# Driving Horse Conformation?



## Tremor (Dec 8, 2010)

What makes a driving horse?

I have two horses that I would love to teach how to drive, but I don't know what to look for in a driver.

My first horse I would like to train is my current stallion (hoping to geld him!), Dagnillos Crown Jewels (aka. Buddy).







The next two are not in driving condition (pregnant and the other is only 7 months old!



)

But, what makes a driving horse? And when do you judge a horse for whether or not it has the ability or conformation to drive?

Do you think Buddy would be a good driving horse? I want to get him started this winter so when we geld him in the spring I'll have something to do with him to reduce the swelling. And it may even help him get in shape for halter shows!

Thanks!

I'm very interested in learning more about driving, and if anybody has any recomendations for websites and book about driving please do throw them at me!

Thanks again,

Julia


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## Reignmaker Miniatures (Dec 8, 2010)

Julia, much depends on what type of driving you wish to do. Do you want to drive in breed shows? Pleasure/trail driving only?CDEs? If you wish to take part in driving competitions, what level do you want to reach? Most horses can be driven but whether or not they can reach or maintain the higher levels of competitive driving will depend on many factors, conformation is just one of them. That said I would not hesitate to train the horse pictured. From what I can see he could be a powerhouse in harness.


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## Minimor (Dec 9, 2010)

Well, I can show you a picture of my ideal driving horse conformation--he's not a Mini (a 44" Shetland actually) but if I could choose my ideal Mini for driving it would be this guy in a 37" size. Okay, so I'd make his head prettier, but when this guy gets bridled up you really don't notice the mug....and in any case, you don't drive the head.





I will tell you why I like this guy's conformation for driving....his body divides nicely into thirds--quarters, barrel and shoulder. His shoulder is long & nicely laid back, his neck sets onto that shoulder nice & high, he has good length of neck with a clean throatlatch that lets him set up into the bridle when asked to. He has a nice long hip. When he gets working he rounds his back, lifts up his front end and gets his hindquarters well under--I watch him work & sometimes wish that he was my full size dressage horse, because he would go far in that discipline. And yes, he has super movement--extension as well as good lift on both ends.

With his conformation this boy can set up and show, and he can also cover the ground when going down the road.






But, there are many different types of horse that can drive perfectly well.


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## RhineStone (Dec 9, 2010)

Any horse with good basic conformation can drive, pending they _want_ to and are trainable. Some horses, no matter their conformation, won't drive because their mentalities can't handle it.

Like Reignmaker said, it depends on how you want to use your horse. Don't try to make a low-going horse into a Park horse, especially with some artificial equipment. The horse's conformation and personality have to fit the style of driving. There are way too many people that try to jack the horse into their own impression of what they want the horse to look like without taking the horse into consideration. It's gotten better with more education, but people need to realize that you can't make a QH into a Saddlebred with some equipment and "training"!

Any horse with ambition and manners can be successful in the ADS pleasure ring, no matter what their style. You just have to turn them out (use the proper equipment and attire) appropriately for their style. If it is a high-actioned horse, you would put it to a more formal vehicle. Low going horses are put to more informal vehicles, etc. Combined Driving Event horses need to have stamina, desire, ambition, forwardness, and a bit of bravery. Power is an added bonus. I think your stallion looks like a good CDE candidate, pending his personality.

In terms of actual conformation, I want a driving horse built level or uphill but never downhill. Downhill built horses have a harder time with stamina and tracking up. (No horse should be downhill IMO regardless of what you do with him.) I also don't care for hind legs that are too straight. I like a little bit of angularity in the hocks. Not cow-hocked persay, but not very straight, either. Too straight horses can move like they "have their pants full". All of our more fluid horses have angularity. Our straight horses are a little more stiff in their gaits.

Myrna


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## MiLo Minis (Dec 9, 2010)

Your photo isn't the best for judging conformation because it has been taken from above his level and from slightly towards the rear but he does appear fairly well put together. He is slightly under himself on the back end with a fairly sharply sloping croup which will give him lots of drive but you will need to be careful not to hurt him as his croup is short as is his hip. Fortunately although he is high in the stifle he has a good solid gaskin and well built hock. Good solid cannons. He seems to have a nice long, sloping shoulder and a fairly long humerous so should have a bit of reach. He has a Mini's typically short pasterns but they have a decent angle to them matched by his hooves so although he will feel some concussion he should be reasonably sturdy. The main drawback to him is his somewhat thick, cresty neck and thick throatlatch and that, combined with his head tying into his neck at a 90, will make it difficult for him to tuck but it appears to tie in decently high and with a bit of sweating could be slimmed down some. I would put him on a low carb diet to help take some of that bulk off. Overall I would say this little fella could drive and do it decently well!


