# Let's Talk About Driving



## redpony (Apr 17, 2012)

Chicks has lots of harness stuff. We breed, train and race Standardbred harness horses. I think it is a great way to keep them fit. Also, if you train western and English it will give you and your horse another way to communicate and more options of things to do. Good luck and keep us updated plz 
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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

redpony said:


> Chicks has lots of harness stuff. We breed, train and race Standardbred harness horses. I think it is a great way to keep them fit. Also, if you train western and English it will give you and your horse another way to communicate and more options of things to do. Good luck and keep us updated plz
> _Posted via Mobile Device_



Thanks for the info! It seems like a lot of fun, just need to do some serious research and start getting more serious about ground driving. Thanks again!!


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

It is fun! I definitely recommend getting a trainer to help you cart train him properly though. You don't want any accidents!

And don't get tack from Amber Hillside....>.> I'm actually really ticked off with them right now.


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

csimkunas6 said:


> I ground drove Rodeo, my 2yr old horse today. Ive been ground driving him for about a year or so off and on, and today it hit me, I would love to take the extra step of having a versatile horse and not only eventually having him go English, and Western, but drive as well. Give me websites, any info, pros, and cons to it, costs of a cart, harness, ect.
> 
> Also, is driving something I can do instead of riding that will keep him sound?
> 
> Thanks for any and all info!


 hiya a cart would probley set you back 500- 800 and you want a cart thats light as well so its easy to pull the main thing is the balance if you find one take a frend hold the shaft and see what the balance would be for your horse if you were in it as you want to keep the weight off of his back as much as possable.
when you know thet you have ballance the shaft tugs will rise and fall and the buckles will click as you go along.
the harness could cost if in leather over here 800 -1200.
be weary of second hand and if you do check it all over.
please dont make the same mistake i did i went to an auction and could not see what i was biding and i marked a lot down on the catalog.and i put a bid in for £200 and won it well it was a mess.
the best way to discribe it was bang goes my harness money.
when i started out i brought a leather donkey harness and put it on my pony tricky i got pulled to pieces in that van parade in regents park london and it was his first show in harness.
a bout a month went by and a saddler sent some flyers out and asked if you had any repairs ect so thay were local and i visited them with this ram shackled broken harness.
we used 80 % of the buckles and renewed it a bit at a time un till it was compleated the only parts that are the oridginals are the out side part of the driveing saddle the bridle blinkers(blinders)and the head piece of the bridle.
that cost me 800.
there was another saddler in wakefield called burrows collars he was english and his wife was canadian and thay were selling adjustable full collars with hames and tugs and its the best one i have ever brought.
the picture of tricky in harness is that harness i call it my working set as its used from day to day and kept clean the same as my show sets.
sorry that i live the other side of the adlantic as i could have loaned you a harness and a cart and helped you get started.
but take your time youll get there in the end and may you and your horse share happy driveing times togeather on pleasure drives picnicks ect.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Endiku said:


> It is fun! I definitely recommend getting a trainer to help you cart train him properly though. You don't want any accidents!
> 
> And don't get tack from Amber Hillside....>.> I'm actually really ticked off with them right now.


NO accidents wanted here! I just figured it would be something fun for us to do, we obviously have a lot of work to go, but I think I will start on the basics and go from there! Thanks for the tip too!



michaelvanessa said:


> hiya a cart would probley set you back 500- 800 and you want a cart thats light as well so its easy to pull the main thing is the balance if you find one take a frend hold the shaft and see what the balance would be for your horse if you were in it as you want to keep the weight off of his back as much as possable.
> when you know thet you have ballance the shaft tugs will rise and fall and the buckles will click as you go along.
> the harness could cost if in leather over here 800 -1200.
> be weary of second hand and if you do check it all over.
> ...



Thanks for all the info!! I really appreciate it! I need to start doing some serious research, and find someone around me that does drive. I want to go out and try it to make sure it is something that I defintely want to do. Thanks again for all the info!!!


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

Have you ever driven a horse before? If not, definately get some help. A good place to look is at a Saddlebred barn, they usually have driving horses & carts.

IMO driving is one of the best things you can use to train a horse, especially as a 2yr old. If you drive as a 2yr then ride as a 3yr, you will have a good horse, ready to go. Driving is a great way to build up lungs and muscles without the strain of a rider on their back. Plus they know all about the bridle before you ever get on their back. 

However, it is really helpful to have 2 people, one on each side the first time you put the cart to them. I have seen some really interesting reactions from horses the first time they feel & hear the cart rolling along behind them!

Chicks has a great, low cost selection. I would buy the nylon light driving harness to start, and upgrade to leather if you find that you both like it. Cleanning and conditioning a harness can be very challenging in many respects! 

Good luck and have fun!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

AnitaAnne said:


> Have you ever driven a horse before? If not, definately get some help. A good place to look is at a Saddlebred barn, they usually have driving horses & carts.
> 
> IMO driving is one of the best things you can use to train a horse, especially as a 2yr old. If you drive as a 2yr then ride as a 3yr, you will have a good horse, ready to go. Driving is a great way to build up lungs and muscles without the strain of a rider on their back. Plus they know all about the bridle before you ever get on their back.
> 
> ...



The extent of my driving experience is ground driving, lol. So nope not yet. It is something that I have always wanted to do, and the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to make sense to do before riding. Im working on locating a barn around me that does drive, just trying to do as much research as I can before I get myself too far into it and find its not for me or my horse, if that makes sense. Thanks for the info!


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