# Teaching a horse to pull correctly



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I was reading through some of the books I have about teaching a horse to drive. One of them notes the importance of teaching a horse to pull by putting its head down and really leaning into the weight. It showed a picture of a horse doing this vs a picture of a horse with its back hollowed out and head high. Great, very helpful! But, I read and re-read it, and it didn't explain _how _to get a horse to pull correctly. In other words, how to I teach a horse (or pony in this case) to put its head down and pull with the right muscles?


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

The concept is the same as urging your horse into the bit when riding. They have to learn that the release is when they pull into the harness. It really depends on the type of harness you have as well. Most single driving harnesses do not have a collar they have a breast strap and its the stays etc that help pull the cart. There is a slow process to starting a horse to drive. You need to get them used to pulling something behind them without bolting and to be able to turn into something. It has been many years ago that I worked with a trainer and we first taught all of the young colts to drive. He theory was that it taught them to get their hind end under themselves. But it was a slow process and some just hated pulling a cart.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Cool. I am actually thinking I'm going to be getting him a neck collar rather than a breast strap. It seems like it's better for the kind of work I'll be doing, at least initially (just dragging stuff). 

I wonder if the fact that he's gotten better at getting his hind end under himself under saddle will translate to better work pulling something.

This may be where I really need someone there in person to help me. I'm also wondering if I need to have someone else drive him while I watch from the side to see how he looks. I'm not sure if I'll be able to tell how he's doing from behind.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

You have to train that drive forward from your ground work with nothing attached weight wise. Your first steps are basically lungeing with two lines and you in the center. That line that comes behind him instills the drive forward. Once he has the principle of moving forward then you transition to behind him. He should still be moving forward in the same manner. When you get that down and he moves properly into the collar then you attach weight behind him. We start with a tire. Without so much weight it keeps them pushing forward instead of pulling up and away. You move on to other things once that is solid. Some start with a pole to pull but since we are going from tire to forecart that makes most sense for us as we will be behind and not to the side.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Yes, it translates into driving. And you don't need a second person. You'll essentially see the angle in your mind by how far above the withers his head is. Lower is better. Here are two pictures. Same horse, 6 year old. Had been working on ground driving from 2 and light weight at 3 then progressing to different vehicles and farm equipment over the 4th year. You can see just walking behind she is heads up but not giraffing. Add the cart and her head drops.


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## dogpatch (Dec 26, 2017)

ACinATX said:


> I was reading through some of the books I have about teaching a horse to drive. One of them notes the importance of teaching a horse to pull by putting its head down and really leaning into the weight. It showed a picture of a horse doing this vs a picture of a horse with its back hollowed out and head high. Great, very helpful! But, I read and re-read it, and it didn't explain _how _to get a horse to pull correctly. In other words, how to I teach a horse (or pony in this case) to put its head down and pull with the right muscles?


Which book?


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

It was a pair of books by Sally Wallrond, I think. The book that you recommended that Amazon said I already had, I couldn't find anywhere. I ordered your book but it hasn't come yet.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

What do you guys think about instead of a tire, at first, using one of those reusable grocery bags and filling it with sand? I'd fill it with just a little at first and then increase the amount. So it would be more adjustable than a tire.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

That is like a squirrel riding jockey, then a monkey....lol. Start with a car tire. It weighs less than you. Not going to be a problem. With the drafts they are filled with cement that have chains embedded. Still not much comparatively.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

We started our young horses on a small skid type of log and walked behind it and then went up to a tire, then a tire with weight, then I think a tractor tire, then a tractor tire with weight. Eventually with a sled with the driver standing on the sled. Its been many years ago for me and the process has become foggy. I do remember it was something we took very slowly - the horses we trained were meant for the show ring so our training area was actually a track around the barns hayfield. If I remember we spent a year on the basics before every attaching our entry level cart and then we moved up to different carts. We never used a collar on the harness as our horses never really pulled truly heavy weights.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

QtrBel said:


> That is like a squirrel riding jockey, then a monkey....lol. Start with a car tire. It weighs less than you. Not going to be a problem. With the drafts they are filled with cement that have chains embedded. Still not much comparatively.


You know, I've been thinking about what you said. Frankly, if someone could get horses to run with a monkey on top of them, I think they should just stop there. I'd pay to see that...


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