Breaking a Shetland to drive

[Kaz1]

Hello everyone,

My name is Karen and I own 2 little monsters! Murphy is an 11hh welsh companion pony and Rupert is a 37 inch skewbald shetland.

Rupert has recently been backed to ride and has become quite a nice little lead rein pony. He is still very green and a bit spooky so we are sticking to lead rein at the moment.

My question is this : I have always planned to break him to drive at some point in the not too distant future (I have an experienced friend who has offered to do it for me) but how long should I leave it between him being backed to ride and starting training for driving? I don't want to confuse him. He does already long rein nicely.

Any advice would be appreciated. He is a kind, if slightly nervous little man and I don't want to spoil him.

TIA

Karen

[jayuk]

hi
how old is your shetland just backed mine spring and started to long rein her a few month later she 10 years old i,ve alway taken her out on the roads in hand she great in traffic, but we are still taking it slow :) good luck

[Esther.D]

There is no problem going straight from backing to driven training, but take it very slow if he is nervous and spend loads of time on the basics :)

[Kaz1]

Thanks Esther. Will make a start then. Will def. take it slowly.

Jayuk - Roo was 5 last monday, bless him!

Lots of luck with your shetland.

[jayuk]

hi
whats his breeding

is he reg did you have him since a baby

mine arrived at one year old
sweet little things well on a good day :rolleyes:

[Kaz1]

Hi Jayuk,

He's 37 inches but to be honest, thats all I know about him. Unfortunately he isn't registered. I've had him since he was 2. When I bought him he was only just halter broken. He has done alot since then but is still very green and a bit nervous. I've been very busy since I got him (got married, moved, had a baby!) so he hasn't had as much attention on the training front as he should've done.
I sent him away to be backed and the lady who did it said he would be fine as a lead rein pony but is a bit quick to be a first pony. I'm having trouble finding someone to ride him now so I want to get on with driving as obviously that is something I could do (with alot of lessons!). I'd always planned to drive him anyway but it made sense to back him to ride first as I wanted him to get lots of practise ion before my little boy wants to have a go!!


Oooops! That turned into an essay!

Tell me about yours?

Karen

[jayuk]

hi brought Rosie and nutmeg from HARTLEY WINTNEY HANTS as yearling for my hubby to show they were reg so we were told but after trying to get their papers from Scotland found they were not, but who cares, we have their breeding and know nutmeg should be reg but the woman who sold them to us did not own them thats another story.

rosie 40 " bay strong girl great traffic, we long rein at this time and she lets my gradaughter sit on her, her grandad came from the pitponys, nutmeg is chestnut and flaxen mane and tail she a so and so to catch keeps me fit :mad: all 38 " that goes very fast lol getting good on the long rein. Harry is small 31 " and a right thug he was a stallion until the age of 6 and does he think he still is, nothing worries him my 16hh cb x welsh wont take him on ;)
they have all been handle since small and are go to take out, and no the manners around children no bitting or kicking, first thing they learn on coming into the herd and no rearing harry would walk on his back legs when he arrived, son got him to stop that a nice soft barn full of straw and over he went back wards neaver done it sinces
any bye 4 now jenny