Combined Driving with Miniature Horses

[Hippoholic Miniatures]

Thought you would like to see this

Driving Lotsafun Truly Flamboyant and Lymricks Pure Platinum at Johannesberg, Sweden May 23, 2016.

 

[paintponylvr]

That is SO AWESOME! Thank you for sharing.

I've always enjoyed looking at the different pics of minis and shetlands in harness other than a single cart. I've really enjoyed learning to drive a pair and actually spent a weekend where we were immersed in driving my "farm pair" as a "marathon pair". A lot of folks got a good laugh at us using farm harness with the heel chains while hooked to a marathon carriage. I got a taste of going thru the gates (sadly no water work - which I love) and how difficult but FUN it could be!

Can you tell us about your equipment? Carriage type? Harness? Why your pair are wearing boots and how do they work while doing this type of competitions. Do have pics of cones or dressage?

LOVELY turnout!

 

[dalvers63]

Combined Driving with minis is SO much fun! I'll be doing my first real competition in August and am looking forward to it. Thanks for sharing your pictures, it looks like you all had a wonderful time

While I can't speak for the OP, my mini wears boots in the front when we're out on the gravel tracks because the rocks hurt. Doing a marathon you never know what you'll need for traction or what the conditions will be (rocky, muddy, grass, etc).

 

[jventresca]

CDEs are the best fun! I was fortunate to have a wonderful pair. We competed at Gladstone, Lord Stirling, and Teddy Bear's Picnic many times. I was always amazed at how much the horses enjoyed it and how very brave they were encountering something new. I lost "Socks" the summer of 2014 to a congenital problem. I'm now trying to get a pair going with Steel, Sock's partner and a new horse, Flash.

Once, when Teddy Bear's Picnic was held at the grounds of the Glen Willow CDE there was a deep water hazard. It had rained more than the organizers realized. You had to go in the water, out of the water, around a barrel and back into the water. The first time we went in the pond Socks got a nose full of water. I really didn't think the horses would go in a second time. They surprised the heck out of me by galloping around the barrel and jumping back in the pond! Good thing our gator was hanging on! Socks is the white horse.

 

[dalvers63]

That's awesome Jaye! They are such game little horses, I love all the spunk and willingness packed into the small size.

I love living in the Pacific NW but there are times I wish I was back East. Our choices for CDEs out here are rather limited compared to the other side of the country.

 

[jventresca]

You asked the other poster about dressage and cones pics. I have a few favorites to share. In some of these photos we're using a Glinkowski Mini Mix carriage. In later ones we're using a Tadpole Mini carriage. It's not as fancy but it's lighter. One thing I learned early on - NO polo wraps if you're going in a water hazard! They soak up the water! I like to use bell boots just in case the boys tread on each other. I took regular sized boots to a harness maker and she cut them down for me. How lucky I am to be in the northeast just at the time when CDE driving started to include minis!

Steel (grey pinto) and Socks (white) at Gladstone in dressage at preliminary level.



Dressage at Garden State in 2013. The boys are so in step you can really only see one horse.



Cones at Garden State in 2013. We had two different 20 cone sets courses to memorize. That was no joke. We were using the new Tadpole carriage at this event.



Cones at Gladstone the first time we competed with the pair at preliminary level. Loved the bridge!



Into the water at Teddy Bear Picnic at Fair Hill, MD

 

[jventresca]

Did you get to go to Happ's at least to watch? I've heard that was a wonderful venue. A friend, Martha Duchnowski, from VA invited Merridy Hance, who lived in Washington state to come here and compete with us in NJ. Then Martha went to visit Merridy and competed at Happ's.

Now the place to drive minis is Aiken, SC at the Monster Mini. If I can get my new pair going I might make the trip. Linda Willis, a PA friend, lives down there in the winters now. She's driving a four in hand!

 

[MiniNHF]

Im staying away from combined driving for now. Reason being that apparently the schooling show we did in April with the deep sand that should have been sawdust ended up causing major inflammation, joint, muscle you name it issues to my main show gelding who was and is fit do to having to struggle to pull me through the sand and I am not that heavy by any means; I even pulled up in the middle of the test and retired because he literally gave up; only a mini well over 34" made it through dressage and cones. He is such a good boy he never displayed any pain or discomfort until after our first big 4 day show of the year and then two days later after returning home he was all scrunched up and shaking in pain. Its been over a month now and been working with a chiropractor/massage therapist etc she has him at least 95% normal again. But it has cost me a FORTUNE because she has to come out every other day to keep him progressing forward in recovery. As of today we are out three days a part.

