Driving Workshop/Clinic

[Minxiesmom]

My friends and I put on"Friends Helping Friends" workshops for the local mini people trying to teach them what they can do with their horses. We charge nothing, they only pay the arena owner for day use and insurance coverage. We had a in-hand trail workshop that was a great success. We had mostly beginners, but had some experienced people also. We had two very experienced amatuers as "coaches" (Hi Kathi!

) that helped everyone through any problems they were having. They helped with showmanship and presentation. A good time was had by all and everyone came home with new knowledge!

Our next endeavor will be a Driving Workshop. We have several beginning drivers that we want to help them to the next step of showing their horses. Same kind of premise, two amatuers as "coaches". I think we should divide it into two sections of beginners and experienced drivers.

Beginning drivers

Harnessing (fit) Appropriate dress

Hitching Whips

How to use the rail Pivots

Corners Backing

Passing Serpentine

Terms for gaits Circles

Reversing vs change of rein

Speeds of gait

Head sets

Hands

How to avoid accidents (thanks Myrna)

What to do incase of a runaway (your horse)

What to do incase of a runaway (someonelse's horse)

Experienced drivers

???

???

Incase you can't tell, I am thinking as I type. What I would love from all you drivers, beginners and advanced, is what would you like to see in an opportunity like this one? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. We are trying to "spark the bug" in these people, and help them be more comfortable with driving in shows. Hopefully, they will go from here and take lessons from an actual driving trainer/instructor.

As far as experienced drivers, I am not sure what we can offer them, other than outside eyes. The coaches are experienced drivers. I am seeing some experienced people that apparently don't take lessons. I can see some tweaking that might take them from being in the ribbons, to winning a blue. We are not doing this as an ADS type exercise, strictly show ring.

 

[REO]

That sounds wonderful! I wish I could go!

 

[RhineStone]

How experienced is your "experienced drivers" category? Many of your beginner topics could go both ways, such as appropriate dress, whips, circles and hands. I see a lot of people that know how to go right, left, and stop but aren't efficient in their use of the reins to get there.

There are people around here that are experienced drivers but could use help with Reinsmanship strategies, obstacle strategies, ring strategies in general, like how to use the ring to you and your horse's best advantage. There are methods to planning, walking, and driving obstacle courses. How about "how to avoid an accident"? There are a lot of people that know just enough to be dangerous themselves.

Sounds like a good idea for a clinic!

 

[Minxiesmom]

How experienced is your "experienced drivers" category? Many of your beginner topics could go both ways, such as appropriate dress, whips, circles and hands. I see a lot of people that know how to go right, left, and stop but aren't efficient in their use of the reins to get there.
There are people around here that are experienced drivers but could use help with Reinsmanship strategies, obstacle strategies, ring strategies in general, like how to use the ring to you and your horse's best advantage. There are methods to planning, walking, and driving obstacle courses. How about "how to avoid an accident"? There are a lot of people that know just enough to be dangerous themselves.

Sounds like a good idea for a clinic!

Thanks Myrna, keep them coming!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

To encourage beginners, the presenter should to strive to give them confidence.

Some pointers on suitable horse temperament.

Parts of the harness and cart.

Perhaps some handouts on places to shop for harness/carts.

How the harness works.

Cart etiquete, such as passenger not entering until the driver is seated.

It is discouraging to beginners to have a lot of technical terms, especially as so many of those terms are different with different disciplines. Keep the terms basic.

Perhaps you could have a well-trained horse and cart and let the beginners have a chance to drive.

It takes years to feel confident driving, so it is important for beginners to get started. If they love it, they will continue to learn. If they don't love it, they won't bother to go on.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Okay, I don't know the formal difference between reversing and changing rein!

I've given a harnessing lecture at the Northwest Miniature Horse Club clinic for the last three years to a similar mix of total beginners and fairly experienced show drivers and find one thing that is never properly addressed is the issue of comfort for the horse. People don't understand why it's important to buy harness that fits well and how fit affects the horse's ability to perform. I talk about little things like the fact a round, padded crupper is better than a flat folded one and how checking for wear and rough edges is important. I discuss the difference between a quality harness and a poor one, what to look for in a used harness as far as stitching, the condition of the leather, etc., and how to make one harness do as many things as possible (padding it, adding and removing breeching, etc.).

Many people have told me later that those sorts of things simply never occurred to them and are eager to make their horses more comfortable.

Leia

 

[RhineStone]

Okay, I don't know the formal difference between reversing and changing rein!

Reversing is just simply that. Changing rein is crossing the arena at a diagonal, usually at the direction of the ringmaster.

I've given a harnessing lecture at the Northwest Miniature Horse Club clinic for the last three years to a similar mix of total beginners and fairly experienced show drivers and find one thing that is never properly addressed is the issue of comfort for the horse. People don't understand why it's important to buy harness that fits well and how fit affects the horse's ability to perform. I talk about little things like the fact a round, padded crupper is better than a flat folded one and how checking for wear and rough edges is important. I discuss the difference between a quality harness and a poor one, what to look for in a used harness as far as stitching, the condition of the leather, etc., and how to make one harness do as many things as possible (padding it, adding and removing breeching, etc.).

Many people have told me later that those sorts of things simply never occurred to them and are eager to make their horses more comfortable.

I tend to see lots of horses that have blinders that are too narrow and rub the horse's eyes. I give the horses a lot of credit for putting up with it. Also see girths and saddles that are too far forward. The judge at Columbus Carriage Classic commented on that with almost every VSE competitor last year.

Leia

Myrna