# Minis braking on hills



## BiologyBrain (Aug 18, 2013)

Ok, I've got a little bit to go before this becomes an issue, but the land around the minis I'm working with is quite hilly. In fact the land they're on is at the top of a hill that is impossible for me to mountain bike up (although I'm not as fit as I used to be, but you'd have to be extremely fit to make it up this hill). I'm going to be using a 2-wheeled forecart behind one pony & eventually working up to the pair. The forecart doesn't have a brake, just hold back straps to attach to the breeching. The minis aren't very fit either, so when I start trying to exercise them with the cart, the first challenge will be holding my weight and the cart's weight back down a pretty long & steep hill. Instead of challenging him this way, should I walk down the hill and just have him hold the cart's weight? I know that some big horse drivers say the driver should never get out to walk behind/beside the cart bc it's too easy for the horse to get away from you. Is that different with minis since they're smaller and theoretically easier to stop and/or catch up with?


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## Rhondaalaska (Aug 18, 2013)

I have a lot of hills where I live.

On the steep ones I walk behind the cart and let diva walk up with just the cart

I also do this going down steep hills.

The smaller hills are not a problem now for her.

But to start walk behind and build up thier fitness

The hills will get them fit.

You can also just walk and trot them up and down the hills on lead with out the cart

To build up fitness.


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## BiologyBrain (Aug 18, 2013)

Thank you.


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 18, 2013)

Can you "tack" down/up the hills? Sometimes on steeper hills, I try to go back and forth, instead of just straight down/up. This seems to work fine for us. A little back and forth is probably all you need. Up is not generally a problem.


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## Rhondaalaska (Aug 18, 2013)

For me I can't track up and down the hills they are too narrow.

If you can you could try that.


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## BiologyBrain (Aug 18, 2013)

By saying track up/down are you meaning to take it a diagonal line and zig zag back and forthcoming the hill? The main hill I'm concerned about is the driveway. On one side is a bank with the house on it. The bank has a super steep slope and is taller than me. Immediately after the house is the horse pasture (along side the driveway). It begins (obviously) on the same bank as the house, but does eventually run on the same level as the driveway. On the other side is currently a corn field. After the corn is harvested we may be able to use the cornfield to track up and down, but maybe not since they cold plant winter wheat. At the base of the horse pasture is another field of corn until we meet the road. Even driving in the pasture would be kind of problematic since it is on the same hill. I hesitate to drive in the pasture anyway as it has electric fencing for part of it. I'm always paranoid of getting the shafts caught in fences. When I trained my QH to drive we did prep work inside the pasture as well as in open fields, but as soon as the shafts went on, we took to open fields. I did drive in forests, even got my cart wedged between two trees once, but fences and shafts just scare me.


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 19, 2013)

Practice your zigzag/tacking on the flat road where you feel confident. I think you will both enjoy the way you maneuver together. Then the driveway and narrow areas won't seem so scary. I know what you mean about that--driving in narrow areas with fencing or dropoffs.

Do what you have to do to be safe and confident.


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## Shes My Style (Aug 19, 2013)

I'm finding this discussion very interesting since I'm working on getting my minis trained to cart and we have several hills around here as well. I just have a easy-entry cart and no brake either. I'm curious as to what some may consider too steep for a mini to handle?


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 19, 2013)

Shes My Style said:


> I'm finding this discussion very interesting since I'm working on getting my minis trained to cart and we have several hills around here as well. I just have a easy-entry cart and no brake either. I'm curious as to what some may consider too steep for a mini to handle?


It depends on your horse. I have a sturdy 32" gelding. He is very strong and fit.

Also the footing. We did a parade last year and the steep hill ON PAVEMENT took us by surprise. We had to tack down the hill, as the footing was slippery. And the hill curved as it went downward into a park. I won't do that parade again, even though it was a wonderful one, because of that slick hill. I felt it was dangerous for my horse. Without being a parade, the hill is fine as it has grassy edges for traction. But with the spectators, it wasn't possible to use the edge.


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## Rhondaalaska (Aug 19, 2013)

I can't track up and down because I have wooded hills on oneside and cliffs on the other side.

As to the hills if my girl starts to struggle at all I get out of the cart. I have a couple of hills

That go almost strait up. We do not get in the cart for those at all. Others that are not as steep

More like 35 or 40 degrees that she can do part way up but struggles down so we walk behind for that one as well.

In a one mile track one way I have 9 hills

Just listen to your guys and they will tell you it is too much.

To start with just walk behind that you can try smaller hills if you think they are up to it.

I walked diva on lead for months on the hills before we ground drove them for months. Now we drive most of them.

And walk behind the cart on the ones she still has trouble with.


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## Annabellarose (Aug 20, 2013)

Interesting discussion! It made me thankful that I do not have too many steep hills or roadside drop-offs where I might end up driving my Miniature Horses. One direction that I could go on the paved, two-lane road that runs past the farm does have a bit of a steep hill that I could not go back and forth across on a diagonal (which is a really, really great idea). I drove my Quarter Horse mare up and down that hill (and she learned to lean into the breeching expertly), but I have yet to drive one of my Miniature Horses up or down it. I would probably feel compelled to get out of the cart and ground drive from the side of the horse or from the side of the cart, near the dash. I see people in videos on YouTube driving from directly behind the seat of the cart (sometimes resting their arms on the back of the seat of the cart) and the thought of doing that makes me frightened. My instincts tell me that being as close to the side or the head of the horse as possible is going to be the safest for maintaining control (plus, in an emergency, you might be able to make a leap for and grab the headstall). I suppose you could put a light halter (maybe a hand-tied halter like those that are so popular with natural horsemanship gurus these days) under the headstall with a lunge line or an extra long leadrope attached to it for maintaining control while you are outside of the cart.