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## drivin*me*buggy (Dec 9, 2010)

If his personality is right for driving and he's sound , I say go for it. What kind of driving are you looking to do, recreational, breed shows, pleasure shows, CDEs? Regardless, I say you live with the horse many more days than you will show them so if he is your buddy day to day, then I think you will both enjoy the process of learning.

I think he is really cute and looks like he'd be fun to drive. You could always send him my way.





Angie


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## hobbyhorse23 (Dec 9, 2010)

Hi Julia! Welcome to the driving forum.



There have been some great threads recently on good starter books, go take a peek and see which ones you like the sound of.



Tremor said:


> What makes a driving horse?


What makes a good driving horse, a good competition driving horse and a successful breed show horse can be three very different things. A good driving horse is made by applying good training to a horse with a good mind and the willingness to do it. Period.



A good competitive driving horse must possess good form-to-function conformation which produces pleasing movement and allows the horse to stay sound, and may require different forms of talent as Myrna explained. Heart, stamina, courage, brilliance, determination, submission, willingness, all of those may be needed depending on what you want to do. A successful breed show driving horse must be of the appropriate type, built to hold the outline they are looking for and with the sort of eye-catching movement the judges are currently rewarding. Driving classes at breed shows are more about showing off the horse in harness, not the horse's driving training. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but does need to be understood or you may be disappointed in your placings!



Tremor said:


> And when do you judge a horse for whether or not it has the ability or conformation to drive?


 From the minute I first meet it. If it's a baby I look at how it reacts to new things, how spooky it is, how willing it is to learn and what kind of action it shows me in the field. What kind of horses are its parents and siblings? How do they move? How are they built?

If it's an adult I look at the same sort of things but will judge the horse's own conformation and movement more strongly than any family members I might see. Foals may not trot out a lot, preferring to run. I expect an adult horse will show me what he has. I personally like to see a horse stretch his neck out and down and engage his rump when he "turns it on," not lock his head in place and simply move faster. I want to see some scope and length to that stride! They should have a whole 'nother gear they hit when they get excited. Then again, I'm looking for a competition driving horse so movement matters to me.



In evaluating whether the horse is suited to driving in general I want to see a trusting animal who listens when he's scared, trusts his handler and preferably is curious about new things. I have to know I can work with that horse and that his brain isn't going to go out the window the minute he gets a little nervous about something. A driving horse should think his way through things!



Tremor said:


> Do you think Buddy would be a good driving horse?


I agree with MiLo's assessment of his hip being a little high and short but he's got great muscling and a nice overall look. Hopefully with a reduction in calories, gelding and some sweating we can get his neck thinned down a bit but he still appears to be a very nice candidate.







Tremor said:


> I want to get him started this winter so when we geld him in the spring I'll have something to do with him to reduce the swelling. And it may even help him get in shape for halter shows!


Just an FYI, but in my opinion it is not fair to ask a horse who has just been gelded to drive. Especially a green horse! You don't want him having to push with those hindquarters when it hurts so much and it sort of spoils the "look, driving is fun!" attitude you're trying to cultivate.



Turn him out and lunge him as the vet recommends until the swelling goes down in a few days then when he's moving normally again you can think about hitching him.

It definitely will help trim him up for the halter classes though, and if done correctly can really enhance his topline and chest.

Leia


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## midnight star stables (Dec 9, 2010)

I agree with MiLo and Leia. Nice boy with potential! And I think working on thinning his neck is important, and gelding will help that.

How tall is your boy? He looks A size. He's pretty and I'm sure you'll have fun driving.

I'll post a picture of my favorite driving horse. Nitro is a 35" gelding who goes very nicely in cart. He most certainly has his faults but I wish I had more like him!


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## Marsha Cassada (Dec 11, 2010)

He would look so handsome in harness! His eyes seem to be nice and forward, which is important, I think, in a driving horse. His head appears to show confidence and intelligence.

You don't say how old he is. Good luck and keep us posted on his progress.


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## Tremor (Dec 11, 2010)

Thanks guys!

I did forget to post how tall he was!

Buddy will be 11 in May 2011, and is 32'' tall.

I am hoping to teach him how to drive, which will help his muscling and overall look.

I have decided to show him in the next couple years in some AMHA horse shows! I don't know when I'll be able to start training him though.


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