confidence in their work ethics. Conditioning and muscle building is easily done, which we value to a great degree for our halter horses. Talk about putting on a strong loin and haunches. Pulling the weight of the cart and the handler, transitioning of gaits with that weight, all help build a muscular hind end. And all is done in self carriage.
"But what about the check? Doesn't it force a horse into a hollow and an unnatural position, or ruin the horse's gaits?", is the next question we always get. A number of riders tend to have a very negative perception of checks. Yes, when you look at the old photos of carriage teams, the checks are firmly in place, setting the heads high and "proud". However, a check, like any other piece of equipment has a place and a purpose. You still see them used for classes such as pleasure, country, show, or formal driving, to varying degrees based on the frame the horse is expected to be in. However, carriage driving classes do not require them and you will not see them in combined driving. In our barn, they are left loose. It is simply there as a piece of safety equipment, which keeps a horse from lowering its head to low if it goes to kick or buck. Once the horse is confident and shown to be trustworthy, we remove it all together.
class based on their individual, natural way of going. Even in a class that does require a check, the rules do not specify how the check has to be set. We almost always show with a loose check, even when judges suggest that we should tighten it.
So now you have a confident, conditioned, and knowledgeable animal. Guess what, hopping on their back is now a cinch. The horse knows how to balance themselves through maneuvers, has rhythm in their gaits, and has some muscle mass to work with. All they have to figure out now is how to balance with you on top of them, and what seat and leg cues mean. If they are clear about the vocal cues you taught them in the driving, connecting seat and leg cues to those vocal cues is simple and they understand what the cue is being asking for. What more could you want out of your first ride?
We are firm believers in driving horses. Through it, they become amazing partners and athletes. And the best part is that you can easily share a driving horse with other people. We love teaching people to drive, and people take to it confidently because you, the instructor, are sitting right there beside them in the beginning. It is especially rewarding to teach youth to drive. They find it very exciting, and these days we could use more youth in our industry. So, take a chance on driving horses, you will be pleasantly surprised.
Author Bio:
Erica and her husband Howard operate Peet Equestrian, a training barn located in Wonder Lake, Illinois. Together, they specialize in the training and showing of the Andalusian breed. They have taken numerous horses on to achieve National Championship titles in front of American and Spanish judges, in the divisions of driving, halter, English, Western, and dressage. They also take great pride in the successes of their amateur and youth clients whom they encourage to show. Peet Equestrian happily takes on breeds other then the Andalusians. To learn more about Peet Equestrian, visit their website www.peetequestrian.com
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Top Left - Howard teaching student, Janoka, what elastic contact means.
Bottom Left - Country Pleasure Driving classes require a check, but there is no set rule as to how tight the check must be.
Top Right - A well executed turn at the canter. The horse is carrying the proper weight in his haunches and bringing his shoulder up and over, with proper flexion.
Bottom Right - Straightness is key to a good driving horse. Without it the horse will not balance properly with the weight they are pulling.
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