Starting a pony in harness

[mickey]

One of my thoughts for Ozzie is for him to also drive. At the moment Ive just backed him and am riding him a little.
I still have a cart that we got for Mickey, when I knew absolutely nothing about driving and have since found it was really too small so Im hoping it will fit Ozzie.
Ive never had a driving lesson either- Lu has had a couple so Im not the one to break him to drive.
He is really easy going, long reins well and is a fast learner.
Im vaguely thinking of sending him away to be broken to harness next autumn/ winter- ie get him riding now, turn him away over this winter, bring him back into work early spring, do some showing such as ridden youngster next summer.
Any recommendations? Am in West Yorkshire near to Wakefield, Leeds etc.
Or am I better getting someone to come and teach us both, although Ive a feeling time might limit this

[Anna]

When i started Tucker in harness I was exactly the same as you, never driven or even had a lesosn my whole life. What we did i did everything i could from long-reining, blinkers on, long-reining with blinkers on, pulling us, dragging a tyre etc (all under supervision of our riding instructor who had driven in the past) and then for the final putting to cart he went away to a local friend for about 10 days.

He was amazing, he did everything he could, once tucker was established and happy, to test tucker out and to make sure that if i made a mistake (like hit a curb) he was used to it. He drove Tucker through towns, up between houses in council estates etc, made sure he saw everything.

In the meanwhile I was going to another instructor to have driving lessons with their experienced driving horse.

So then when the pair of us got back together, Tucker had been shown the ropes, i had been shown the ropes and we weren't quite the pair of novices we could have been!

[mickey]

Sounds similar to what I was sort of thinking- I've got 2 sets of harness (though sod's law says none will fit ) so was debating whether I should do the long reining in blinkers or get it done professionally. I think for safety and so he gets the best start he needs to do the initial driving with someone experienced.

[tinkerdorisalison]

I would do as anna says, do all you can long reining etc, if he is tuned in to your voice with long lines then put the blinkers on and carry on, he will probably be absolutely fine.

we did tinker ourselves but my dad has driven all his life. Doris however went to Karen Bassett for a couple of weeks and it was well worth it. She also did teaching and follow up lessons too for you and the horse. Think she lives in Derby area now. I would use her again.

[sweetpea]

Is it really expensive to send your pony away? I've almost got to the putting to sort of stage myself but don't have friends with driving experience. P's been great so far but a mistake at this time could spoil all our hard work and so we're a bit stuck.

[valerie n scout]

ohhh how lovely...loved driving...smashing pics Heather, looking forward to the stories unfolding x
you can get "cupped" blinkers x

[harleydales]

I started Harley myself from scratch, including putting-to, without prior driving experience. A friend who had back-stepped helped with the harness fitting, and a driving bloke came to check the cart fitted, but other than that it was me Harley and Mike.

We long reined for nearly 2 years in the end, just because circumstance dictated that I couldn't move on. Then we progressed to a tyre (not convinced about this as it bounced a lot!), then chains and a fish box that made lots of noise, then Mike made a skeleton gig - just 2 bits for 2 x 2 wood for shafts and a shorted bit across the back to hold it steady - this got him used to having something along his sides.

Fronm there is was an easy step to putting-to and since then we've driven on the road at home (v quiet), up a private lane and met dogs, people and bicycles and a lorry, and just in the fields at home.

I bought loads of books - Minta Winn and Sally Walrond are very good - and did lots of studying before I started.

Heather - can you loosen off the blinker strap at the top of the headpiece at all? Mine adjusts there to give the eyes more room.

[kirkellarupert]

Hi Mickey,

I have been driving for over 13 years now with my old girl, she was already a driving pony when i got her. I went to anyone who could help me learn and i had lesson with other ponies/ horses first then had lessons with my mare.

Since completeing driving exams, teaching exams for driving as well as seven years in the private driving ring i decided to get my second eldest pony who i have done most of the work myself put to the carriage. I am ready to do this shortly, with his full brother waiting in the wings for his turn, but he is just coming up 3.

I do all this with the most helpful of people as a friend who has helped me enormously. You ask for recomendations! If you log onto "strictly carriage driving" you will find a site which belongs to Bev who does this for a living. She is really good and is only in Yorkshire nr York itself. If your interested give her a call and she will give you more ideas or advice. If you want to pm me feel free. Hope this helps.

Jo