What should be in a spares kit??

[clara]

Good luck Lucy dales I'm sure you will be fine especially with Kaz's exceptional advice. Other important things to check before you go into the ring are make sure your vehicle is balanced correctly. The judge may test this by putting a finger under the tip of the shaft to see if it is easily lifted. Also check that your harness is correctly fitted as the fit can change when you wash synthetic harness. Before you get on the vehicle at the show, stand back and check that the vehicle is horiontal with the ground and the harness looks just right. A good tip for bringing paintwork up to scratch on modern vehicles is to use Auto Glym tyre dressing!! It is a silicon based treatment so do NOT put it on the foot well of seats as you will slide all over the place but it works a treat at minimizing blemishes in paint work. I also use it on the outside surface of the breast collar, the saddle and the breeching seat of the harness. Although you should do a spot test on any surface you intend to use it somewhere it wont show just in case it reacts badly with your kit. You may want to ditch your fleece as because it is so wide the visual (not actual I'm sure) impression is that it is a touch too high. I really hope you enjoy yourself which is the most important thing. So much work goes into getting to the show make sure you give yourself and your pony time to enjoy it. PS You will cause sucha stir with an open bridle it still gives me such a thrill to see. You should come first on that alone.

[Debbie]

Again so many excellent tips!!! I'm really enjoying reading all of this And I'm learning loads.

[lucydales]

It's taken me two days to find the schedule! And.... the driving judge is not there!! LOL! The ridden judge is Mrs N Thompson and the in hand judge is Mr J Longstaff, not sure if it'll be one of those. The driving class is a very small part of the show, last year there was only Claire Dale entered, this year there will be 3 of us I believe.

Thank you Kaz and Clara for your excellent advice! As a real novice it is invaluable! If I'm doing things wrong, I'd rather you said then everyone, including me, learns. The trouble for me is I don't know what I don't know!! I can put the breast-harness down a little if need be, the sheep-skin adds about 3/4" to each side.

We're doing dressage, in hand and ridden classes with Amy as well, so I'll take the cart and see how she is, as we've really had too little practice to take it seriously, more of a "have-a-go" in my mind! I'm still panicking that I'll have to ditch Sue for my show!! LOL! If Amy's not happy I may not enter, so please don't beat me up if I come back to you with my tail between my legs!! I should probably have done something that was driving only first for Amy, as I'm taking Isaac to Bakewell as well. In for a penny in for a pound.

I'll keep you posted!

I just need some good weather on Friday to get the cart scrubbed up now!

[clara]

I think it is a perfect show as you will have a fun day out and if you are not to tired you can have a go at the class or just watch and see what it is about. If you have a proper BDS judge they will be really wowed by the lack of blinkers. I think you should 'have a go' and not worry too much about the kit. Kaz is obviously a top class show turn out and is very impressive but exercise vehicle classes are aimed at people such as yourself who wish to 'have a go' which you couldn't have done 5 years ago as you woul dhave had to buy a traditional vehicle and show harness to match. In fact this whole conversation highlights how these classes are fast losing sight of this!!!!
The spares kit is really important and included in this class because you should carry one on the vehicle whenever you leave home. Most important is a phone on your person. It is really annoying to be 5miles from home and find you need to tighten a nut and not have a spanner etc. The idea behind it is to get you home if you incur a minor crisis and to summon help if you encounter a major crisis. It is a pain to scrape together but once it's done it just sits there and gathers dust until such a time as you need it or show it to judge! I put mine in a computer bag as it has lots of compartments to tidy things into. No judge has ever marked me down for it as it is neat clean and serves it's purpose.
Re the collar I would remove the sheepskin and look at where the collar sits. It should be half way between the point of the shoulder ie the bone part that sticks outish of the chest and below the windpipe at the bottom of the neck. If you look at the photo you posted the fleece appears to be touching the windpipe - obviously dear Amy is NOT being choked by it but visualy it looks a touch high I think in part because of the extra width of the fleece. You don't want to alter the hight of the collar if it is fitting correctly in order to account for the fleece as this would be silly. If you look at Kaz's picture you will see the difference in where the collar appears to sit. Also if you look at the picture of your turnout as the breeching comes into play (going down hill) to me, it looks a touch low. It's bearing face is not all coming into contact with the horses bottom. Again this is not a serious or dangerous issue but if you are going to bother to clean everything you may as well have everything just so as well! The best thing to do is go on some driving websites and check out photos and you will soon pick up a visual awareness of how things should look or not look. I think if you wear your skull caps and matching tops a pair of gloves and can lay your hands on an apron you should stand as good a chance as anyone else at winning. Basically showing is about the way your pony behaves as much as the way you look. You will love Le Trec as things sill have to be clean but there is much less emphasis on posh vehicles/smart hats and you get an afternoon out and about with the pony. Blabbing on again - so hope you will take my comments the right way they are only based on the picture you showed us and are meant to help rather than dishearten. Also they are only really about tweaking not any serious isuues and are meant to help you in the ring. It is really annoying to go to all the trouble cleaning and then have an isuue with harness - I know because it has happened to me. Also I normally have so many issues with our performance I hate to give away marks on presentation!!! It all seems so complicated getting to your first class but once you've done it once it's much easier - honest! Off to a show for the first time this season myself so better look to my own comments!!!!

[lucydales]

Clara,

Thank you so much for taking the time to post such a comprehensive reply! Both you and Kaz have given me so much good sound advice (on driving throughout my tentative beginnings, not just in this thread) that I feel very humbled (in a good way!) at your kindness in taking the time to help me!

