The harness!!

[laura jeanne]

Yes, we got it out today in all its parts and put it all on him. Then we did some long reining in the round pen. We used the regular bridle because horse took a slight exception to the blinkers when we asked him to back up to put him in the cross ties and he couldn't see behind him. It was great and afterwards I got to give him a bath which was the first time I ever actually used shampoo and didn't just rinse with the hose. Gave him a pear, some carrots and took him to graze for a bit.

[tazzle22]

oh well done , a positive experience then :D

did it all fit OK

if he doesnt like blinkers you dont have to put them on ( unless you want to show eventually) .... Taz does not wear them and I know quite a few people that dont put them on their equines.

[laura jeanne]

Thanks Tazzle. He is trained for driving but has not done it for a year or so. He would probably have been okay with the blinkers if we hadn't asked him to back up so maybe next time. What is the name of the part that goes around his back legs? I have already forgotten. It did take him a few minutes to settle down to long reining and get his head to a normal level but when he did, he was going well. We practiced making our circle bigger and smaller.

[tazzle22]

I think you mean the breeching ... helps stop the vehicle from banging him up the tail end :) ..... and helps him to brace into it going down hill. ...... is it the same in usa ..... or have I seen it called britching ( almost the same LOL)

sounds like you being sensitive and taking it slow and easy for you both:)

[Wally]

You sound like you are hgaving fun.

I have seen Breeching spelled all ways, Britching, breeching.....s'all the same.

In the UK in flat counties and show lawns you can do away with the breeching on the harness and put a false breeching between the shafts of the vehicle. If you have a posh pony or a petite one it just cleans up the lines so the judges eye isn't influenced by too much hanress. But no good in hilly areas or for fast furious work.

[Esther.D]

Sounds good! :)

[laura jeanne]

Yes, the breeching. And she did say it was for keeping the carriage from bumping into the horse. Next time I am going to look closer at it to figure out why because when she told me before we actually put it on, I didn't quite see it.

To get the horse to move back to the outside near the rail in the roundpen, I had to flex his head to the inside a little, then half halt, then soften the outside rein. So when the inside front leg was back and about to come forward and step down, that was the time for the half halt and softening the outside so that when he stepped, he moved his foot to the outside. At least this is what I think I remember but I don't see how you can be watching for things like that when you are driving.

[Wally]

Stops you going in counter bend!

To get the horse to move back to the outside near the rail in the roundpen, I had to flex his head to the inside a little, then half halt, then soften the outside rein. So when the inside front leg was back and about to come forward and step down, that was the time for the half halt and softening the outside so that when he stepped, he moved his foot to the outside. At least this is what I think I remember but I don't see how you can be watching for things like that when you are driving.


The breeching goes around the horses backside then attaches to the shafts of the cart. so when the cart runs on the shafts pull forward and are stopped by the breeching. Found this ,I added comments for another thread, but you get the idea.