driving pairs

[trottingvanner]

hi,
does anyone here drive pairs of horses, how easy is it, id love to have ago,has anyone got any pics. Thanks

[Wally]

Yes I drive pairs,

first you have to master coachman rein handling in singles as do the horses.

Then you have to get a pair of horses who match stride, they do not have to match in colour, but their stride needs to match well for them to work well together.

Driving pairs is as easy as the horses you have in harness, if they are well trained and well mannered it's easy. Setting the reins to get a pair to work as a pair is an art. I am never happy with my reins and am always messing with them to get them right.
Below are my Shetland pair

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f177/sprimble/IMG_2256.jpg

These are a pair of Orlov Trotters beloging to a friend of mine who I drove during my Pairs certificate....nice horses, darned fast!
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f177/sprimble/Orlov-trotters.jpg

Andy and Charlie going fast cone driving.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f177/sprimble/IMG_3972.jpg

And my two Haflinger Stallions
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f177/sprimble/stowandstraussascot.jpg

[trottingvanner]

thanks for that i drive horses already i break them in, ive got the two that i drive and broke both of them in my self so i am exprienced with the driving side, just i have never had much to do with pairs, ive side lined horses but thats different.