[drivingpairs] pairs help
- From: Hzlax@xxxxxxx
- To: drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 12:33:58 EST
On the question for help with the shetland pony pair and the accident there:
I think it's probably really much the same as with the mini pair. Some of you
good people don't take minis or ponies seriously enough. Just because they
are smaller you think you can muscle them. You can't! Often you get away
with it for a while, but ultimately it catches up with you and they need the
same amount of training and expertise on your part as a driver as large
horses. On the pony pair: Your first sign of trouble was when you said they
were a bit strong! So, if they are "a bit strong" that's your first
indication that something is wrong, and instead of just driving them " a bit
strong" which you think you can get away with ponies or minis, you should
stop right there and re think your training program. Why are they "a bit
strong" and what can we do to change that? Go back to square one and start
all over again. You MUST be able to get your horses, ponies, minis to be
RELAXED! Do a lot of WALKING. (I wrote long articles on the subject for
example in the magazine Carriage Driving World, and won't repeat it all here
now, but that's the key to it, RELAXATION). So, as you went along, them
being "a bit strong" and you muscling them, I can only assume, that finally
the pressure in their mouth became so strong, and they so painful that they
were looking for another way to relieve that pressure, first they eased off,
but then they started to lean away and off the pole, they tried to evade the
pressure, to change something of this unpleasant experience where they did
not know how to get out of it, and then finally one did the bucking. Hey,
hello, folks if they are "strong" running against your hand, something is
wrong, something is very unpleasant for the horse, you MUST change something,
so that it is pleasant for everybody. They must learn their work, and so must
you to be able to drive in comfort for everybody. So after RELAXATION, next
item on the agenda is driving them STRAIGHT (not leaning off the pole) and we
have talked about that before. Drive at the walk, relaxed, and go STRAIGHT.
Only when you can do that, then start working with LARGE circles, working the
inside horse, and get him to BEND properly. Sorry, folks, but there is no way
around it, if you want to drive properly and accident free, you MUST learn
the basics of the ugly word "dressage" and train the horses accordingly. And
I can't give you all of that in just one simple post here. But also there,
I'm working on a series in Carriage Driving World, explaining the German
Training Scale (But skipped the next sequence in the Dec issue- sorry-, but
will pick up again in the Feb issue). Ok, so some food for thought above, and
sorry, but there are no shortcuts, or at least I don't know of any. (And
sorry, Laurie, if you just joined the list and I come down on this now, I
hope I don't scare you off right away, that's not the intention here, but I
have read and seen so much lately of similar problems, so do stay with us and
we'll help you along, I promise, and I write this not only for you, but for
the general readership out there too)
Re-reading the original post, perhaps there were also other things happening:
When they pulled away from the pole, you said, you were going downhill.
Perhaps you did not have or use a brake properly and the carriage put
pressure on them as they tried to hold back? You said, you could not keep
contact on both sides of their mouths. Well, you need to drive them STRAIGHT,
if they pull away from the pole, use the whip on the outside to bring them to
the pole (not beating them, the whip as an aid only), see above, they need to
be RELAXED and STRAIGHT, but you need to train that at home before going on
an organized outing. And when the leg got over the pole and trace, I can only
assume and hope that you tried to stop right away, but couldn't, as they went
on, although that is not clear from your post. But here again too, if you
couldn't stop them right away, that is another sign that something is wrong
in the training program or in the equipment (bits) you are using. You MUST be
able to stop anytime, and dragging on for 10 feet with one pony on the ground
is really unacceptable. The pole too long, as you assume, cannot be an issue
here, that would not be a problem. Now on the positive side, all you did
after the accident was very good, congratulations on that.
Also, I do give you credit for your single work and that the ponies did have
some experience single as well as in the pair. That's good, but as you say,
you are green as a pair driver. Perhaps take some lessons from an experienced
pair driver. It's hard to learn all this stuff without a good teacher. And I
also congratulate you on asking the questions and seeing your own
limitations. That's very good too and with that I think you are on the right
route. Do take some pairs driving lessons from a good teacher.
Happy Thaksgiving to all.
Hardy (not wanting to discourage anybody, quite the contrary, just trying to
help getting you in the right direcion)
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