Training a Horse For Harness - What You Must Know!

Ever watched one of those period movies, noticing the horse drawn carriages and reasoning to yourself you want to do that, or what would it be like? Join us on a journey now to see just what it takes to come to be a carriage driver, and how a horse is trained to harness.

Training a Horse For Harness - What You Must Know!

Training a Horse For Harness - What You Must Know!

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Training a Horse For Harness - What You Must Know!

Training a Horse For Harness - What You Must Know!

Most population who take up carriage driving are either those who do not feel safe bet on the back of a horse, or who due to corporeal limitations cannot ride, but still wants to enjoy the firm of horses or the thrill of horse sports.

Driving has come to be increasingly favorite for use with weddings and special events today with many competitive drivers now offering this aid as a means of funding the upkeep of their horses and carriages. Ponies with kids' carts have come to be a favorite and often lucrative favourite on fairs and festivals.

Well to start carriage driving you would need a horse of course. However not all horses are superior to carriage driving. When seeing at, or for a horse to use for driving the most prominent observation is temperament. A carriage horse often requires continued periods of sanding, and nervous or fidgety horses do not do well, not to mention they are more likely to startle or shy.

For years now many have looked at safe bet breeds when searching for a carriage horse. And although there are breeds like the Friesian, Hackney, Connemara and Welsh Cobs who are considered as good carriage horses/ponies, the truth is any breed of horse is convenient for carriage driving, as the success of the horse largely depends on its outlook and conformation

When seeing at conformation of the carriage horse "the wider the better" but it is not a rule of thumb. Horses with width do have more Power and will find pulling a carriage easier the narrower ones are However capable too. A wider horse just looks better. When selecting a carriage horse on conformation, one would be seeing more towards your cob types; a strong sturdy levelheaded horse is best.

Well once you have the horse it would need training. Because driving and particularly competitive driving is a strenuous sport, being hard on a horses back it is advisable to only start the training of a carriage horse once it has reached the age of five.

It is also good custom to have the horse backed and going under saddle for at least a year prior to training it for carriage. That way the horse will be used to hearing ones' voice from behind it as well as receiving commands from the reins and behind it.

The initial stage of training a horse to harness is that of long lining and then training the horse to drag an object behind it, good indications that the horse is ready for advanced work is when it pushes send with its chest prior to walking off, and is nor alarmed by the sound of the object dragging behind it.

At this stage the horse should be teamed up with a more experienced horse and attached to a light carriage with a handler walking next to the horse. Ensure that the fastening of the horse to the carriage (for the first few times) allows for the handler to swiftly untie the horse should it be needed, once the horse is comfortable without the handler it should be driven with a partner for at least a month, two to three times a week, allowing for the horse to build up reliance and to get use to bracing against the carriage when slowing down. Once completed the horse can then start to work alone.

Training a carriage horse this way will minimize the possibility of accidents or injuries sustained to either horse or handler. It will also allow for the horse to gain the required caress and reliance in his work before needing to "go it alone".

Please do not try to train your horse yourself if you do not have the experience, many serious and sometimes fatal accidents can occur were a horse to bolt with a carriage. It is best to get help from someone who knows and can lend a guiding hand and horse.

Driver Training:
In Europe you are certainly required to pass a driving test should you wish to use a horse and carriage on the roads. But initially you would learn to drive a particular horse, then work your way up to two (known as pairs or tandem) then three (known as a unicorn or fan) and four (known as four in hand) very seldom today do we see teams of more than four, and even then it is done mostly for display.

What equipment Would you Need
-To start off you will need a particular harness consisting of a ride faultless with blinkers, a bit (the most commonly used is the Liverpool bit, or a four ring snaffle) and reins measuring up to 7.5M. A breastplate, or collar depending on the design. A saddle (no not your riding saddle) that houses the Terrets (loops the reins pass through) the bearing rein hook and crupper attachment. And then the part known as the breeching (The part that goes round and over the quarters, this assists with preventing the carriage bumping into the horse whilst stopping or slowing down.)
-The trace lines (which attach the horse to the carriage)
-A light particular horse drawn carriage sporting a double shaft in in the middle of which the horse is harnessed
-A light driving whip approximately resembles a lunging whip

Driving Sports
Competitive driving has been steadily on the growth the last few years, with driving marathons expanding in both competitors and supporters. However for the lighter minded there is:
-pleasure driving (showing)
-dressage driving (yes you do a test)
-obstacle courses for the more sporting and literal, drivers, obstacle courses are laid out using highway mark cones and tennis balls.

And then there is marathon driving with a team of humans normally consisting of but not miniature to the driver and groom who assists with counterbalancing the carriage nearby sharp turns (requires loads of guts, and a few under the belt at times). The best way to enumerate a marathon is and obstacle procedure navigated at approximately breakneck speeds in the countryside against the clock (hence the break neck speed).

Could Your Horse be Used for any Sport Other than Driving
Driving horses are not just used for driving, a well schooLED horse can couple driving with other equestrian sports, However most owners of driving horses tend to use them as hacks. A driving horse would be capable of competitive in most lower levels of equestrian sports with the irregularity of dressage, as driving tends encourage the horse to lean send onto the forehand, something very unsuited to the dressage horse.

However no matter what your level carriage driving can be fun and very rewarding.

Training a Horse For Harness - What You Must Know!