# How much does training a horse to drive average?



## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

What breed is your horse? How old??
It's been many years since I sent a horse to a trainer but the costs are going to vary greatly...depending on many factors like experience of the trainer, facilities, show barn or more of a hobby operation, etc.
You might consider attending shows that have driving classes. Talk to trainers and exhibitors. 
And don't forget to factor in the costs of driving lessons for yourself. VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!


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## Kaifyre (Jun 16, 2016)

I'm in the same boat OP, I'm old hat at breaking horses to ride but Thunder the Shire will be my first driving horse. I've been around the block enough times to know what I don't know, so I've asked his breeder, who luckily lives just down the road, to break him to drive for me. She's seen me ride and handle my horses and knows I am very thorough at desensitizing so we've made a compromise ... I really want to be part of breaking him to drive, because I am always willing to learn more, so we have agreed that I'll be doing the desensitizing and the pre-hooking prep: getting him used to wearing a harness, desensitizing him to traffic, ground driving, walking alongside him holding a pole to his side to simulate cart shafts, etc. As we get closer to his start date I will be introducing him to dragging tires and logs, with his breeder's supervision and assistance, so that by the time he arrives at her place all she has to do is hitch and go. This will allow her to keep him for the same amount of time as she usually does, but with more actual drives instead of a lot of the baby steps. She will also be giving me driving lessons on her broke horses.

I don't know how far away you will have to go to find a suitable driving instructor, but hopefully you will be able to find someone that will allow you to take part in the process, as I've found it's easier to understand the end result if you understand the parts that make it up. Also, I agree with Dustbunny that you should take driving lessons as well - you can have the best driving horse in the world but if you're a crap driver he'll be SOL.

-- Kai


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

I live on the VT/NH border where Morgans are popular and there are a lot of driving barns. I think $800-1000/month for training board is fairly standard here at the show barns. How many months you need probably depends a lot on the individual horse.


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## LisaJohnson9046 (Apr 2, 2014)

Dustbunny said:


> What breed is your horse? How old??
> It's been many years since I sent a horse to a trainer but the costs are going to vary greatly...depending on many factors like experience of the trainer, facilities, show barn or more of a hobby operation, etc.
> You might consider attending shows that have driving classes. Talk to trainers and exhibitors.
> And don't forget to factor in the costs of driving lessons for yourself. VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!


She is a Morgan/Paint cross with a Morgan brain. 6 like I said.

I'd definitely be getting some lessons on driving.


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## LisaJohnson9046 (Apr 2, 2014)

egrogan said:


> I live on the VT/NH border where Morgans are popular and there are a lot of driving barns. I think $800-1000/month for training board is fairly standard here at the show barns. How many months you need probably depends a lot on the individual horse.


She's half Morgan ironically with a Morgan brain. I don't personally think she would take long to drive, she is very smart, she just needs a bolder, more experienced hand to calm her fears and do what needs to be done. I'm just too timid with this stuff. I can break a horse easy peasy and am not afraid of a bronco but driving just has caught me off guard.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

While I have not hooked a horse up to actual things like carts and sleighs, since I was a kid, I have ground driven many colts, when I was younger, before riding
It is not too difficult, if you start in something like a round pen or arena
They are a bit confused at first, esp if they have been lunged, but if you have done any giving to pressure in response to direct rein, you can keep them between the long lines, and they will become de sensitized to those lines quite quickly


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