temperment, or current temptations to act like a stallion, so there are badly behaved stallions who show up also. Stallion's first thought is breeding, and that must be kept in mind at ALL times, in EVERY situation. You can not control the surroundings of every place you take him. WE MARE OWNERS are not going to be real considerate of him reacting to our mares in season. Even if we are so stupid as to stop right beside him or parade by him with tail in the air. It is always going to be HIS fault for reacting. Harnessed, he has to be no reaction, despite provocation!!! Stallions I have seen being used, are as single stallion in a pair or team. Stallions used as a working horse are SELDOM/NEVER being bred during work season. This means the WHOLE show season. Seems to be part of the group thinking deal. You work when with other horses, don't breed them. European stud farms often have stallion hitches. However they are not competing breeding stallions, and often do not get the stallions out into group things like shows. Just use the hitches as work training for young stallions. They are more strict on evaluation of horse and a little more age, before breeding. Stallions are competitive about breeding, and will often fight or attempt to fight, with another stallion or strong gelding, they perceive as trying to infringe on territory or mares. Spring and summer, show season, is high hormone time. Stallions being bred, are much more ready to react, strongly, than non-breeding stallions. Non-breeding, never been bred, stallions react also, just usually have a little longer fuse. They just get thinking of other things, and handler is often way down the list, whether at home or away. It is the nature of the beast, even good training is not fail safe, though usually sufficient. I don't know of any people driving pairs of stallions. Some mixed pairs, often draft horses. Kennebec Count is the most famous stallion driven, in mixed pairs, of gelding and mare, partners. Don't know if the mare was given any hormone treatment, as is common today, was a long time ago. Count got super training, experienced handlers for his varied exposure to situations. Wonderful mind on the horse. Still, there was only ONE stallion to deal with if problem came up. You don't say if young horses are stallions or geldings, so I am presuming stallion, since you said stallion pair. I would think that driving the two stallions as a pair is possible. However you would be better/safer? if one was gelded. Or if young horse was never bred, to reduce competitive side. Less horses to watch for reactions. However I am also thinking you will wish to breed young horse or he would be gelded. Older horse still may not like him as a stallion. Some stallions hate each other. I know you are in Florida, do horses show seasonal changes with shorter days? We have seen the best luck with colts, starting things in late fall, short day light. Hormones are way down, less argument, silliness. Stallions pay attention better. Our stallion, broke and trained, came from a Canadian ranch. They put the colt training as the regular fall program. They ride/work the 4 year olds daily, all genders and horses are ready for logging training when the snow falls. This is daily handling, horses get 1/2 day use, get tired. Change horses for afternoon work. Short northern days. No stallions bred until six. Not going to breed brainless horses, must be trainable before breeding. Five year olds are the summer work horses. Some don't make stallions, getting cut for geldings. Any of the stallion band was usable, before being given a herd. Hard to replicate that kind of training without a large ranch and hired help. Our stallion drove well with his gelding companion. When we drove him he was not being used as a breeding stallion. Big tough, gelding lived with him all the time, and accepted 2nd place in herd of two. Gelding was reliable and would do as told even if stallion was distracted. VERY IMPORTANT to have one listening horse. We gelded the stallion and had a NICE pair of geldings. No real use to us as a breeding horse, we are not breeders. Though he had bred mares, thought well of himself, was a nice, easy-to-live-with stallion. I think it helped a lot that he had a companion. Was used to being a herd horse. I think it is an interesting idea driving a pair of stallions, but see a lot of drawbacks. I don't think it is something I would want to do. A mixed pair would be safer, only one to watch hard, particularly since you are inexperienced. I would think getting older stallion, pair trained, going with someone reliable first, would be the next step to look at. Maybe there is a quiet gelding you could rent as a pair schoolmaster? Younger horse would be very confused, no help at all. Putting together two horses, inexperienced in pairs, is a BAD thing!! Between pair ignorant, young horse and shorter fused older horse (stallions ARE sensitive), add stallion competition, pair sounds dangerous, approached this way. If you desperatly want a pair to show off both stallions, geld the younger horses. Get the younger horses broke to drive, each trained to a pair, with schoolmaster horse. Do you have pair trained mares for schooling geldings? Then geldings all trained, knowledgable, can be put with stallion in pair. Both horses are able to understand the job and work with you and partner horse. No reason for horses to be upset, except that each is new to being with this partner. Stalling beside each other can reduce that newness also. You want all the factors for success to be on your side, so everyone comes out winners. Multiples can go to pieces in a heartbeat, just mares and geldings. Asking stallions, you have to be EXTREMELY well prepared for the task. I would also go for lessons in pair handling. For what you plan, this should be a MUST DO. Continental Acres has trainers. Larry Poulin and Sterling Graburn are available in Florida. Both VERY good multiples drivers. They would show you rein adjustments, rein handling, hitching, things that have never crossed your mind, with