Driving Tips?

[lisae]

We've just gotten our new cart for the Haflinger mare we got late last year. The weather's been clear and even though I vowed to take lessons first, last Sunday was so beautiful we hitched her up and took our first drive. We only went a mile to our farm, rested (she rested, we showed her off to my in-laws!) and came back. Monday (that's her registered name, go figure) was super, and went right along calmly despite our beginner antics!

Question: I wanted to start right in holding the whip and trying to hold the reins properly, hubby (backseat driver) insisted I quit waving that thing around and took it away. Mare didn't care although I got some ear whirling when I tried to touch her as backup to my rein work. Is it OK to leave off the whip work until I have a better handle on driving, or lessons? I thought it was an integral part of the deal. Also, I didn't want to be on her mouth too hard and fell back on voice commands a lot, is this acceptable? It's a different feeling when you are used to riding and suddenly you're several feet back - I found myself peering around to try and see her head and obviously this isn't good form nor particularly useful. We also did some beautiful serpentines on our half of the road which I didn't really ask for to begin with but seemed to just happen (I was overcorrecting, I'm guessing?) Jim thought it was something we asked for and didn't know it.

Well, any tips from those more experienced would be great. I've thinking of buying a video in lieu of lessons, since there is no one in the area that gives them other than a very pricey carriage showing barn that would be so expensive!

[Miriam]

Although my friend used to drive with the whip I never did. As a beginner I used to leave it up to her to use. I still do not however use a whip only voice commands.

[Wally]

You ned to be conversant in the safety issues as well as learning to drive, get a few lessons a video may not tell you how to hitch up safely, one golden rule is NEVER let anyone sit in the cart by themselves, if the horse takes fright they have absolutely no chance of bringing a runaway cart under control again.

Hold the whip when learning otherwise you will simply never learn ONce you have it you will not be able to drive without a whip, neither should you try, the whip should be there as an aid to your voice and to distract the horse if they get spooky.

Hold the reins in your left hand, pointy finger and middle finger separating them. Keep them faily straight, make sure the left rein is over the pointy finger and the right one between your middle and ring fingers. Grip the reins with your ring and little finger and your thumb should be horizontal lightly gripping the reins too. Keep your right (whip) hand up with your left ready to assist it, although you hold the reins in your left hand your right hand should be constantly making adjustments and ready to shorten the reins or take hold in an emergency.

To make small adjustments on a straight line...to go left roll your wrist towards you slightly to the right of your body, the left rein will shorten and the right rein will loosen. To go right drop your wrist, rolling your thumb away from you, the other rein will then shorten and the left rein will lengthen. If you need to turn tight use your right hand, never open your hand to the side, imagine working towards the centre of your body over your left hand.

If you want to see my two Haflinger Stallions in harness go to www.geocities.com/tonkii2000/horses

Hope this helps a bit, but I would practice with the reins on the back of a chair, practice getting the chair to balance on two legs!

[lisae]

Wally, your horses are gorgeous!

I've read several books on driving and have been out as a passenger three times. There is a local carriage museum that gives rides on Fridays in the summer in the small city where I work, last year I asked for a ticket on the first drive out and to come early to watch the driver hitch. It was a great time, I was the only customer for that run and the horse owner was just as pleased to talk driving as to discuss the old homes on the route that people usually are interested in. So, I got a good start and a visual on the rein position and whip handling. There are clinics to go to in the season, too. Our mare is experienced and the prior owner thought she'd be a good one to help us learn.

(My husband was a little nervous as one stretch of the road went by a fairly deep ditch - and some years ago a friend of ours put his Belgian cross gelding and sleigh into that ditch when a snowplow went by at top speed! Horse and driver emerged mostly unscathed but it was a heck of a scare.)

The cart is fun because it's a way Jim and I can enjoy horses together. Our boys will be included when we are more experienced.

[Wally]

Driving is a good way for 2 or more to enjoy one horse, a driving horse has so many uses too, ours pull fencing equipment to places tractors and quads cannot get.

Get a few intensive lessons, and do the practice thing with the chair it's great. You can make a 4 in hand practice machine to strengthen your wrists when you do work up to 4 in one! Good fro practiceing singles. You need some old window weights though.

Good luck, Haflingers have a great sense of fun and are such soppy dates!