driving question

[linz20]

how old would you break a pony to harness? i want to send my foal to someone when she's old enough. but they said two. but i don't think thats right, if you where breaking them into ride it would be at least 3. so what do people think?

[Pink's lady]

Yep, two is stil far too young - they're not finished growing and you can do they joints a lot of damage. There hock joints are most affected, and I'd imagine that comes under a lot of strain with driving (pulling and all that).

If these people are wanting to break a pony at 2yrs, there's probably a lot of other things they're up to that you don't agree with. Find someone else;)

If you're wanting to drive the pony, there's no reason it can't get used to the harrness at two though. Just putting bits on and off, so that having the breach ect doesn't come as too much of a shock. A bit like getting ridden horse used to having munhans etc on their back.

[CMR]

Two is too young for them to actually be pulling weight, but there are a lot of other things you can do. It takes a couple weeks of ground driving for them to not be completely scared when they are actually asked to drive. To get a pretty bombproof driving horse, a lot of ground work should go into it. As a general rule when dealing with any issues such as how much weight they can pull or hold, I'd say older is better. It always pays off to wait an extra year or so, if it means the horse will not develop any flaws.

[Pink's lady]

Also remember that at 2yrs, their not mentally up for much work either - their attention span is about 5mins (literally). Any more than that and they get bored, grumpy and fed-up

[Wally]

EW have started a 2 year old wearing the harness and getting used to the bit, that's it, 10 minutes at most just so he can see we are not going to eat him. He's so laid back he'd fall over, Not a flighty type at all.

[linz20]

EW have started a 2 year old wearing the harness and getting used to the bit, that's it, 10 minutes at most just so he can see we are not going to eat him. He's so laid back he'd fall over, Not a flighty type at all.

lol, my shetlands quite the opposite at the minute, jumps at the slightest thing she likes to think she's a mini race pony at the minute, lol.

[linz20]

Also remember that at 2yrs, their not mentally up for much work either - their attention span is about 5mins (literally). Any more than that and they get bored, grumpy and fed-up

thank's for your advise. yes that sounds like sky, lol.

[linz20]

Two is too young for them to actually be pulling weight, but there are a lot of other things you can do. It takes a couple weeks of ground driving for them to not be completely scared when they are actually asked to drive. To get a pretty bombproof driving horse, a lot of ground work should go into it. As a general rule when dealing with any issues such as how much weight they can pull or hold, I'd say older is better. It always pays off to wait an extra year or so, if it means the horse will not develop any flaws.

i've always broke ridden horse at the min of 4 1/2 to give the back a chance to strenghten, and i thought 2 was to early. i don't want to rush her, bless. the people offered to do it for me. but i thought it was a bit strange them saying 2.

[Esther.D]

If she is flighty don't be afraid to give her plenty of time - some of mine have been quite silly and flightly at 2, 3 or even 4 but made great driving ponies once they have had time to mature a bit more, others are bombproof from the word go. So if you get to 3 for instance and it is still flighty I would be inclined to turn it away for a bit longer to grow up and then send it away to be broken once it has settled a bit - it is better to wait than to go in too early and cause chaos.