pairs. This preparation is NEEDED even if you only want to drive down the road, never show. Even the very best stallion, is a different game than a mare or gelding. It takes skill and training to make a good driving horse. Sounds like your stallion has the basics, just have to build on them. Breeding and working stallion, can often be done, but not if you make it too complicated, getting him too frustrated to listen. Let us know how it goes, if you pursue the pair idea. It will be a long-term goal. Kathy Robertson > I was wondering if anyone has ever driven a pair of > stallions?? We > have two potential pairs of stallions in our future. > So far we have > one of each pair in training. Comet our senior > stallion already > drives and we have a buckskin Cob up and coming that > we would love to > pair with him. I have Dude, our Section A, well on > his way to being > driven and would just love to pair him with Gator, > our coming 2yr old > Section A, some day in the not too distant future. > > Can anyone tell me if the has been done? There are > times I think it's > a fabulous idea and then times I think that Russ and > I have lost our > minds. They would look SPECTACULAR!!! > > Jodi in Morriston FL __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 10:31:55 -0800 (PST) From: kathy robertson <goodhors@xxxxxxxxx> Subject: [drivingpairs] Calender-Breast Collar If you check out the September picture of the pair, the breast collars show off-set rings, on pole head marathon vehicle. Having them even more off-set, would reduce the pulling sideways, but need bigger chested animals. You don't want ring on point of shoulder. I still think you need length, on pole/pole head, for vehicle control. That gets it beyond horse chest, for tight (marathon vehicle) turns. Horses can lift heads for clearance, not the pole end. For US, the yoke works better. Short pole with straight pull, no sideways pulling, centered chest ring attachments. We do have off-set rings on Tedman leader harness, to use with traditional carriage pole head. Works fine even though that is a long pole, when driving dressage carriage. In true, built-for-pair marathon harness, the shoulder strap is very wide. Our big horses have almost 4" shoulder strap. Not the same as a converted single harness to pair. The neck strap also has a support strap that comes around lower neck, to hold up the front of the heavy padded breast collar. Visible in picture, but loose with pole up. This harness has off-set support strap, with only one ring on chest. Our neck support strap is centered to hang on chest, with one center ring on wheelers, and run thru both leaders (we have two rings, right and left on both leaders) offset rings, so coupler strap doesn't pull breastcollars down. Yoke works with off-set rings too. WE just wanted centered rings, we think they are better for US. Many designs available. I think September, Calendar girl Tracy posted above, on pole heads. My take on Bellcrown's UK higher sales of pole heads, over yokes, is training. There are a LOT of traditionally trained drivers, trainers of drivers, who also do Pleasure Carriages and CDE. Began training in nice carriages, with pole heads, so they buy the same thing when getting a marathon vehicle. Yokes are not commonly seen in UK except on drafts. Can be stuck in thinking because of training ideas, how you were taught. Yokes are draft thing, not CDE! More U.S. drivers, start with cart for fun, find driving clubs. Get exposed to buggy pairs, drafts, before CDE. Makes it easier to see the efficiency of harnessing system. Less of traditional, pole head, carriage driving exposure. Also yoke is more common, any style, in the U.S. U.S. drivers are quite willing to try new things. Using a yoke with a team of four is unusual, but we have been happy with it, horses move well. Little more work to hitch, planning pole springing, clearances. This is where do-it-yourself is VERY handy. Husband considers it a training challange. Horses stay sounder when moving straight, not pulled sideways. Happy horses are less challenge in other parts of training. If your pole is moving A LOT, it may need adjusting or change. We started with a Warco pair marathon vehicle. Springs are flat, broke easily with certain movements. Got an evaluation of spring metal and changed the hardness, setting of height for pole to carry itself. Had several extra sets made for spares. Made the pole ride steadier, carries yoke weight but still moves easily. Taught us a lot, fixing this problem. Springs on used vehicle may be tired, worn, partially broke?, set for smaller animals. Evaluate what can be changed. What results do you want? Yoke ends can be made locally, just attached to pole end. Use quality metal, EXPENSIVE snap shackle fasteners for quick release. Quality is more dependable for wear. Make any rings, loops, large, to prevent binding of harness or snap shackle removal. Aluminum yoke not recommended, fractures easily. Pad yoke and pole so horses are not bruised. Pole should carry itself easily, sideways pull is driver problem. Change harness system, get horses pulling better, moving straight, not away from pole, leaning, working together. Drive BOTH horses, not just the eager one. Move Pokey up, might relax Speedy. Competition driving is very different than just cruising down the road. Both are great, but demands of harness, horses, vehicle are way different. A few tweaks here and there can make it easier on all. Driving should be FUN. Kathy Robertson __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com ------------------------------ End of drivingpairs Digest V2 #31 ********************************* _________________________________________________________ To Unsubscribe, change to Digest or Vacation mode go to: http://www.drivingpairs.com/dpmem.html ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` _________________________________________________________ To Unsubscribe, change to Digest or Vacation mode go to: http://www.drivingpairs.com/dpmem.html `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````