# Questions about driving?



## Kawonu (Apr 24, 2011)

I have ALWAYS wanted to learn how to drive. My inspiration is getting to ride in carriages and wagons at festivals and all that jazz. The problem is that I don't know _anyone_ who can teach me to drive a buggy. Needless to say, this is a tad frustrating.

When I was younger (and even now), I wanted to have a mini or two to do buggy pulling. A horse I'm considering is buggy broke. If I bought him, of course I'd like to take advantage.

So basically, does anyone know what I can do? I've been told that the reining is similar to how you'd split rein in English, which makes a bit of sense, but I know sitting in an object behind a moving horse is going to be a hell of a difference either way.


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

Stoddard said:


> I have ALWAYS wanted to learn how to drive. My inspiration is getting to ride in carriages and wagons at festivals and all that jazz. The problem is that I don't know _anyone_ who can teach me to drive a buggy. Needless to say, this is a tad frustrating.
> 
> When I was younger (and even now), I wanted to have a mini or two to do buggy pulling. A horse I'm considering is buggy broke. If I bought him, of course I'd like to take advantage.
> 
> So basically, does anyone know what I can do? I've been told that the reining is similar to how you'd split rein in English, which makes a bit of sense, but I know sitting in an object behind a moving horse is going to be a hell of a difference either way.


FIRST misconception is that driving is like riding...WRONG! I ride both western and english and while the mouth contact could be considered the same as in english, it is different. Driving styles are different too. 

You don't pull a buggy, you drive. If your a green driver, you really want to consider getting a cart, which has two wheels instead of four wheels, and if you ever did go to 4 wheels, you want a carriage or buggy with an under cut. The reason I suggest a cart is you can't get into as much trouble if your horse decides to bug out or bolt or back up and not listen and/or pay attention to your cue's. Start there then when you have a year or two under your belt, a horse that listens without question, then I would consider moving up to a 4 wheeled vehicle. Believe me, take it from someone who jumped from driving single and in a cart to a team and 4 wheels on vehicles that sometimes had an under cut to some that didn't, it isn't for the faint of heart or someone who doesn't know what they are doing or are green. 

Your area that your profile says your in is Oklahoma. Here you go:
Home - Oklahoma Draft Horse and Mule Association

Robertson Clydesdales -- Locust Grove, OK -- Clydesdales, driving clinic, breeding, horses for sale, horse training, horse boarding, heavy horse, pulling horse, pulling horses, draft team, team driving, miniature Shetland, buggy, surrey, draft cart, 
Robertson's may be able to get you connected with others who drive or help. 

Books are fine to get ideas and some information, but I strongly suggest contacting the ODHMA to see if any of their members are near you and go from there. There is nothing like hands on training and starting from the ground up, how to harness, where the harness is to sit, ground driving, etc...good luck.


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## Kawonu (Apr 24, 2011)

GreySorrel said:


> FIRST misconception is that driving is like riding...WRONG! I ride both western and english and while the mouth contact could be considered the same as in english, it is different. Driving styles are different too.


That's exactly what I meant. The contact in the reining may be similar, but anything beyond that, I was sure it was nothing alike. 



GreySorrel said:


> You don't pull a buggy, you drive. If your a green driver, you really want to consider getting a cart, which has two wheels instead of four wheels, and if you ever did go to 4 wheels, you want a carriage or buggy with an under cut. The reason I suggest a cart is you can't get into as much trouble if your horse decides to bug out or bolt or back up and not listen and/or pay attention to your cue's. Start there then when you have a year or two under your belt, a horse that listens without question, then I would consider moving up to a 4 wheeled vehicle. Believe me, take it from someone who jumped from driving single and in a cart to a team and 4 wheels on vehicles that sometimes had an under cut to some that didn't, it isn't for the faint of heart or someone who doesn't know what they are doing or are green.
> 
> Your area that your profile says your in is Oklahoma. Here you go:
> Home - Oklahoma Draft Horse and Mule Association
> ...


Thank you so much for the information.


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## sue2204black (May 31, 2012)

I have a question, a friend of mine owns a beautiful traditional coloured cob which he currently drives. We have suggested that he does some ridden classes with Boy, however my friend has been told that if he schools his horse it will ruin him for driving purposes i.e. he will start to canter on the road instead of trot, is this true. I have road him in the school today, doing approx 20 minutes in walk getting Boy to come off my leg with great success. Can you please give any advice? Thanks


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

All of my driving horses are also trained under saddle. If you you give specific ques for each gait, ie cluck for trot, kiss for canter, which are usually the two I use, you should not have a problem. Now of course every horse might break gait but I would not think it is because you trained him to canter under saddle, he canters in the pasture too.


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

Taffy is right, we too have our two Percheron's trained under saddle and for harness. When in harness I personally do not let them canter unless it is a steep hill, I don't want them getting comfortable cantering when in harness as when I show, if they did I would loose points or it would hurt my placing. A horse is smart enough to know the difference.


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## TimberRidgeRanch (Mar 6, 2012)

I always tell people who want to learn how to drive to either start with lessons at a driving barn or adopt a retired well trained laid back Standardbred. They make exellent teachers for driving. But always go with first tip (Lessons). Good Luck and Have fun driving 
If you were near me I would give you training lessons

TRR


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*driving and ridden under saddle.*

there is no problems with that at all you will not spoil your horse at all.
if your horse listens to commands ok theres no problems.
im a bit big for tricky and i have lost tammy but thay were both ridden
and in all gates walk trot and canter .
and in driven even to a single all in the same gates.
and in multipul tandem the same as well its down to trust and respect
between you and you horses.
the main thing is it takes time to prepair and train your horses and does not happen overnight.
the biggest thing about mine was respect and reward goes a long way.
if you have a wide dirt track as a reward have a little canter but dont canter in the same place all the time.
ask for the gates up from walk and back down again.
i think haveing your and knowing your horse can canter gives you a better 
feel in side and teaches you to stay calm if you horse was frightend and decided to bolt.
and you can gain controle more easaly.
i have driven in the forest here in tandem to a 4 wheeler and only canterd on a long streach for 400 yards as other users dog walkers horse riders use the tracks as well.
i wish you happy driveing.


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