I don't take offence easily (and email is a cr*p medium for being mis-interpreted!) but your advice was both asked for and very constructive (even when I'd been incredibly dim like with the lack of swingletree!) that I'd be a sad case to take offence! My motto is don't ask if you don't want to hear the answer!

I have a spares kit coming on Sat on loan, and an apron, and will invest in them for myself in the not too distant future. As long as it stops raining for a bit tomorrow the cart will get a wash and brush up, and I'll also try and give Amy a wiz round the field and try out our show so we're a little more prepared as we haven't driven for a month or two as Claire had her baby and we've been practising our ridden shows and dressage for the last two weeks.

I'm not great at getting off my bum so the show is a good push for me, as long as Amy is coping okay as she's not been to many places before. We did this show last year with both ponies, than Isaac nearly killed me so it'll be our first outing since then!

I really hope we manage it, but if not I'll find a local driving something to take her to this summer.....promise!!

[clara]

I agree if I don't have a competition to work to I just flap about and don't get on with anything. It gives me the drive (no pun intended) to train the pony and keep him fit. It is so nice to be out with them when you get out there but sometimes the get up and go is lacking when there are so many other things pressing on your time!
I will come up with the pair (God Willing they are both well and playing ball!) next year and have a go at this show as it sounds great. There are no dales shows in my area i think.
Best of luck with it all!!

[Debbie]

....please keep blabbering! .... I've been learning SO much about driving just sitting and 'listening' as it were. There are so many fine details that go into driving, and its all very fascinating....

[dalesponyrider]

I've been thinking of Lucy all day today. Hope she got on ok. I wanted to go and watch but have had to stay in Lincoln in case a client of mine goes into labour. She wants me involved in the birth. Thought she would have had it by now............

I loved this show last year and would have liked to go as a spectator. I wonder how it went.........

[clara]

Me too. Can't wait to hear all the gossip and if she made it into the driving ring!! Come on Lucy, you must be shattered but give us a quick up date please?

[lucydales]

We had a show of mixed blessings! We came last or last but one in all our classes! LOL! Isaac was a pratt and is now being dished up as burgers!!

As for Amy.......... I have no photos of her driving (I hope someone else does) but I couldn't have been happier with her if we'd won all our classes! She was fantastic! She wasn't bothered about the other carts, and trotted out so well she was catching everyone else up! LOL! We were left at the end as we didn't have a proper driving bit/bridle, but the judge said she went the best of the three ponies, and he'd have placed us higher if we'd had the right kit!

My spares got examined so thank you for all your help with that, and we were the only one that did our show without the groom on board!

Mair came first she was grooming for Blossom (?) and they were turned out immaculately. It was Blossom's first outing I think, so they did really well, much deserved! The pony that came second was also fairly new to it and it's driver Pat gave me lots of helpful advice.

All in all, Amy was a star! She was let down by us not having the right stuff and being a bit heath-robinson but it was the highlight of my day and Sue and I couldn't be more happy at coming third (and last!!) She is a natural driving pony!

Thank you so much for all your interest!

PS Mair is much better but having computer problems so will be back with us soon hopefully.

[dalesponyrider]

Congratulations Lucy! Sound like you had a good if exhausting day. I think it is wonderful that you say that if you had come away with firsts for all your classes you couldn't be any happier due to Amy's fabulous performance. That shows you are a true horsewoman, more pleased with your ponies progress than prizes!

Well done anyway and I hope D treats Amy kindly tonight - she deserves to be pampered! As for Isaac, D says when's the burger van coming? LOL!

[dalesponyrider]

Forgot to say, so pleased that Mair is better and that she will be with us soon!

[harveydales]

Very well done Lucy! Sounds like you had a fantastic day. I agree, it is very satisfying and pleasing to know your pony has done its best, enjoyed the day and is showing progress. Far more important than the rosettes. As for Isaac.........clearly his mind was on other things lol

Thanks for letting us know Mair is OK and hope she can get her computer problems sorted out soon.

[sweetpea]

Congratulations Lucy! You must be really proud of Amy. Does the Judge's comment mean that Amy should have worn a Liverpool bit and been blinkered then ? Seems such a shame if she goes well and is happy without .

[lucydales]

The judge and steward's view was that they wouldn't drive a non-blinkered pony, though they did accept that they'd use blinkers to stop the pony being scared of what's behind it (ie the cart!!) and that Amy was fine. My view is that she gets a lot of confidence from me and if she turns her head a little she can see me and that's better for her! The judge also advised me to be careful if I did try her in blinkers as often they freak the first time they try them!

Our biggest sin was not having a driving bit (Liverpool or the like). We had a riding bridle with a fulmar bit. Amy went very well in this and was stopable but I'll probably get her a proper blinkerless driving bridle and bit in due course (and a posh cart and harness!!) as it's a shame for her to go very well and be let down by her kit!!

The best thing was all the cheers we got from people on both boards when we were leaving the ring, anyone would have thought we had won!!

For saying we had such a disappointing day in all other respects, I'm still on cloud nine!!

PS. Linda, D was very kindly! Choc is doing huge sqealies and kicks at anyone that gets remotely in range, I think she must be in season, though I've never noticed it for years!! She must know Sammy's coming visiting! LOL!! Poor old love, no foalie for her....perhaps I should break it to her gently?!!!