Driving Accident Prevention

[paintponylvr]

I often have a hoof pick and a knife strapped to the cart. I have attached water bottles to the cart, put in a bucket on the floor of the cart or wagon or in a small cooler suspended from the bars on the front of the cart or strapped to the back of the front seat of the wagon. Gum is tucked into my camera case which hangs on the front of the cart or wagon.

Halters generally stay under our headstalls, lead ropes are attached to the back of the seat on what ever we are driving OR are left attached to the halter and strung up around the neck in a cavalry knot or wrapped up draft style to the outside hame on the work harness.

I've used various other packs for various tools. I like the fanny pack idea attached to self - though I've rarely used one... I have a hinged seat on the wagon that allows me to carry the tools I use for the wheels, to attach the bolts/nuts on the neck yoke & double tree to the tongue (the tongue, neck yoke and double tree are removed when the wagon is loaded into the trailer). I have a new zippered bag that those tools are now in (instead of be-bopping around loose). There's plenty of room for a few other things. I keep a couple of extra snaps that go on the breast collar strap (after having one twist sideways when a pony got upset and reared/started hopping around) and even a couple of extra breast straps now. BUT I don't currently have them fully punched w/ enough holes to use on all of the sizes of horses/ponies I have - so another project to do pretty soon!

For long drives - I also carry a few strands of haystring, a collapsible nylon bucket or a small bucket; a small first aid kit all contained in a small, "flat" box that includes some saline solution and Tylenol/Advil (both of which I and my friends can take) and a small bottle of children's liquid Benedryl (for bee/wasp stings for me or hives for ponies) w/ a syringe. I haven't used the kit lately and need to pull it out and make sure any meds are w/i date and usable...

I don't currently have an "extras" kit - like you'd carry on the course for marathon driving. BUT should be able to "jerry-rig" anything that breaks long enough to get back to the trailer... Usually also have duct tape, electrical tape, silicon based WD-40, a 2000 lb jack, a loaded tool box, a gallon of "people water" and feminine products (that can be used as pressure bandages on people or ponies with an ace bandage) in the truck box. There are still things I should probably add...

 

[Renolizzie]

I've been using a dog back pack for my gear. It has easy lock buckles and it is easy to get on and off the cart.

 

[paintponylvr]

What about pics of the different ways we all do this?

Here's a pic w/ the cooler attached to the front of the forecart (this was a long drive, I had snacks, water & flyspray for the ponies too). The camera pack had batteries and gum. I had a hoof pick and knife attached at the top left bar on the forecart.

Here is the wagon. The seat I'm sitting on holds the marine battery that runs the lights. That is where the tools are for attaching the tongue, neck yoke & double tree & the flat first aid kit go, too. Attached to the back seat are the extra breast collar straps. There's a bucket in the bottom for the ponies to drink water out of and it holds extra water bottles as well. A bit of braided hay string tied to the seat post behind me. I didn't have the cooler w/ me for this drive - cold, windy & a rather short drive.

Don't have pics of anything attached to other carts...

Anyone else want to share?

 

[poniesrule]

Oooohhhh Paula, I knew you would have good pictures!!! My homemade EZ Cruiser (Easy entry) doesn't have a lot of room for extra storage. I had been trying to keep things in my pockets, but it's not comfy to sit with. I'm going to try the fanny pack and possibly a little toolbox. Absolutely will add pictures as I get them! Thanks for sharing! Anyone else?

 

[HGFarm]

One thing to remember is to drive your horse like you drive your car..... watch out for the OTHER guys! Stay alert and tuned in to what is going on around you so if something happens you can do your best to avoid the wreck or to step out if need be and get your horse under control so it doesnt join the issue- especially if your horse is green. I agree to carry water, a phone and a knife, in case of emergency (yours or someone else's)

 

[paintponylvr]

OOOO yes!! Hadn't even thought of that one and REALLY should have.

I know that when I go on the drives w/ the Draft Horse folk, there are certain people/horses I will not get in front of - because THEY don't pay attention and the one driver often let his BIG pair get right on top everyone's wagons. IF he'd have kept driving, I've no doubt they'd have stepped up onto the back seat of my wagon when he did it to me!!

Others could be bothered if someone worked at speed - something most Draft Horses don't do. Any time I was going to go faster than a slow jog - I asked if it was OK, then I would warn folks that I was passing. Most folk got a kick out of me driving my pair with a foal attached - cantering down a section that was wide enough to pass!

When driving with others, Ive found that I seem to have some of the most driving experience. I learn to watch and where necessary, I "circle" back like I used to when taking trail rides out with beginners. It does get hard to do on trails that are narrow and tree lined, though. It's amazing how many "yahoos" show up at a group ride/trail drive w/ horses that have never been in a group or ever seen a cart/wagon attached to LARGE horses!! In 2012 & 2013, I saw some MAJOR wrecks not with the driving horses but with the riding horses that also came along. Many were very green with riders that should never have been in the saddle. One owner was drug w/ a foot caught in a stirrup thru two fences (no helmet and no boots w/ heel, YIKES) - one of which was barbed wire that cut up both her horse and her pretty bad...

 

[Peggy Porter]

Some of the things I learned from my accident: always wear gloves. Always wear a helmet. Always carry a cell phone. If it's an organized drive, have the emergency contact info programmed in on speed dial. Having a gator who is also a vet tech was priceless (yeah, I know, most of us don't have that!) Carry a first aid kit. Use good quality quick release snaps wherever possible. Rehearse in your mind what you should do in different scenarios. Practicing helps make it second nature when you don't have time to think about it. If you don't have confidence in your horse, don't do it! Listen to your gut. Accidents will still happen, but hopefully you can minimize the results.

 

[Peggy Porter]

A few more thoughts: everything in your cart/carriage should be tied down or enclosed. Flying objects just add to the confusion. Carry halter and lead rope, or have them on either over or under the bridle. Carry a knife on your person, if you have to go looking for it in an overturned vehicle you're losing precious time. Check your harness and vehicle before every drive. Failures can cause the accident or make an already bad circumstance even worse.

 

[paintponylvr]

I found a new problem the other day when working with my newest, green pair. My ponies are taught to give vertically and laterally - first with a halter and lead rope and later with the bridles they are driven in. Sometimes, there is resistance, but for the most part the ponies do very well and we build as we go.

The other day, when I first was asking my ponies to start working, I was keeping Cupid and Ami "separated" a bit by using the lines (pressure on the outside). At one point, Cupid flexed to the outside - much more than I was asking AND then stayed that way and proceeded to rear. Took a couple minutes to figure out why...

He had brought his head around far enough to catch the buckle on the line IN THE REIN TERRET on the hames of his work harness. Normally, when he (or any of them give) I release the pressure on the line - but this time it was caught and wouldn't release.

I got him loose and we rested quietly for a few minutes and then continued our work. Pics and description of that work already posted.

NOW, before anyone says - it's because I have snaps and conways on the lines, when our work was finished and I was unharnessing the ponies I pulled out the lines meant for a single driving pony with a "proper" buckle on the line. The buckle and the snap/conway buckle are in the same area (same distance from bit). SO, even if I'd had pair lines with a "proper" buckle on Cupid and Ami, there would have been a problem.

One of the things that show or work harness has on it is rein stops when working in a running martingale. I will be seeing if regular rein stops will work with the rein terrets on the hames of a work harness (might have to make larger ones)...