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## BiologyBrain (Aug 21, 2013)

With some of the stories on the accident thread I'm thinking my first action should be for my husband to put a foot brake on the cart so I don't have to get out! 

Annabellarose -- yeah, I had no problem pointing my QH mare at any hill with the cart -- up or down. She was built like a tank. These little guys are just so much smaller. I feel like if the breeching is 1/4" off in position, I'll just crumple his hind legs under him. My QH could have the breeching wrong (and did until I learned better I'm sorry to say) by and inch or more & still hold me and the cart and even a passenger on almost any hill (I never found on eshe couldn't & although I didn't try, sometimes it seems like I did in hindsight).


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## paintponylvr (Aug 21, 2013)

Not directly about braking on hillsides - I typed up a long and detailed post to that yesterday and "lost it" when I hit the wrong button on my laptop... (grrr). Not repeating it right now.

IF you consider using the tied halters under your driving bridles - make sure you have one that is not bulky. I've got several different styles and sizes and a pony driving friend whom I drive with a lot, has others. I have no idea where she got some of hers - but they are thicker, stiffer and the knots are "funny". I would say they are inexpensive "knock offs" of the "real thing". I've made several of mine, purchased some from a known NH trainer & purchased several thru our local tack shop. The local tack shop usually has the ones that I consider way too bulky as well as often not fitting right over the nose (too tight in one size and next size up too large).

Anyhoo - the pressure from the headstall caused the knots to dig into her face (both sides




). W/I 30 minutes of work - she literally had 2 holes about 1/2" deep on either side of her face. This mare is a constant head tosser - so we thought nothing of the head tossing she was doing that day - turned out she had a reason. I found the problem on a break when we dismounted and were dblchecking each others equipment. We were about 1/2 way thru our trail drive - not near our trailers - so we removed the offending halter, and continued our drive so that we could get back to the trailers. We both carried first aid in our trailers and one of us usually has some type of kit with us but that day did not - so couldn't treat her until we got back.

They got pussy and nasty by the very next day and took forever to heal. We both felt terrible! And I now always check my halters. I've had problems with fit with the nylon ones as well - I've had some nasty rubs with them but not like the holes in Eclipse's face.

And on the head tossing - she tosses her head when she's wearing nothing but a collar tied to the trailer or at her hitching post. We've both tried different bits (I have more variety & sizes), borrowed a few different ones, used different material/style headstalls with and w/o blinders, side reins and balancing side reins. Using "No Gnatz" - sold at our local tack store seems to help but doesn't prevent the problem. Her teeth are checked 2x yearly and she's usually floated at least once each year since she was purchased at 2 1/2 in 2009. Her wisdom teeth came in and were pulled last winter. Age & driving miles seems to have mellowed her some - she's tossing her head less these days.


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## disneyhorse (Aug 22, 2013)

Can you trailer out to somewhere more appropriate to drive? Sounds like the terrain isn't going to work for driving a small equine.


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## BiologyBrain (Aug 22, 2013)

Trailer ing out isn't really an option. There probably isn't any reason to worry. The only driving they'll get is probably minimal. I'll carefully consider my option when & if I get to that point.


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## diamond c (Sep 1, 2013)

Ilike brakes on my wagons as well as on my carts, for flat land as well as hills. It just makes me feel more confortable, witch inturn I think transfers to my team and makes them feel more relaxed. I don't ever work in the pasture. I want them to know that that area is for play and rest, and when we go outside the pens it is time to pay attention and get down to bisness.


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## shorthorsemom (Sep 1, 2013)

My trainer was adamant about not using foot brakes on two wheeled carts. Somewhere back I started a string about brakes on two wheeled carts and folks on this forum were all over the place on opinion, however many of the seasoned drivers agreed with my trainer. I did sell my meadowbrook that had a foot brake but ironically the girl that bought it wanted the cart because it had a brake.

When training my guy on hills my trainer walked and jogged along side, supported the cart and taught my boy how to be comfortable with the britching and breast plate doing the holding back on hills. Didn't take more than a time or two and perfect adjustment of placement of britching and collar and my boy was quite comfortable doing any type of hill.


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## diamond c (Sep 2, 2013)

I am by no means a pro or a trainer. I am a beginer and am learning as much as my 2 boys are.As I said it makes me feel more comfortable (wether I use the brakes or not) And I think that me being more cofortable transfers down the driving lines and makes whatever you are woking with more confortable and relaxed also.I guess in short its whatever you want brkes or not I don't think there is a right or wrong.


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## MajorClementine (Sep 2, 2013)

Just a thought, a yankee breeching would be better for you than a standard box breeching. The yankee breeching will actually push the horses back end down when going down really steep hills while a box breeching can actually lift the rear end down a severe hill.


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## Rhondaalaska (Sep 2, 2013)

I have found my girl usually doesn't have problems with most hills, but there are some that are realy steep,

On those ones I get out because I know she would have trouble with them. Even big horses would have trouble on those hills.

At first when we started the hills we ground drove her , till she was used to how the breecher worked . Than we would ride on the smaller hills and worked our way up. Now she pulls around 400# up and down the hills with my daughter and myself in the cart.

As long as traction is good she has no problem. She is a 36" little girl.


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