# Breaking Pony to Harness?



## Starshing

Hi, i want to break my 13.2hh pony to Harness, he's really calm and we rigged up a system and he pulled a tyre around the paddock no stress. how could i break him to pull a cart? have asked a few people in my area, but i don't like some suggested methods. i don't want to rush him, i want him to feel safe and have a good experience. also i don't have a cart that he will fit in. my adopted grandmother has a welsh harness pony who is 11.1hh and snugly fits in her cart. Help?


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## KandMPonies

Well You have to have a cart that fits right before you hook up!
When I train my horses and ponies to pull cart I get out cones and practice ground driving around in patterns. Once I feel like the horse or pony is doing getting good at listening to my voice cues at a walk,whoa,trot, and jog,and back, I then have Pvc pipes oneach side of horse hooked into the carraige holders with ends dragging on the ground.
I ground drive with the pvc pipes for about 2 weekd while driing around the obsticals at all speeds, whoa, back and so forth. after I feel like the pole no longer bother them I also add weight to the tug staps so they can feel weightbehind them as well.
You will know if you horse or pony is ready because they wil keep their body strait when truning and they wont bend into the pvc pipes. I have been traiing mini's , Shetlands and AQHA horses this way for country pleasure driving for over 20 years now and it works well!
When you do find a cart that fits proper you will need someone to assist you when hooking up a green horse or pony just for safety!


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## Starshing

Thank you! will look into harness and cart. can i put the long reins on my normal bridle and drive him from behind or will i need a bit more that that?


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## churumbeque

Starshing said:


> Thank you! will look into harness and cart. can i put the long reins on my normal bridle and drive him from behind or will i need a bit more that that?


 Can't your adopted grandmother help you a bit? Seems like some hands on experience might be benificial


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## Starshing

she would if she could, but its like riding, you may be able ride 4 star level, but have no idea how to break a horse in. also she's got both knees and both hips replaced because she's had a type of arthritis since she was seven. i have forgotten what the type was. which is the only reason she learnt how to drive a cart, because if she fell from a horse she'd have a serious problem. i kinda don't want him knocking her as he is very strong when he gets uncomfortable and i don't know how he'd go... she has already taught me how to drive her pony, and told me about the pipes beside the horse, although a little differently to what was suggested above by KandMPonies, but i would like to see everyone's different methods and try bits and pieces of all of them. i want to do this in the best possible way.


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## KandMPonies

Do you have a sircingle? Spelling ? Useing that will help keep your reins in the keepers. 
I have long reins that are similar to what rock climbers use. I use them when training because they are longer than harness reins. When I am working with new horses or ponies at first they tend to turn around in circles and with the extra line it's easier to stand back further. A local hardwear store should have somthing simular. Then just get snaps for the ends.






Starshing said:


> Thank you! will look into harness and cart. can i put the long reins on my normal bridle and drive him from behind or will i need a bit more that that?


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## Starshing

Um, well i think it's spelt surcingle, and i don't know, they don't get used where i keep my horses so i don't actually know what it is... once i do however i can tell you! and that's probably a good idea, he likes to face me when i'm working with him on the ground...


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## Starshing

Have been 'driving' him for a whole week now. he actually took to it really easily, which made me think he may have done it before. now just need to get my hands on a harness that will fit him.
Have discovered carts are rather expensive, will be waiting for that one for quite a while....
How can i help him get better from this stage, only doing straight lines and big corners. Help much appreciated! Thanks!


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## Fargosgirl

You said your pony already drags things with confidence, once you have him driving with you walking behind him, the next step I'd probably take is to get my horse used to the feeling of being between the fills or shafts. I usually drag a piece of plastic pvc pipe next to my horse, when he accepts that I have it touch him while he walks, when he is ok with that I hook it into his surcingle and let him drag it hooked to his side. I do this on both sides of my horse and then eventually with him dragging pipes on both sides of his body me walking between them driving from behind. This will get your pony used to the feel of being sandwiched between the shafts and how they will effect the way he has to use his body when turning since a horse can't bend in the middle the way they normally would when they are between the fills.
By the way I think teaching a horse with an open bridle(no blinders) creates a much more confident and trusting horse in the long run, but that is all just my opinion.


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## Endiku

a surcingle:









It attached much like an english saddle around the horse's heart girth, and is used to thread driving/long reins through, attach check reins to, and attach the cart to.


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## Starshing

Ok, thanks Fargosgirl. I think there is some hidden in the tack shed somewhere... I wasn't sure about the blinkers and people kept telling me I should have them on, but they wouldn't tell me why or help me. 
Thanks endiku, I sort of knew but that really cleared it up
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Endiku

Blinkers are to help a horse focus, and keeps them from spooking at the object that they are pulling behind them. I personally do not use them yet, as my mare is not yet to the point of pulling the cart (just ground driving) but once she is, I will introduce them.


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