How to Break & Train the Driving Horse
A carriage or buggy can expand the world of horse-drawn transportation to friends and others that don’t ride. Some horsemen train an existing riding horse to drive as an expansion to their horse activities. Training a driving horse involves special skills and equipment and should not be attempted by anyone other than a knowledgeable horseman with the proper equipment available. Accustom the horse to being handled and break it to lead before starting the driving horse training.
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Instructions
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Learn the equipment. A century ago any horseman would have known the parts of a harness and how to use it on a horse. Today, many knowledgeable horsemen have never handled a harness and do not know how to put it on the horse. Learn how to use the equipment before trying to put it on the horse.
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Place a bridle and bit on the horse along with portions of the harness. Place the horse collar in place for a draft horse type harness or the breast collar for a driving harness. Allow the horse to stand in a box stall or small corral to become accustom to the equipment.
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Ground drive the horse with the assistance of a helper. Run long reins from the bit across the horse's back to a position safely behind the horse. Snap a long lead rope to one side of the bit and have the helper handle the rope. The helper can help control the horse as the driver teaches the animal to start, stop and turn on commands it receives through the reins. Continue the ground driving process until you are comfortable in the control of the driving horse in all situations.
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Continue ground driving with a full harness on the horse. At some point the helper will no longer be necessary. Add a weight for the horse to pull. This may be a log or post or a sled, sometimes called a stone boat. Start light and increase weight as the horse understands his job is to pull something.
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Hook the horse to a simple cart or wagon. Concentrate on teaching the horse to back between the shafts and standing quietly while being hooked to the cart. Add additional weight to the load as the horse progresses. Start by driving in a quiet, distraction-free place and increase driving work into more difficult situations.
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Tips & Warnings
If the driving horse will be used as part of a team, hitching it to a well-broke driving horse can teach the new horse much about behavior and pace.
Never put two horses in training as a team. What bad behavior one doesn’t think of the other is likely to think up.
References
- Photo Credit horse in a harness image by Podfoto from Fotolia.com
