New career as a driving horse?

[laurac]

Just pondering an idea and would welcome your thoughts!

I have owned my big warmblood over 3 years and we have not been able to enjoy a ridden career together due to behavioual & physical isses, my regular vets have been useless but a second opinion from another vet / oestepath a few months ago has resulted in ongoing treatment for kissing spines, stifle & pelvis pain
His stifle & pelvis are loads better and his back is getting there but his sore back (possible impinging spines are right in the centre of where a saddle goes) - so do you think a driving career may be possible instead?
There would be no riders weight on his spine and it would give him a job to do, we love longlining - we've done lots last couple of years although neither of us has driven before !
He can be a spooky chap and once when something particularly scared him he did spin round on the lines and gallop past me in the other direction until I managed to stop him and turn him round and continue
My boy is only 8 and has a very active mind, i really feel we need to be doing something, we moved to a farm a few months ago so would have miles of tracks to drive round....
My oestopath is back end of feb so will know more about how his physical problems are improving with the physio stretches & pole work we're doing
So how easy would it be to train him to drive? Would his spine problem be ok with a light driving career? Is it safe to drive a spooky horse?

Longlinging pics from a couple of weeks ago

[Lesley from Kent (Floydsmum)]

Hi Laura,

I say go for it!!

My pony Floyd also has kissing spines and was due to retire in August as he couldn't really do anything useful riding wise any longer. I moved him to his new 'retirement' home in August this year where one of the liveries drives a small Shetland pony.

Over coffee one day I ideally said "I wonder if Floyd would be able to pull a carriage, it's such a shame seeing a 12 year old pony retired off" ........

The Vet was due out to see him in October for jabs etc so I asked him if there was anything else he could do for Floyd's condition treatment wise (which there isn't) and then asked if I should give carriage driving a go.

I had always long lined Floyd in favour of lunging him so he was very well used to me working him from behind and he'd spent most of the summer 'hacking out' on long lines accompanying my friend's youngster who we were preparing to back. I had also done a lot of de-spooking with Floyd and his previous owners had done alot of IH stuff with him before I got him so he was quite used to me trying new things with him.

My friend Sarah (who drives) lent me a harness and off I went for a few walks with Floyd, firstly pulling a plank of wood and then a heavy tyre. He didn't mind the weight of the tyre nor the sound it made on different surfaces, nor even the bouncing of the tyre when it went over bumps and even when we made 'broom stick' shafts to see what he'd make of being dug in the neck by shafts, he didn't mind that either. So in November we took him off to Bradbourne Driving and Training Centre in Sevenoaks and borrowed a training carriage - he didn't bat an eye lid at being 'put-to' for the first time either! Sara Howe commented on what a lovely, well behaved pony he was and even jumped into the carriage and had a little trot round on his first go!

We went back two days later and she then sent me home with a borrowed carriage and we haven't looked back since, in fact we have our first competition on Sunday!

My advice would be to carry on with the long lining - do lots and lots of de-spooking with him and then look to see if there is anyone one who drives in your area who would be willing to help you and lend you a harness.

If you want to PM me, I'll ask Sara Howe who is around your area who would be able to help you.

Good luck and let me know how you get on!!

[pip]

I think you need some expert advice here, from people who break and drive. He is a big lad and something do not need is a spooky driving horse. Do you have a lot of off road routes that you can take him on?

Why not take him to a local driving event and long rein him so he can see the horses pulling vehicles. This is what someone did with a pony they were breaking in. All they did was long rein the pony in and out of all the outfits and then loaded him back into the trailer when they went off for their drive. I think he would have needed to see a horse pulling a vehicle before you go, just in case he gets too excited. It won't be like training a shetland to drive! You must have someone to help, preferably who are experienced driving people. There is an awful lot to go wrong and the thought of a big horse getting frightened or out of control is, well, frightening.

