Driving Lessons On December 6th and 7th, I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with a very special mini and his owner. The story really began last March, when I was at the Horse Expo in Denver, where Elaine approached me about teaching her to drive her miniature horses. I told her about my weekend clinics and said I would be happy to help. Elaine called a few weeks ago and told me she had recently acquired a miniature horse that was already trained to drive. She wanted me to work with her and this little guy, so she could learn how to drive this horse and her 13 other mini's. We worked out a date, and the weather (here in Torrington) was gorgeous for the clinic. The first day, Elaine worked in the morning with Prince, who is easy going and a very good teacher. She learned some different techniques to use in the round pen when you are teaching a horse to drive. She lunged and long lined Prince, then we added the cart to the equation. In the afternoon, she worked with Smokey. She said working with her own horse was more enjoyable than working with my horses. "There's something about getting to work with your own horse that is very gratifying." Elaine is a horse-savvy person. She understands the essential effect of bonding with these sensitive creatures, and the ensuing trust that is required to get them to perform at their best. On Sunday, Elaine started the day with Jack (shown with Karen, below). They progressed to the arena, and later worked with Smokey in the arena She really got the feel for turning, stopping, backing up and trotting with a "cart in tow". I told her she just grew by about 10' and needed to be heedful of where the horse and cart (including the wheel hubs) were at all times. It's a lot to be thinking about when you are in a cart in a lively trot. Mini's are very willing to learn, and you can only imagine the joy a mini-loving person feels driving their very own horse for the first time. Below are Elaine's own words and a picture of her and little Smokey. Notice Smokey is doing very well in a halter, without blinders or a bit. Here is an exerpt from Elaine's e-mail to me about two days after she returned home to Colorado: "Can you believe I can finally do something with my horses besides spoil them? I took a great class this weekend and I have proof that I can finally drive. What fun. I love it. Lot's to practice and learn but we are now on the way." Elaine and Smokey December 7, 2008 Karen and Jack having a good time in the arena. Jack is in a light, controlled trot. He is relaxed and attentiive, as is the driver. Cart driving is a hoot when done properly and with utmost respect for safety! Betty and Snickers begin driving with cart in tow. About 15 minutes later he was pulling the cart with Betty in the seat. You take this part slow, because a mistake at this stage can be fateful. (I didn't say fatal, but one should always be careful.) Cart driving may look like a safe venture, but a runaway horse in a cart is very hard to control or stop! Don't take shortcuts or try to hurry this part of the training. Experienced on-site miniature lesson horses available, hand picked and trained by owner/trainer Betty Burlingame. Specializing in non-competitive miniature horse driving lessons, for beginner to intermediate driving capability and family-oriented retreats with horses. Daily or weekly rates available. Especially good for young riders who are intimidated by full sized horses. Rates: Driving lessons, cart rides: Riding/driving lessons are $15.00 per hour for occasional riders. When you pay for 6 lessons in advance you get a seventh lesson free. (Economical for people who are willing to make a long-term learning commitment to driving and general horsemanship. Ground work, such as: haltering, tacking-up and grooming are part of every driving lesson. If you are unable to control a horse from the ground, then you are not prepared to drive the horse. Students are expected to be on time, and in a horse-ready-frame-of-mind. Your lesson will be much more productive if you can devote your full attention to the horse and to the task at hand. If you are going to be late for a lesson or need to cancel your appointment, call 575-0401 (cell phone) to let the instructor know when you will be arriving or if you need to reschedule your appointment. All students must sign a hold harmless agreement, per the Wyoming Statutes. We offer a special driving lesson rate of $50 per month with full service horse boarding - includes one driving lesson per week. A Driving Lesson Is... SHOULD I TAKE DRIVING LESSONS? Making the decision to provide driving lessons for yourself and/or your children is a major family decision. Driving lessons are time consuming, expensive and have a certain amount of inherent risk. Driving lessons require a huge commitment to educate yourself about horses. Parents would never put their children in a car and tell them to drive it, but will put children in a cart drawn by a horse and expect them to learn all about horses from blue sky. Good driving instructors promote safety, education and ground work as an integral part of "driving" lessons. If you can't control the horse from the ground, you'll have a lot more trouble trying to control them when you are driving a cart. DRIVING IS: Actively participating in controlling the movements of a horse in a manner that shows consistency, along with compassion and concern for the horse. Horses are strong, powerful and very intelligent, with survival being their paramount concern. Drivers need to be mature enough to understand the basic principles of horsemanship, balance, rhythm and proper human/horse communication, which includes a good "working knowledge" of bits along with other driving equipment. Drivers should know the proper way to work with horses from the ground and from the cart. Also required of the rider is an extensive education in the spirit of the horse; how they communicate and how to bend the horse's will to your own, keeping him calm and committed to completing the task required. It is easy to blame the horse for all inadequacies in the driver's abilities. It is up to the driver to keep things in check. Driving a horse and cart is an art, with all the beauty and symmetry of true classical horsemanship, which very few people achieve. An accomplished driver understands the importance of the ability to observe the horse's behavior and to feel the horse through the reins. They know what the horse is going to do by the signals the horse communicates with its whole body; especially the ears and tail, which are two of the main communication transmitters, and can be readily observed while driving. Observant, aware horse people are tuned to the "horse frequency" at all times while driving their horse. Driver