I drove a big horse for the first time

[Marsha Cassada]

My sister got a new horse and asked me to help her when she put him in the cart for the first time. She was using a 2 wheel wooden cart (nice!). The harness she had was for a smaller horse, so didnt' fit exactly right, but was doable. The cart was really suitable for a smaller horse also.

At first I walked beside with the lead rope and she drove. Then we made a few harness adjustments and I asked her to walk beside and see how everything was looking. So she walked and I drove. Oh my! So much different than a little horse!!!

For one thing, the cart seat was lower than his back and I couldn't figure how how to keep the reins up high enough. And, of course, the sense of power and potential was greater.

I did like her harness. It had the rein rings on the neck strap. The cart had footman loops, and we weren't exactly sure if the traces ran through those or not. She thought they did. She liked the overcheck strapping across the nose but I talked her into taking it off--if the loose check flapped against his neck he might not like it, and it really wasn't long enough to attach loosely to the saddle.

Very interesting for me to sit behind a big horse in the cart. I could probably get to like it, but I'm very satisfied with my little ones.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Congratulations! Driving big horses is definitely different. I started my driving career with my Arab when I was in my mid-teens and that ended badly when he had a flashback to a previous cart accident we didn't know about and took off the first time we drove at a show arena. (Thankfully we were only using the arena and there was no one else there.) Neither he nor I was comfortable around carts for many years after that but Kody got me used to it again in a way that felt safe and eventually worked me up to handling his good-natured rearing, bucking and occasional bolting without my gut clenching up in fear. It took me longer to be able to handle a big horse reacting similarly to how the Arab had done right before he bolted but I got there and since then have driven a Fjord, a Welsh, a pair of Hackney cross ponies, a pair of Friesians (talk about steering a bus!

) and of course quite a few minis in single, pair and tandem. The smaller minis really do feel underpowered after driving a larger horse (at least mine does) but the equipment is so much easier to handle it isn't even funny and they often make up for their size with their sheer enthusiasm for the work. I think my compromise would be a nice sturdy Welsh or something of a similar size- big enough to not blink at passengers and hills and deep footing but small enough I can still drop the harness easily over his back. Actually I found my ideal horse just a couple of days ago- a Welsh/Andalusian cross!

They're calling it an "Iberian Pony" and it looks perfect for carriage driving.

The cart had footman loops, and we weren't exactly sure if the traces ran through those or not. She thought they did.

Nope, footman's loops are for securing the breeching. The traces run through the opening in the buckled end of the holdback straps but not through the footman's loops at all.

Leia

 

[Margo_C-T]

Were the footman loops on the cart's shafts? I presume they were; can't really think of any other place they'd be on a basic two-wheeled cart. The traces would not be 'run through' them; traces should not be 'restricted' in any manner in their line from the breast or neck collar back to the singletree(or 'hooks', in the case of certain carts w/o a singletree.)Did the harness have breeching? Footman loops are usually there to run the breeching holdback straps through...

If you look at photos such as those on the well-regarded driving calendars from Mischka, you'll see that most wooden carts have larger wheels and a 'higher' seat, so that you don't end up looking 'up' at the horse's rump.It's usually only either the simple pipe EE-type carts, OR, breed ring show carts, that sit low, on smaller wheels and low-placed seats, where this is often the case. This also helps prevent the issue of keeping the reins 'high enough' so that they aren't 'dropping' over the rump. The reins are another 'harness part' that should run in as straight a line as possible from the bit attachment to your hand.

I have a Smuckers Pleasure harness in mini size; it came 'standard' with the neck strap terrets. As long as they are properly placed(to allow that 'straight line' to your hand(s), they are fine, but not a necessity.

Lots of POWER in driving a bigger equine, definitely!!

Edited to add: Looks like Leia and I were typing at the same time! I will clarify; yes, it is proper to allow the traces to pass though the 'opening' created by the wrap straps, as long as they are in NO WAY 'restricted'!