[2 bays & a grey:D]

Laura what ever you decide good luck with it, I just wanted to say he looks fab & a different horsey

[bertie666]

Laura I think you should give the animal communicator Bronte&Nancy and me have had a call - be really interesting to hear Bacardi's p.o.v - have a look at hers and mines recent threads as it really did knock me on the floor!

[floydsmum (aka LesleyfromKent)]

Excellent advice Pip, the lady who got me interested just drives a Shetland now but she has a wealth of experience grooming & driving large horses at National level Sara Howe won the fours ponies at the Nationals this year so I had sound advice when I started out

IH training really was key to the ease at which Floyd took to it.

[laurac]

Thanks everyone
Lesley your Flloyd looks like he is really enjoying his new job ;D Best of luck with the driving comp sunday!
I think I shall invest in a 2nd hand harness so that we can practice pulling a tyre (we have an arena at the farm we can use) my RA can help us with this as a starting point and see how things go
Carriages are really expensive cant afford one for the forseable future at the moment so shall just have to carry on longlining for now I think
Yes Pip we have miles of farm tracks we can go along at our new place ;D I longlined my big chap yesterday around the farm whilst leading my mini shettie at the same time ;D

[Lesley from Kent (Floydsmum)]

Laura,

Glad you have an RA to help as it's a bit more tricky breaking a spooky horse to harness. You're thinking of all the right things but before you do the tyre thing make sure you have done alot of de-spooking including tarpaulin work on long lines and plastic bags etc etc etc.

It's important that your lad learns to go for your voice as other than your hands on the reins your voice is the only other aid (except for the whip) that you have at your disposal!

The other very, very important thing for them to learn is that when you tell them to stand still they stand ABSOLUTELY STILL. They MUST learn this on the long lines before you even think about putting them into a harness, even to pull a tyre as if they faff about, they can get their feet over the traces (bits that attach carriage / tyre etc to horse) and that's NOT good. Also, if you teach them to come to an absolute stand still if you get into trouble, it's much much safer for your groom to jump off and come to the rescue. My instructor made me work really, really hard on standing still before she'd let me progress any further!

Do go for a second hand harness but it is critical that it fits properly so I'd recommend that you get someone out to fit one for you (harnesses are a bit like poorly fitting saddles if they aren't right the horse can't pull properly and with all his other physical problems that won't be good). I notice you're in Essex, give Ashfields Carriage Equipment a call, they are in Dunmow in Essex 07802 899004.

Ashfields may also know of people in your area who can come out and help you but an RA is a great starting point for de-spooking.

Really wish you luck - once you start I can guarantee you'll be hooked!!

[pip]

You are very lucky if you have lots of tracks to go on. I have done some driving, at one time I had a shetland pony with a small cart, how one pony can entertain 3 children. Around here I wouldn't like to go out driving as the lanes are very narrow and there isn't much room for a car and carriage to pass. It is great fun though, driving is very enjoyable if you don't have to worry about traffic.

[laurac]

Thanks Lesley for the contact details of the driving place in dunmow, I shall make a note

The good news is that we have previously done quite a bit of spook busting on the lines and he has been led over tarpaulin as well- some pics below of stuff we have done
He has learnt that if he is silly and gets tangled in the lines then he needs to stand still to be released and he doesnt panic!
I think his main issue will be that the farm tracks are on the east anglian farm rides and he gets very excited when he sees other horses, this morning he barged out of his stable to run after a horse which was riding past, not good! We havent yet met another horse when i have longlined him around the farm so thats something we need to deal with and get used to as that could be very dangerous!
How did your competition go today?

[Lesley from Kent (Floydsmum)]

That's great stuff, what a good boy. That will really, really help Laura.

Competition didn't go that well in terms of placings but we had a good day and Floyd was very good for his first outing. I'm afraid I let him down a little! I've posted some pics in another thread.

Do keep in touch and let me know how you're getting on.

Seeing your England flags reminded me of this - England's most optimistic fan ..........

[laurac]

Fab pics on other thread lesley, looks like fun was had by all ;D
Like your Flloyd & england flag pics too