# wanted to share some photos of ground driving :D



## Ashleysmardigrasgirl (Jun 28, 2012)

Feel free to critique my hand position/whip position/any position from what little you get from the pictures :lol: ... I'd like to do this right so am open to suggestions. Today, we worked on "not eating while working" since the grass is imminent which, ended up going pretty well! I tell her "UP!" and started to jiggle the reins (initially) until she brings her head back up. She seemed to get it pretty quick and was responding by voice only within a few corrections and then not even trying after that.

we're doing everything in a rope halter right now. So feel free to laugh at my get up :lol:

trying not to move from the "woah" position but, still see what he's holding. While I try to figure out where to go since the arena got snaked from me, LOL.























She did very well despite being teased with all of the fresh spring grass whichi, she hasn't gotten to have much of yet.


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## Ashleysmardigrasgirl (Jun 28, 2012)

getting some much needed/deserved grass.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

*Looking good!! She is so cute!*

In the second photo, can't really tell, but just in case, remember that your hands move North and south , not east and west. 
In the third photo,I know you are using a halter but get used to having more contact with her head. You are not really giving her any direction, she is just going along willy-nilley, then when you turn her or any adjustment it's like a "where did that come from, jolt in the mouth", even with the softest hands. Where as if you have contact already, any correction or turn is a much smoother transaction.
More contact will help with grass eating too.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

She is really cute!! And the children are darling! 
Has the horse had a bit in her mouth? I am one of those old/old-fashioned people who thinks the ground driving in a halter is not much good for anything, except exercise. 

Nancy


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## Ashleysmardigrasgirl (Jun 28, 2012)

Good point, I'm getting "tighter" in my hands I feel like with every time I work with her. Honestly with the snow and mud we've been having I've found it near impossible to work with her so my practice time has been limited. for clarification, in the second photo I was trying to signal a left turn but, she was previously resisting the bend so I nudged her gently on the inside flank with my whip while nudging her with the inside rein is that alright? or is there a more appropriate way to deal with that?

Thanks,

Ashley


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## Ashleysmardigrasgirl (Jun 28, 2012)

Honestly nancy, I'm mostly just patience building right now so it works out really well for my purposes. Also, my hand position for lack of a better word, is crap and I don't want to torture her while I learn. >.<

Thanks, my brother and sister love her!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

It is very hard to get any bend or heck even much of a turn with a halter, and a loose halter to boot. But I don't know if you have had a snaffle or anything in her mouth yet. If you have not and want to wait a bit to bit her, you can keep ground driving her, getting her used to having you behind her, and getting used to the whip.

But she looks good, keeping between the reins, not trying to turn around, stopping starting.

I wouldn't start her pulling or dragging anything without a bit, you never want her to get scared and get away from you. So before a drag make sure she stops with a bit.


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## Ashleysmardigrasgirl (Jun 28, 2012)

oh no, I would never put her to without a bit. She has had a bit in her mouth and did well. Like I said though I'm working on me now and don't want to make her bit sour by me trying to learn to run behind her without banging on her. I'm getting better and have been telling myself every time I go out that I'm going to ground drive her with my three piece loose ring snaffle but, I've been having fun "playing" in the halter so haven't gotten to doing it now with a bridle yet... It's also been nice because I've noticed a big difference in how responsive she is to light aids. 

She's progressing really well. I printed a copy of the driven dressage test and when the arena is not a giant pool of mud and sand, we've been practicing training level 1. Also, figure 8's and driving from both sides.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Yes, I wrote that before I saw your post. I know you wouldn't hitch without a bit, but wouldn't even pull a drag or a tire without a bit.

You rein position in your hands? I left my camera at work, I want to show you better way to hold your reins and whip.

This is the best photo I could find at the moment. You might need to download it then zoom in on my hands.