inattentiveness is the primary cause for most cart wrecks. . Many driving communication skills can be learned from the ground. If you can't control the horse from the ground, you certainly can't control him while driving a cart or carriage. Ground work is elementary, albeit integral training for both horse and driver! When you have bonded with a horse is like no other relationship on this side of Heaven. Imagine a 1000 pound animal who is responding to what appears to be an almost imperceptible cue, with only a thin slice of leather attached to a metal receiver (a bit) as a communication tool. A good driver recognizes that the horse does what you ask because he wants to please you, not because you've forced him to comply. At this level of horsemanship, you see the rewards for all the time and effort it takes to "get there". Bonding with a horse has no parallel on earth. It transcends any other relationship because horses are totally honest, empathetic, intelligent, naturally athletic and will always listen to you. They talk all the time to those who are willing to take the time to listen to them. (Horses think most people are deaf!). When improperly treated, horses can become balky, sullen and uncommunicative, just like people who have been abused and mistreated. A horse can kick the stuffing out of you, they bite and will literally run over you, step on you or run away with you when they are pushed beyond their comfort zone. A educated equestrian is honest about his/her capabilities , knows and understands his/her horse, is continually striving to perpetuate the best life possible for the horse, is a life-long learner about the best way to care for horses, and is willing to speak out in defense of what they know is the highest good for horses in general. Driving a miniature horse Jack, one of our miniature horses taught me, while I taught him how to drive. Miniature horses just seem to have a natural knack and ability to pull a cart. Maybe, too, because of their smaller stature, they are easier to control from the cart than most full-sized horses. I followed the training principles set forth in a book and video by Doris Ganton called "Breaking and Training the Driving Horse" and a book called "Breaking a Horse to Harness" by Sallie Walrond for basic guidance with the training processes. There are several good internet links about driving, too, such as www.horsedriver.com and www.horsecart.com. Not all horses are good candidates for driving. Your horse must be calm and confident-natured to pull a cart, carriage or wagon. What you see in show rings is not your stereotypical cart horse - he is a show horse. A high-stepping horse may look smart in the ring, but often these horses can't be trusted in an open space such as a field or road. Cart driving can be a dangerous sport. Attention to safety-basics in training can save you, your horse, and your expensive driving equipment! As with any horse I've started, we begin with basic classical training to teach the horse ground manners, gaining the horse's trust, establishing confidence in the horse and most importantly, ground driving. We progress from the round pen to the arena to a safe field or dirt road over the course of several months. I usually use another person at the horse's head to start the horse, gradually weaning the horse away from relying on his/her leader for reassurance and "courage". I always start horses in a halter, fastening the driving lines onto the halter on either side of the horse's nose, with me walking behind or to the in-side of the horse (long-lining). We practice, practice and practice some more. There is no substitute for building strong confidence and character in your driving horse. Any new piece of equipment or something like sleigh bells, should be added one-at-a-time. Over-stimulating the horse is not recommended, as it may cause the horse to fear the driving experience. Horses never forget something that spooks them. Horses respond very well to nose pressure. I tell people who are looking for a "better bit" that'll "stop their horse" to try ground driving their horse in a round pen with a halter to see how that works for stopping. "Whoa" is the most important command you can teach your horse!!! You should never minimize this tantamount voice command. Do not push your driving horse to progress too quickly. The time you spend with basic training round pen/ground driving work will pay off when you are in a crisis situation with a horse in a cart, carriage or wagon. If you have ever seen a runaway horse dashing a cart to bits along the way, you will understand what I mean. After about 2-3 months of ground driving, walking behind or beside the horse on both sides of the horse, I introduce the horse to "pulling". You can make a simple drag using poles attached to the driving harness, or use a tire, so the horse becomes accustomed to feeling the pull around his shoulders and mid section. Always have control of your horse with the driving lines. He may shy away from the item to be pulled, so it is a good idea to have your "lead person" at the horse's head when you start this process. It will give the horse a sense of direction and will give him confidence. When you first acquaint your horse to the cart, just let him walk up to it and smell it, (taste? It) and look it over from both sides. Move the cart back and forth so he can get comfortable with how it looks, smells and sounds. After he becomes calm and confident around the cart, you can hitch him to the cart, let him stand comfortably with the cart behind him. This is done with the "lead" person at his head. This is the lesson for the day. Always work both sides of the horse, so he doesn't become "one-sided". When he stands quietly with the cart behind him, you may want to drive him forward (with the lead person at his head) a few steps so he can get used to the sound of the cart, the feel of the cart and the movement behind him. I walk beside the cart for the first few sessions, so he can see me for reassurance. Remember, the cart is different from the other things he may have pulled in other training sessions. After he gets used to the sounds, feel and motion, you can ask the "head person" to step away to see how he will do when he has to go on alone. Driving is a very rewarding experience, but always should be done with safety for the driver, the horse and everyone around being the most important consideration and concern of the driver. Happy Trails to you from the Rockn Bee! The world is full of horses who have been spoiled by people who use them for all the wrong reasons. Safety for horse, rider and trainer is a paramount concern at the Rockn Bee. Our products and services promote the vital link for optimum growth and development between people and horses.