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Post by Debbie on Jul 15, 2007 18:41:09 GMT -1
I've been told the unicorns are very difficult/tricky to drive. Can anyone tell me why this configuration would be harder?
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Post by lucydales on Jul 15, 2007 18:57:52 GMT -1
Don't they have horns? Perhaps they prod each other on the bum?? LOL!!
What are unicorns driving, Debs??
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Post by kaz on Jul 15, 2007 19:12:41 GMT -1
Unicorn is where you have a pair as normal then one in front inbetween as a single leader !
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Post by Debbie on Jul 16, 2007 1:33:51 GMT -1
Don't they have horns? Perhaps they prod each other on the bum?? LOL!! What are unicorns driving, Debs??   Soberly, it is the same configuration as in the photos JoM posted under Horsey Chat. The team of greys that had the crash is in the 'unicorn' configuration, but there's another team of Clydes I think as well that are the same. Two in back, one in front. But why is this supposed to be harder/trickier to drive? |
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Post by dalesponyrider on Jul 16, 2007 6:32:37 GMT -1
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Post by harveydales on Jul 16, 2007 7:47:11 GMT -1
ROFL!!!
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Post by The Moo on Jul 16, 2007 14:25:04 GMT -1
I would imagine because it is similar to driving a tandem in that the leader has no pole or shafts to 'keep it straight'.
The only thing keeping it pointing in the right direction is your rein handling skills.
Tandems are super tricky to drive.
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Post by Debbie on Jul 16, 2007 20:49:32 GMT -1
Thanks for finally enlightening me  I've never driven, so I wasn't sure why exactly it was supposed to be so tricky. It would make sense that the shafts keep them pointed mostly straight. |
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Post by The Moo on Jul 17, 2007 6:35:01 GMT -1
There is a bit more to it than that but I have seen on more than one occaision where the leader of a tandem has come round and actually looked the driver in the eye. Now that is a tricky situation to get out of.
(It was often said that a tandem driver should always carry a pistol so he could shoot the horse in case this happened but I think these days we are a bit more caring about our horses)
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Post by Debbie on Jul 17, 2007 11:57:55 GMT -1
 That would be a pickle!!! A bit like our cowboys always packing a revolver. If you fell off your horse working the cattle and were being drug, you had to shoot the horse. No one really wanted to, but back then good luck getting to a doctor on time. 
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Post by PonyGirl on Jul 20, 2007 2:04:52 GMT -1
I asked Joe about a unicorn. He said he tried to do it a couple of times. First time the front horse (draft) ended up looking at the driver straight on and the two in back were facing forward.....this while he was on a busy road blocking traffic. Ooops.
I have learned alot from Joe. He said he learned alot from trial and error. He can't wait to get his hands on my girl and start working with her. See what retirement does to people!
He used to drive the P&C hitch of Percherons. We have the lead team Pete and Bob from the hitch on the farm I am at.
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Post by Debbie on Jul 22, 2007 14:18:51 GMT -1
I would SOOO not want to ever be in that position!!! I bet Joe's really looking forward to working with your girlie 
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Post by merlinalison on Aug 8, 2007 19:22:57 GMT -1
I think its also partly because in a team the reins from the leaders would be threaded through the turrets (don't think thats a technical term tho) on the harness of the wheelers but in a random like unicorn you cant do that so you've got three sets of reins in three separate places so harder to sort out whats what. It cant help either that, like tandems, the leader shouldn't be in draught and can wander about a lot more (including turning round to argue as others have said!)
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Post by clara on Aug 9, 2007 21:05:06 GMT -1
I have never driven tandem or teams but i think the reasoning behind it being more difficult to drive either a tandem or a unicorn rather than a team is good old pony psycology. As we all know ponies like to stick together and if you have one out in front on its own its natural reaction to anything it doesn't like is to get back with its mates so therefore is more likely to turn round and look you in the eye! In a team the leaders can use each other to bolster their confidence rather than needing to turn round for that reassurance. This is particularly tricky in tandem because the flashy high blooded horse should be driven in front while the less startling one should be driven behind and do all the work. The Tandem club was started in 17th centuary by young bucks who wanted to show off their high blooded horses to their lady friends and their driving skills. Their is also a sporting tandem where you would hitch up your driving horse and then hitch up your hunter in front and drive to the meet. The leader is not supposed to be in draft so they are not doing any work therefore would still be fresh to hunt. I'm not sure why the uncorn came about perhaps because someone needed to exercise your horses and if you had three you could drive them all at once? Does anyone know? Also I believe that both tandem and unicorn and teams are driven with the same number of reins i.e two sets of two and the rein handling should be the same although as merlin alison says a random (three ponies one in front of the other infront of the other) may need three sets of reins which is very scary I wonder if this is also true of a pick axe?
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Post by The Moo on Aug 10, 2007 13:34:08 GMT -1
I think the leader on the unicorn, like a tandem, was originally there only to come into draught when necessary like up hills which is why you quite few heavy horse unicorns and I think after that it was a means of showing off your driving skills so the turnouts got smarter and the horses more flashy.
A bit like taking your own cock horse with you.
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That would be a pickle!!! 
