Ground driving horse show classes?

[targetsmom]

Most of our 4-H members are quite interested in learning to drive and since only a few have riding experience I figured that ground driving was a good intermediate goal. Of course, at this point we only have one mini that drives (and isn't a stallion which the 4-Hers aren't allowed to work with) so we have FOUR minis currently in training to ground drive. Just keeping track of equipment (labels on everything) and where they are in their training is a job in itself! And that doesn't count Dancer that we posted about a lot on here, whose training has been suspended while she is pregnant!

Anyway, we have already proposed a class in ground driving for next year's 4-H Fair but have little idea how they are run. My Google search only picked up one class, which had an individual pattern, but I suspect there are others. Any suggestions would be appreciated and give me some ideas of how to train for such a class. We have even considered a ground driving drill team....

I am also trying to do the training myself up to a point, before I let the kids get too involved, but of course, they want to do it too! Since they only

get to work with the minis at best, once a week, I really think I need to get the minis fairly reliable before I let the kids ground drive them. Any arguments you can provide to support this decision would also be appreciated. Or alternate suggestions.

 

[paintponylvr]

What a great idea!

You might contact the folk that "broke away" from ASPC/AMHR. They are in the VA, Maryland & Delaware area (Area 1 of ASPC/AMHR). http://www.shetlandponysociety.com/ . They used to have a ground driving class for the young ponies and think they've also put one on during the State Fair (not sure about that) of one of those states. I believe that their class (s) involved driving over and thru obstacles - but they were in the arena.

I haven't been thru the picture albums since they changed their website, so not sure if they still have pics of that particular class or not. The one I remember had both youth and adult participating and it was a great looking class.

As to how/when to involve your youth - I'm not sure. I think you really have to address that. Maybe start with practicing with the reinboard and with 4Hers' that you know are "ready" and "steady" - involve them in ground driving at each stage. I'm thinking that you will have some that that wouldn't work for though. Maybe the same as doing advanced manuervers in showmanship and you would have to make that decision... There are some kids out there, right from the start, that can be quicker to grasp the concepts and get everything into place faster than I could, LOL!

Even as a youth myself, it took me a while to develop the dexterity to ground drive our horses. As an adult training a pasture full of shetlands and minis that are all very different in personality and reaction time, it's been interesting. I've definitely had to work with some and others it's just so, so EZ.

I can't wait to hear how you do with this! I THINK IT'S GREAT!

 

[targetsmom]

Wow, the forum comes through again! Thanks so much Paula. I will follow up with this Shetland group that I never even heard of before. It looks like they do offer a ground driving class for green ponies so I will contact them about it.

It is also so great to find someone that understands the issues we have to address - between multiple kids and multiple horses! We just started a second 2 year old this week and he is the easiest one yet! Then we realized that the other one that was this easy was his sire, SRF Buckshot, and NONE of the others we have been working with are Buckshot babies. But I think this bodes well for the two 2012 foals we hope to drive in the future! We have also found though, that the ones that are hard to train can end up as really nice driving horses if you are very patient. And our 4-Hers range from very special needs with no horse experience, to some with riding experience. We are also doing some instruction in the cart with the one mini that drives, using a second set of reins attached to the halter.

 

[Sandee]

I know that getting carts for several would be difficult as well as more expensive but I agree, that ground driving is more difficult than driving in a cart. Depending on the age the kids could get pulled off their feet and drug. I've never seen a class for ground driving, good luck.

 

[DJF Miniature Show Horses]

We have ground driving and ground driving obstacle classes in southern Oregon. The only shows that offer these classes are at the Wilderville Classic Shows. In the ground driving class we walk,trot,halt,reverse and do rein backs. Sometimes are asked for a sidepass. The obstacle GD class is similiar to In Hand Trail. Walking over bridges, over a tarp, logs, and the like. I train my minis like this anyway before they are introduced to a cart. Hope that helps :0)

 

[disneyhorse]

Ground driving is much harder than driving in a cart, and possibly less safe (vs an adult in the cart with them) in the event of a horse spinning or such.

I've taught lots of adults to ground drive and they're either too hard on the mouth with consistency or they just drive with too much slack.

I introduce driving in the cart first, to get good hands without worrying about body position in relation to the horse, particularly when the horse bolts or picks up a faster gait than can be comfortably walked alongside with.

But equipment is the biggest limiting factor I guess.