Margo

 

[RhineStone]

The loops you might be referring to are known as shaft loops (not to be confused with "tugs" on the harness). Yes, the traces go through those, as they keep the traces from rubbing the horse. They are the bigger leather loops on the shafts in the photo below. The footman loops are the smaller metal ones that the breeching straps go through. In the photo below, they are more triangular, but can come in other "shapes" as well.

This cart was built for our 47" American Shetland Pony. THAT is a fun horse (pony) to drive! He has the speed of a big horse with the agility of a mini! Too much fun! Our big horse (16HH) is more like driving a limo than the sports car that the pony is! I agree, ponies are way fun and more easy to handle, especially if you have to "show alone". The pony divisions are growing by leaps and bounds with all the baby boomer ladies that are driving their ponies. Too bad my pony has eye issues, but my husband says I can get another one someday.

Myrna

 

[Katiean]

I learned to drive with Big Horses. Race Horses! We had one in my barn that used a pony harness. She was so small but boy could she move. We called her "Tiny Trot" I don't remember what her real name was. But yes, when you are driving a big horse, you are driving power.

 

[Renee]

The loops you might be referring to are known as shaft loops (not to be confused with "tugs" on the harness). Yes, the traces go through those, as they keep the traces from rubbing the horse. They are the bigger leather loops on the shafts in the photo below. The footman loops are the smaller metal ones that the breeching straps go through. In the photo below, they are more triangular, but can come in other "shapes" as well.

This cart was built for our 47" American Shetland Pony. THAT is a fun horse (pony) to drive! He has the speed of a big horse with the agility of a mini! Too much fun! Our big horse (16HH) is more like driving a limo than the sports car that the pony is! I agree, ponies are way fun and more easy to handle, especially if you have to "show alone". The pony divisions are growing by leaps and bounds with all the baby boomer ladies that are driving their ponies. Too bad my pony has eye issues, but my husband says I can get another one someday.

Myrna

What a lovely cart!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Yes, Myrna, those are the loops she has on the shafts. Helpful picture! So the traces do go through them. I didn't really think they were footman loops, but I'd never seen a big horse cart up close and personal before. There were no footman loops on her cart. Fun to learn new things!

Thanks, everyone, for the tips about keeping the traces unhindered.

I will try to take my camera next time and show you her cart.

I am not sure why we were sitting down so low, as the cart didn't seem that small. But I guess it was more "cob" size?

She also has an antique buggy, so when Dunbar gets a little experience she can use him in parades.

 

[RhineStone]

As long as the shafts come to the point of the shoulder with about 12" of space between the horse's butt and the singletree, it fits. My guess is that it might be a Jerald show cart, especially if it didn't have footman loops, as those would be unnecessary with a show harness that lacks breeching. As was said before, they sit very low behind the horse. (If mini Jeralds sat that low, the driver's butt would be on the ground!

) The "shafts level" rule doesn't apply to those carts.

Does Dunbar have parade experience now?

Myrna

 

[My2Minis]

Congratulations!

Driving big horses is fun.

I started driving with a big horse (not my own) and when I first drove a mini he felt seriously underpowered (I thought I could walk faster than he was going! ) But I love my minis. I had a teacher with the big horses and I don't want to harness and hitch something big by myself. Especially since I'm kind of a beginner.

 

[Sue_C.]

Started out with the larger horses myself. Part drafts, Morgans, Arabs, ponies and a couple of Standardbreds...one right off the track...could she MOVE!

I have to say though, that I love my minis the most. The other horses could "get me there" faster, but they didn't have half the heart or "try" as any mini I have driven yet.

I liken driving a mini to driving an old "VW Beetle", you just cannot do it without a smile on your face.

 

[My2Minis]

I liken driving a mini to driving an old "VW Beetle", you just cannot do it without a smile on your face.

:wub

I love that! It's true. A mini also brings a smile to everyone in the neighborhood when you drive by