# Harnessing question



## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

sitbacnroc said:


> I have a percheron filly that is coming on two this spring so we plan on starting her driving training this late spring/early summer and I was wondering if she's old enough to start just simply getting her used to wearing the harness and being bridled and such? I know she has to mature before actually working with her but I'm thinking until she's ready I could start having her learn to stand and behave for being harnessed up. So, thoughts on this? I've been working a lot on her ground manners and learning to stand quiet and such and she isn't spooky or anything.
> Thanks!


 It is not too early. I would be line driving her also and getting her used to lots of things


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## draftgrl (Jan 8, 2011)

You can actually start training to drive at a year old or even earlier, my dad actually bought his first team at 6 months old where they were all set to drive. Personally I believe that's a bit early, it doesnt give the horse the chance to be a horse, but, with harness's they don't put hardly any strain on the horse. Good luck with your lil gal. What kind of driving you plan on doing?


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## sitbacnroc (Mar 3, 2010)

Thanks for the replies! Right now we have a one horse spring buggy

and we will probably use her (and Ash too) for plowing our gardens and such and we would like a sleigh for in winter. We just want to use them for fun and enjoyment  No competitive driving. My grandpa grew up using draft horses for everything and so this has just been a great enjoyment to go back to his childhood. We may eventually get a wagon for both of them so they can be a team.


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## jimmy (Aug 26, 2009)

i agree and wish you luck with her


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## furandfeather (Jan 4, 2011)

here in the uk we start them at 2and 3 yr olds in times past the foals used to run atthe side of there dams whilst ploughung good luck.


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## Adenfire (Dec 2, 2010)

I had my colt ground driving by a year and was used to pulling the training shafts and some weight (small tire) but the end of his 2 year old year, I ground drove him EVERYWHERE for that period of time so that by the time he was 3 years old I hooked him up and he was pretty much done 'cept for some finishing work to make him show worthy.


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## Adenfire (Dec 2, 2010)

WOops...I meant to end with So I'd go for it, as long as she is okay with it and you don't stress her or go too fast it shouldn't be a problem


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## draftgrl (Jan 8, 2011)

Good luck and have fun!


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## sitbacnroc (Mar 3, 2010)

Thanks for the replies!


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## eliduc (Apr 5, 2010)

*Cart is to heavy*

That cart is way too heavy for your horse and draft breeds are slow to mature. You are not going to be able to use it for at least ten years. Please email me so I can forward my address so you can send it. I promise I will return it in ten years.
Seriously, there are a lot of things you can do before you hook up your horse to that beautiful vehicle. I made a tow bar and was pulling an inner tube, a tire and then a log around my arena before my horse was 16 months old. He already stopped on a dime from voice command and did pivot turns from the ground work we had done. He pulled 6 foot long firewood logs out of the woods when he was 18 months old. I broke him to the cart when he was two. He is 3 1/2 now and I have never had a problem when driving him although I have been very careful not to over-face him or put him in a dangerous situation. There is too much snow on the ground to drive right now so we are back to ground work and I am doing some things with him I should have done during the summer.


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## sitbacnroc (Mar 3, 2010)

I clearly said I wasn't planning on actually driving her yet, I'm well aware she is too young for that. My question was about getting her used to putting harness on, not driving her.


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## eliduc (Apr 5, 2010)

It was an attempt at humor. I apologize if I offended you. Actually, I think the younger you start working your horse the better. Mine was driving when he was 2 years old. Does anyone here know how old track horses are when they begin their training?


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## sitbacnroc (Mar 3, 2010)

Oh heavens. I'm sorry xP I completely didn't even realize that! I'm a bit out of it lately. So sorry! 
I think we're going to try and rig up something for her to start tugging around the ring. What are good make shift weights?


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## eliduc (Apr 5, 2010)

Do you have a tow bar? On a cart the single tree is a bar that is attached to the front of the cart between the shafts. The traces are the lines that run from the breast collar and attach to the singletree so when the horse moves forward it pushes against the breast collar and the cart is pulled forward by the traces. The tow bar is the same as the singletree only it's not attached to a cart. It lies on the ground behind the horse about 18 inches or so behind the hind feet. Here's what I did. I took a piece of steel pipe about 40 inches long and drilled a 3/8 inch hole through the pipe a couple of inches from the ends. I bolted hooks that you can buy at a hardware store through the holes so now there is a bar with hooks on the ends. I drilled a third hole through the center of the pipe between the hooks and bolted an eye facing opposite of the hooks. Now you have a bar that the traces can be hooked to and on the other side of the bar is the eye that a rope can be tied to to attach whatever you want to pull. First let him pull just the bar around. I next progress to an inflated inner tube but you want to desensitize your horse to it before hooking him to the inner tube. Let him inspect it. Drag it around him until he is used to it. Ground drive your horse and have another person walk beside you and drag the tube so the horse gets used to the noise of it. I next do the same thing with an old tire and finally a log about six feet long and eight inches in diameter that has a little weight. I use a couple of pieces of soft 1/2 inch diameter rope for traces and tie a couple of loops a few inches long on the ends. I tie the other end to the trace buckle on the breast collar. If the horse gets excited or turns around in the traces the loops will pop off the hooks and disconnect the bar from the horse. This also saves from dragging your good traces through the dirt. I tie whatever I am dragging about twelve to eighteen inches behind the bar and start out driving a little to the side of the tube. I don't use blinders for this. I want my horse to see what's behind him and get used to it without being frightened. Eventually, I move behind the tube, tire , log. My reins weren't long enough and I used another piece of long rope for reins. He drives good with or without blinders but I use the blinders. He is always gazing out to the side at something a mile away otherwise. The first year I drove him in a plain ring snaffle bit. I now drive him in a Bob Avila correction bit with a medium port and five inch shanks. The port swivels as well as the shanks so the bit can be used with two hands like a snaffle. The name is a misnomer. The bit is really a very mild leverage bit and he loves it and goes well in it. It also has rein slots at the mouth piece so that it can be used without leverage. I avoid shanked snaffles that act like a nut cracker on the horse's bars which defeats the purpose of the snaffle which is to avoid the bars.


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