# Looking for Ground Driving resources



## HorseMom (Dec 2, 2010)

Hey Guys!

A few months ago I moved my horses to a new farm. I can tell how much happier they are there then the previous farm. The only sad part is there is no indoor arena at the new farm nor is there a good place to work the horses once there is snow. So I don't think I'll be doing much other then ground driving in the long driveway for the farm. But that's just fine. My goal this winter is to install push buttons and brakes on my stallion and to perhaps really work on dressage. Can anyone give me a list of good resources for ground driving and driven dressage?

I think I'm going to keep a training journal for him as well with pictures and videos too. I think it would be fun to watch his progress.

H


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## RhineStone (Dec 2, 2010)

HorseMom said:


> My goal this winter is to install push buttons and brakes on my stallion and to perhaps really work on dressage. Can anyone give me a list of good resources for ground driving and driven dressage?


A lot of that training is established through what I call "backyard Showmanship". It's Showmanship without all the "show" (i.e. "walk four steps, look at the judge.." etc.). If your horse can do a good Showmanship class, it will make it that much easier to train to drive. Just make sure you use the same verbal commands for both Showmanship and driving.

A lot of people don't understand that ground driving is actually harder than driving. When you drive a horse, you are staying the same distance from them all the time. When you ground drive, that will vary.

I can't think of any books/videos geared towards carriage driving that concentrate strictly on ground driving. It is usually included as a chapter here or there. For good books, I like Carriage Driving by Heike Bean and Driven Dressage with the Single Horse by Sandy Rabinowitz.

Myrna


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## MiLo Minis (Dec 3, 2010)

RhineStone said:


> A lot of people don't understand that ground driving is actually harder than driving. When you drive a horse, you are staying the same distance from them all the time. When you ground drive, that will vary.
> 
> Myrna


Yup! And unless you are very good with your hands and experienced you can do more harm than good with too much ground driving with a bridle and bit. It is best to learn ground driving with an already experienced horse that can teach YOU.

In hand with a halter and lead, as Myrna pointed out, is the best way to start to teach your horse commands. Once he is firmly established in halter you can move to a round pen to teach the same commands while the horse is loose. Then graduate to round penning in long lines and the same commands.


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## targetsmom (Dec 3, 2010)

I agree with what others have said about ground driving being harder than actual driving, but with that said, I can offer a list of books that cover ground driving and working horses in hand. I also recommend the 2 books Myrna already mentioned.

Mini School: Train Your Mini to Be All He Can Be, a new book by Sabine Ellinger the trainer of Lancelot the Appy dressage mini. Includes basic training tips, dressage movements, and trick training, specific for minis, for about $20. Great book!!

General horse training books: Also cover in-hand dressage with lots of diagrams.

Schooling Horses in Hand by Richard Hendrichs (DVD also available)

If you like to collect books like I do:

Training Horses in Hand, The Classical Iberian Principles, by Alfonz Dietz

Long Reining, The Saumur Method, by Philippe Karl

Good luck!!


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## hobbyhorse23 (Dec 3, 2010)

Yep, ground-driving is harder. And IMO it's far better than letting your horse sit around all winter if you aren't able to drive!

Targetsmom has some great recommendations for you. "Mini School: Train Your Mini to Be All He Can Be" is a great find and lots of fun. I'm enjoying my copy. I also like "Schooling Horses in Hand" by Richard Hendrichs although I'm not as fond of the Saumur book. The one I really like and highly recommend is "Horse Training In-Hand: A Modern Guide to Working from the Ground" by Ellen Schuthof-Lesmeister and Kip Mistral with a foreword by Sylvia Loch. This book includes work on the longe, long lines, and both long and short reins and is quite comprehensive and sensible. Another good one is "New Sensations for Horse and Rider: Introducing Voice Training" by Tanya Larrigan. This book is by a British author who regularly works with minis along with full-sized classic breeds and the book covers everything from liberty and ground-work to lunging, ground-driving and driving. Very cool book!

Leia


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## ponygurl (Dec 3, 2010)

targetsmom said:


> I agree with what others have said about ground driving being harder than actual driving, but with that said, I can offer a list of books that cover ground driving and working horses in hand. I also recommend the 2 books Myrna already mentioned.
> 
> Mini School: Train Your Mini to Be All He Can Be, a new book by Sabine Ellinger the trainer of Lancelot the Appy dressage mini. Includes basic training tips, dressage movements, and trick training, specific for minis, for about $20. Great book!!
> 
> ...


