How To Tell Which Direction To Go...

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

I have ridden hunters and jumpers my entire life. A shoulder injury, and a severe non horse related head injury have permanently pulled me from the back of the horse much sooner than I would've liked (Im 21.....).

I've had my little man about a year. At first driving was rough. He was VERY inconsistent, would bolt for no reason (NOT out of fear, but more out of an F-this, you cant make me), and would just plain get hyper for no reason, then randomly have a mental breakdown and decide he absolutley couldnt do it, try to turn around to get "mom to save him." Hooking him to the cart wasn't even a thought.

The verdict from my very experienced when it comes to driving mentor was "give him a year to mature, he'll be a different horse." (I purchased him and halter broke him at the age of 6, he was a rescue). After a winter completely off, and a full year of actually being treated like a horse, he has definitely matured. Driving is going SO MUCH better.

I know this is long in the future, but what exactly are all the types of driving? What do you look for in each style? I've done a lot of you-tube-ing, and they all look the same to me, sans roadster. My guy is FLASHY, and he moves a lot like a roadster, but my question is, it it truly possible for a horse to do all the types of driving, and not embarrass himself?

I had a speed jumper. She could fake her way through a hunt course, excelled in jumper (could jump 4 ft at 14.3 hh and make it look darn easy), but flat work, she just, failed on her face, miserably. She wasn't bad, just moved and went like a jumper, and when my cousins would show her 4H western pleasure walk trot, it was just bad. She was just plain a speed jumper, it was the only ring she truly looked good and not out of place in, and holy wow did she look good in it! Is it the same with any other driving disciplines? Is a really truly good roadster just a roadster, and a really truly good pleasure horse just a pleasure horse? I hope my question makes sense!

 

[disneyhorse]

Well, I'd say the rare individual is talented enough to do it all as well as have the brains for it... And then have a talented enough human to train and condition for it.

Most horses are just okay at most things. Few horses are truly amazing at one thing, and even fewer excel at many things.

Same with humans

 

[Marsha Cassada]

One of my driving group has a roadster horse. She just trail drives for pleasure, so he is a little bit of a challenge in the group; rather like a Walking Horse trail riding with a QH. When he trots he really covers ground. When she bought him, she was told he was a roadster horse, but none of us really knew what that meant. Now we do.

My driving horse does not excell at anything. He is a good driving horse; a good companion; a good therapy horse--but he doesn't shine at any of them. With a better trainer he would probably be better. But then again, he might frustrate a better trainer! We'll never know.

 

[Mr.T]

First I would get an AMHA rulebook. You can send for one and I believe they are free. There are 3 types of driving besides roadster: classic, country, and single pleasure. In the rulebook (can be found online for free too) it shows a picture of the 3 and explains what each is. Typically you will find which one your horse is closest too and then maybe have to make some adjustments. It usually depends on how the horse covers the ground and then you alter the headset to fit into which type of driving the horse is. If you aren't going to show AMHA I believe AMHR would also have the same information in their rulebook. I am not too familiar with the driving in AMHR.

 

[TMR]

There is all kinds of different driving from the breed show driving AMHA and AMHR (which Mr. T touched on concerning AMHA)as well as recreational trail driving, pleasure show driving, and combined driving. Each requires something a little different in training. I agree with Andrea that it would take a special horse with lots of training to excel (meaning win) at several different types as each requires a little something different. Reminds me of the saying "Jack of all trades, master of none". Nothing wrong with that, unless you have that competitive spirit and really like winning at the upper levels.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

Thank you all!

I was spoiled with my first horse, I know.

I just want to find his true talent. Every horse is awesome at something, it just takes the right person to bring it out at the right time! I'm thinking about taking him over fences. He does 3ft with confidence and ease, BUT, he's too pretty of a mover to outlaw driving! Tons of hock action, awesome natural headset, just a lot of potential I think.

I will admit, I do like to win. However, I refuse to push a horse to do so. I won't cheat. I won't make a 30 day wonder. I won't fake training to win that blue ribbon a year faster. If he just plain is bad at it, then lets not push it! I bought the big mare mentioned above to be a pleasure horse..... Going slow with her head down was NOT her forte, so we switched to jumpers, and she kicked butt and took names! Everything is more fun for a horse when he is good at and likes his job. And its more fun to show when you have a horse good at his job that loves it!

 

[KLM]

An additional thought...

AMHA has a dvd of the three types of driving horses and what to look for. I found this to be much more informative than just looking at photos. To hear exactly what you are looking at while the horses is moving made a huge difference. I thought my horse was Country... turns out he is Classic.

 

[horsenarounnd]

While you are looking, take a gander at the American Driving Society web page. They are a nation wide driving association and work with all types of driving from just pleasure driving around your own farm and trails to sanctoning very high class shows and have activities for all horses from VSE (minis by a different name, Very Samll Equines) to drafts. They sanction shows offering a variety of classes, turnout, which is a "beauty class" judged on the looks and correctness of your entire turnout (you, cart, harness, and horse), working pleasure which is judged on the ability of your horse to perform in a show ring, and reinsmanship which is based on your ability to drive your horse in the show ring. They also offer a variety of timed events ranging from obstacle driving, scurry (a course of 10 to 20 pairs of cones set in random order and the fastest horse to negotiate the course wins) to cross country which is a set course of open area and obstacles (often including a water hazard). This tests your ability and your horse as it is run against the clock with the winner determined by which finishes closest to a pre-set ideal time.(On one cross country course a couple of years ago my wife won with a time of .006 seconds off the ideal time and the second horse was .008 off).

These shows are a challenge of your training and driving ability as well as the suitability and ability of your horse. There are ADS events nation wide, usually 2 days or more inlength and offering 6 classes per division with divisions for horses from minis to drafts. You don't have to excel in any one disipline, but the better you and your horse are in a variety of classes, the bettter you will do overall, and the more fun you'll have.

ADS also offers another type of competition, called CDE's or Combined Driving Events. While similar to a driving show, CDE's can be also compared to a 3-day event , but for driving. CDE's offer competition in driven dressage, timed cones,. and marathon, a cross country event with more elaborate hazards and obstacles judged on fastest time. There are divisions based on type of horse and experience level. CDE's are becoming very popular and usually offer mini divisions, too.

Look up ADS.com and read what and where they offer events and go to watch a show if you can. Talk to the folks there, and see if you'd like it, I'd bet you will.

.