I cant evidentially trust these venues that post up their shows a head of time in the book bc their footing can change at a whim and they don't have to notify anyone. So I am not risking my show horses health and all that training I do over the winter to be out of the big shows I train so hard for.

 

[dalvers63]

Did you get to go to Happ's at least to watch? I've heard that was a wonderful venue. A friend, Martha Duchnowski, from VA invited Merridy Hance, who lived in Washington state to come here and compete with us in NJ. Then Martha went to visit Merridy and competed at Happ's

I have been there and it is wonderful! I volunteered for the Kitchen Sink event that happened two weekends ago so I would know how things work. I'll be going there in August for my first CDE and if all goes well I'll be back in September for the Back to Back event.

Merridy is wonderful, as are all the people I've met so far that are involved in the sport. I think it's the best of both worlds since I get to play with great horses and people in a fun environment.

Thank you for the pictures. It makes me wish I was out driving now!

 

[dalvers63]

I cant evidentially trust these venues that post up their shows a head of time in the book bc their footing can change at a whim and they don't have to notify anyone. So I am not risking my show horses health and all that training I do over the winter to be out of the big shows I train so hard for.

That's awful! I don't know how much it would help but I do hope that you and others complained about the footing change. Most places I've seen are not like that so I hope when you have a chance you'll check out other venues.

It's good to hear that your boy is getting better!

 

[paintponylvr]

I am soooo jealous!! Those pics are fantastic of your pair, Jaye. THANK YOU for sharing them!

While I have not competed (indeed, not sure I'll get to any time soon - I went the draft direction for a number of reasons and don't know that I'll ever get the marathon acceptable carriage I'd like to have or the different harness. If I could get the carriage - could make small changes in harness that would allow me to use what I've got instead of switching completely to breast collar type), I have been to several events to watch. I DID sell a pair of ponies by our first stallion and went to several of their beginning events. Later, I was either sent pics or found the pics when notified that they'd gone to events. I was planning on going to a big one - but ended up going out of state on pony business that weekend.

The woman whom I sold that pair of ponies to knew I'd never (at that time) had "official" driving lessons. She knew that I'd never driven with hitched animals to wheeled vehicles - other than starting my own stallion (not to any kind of show level, LOL). She was amazed however, because it seems that so many drivers (of all breeds) discount that I DID take riding lessons in foundation/basic dressage for years (never went up the levels - didn't have the money or the horse(s)) for several years as a youth. I worked hard to develop a seat, legs and hands as a teenager AND you remember - and I find that they do indeed carry over to driving (there are differences of course). I would really want to work with an actual dressage trainer or a driver who can teach what they ride/drive if I got serious about competing in CDEs or ADTs or is it HDTs?

The two mares that I sold were out of a Hackney pony mare and by our Shetland stallion. Both Lacey and Jewel were double registered Pinto (pleasure pony division) and ASPR (not built/move like the current ASPR ponies). They were great little mares! They competed single first, then as pairs then as leaders with a 4 in hand. I'm not sure how many events they actually competed at - or which ones. I've got a handful of pics... They are big ones, sorry, I'd never resized these.

Here is a pic of them as leaders in a 4 in hand - Pine Tree 2006 event -

However, these mares are significantly larger than your minis. I don't think I ever got official mature heights of them, but know that they were larger than their sire and he was 45 1/4" tall at the withers.

These were in 2007 (Lacey on off side w/ Hackney pony mare on near side) -

Deb offered these two mares back to me - but I simply couldn't touch what she wanted for them. She ended up splitting them up and I lost track of both of them. Then, in 2013, I located both (separately) and they were brought back together to drive and eventually the owner of the one, purchased the 2nd and I believe they will be competing as a pair again later this year... Lacey was foaled in 1999 and Jewel was foaled in 2000.

 

[paintponylvr]

MiniNHF -

I'm sooo sorry that that happened at your event. I still don't understand completely how that type of change would have been made.

Know that the events held here in NC DO vary - simply because the events are outside and they are subject to the weather. Also, many of the hazards here in Southern Pines are set for the larger horses and yes, if they forget and small minis hit the water in some - they are swimming!!

A friend and I did go to an endurance event and had something similar to your experience. The weather turned bad overnight. They also had switched from one farm (where it had been held for years and had regular attendees who knew each of the individual rides routes) to another where nobody seemed to know exactly where they were supposed to be riding. I don't know about the "regular" distances - but the 25 mile "newbie" ride ended up being mis-measured and was closer to 32 miles. When you've only been conditioning for 25 and then the weather turns to clouds, fog, freezing rain & 7 miles longer, well, there are lots of issues! She did complete her ride, and she had backed way off the pace she'd been training at and had planned on using (thank goodness). She and her horse did do OK, but a few days later she was very, very ill and like your little guy, her horse underwent several vet visits and chiro (no massage therapy tho). She was most unhappy with that state of affairs and never did go back to try another event. She went back to barrel racing - before her new job and completing her Master's Degree consumed all of her time... Khlint (arab/SB) became a happy pasture potato~!