*NO SELLING ANYTHING ON THE FORUM!*


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## O So (Dec 3, 2010)

Sent you a pm!!


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## ponygurl (Dec 3, 2010)

There are a ton of onmline resources on lungeing and ground driving as well. All the techniques for light and draft horses will work for the Miniatures and Shetlands and other small equine (although various parts may need tweaking). My college class "Horse Hanlding & Training" Just ended today, and I learned a ton!! Today we worked on ground driving while serpentining through cones like this:

O

.............->

................... O

.........<-

O

............->

...................O

............<-

O

............->

...................O

............<-

O

(ignore all the little dots, when I first posted this, all the O's were in a single line!)

If that makes any sense....





Ground driving is not only a great way to teach your horse the basics (Whoa, turning right & left, picking up the walk and trot), but it is also a great way to teach a (correct) headset, desensitizing them to noises and objects, teaching your horse how to bend, but also work a ton of dressage exercises...

Here is a link to the Miniature Horse Federation, and they have the rules for a ground driving class (at least it seems to be for a competition) and these are also great exercises for ground driving your horse (of any size) at home: http://miniaturehors...ounddriving.pdf

Just look around on the internet, and do some youtube resource, I have found a lot of helpful information and tips on training! Goodluck!


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## studiowvw (Dec 3, 2010)

Yes, driving in lines can be really awkward. I look forward to when I can be sitting in the cart and maintaining the distance and hopefully the feel on the reins. And she can do all the trotting, I'll sit.

I was thinking about it today and realized Lacey and I have done well over 20 miles of line driving with the halter and lines. I was doing 2 mile walks in Sept and Oct and I'm sure I took her at least 10 or 12 times, if not more.

It was partly for fitness and partly for just getting out there.

Recently I've started to work more on voice commands and better whoas - that's a little horse that thinks standing still for 5 seconds is waaaayyy too long. I've improved it to closer to a minute (then I get bored), also taught her to stand on a mat. It is her responsibility to stand on the mat - that brought a big improvement.

Next I've been tying her up to the gate or trailer for a while to teach patience.

A couple of days recently I had my QH, arab, young draft cross and Lacey all tied up at the same time, and everyone was patient except for "you know who"!

Today we moved up to a surcingle for the first time - woohoo! She went very well in it.

I think I'll try to find the book Leia recommended: "Horse Training In-Hand: A Modern Guide to Working from the Ground". 

That sounds like what I'd like to pursue.

We were going up the hill the other day and she got fired up and did that Lippizaner move where they jump off the ground and kick out with both hind feet.

It was spectacular, but I sure stayed away from her back end until she got over some of the high spirits


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## hobbyhorse23 (Dec 3, 2010)

Amazon.com has the book along with all the others that have been listed.







studiowvw said:


> We were going up the hill the other day and she got fired up and did that Lippizaner move where they jump off the ground and kick out with both hind feet. It was spectacular, but I sure stayed away from her back end until she got over some of the high spirits


I think every single one of the minis I've handled has done that at some point or another. Anyone who argues that the airs above the ground are unnatural movements needs to come out and see my guys!



Kody did it in the cart one day as a green horse, got so ramped up and excited he just couldn't stand it and leapt straight up from a halt then kicked out with both hind feet.



(Yes, he got his little rump worked off for it and never did it again.) Pyro did it when taking a walk one day, just got so frustrated with me not letting him run that he finally caprioled spectacularly beside me, and Turbo does it in the paddock all the time. Silly horses!

Sounds like you and Lacey have been doing a great job learning to work together. 200 miles is nothing to scoff at!

Leia


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## drivin*me*buggy (Dec 4, 2010)

Good for you for wanting to put the time in ground driving!





Although folks are right- it is a bit trickier as the distance is changing- it is such important work to put in on your horse. I'd much rather they pull nonsense and be silly on the ground and work thru it before being hitched.

I agree w/ the book recommendations. I have 'em all too.



Love books





Angie


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## studiowvw (Dec 4, 2010)

Ok, I ordered the Heike Bean book, the Horse Training in Hand book, and the Mini School book off Amazon - good prices and free shipping, wow!

Thanks for the recommendations.

Yes, horses do all those movements naturally - still it was quite amazing to see my fuzzy fat filly rise a couple of feet in the air and KAPOW! out with those hind feet, haha

W


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## HorseMom (Dec 15, 2010)

Thanks guys.

I have purchased a couple of them and will be ordering more along with some DVDs for the winter.


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