AMHA Show Ring Driving vs. Carriage Driving...why isn't there more cross-over?

[ksoomekh]

What a good idea. I've been tempted to travel from Taos, NM to the draft horse and equipment auction near Denver next week, but I hesitated thinking that there would be nothing available for this newbie mini owner. Now I might go, without Pepper, and check it out just to be near other driving folk.

Karen

 

[paintponylvr]

Karen - if they have a website, see what they have to offer. Not all the Draft Horse sales have "stuff" for minis or Vendors who attend that have "stuff" for minis. You could also call to see what will be there. There should be a listed Sale Manager with a phone number to call for info.

Back to the events I've attended - many people have been surprised to see the "minis" able to do the work, BUT they are just as surprised to find out about the organizations that cater to the little equine (AMHR, ASPC & AMHA) and just how much you can do with them (besides plowing, driving around a plowed field). They were also surprised by the amount of weight the ponies could pull easily... I ALWAYS have kids lined up to see the ponies at a plowing event and at the combo events, I will often spend up to 3 hours doing pony lead line rides (bareback in harness) along with handing out our farm cards (after and between times that I drive - either w/ farm equipment or a cart). I've now had several families come out to our place and see our ponies and minis here too. Haven't sold any from these contacts yet this way, though.

There are a LOT of "grade" small equine in our area (s) - North Carolina. Hence why I've had many people balk at paying what I want for some of my ponies (much lower than in some other states) - they state they can go to a sale and get one for $50-$200 - and some of those are broke to drive. BUT what they don't get is a history on the pony/mini they purchase (at one Draft Horse Sale, I watched someone put harness on that was dryrotted, broken and didn't fit at all. I didn't feel sorry enuf for the horse to make any bids myself - tho she was quiet enuf to accept all that, LOL), continuous health care from birth, solid training (I've checked out some of these sale ponies as I've had neighbors and "friends" want me to check some out for them. When they've purchased against my recommendations, they've found themselves unhappy but have managed somehow to resell the purchase w/o losing any money! Go figure.) and a breeder/trainer they can go to for continued help/support. The folks that I have sold ponies to - get all of that - often at no charge as I want my ponies to have GREAT HOMES with no problems...

 

[susanne]

.

Excellent post, Paula!

We're very fortunate to have so many choices of activities available to us as mini and pony owners. The best approach is to try (or at least watch) them all and choose what you most enjoy.

My favorite activity is trail and recreational driving. No entry fees, plenty of real world challenges, and unlimited fun.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I've done only very limited breed show driving, never entered a proper CDE but have gone to numerous open driving shows with classes in reinsmanship, dressage, pleasure,turnout and several fun classes including barrels, poles etc. I have driven cross country (off road), and for the past 2 years, planned and hosted a fun day for our local club with obstacle driving and the option to do some dressage practice (as well as some in hand stuff) and I have enjoyed it all. Most recently tho we (my husband and a few others and I) have been doing a road drive that takes us out for several hours down our country road, allows for plenty of hills corners and straightaways and always new things for the horses to see and accept (last week, just off the road a ways, it was a moose kill - human or animal I don't know- and all the various wildlife that attracted including a small black bear) and the chance to stop for lunch and a break for the horses. I live on 236 acres and hope to develop some driving trails in the next year or two to allow for cross country drives with less risk of damage to equipment. While I enjoy showing at almost any type of show the road/trail driving may be my preference. As Susanne says, its free and the fun is unlimited

In answer to the OPs question, in this area I see no division between the different types of driving, in either case the organizers are always thrilled to have more participants and welcome everyone to take part. Of course there are individuals involved in either style that believe they are personally superior to others but that is just the way some people are regardless of what they are involved in.

 

[ksoomekh]

Reignmaker Miniatures,

It sounds as if you are having a grand time. I wish I lived nearby and could join in!

Karen

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Reignmaker Miniatures,

It sounds as if you are having a grand time. I wish I lived nearby and could join in!

Karen

You would be very welcome

We try to find as many ways as possible to enjoy our minis, we don't breed anymore (I hate the selling) but we drive as often as we can. During the spring/summer/fall I try to drive a minimum of 3 days a week and we try(of course sometimes life interferes) to get out at least every other weekend to do something. We are trying to encourage more people to actually do things with their horses and enjoy them rather than just feed them, worry about their weight and health and look at them. It is my belief that if minis are seen out doing things we might stop hearing that old refrain "but what do you DO with them?"

 

[Katie Iceton]

I will cautiously weigh in on this topic. I show CDE, however I started out in the breed ring. The main problem I personally (this is just a personal opinion) had with show ring driving is the equipment "required" to show. I don't and wont ever use checks/ martingales on my horses, as I have two that required a lot of re-training from previously being made into "pleasure driving minis". I personally dont understand the logic of using two opposing forces (martingale and check especially in the pleasure classes) to get a horse properly into a proper driving frame as outlined in every carriage driving book out there. In every book I have ever read its a big no-no. When I watch breed ring classes all I see are a lof of very uncomfortable horses who are mostly counter flexed.

This is mainly why I can't cross over into the breed ring, because I refuse to show with a check (which is required by AMHR rules) it doesn't matter that my horse can keep his head in a naturally high head set without a check. However when I drive him he is free to put his head wherever he chooses. He uses himself properly, has got a great extension and we excel at CDE. We both love the challenge.

I don't feel that I would cross over because of a couple of things:

If AMHR dropped the check rule, maybe I would consider trying again, but I really don't see that happening.

I got bored, and nothing beats being out in the outdoors doing so much more than driving in circles.

A couple of points about CDE

1. No you do not need solid tyred vehicles until you move past training level, but thats the beauty, if you dont want to go prelim then don't, every event can have a different dressage, a different cones and obstacle in the training level.

2. You do not need to canter at CDE's I have heard this from many breed ring drivers "well I dont want my show horse learning to canter because he will do it in the ring". Cantering was not even allowed in the hazards in training level until very recently and it is optional for training level.

In the end however, I will come across to those that show in the breed ring as ignorant because of my views on checks and martingales, however I am fine with this. It has never been my intention to say that people should never show in the breed ring, but I think show ring driving has gone in the wrong direction for a long time.