There are a number of ways to hold the reins, I like this one, The reins come into your hands from the bottom of your palms, under your pinkie. 
On the whip hand, the right the rein enters under your pinkie, goes over your palm and exits your fingers between your index and middle finger. Then your whip lays across your palm and exits your hand between the index and thumb. The whip is held at a 45 degree angle upwards, and a 45 degree angle forwards.

The non whip hand, the left, the reins enter the hand from the bottom, below the pinkie, lay across your palm and exit the hand between the thumb and index.

Holding the reins this way, gives me the ability to loosen and squeeze my bottom two fingers to, play with or massage or que my horse, just a little jiggle of my finger and I can tell my horse ahead of time which way we are going to turn, or if we are going to just do something different. You can communicate with your horse much better by holding the reins this way.

I will try for photos tomorrow, I'm not very good at explaining verbally.


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## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

OP, looks good! I too am working on getting my guy to stand still after whoa. Actually stand still period! He's a wiggle worm. 

Taffy, I like the description of the way you hold the reins. Sounds much easier than what I'm being taught


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

littrella said:


> OP, looks good! I too am working on getting my guy to stand still after whoa. Actually stand still period! He's a wiggle worm.
> 
> Taffy, I like the description of the way you hold the reins. Sounds much easier than what I'm being taught



I would like to hear or see how you are being taught. Are you being taught "one handed"? Your instructor Barb is probably more correct than I am. I have never learned one handed, and am just trying to start learning now. I hear if you start one handed in the beginning it is much easier in the long run.


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## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

Yep, one handed. in left hand keep pinkey & ring finger together, put right rein from back of hand through the gap between ring & index finger, left rein over top of pointer finger, close fingers around reins. Thumb on top of left rein. Then she is teaching me to hold two handed, keeping both in left hand, grab right rein between ring & index, thumb on top, pull out a bridgeof several inches, It's hard for me to keep it straight.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Yes! This is the way you should learn. It is much harder learning two handed then going to one!! Keep it up, I hear once you get it it is great.
Have you tried making a rein board for practicing? I have all the pieces to make one, just haven't assembled it yet.
Good Job! You are so lucky to have a great instructor so close.


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## Ashleysmardigrasgirl (Jun 28, 2012)

Thank you very much taffy for posting that picture taffy! VERY helpful!!! 

I'm going to get on workin' on this today!


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## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

rein board??????


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*driveing and long lineing.*

hiya it looks llike every one is working there horses long lineing and driveing.
hope fully i can start tomorrow after work and spend some time with them.
tc that is a great picture you have there and as to your question as to driveing one handed i put the rein through my bottom thinger and my top thinger were my thumb is and i move my hand by rotareing my wrist so as to use little very little contact and being as light as possable be for you drive one handed gather the reins with the other hand so you have contact with the bit.
as to saying woah walk trot ect use your voice and little contact on the rein and when you woah keep the reins levle and just apply a little contact by pulling back.
ashley your pictures are good ill studdy them more as im still sleepy at the moment but she looks like she is going well.
as tc has said i think you should long rein in her bridle and your driveing will come on leaps and bounds.
the pictures i have seen of every ones driveing and the way your all geting along is awesome and i admire you all and your equine partners.


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## Ashleysmardigrasgirl (Jun 28, 2012)

today I drove her from the ground in her closed bridle. She did wonderful. I even got complimented by an instructor who came by for a lesson and saw us practicing our transitions and steering this morning. 

She's using a lot more of her hind end than she was when we first began. Once we begin warming up at the trot she starts to engage her hind end very well. It feels like driving a locomotive.

I think/hope once fall is here she's going to be very ready to be hitched to ... :lol: if my meadowbrook is done .


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Any photos of the progressing meadowbrook?


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## Ashleysmardigrasgirl (Jun 28, 2012)

haha, no! Though since the weather was nice I finished puttying all of the tiny cracks I could find. :lol: 

The only thing I have left to properly sand at this point is the floors but, that will take a solid could of days probably haha...


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*meddow brook*

ashley it sounds like you could use an electric sander with a very fine sand pad.
it sounds great thay youll be driveing soon.


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