Sorry, I seem to always steal topics and degenerate to other stories!! I do hope that you don't hold all events to that one's lack of standards though. I'm really glad that your little guy is doing better.

 

[BSharpRanch]

Hubby and I did an ADT (Arizona Driving Trial) a couple weeks ago. It was only my second time driving in one, the first was in January.

This one was quite the adventure. Had a new team member for the pair. Ended up driving a pair of stallions! One greener than grass. Ended up squishing my foot under the front of the carriage while unloading it! And the wind was howling with some pretty amazing gusts.

We had a decent dressage drive, even though the pair was blown sideways from a gust.

We had to wait for a break in the wind so we could do our cones course because the gusts kept blowing the balls off the pylons and the numbers over! Then the judge said salute and go! So we did and off we went. The boys were a bit strong, so I asked them to come back, which started them on the muscle, so I decided that as long as they stayed trotting I would just sit quietly and steer them. We smoked the course and ended up double clear!

Our hazards we also smoked! Ended up first in our division!

Not bad for my second ADT and this pair"s first one. (one of the pair had done the ADT in January and is one of the wheel horses on The Six.)

 

[dalvers63]

BSharp, I love the pair. Spotted horses are my favorites and it's nice that they went so well together!

In my experience ADT stands for Arena Driving Trial and is a compact version of a CDE that takes place in an arena instead of outside. Obstacles are limited to 2 or 3 and the cones course is usually only 10 sets.

It looks like everyone was having a great time in your pictures and for me that's what is most important!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Oh my gosh, Bsharp, look at the dirt blowing!

Enjoying all the photos and reading about the adventures.

 

[BSharpRanch]

In my experience ADT stands for Arena Driving Trial and is a compact version of a CDE that takes place in an arena instead of outside. Obstacles are limited to 2 or 3 and the cones course is usually only 10 sets.

Here we have Arizona Driving Trials, basicly a CDE without the marathon, held on a single day and comfortable clothes. Dressage, twenty sets of cones and four sets of hazards, all in the great outdoors.

 

[Hippoholic Miniatures]

Can you tell us about your equipment? Carriage type? Harness? Why your pair are wearing boots and how do they work while doing this type of competitions. Do have pics of cones or dressage?

Sorry about being so late answering

The Carriage is a Dominiakz Maraton Mix 125 with 16'' wheels and wights 100kg (approx 200 pounds).

I bought the harnesses used and made some changes to fit my horses,

In Sweden there are no classes for VSE so we compete against big ponies and sometimes even big horses, and we have to adapt to the rules they are using.

All horses have to be shoed in the marathon phase and fortunately boots are OK to use instead of shoes.

The left horse has Easyboot Epic och all four hofes and the right has Epic in front and the new Easycare Miniboot in the rear.

The boots are working wonderfully and we have never lost one in 10+ marathons we have done so far.

This is a Dominiakz Maraton MixII 004 A with 19'' wheels and wights 150 kg (approx 300 pounds).

 

[jventresca]

BSharp Ranch - Great pics! Congratulations on your win! Your boys look fab.

Hippoholic Miniatures - Thank you for sharing the information about your turnout. Interesting how the rules vary from the US. Are your rules fairly uniform throughout Europe? We're not allowed to use the pneumatic tires, have to use hard rubber. Is there a reason for using a different boot on front and back hooves on your one horse? I'm sure it's a matter of fit but your comments would be appreciated.

Paintponylvr - Awesome mares! I hope you get a chance to try a CDE type event or Derby, even if you just set something up on your own.

Thanks for the fabulous pictures, everyone! It's wonderful to see so many minis and their people having fun!

 

[Hippoholic Miniatures]

The rules are pretty much the same throughout Europe.

In the “beginners” classes pneumatic tires are allowed, but otherwise there is hard rubber.

But since we are competing against bigger ponies and big horses (no VSE classes here) we will stay in the lower classes.

No real reason for having different boots in front and back, other than I’m trying out the Miniboots compared to the Epics.
We will attend a big CDE, on Solvalla Trotting Course in Stockholm, next weekend and will use Miniboot on all 4 hoofs on that horse.