Is there anything else that I need?

[WashingtonCowgirl]

Since I sold all my driving stuff when I sold Spanky, now that I'm getting him back (for keeps this time) I'm looking to buy new driving stuff.

This is what is on my list so far

Ozark Pleasure harness

EE cart

a harness pad

Leather thimbles

Now, we will be doing most of our driving on asphalt roads, should I get a pair of sport boots as well or are will he be ok? We will probably go about 3 miles or so a day once he gets back in shape. If there is anything else I need please let me know. We won't be showing, just driving for fun

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

Thought I'd add, the 2 shaft sizes I can get are 60'' and 48'', he is 34'' tall, so should I get the 48''?

 

[Cricket8]

48 for sure.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Not sure why you want thimbles...

You need a good whip and some driving gloves.

Congratulations on getting back into driving!

 

[susanne]

Thimbles are not adequate "brakes" for recreational road and trail driving. You need to order breeching with your harness. For your horse's sake, the only time you should drive without breeching is in a well-groomed show ring (unless your cart has brakes, which is unlikely in a single mini 2-wheeled cart, especially an easy entry.

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

The harness comes with breeching, but the last cart we had had a tendaency to slip forward (granted, it didn't fit him very well either) so I figured that would be a safeguard against that. If I don't need them then I won't get them, I just wasn't sure.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

If your breeching is properly fitted and adjusted your cart should not slip forward. I hope this doesn't offend you I have no idea how much experience you have but, are you confidant in how you hitch? Perhaps a hands on with an experienced driver would help be sure everything was properly adjusted.

 

[susanne]

If you have your set-up by Labor Day weekend, you really ought to join us for our annual beach drive at Long Beach, WA. At the risk of volunteering someone else, I'll mention that Leia is incredibly generous with her time and knowledge and could give you some pointers on harnessing and hitching. Even if you don't have everything by then, you should come anyway. There's always a horse available to drive.

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

If your breeching is properly fitted and adjusted your cart should not slip forward. I hope this doesn't offend you I have no idea how much experience you have but, are you confidant in how you hitch? Perhaps a hands on with an experienced driver would help be sure everything was properly adjusted.

I have pretty much zero experience, and asked for help when I had Spanky the first time (and had an attitude when I got replies I didn't like). But I'm in a different place now and very ready to learn. His breeching was way too low, but even after adjustment still it slipped. I don't know if it was the cart being a peice of crap and also WAY to big for him (I'll put up a couple pictures from last year so you can see what I'm tlaking about)

These are the only two I could find, I've since gotten a new computer so I'm not sure where everything is located Both of these were pre-adjustment. The shafts are just pulled through the tugs, the lead is draped over the fence board (in no way tied) and he is bombproof times 10000 anyways (I mean really, he has spent the last year being a therapy horse for a 6 year old blind autistic boy. When I say bombproof, I mean it lol)





Anyways, I'm planning on doing things the right way this time. He is insanly bombproof and very patient but I don't want to ever give him a reason to get fed up. A little back story:

I got him last July, and he had had 60 or 90 days (can't remember which) with Patty Cloake. I spent MONTHS ground driving him everywhere, into buildings (its a small town, you can get away with a lot), in a parade, EVERYWHERE. I bought the cart shown above for $40 (I should have known it was crap lol) beginning of October. Spent 3+ weeks hooking him up and driving from behind the cart. I had had some issues with the bit (it was rough), so I had purcahsed a new one, but didn't have it yet. On Halloween my g-ma told me to bring him over, because she hadn't met him yet. Well, I didn't get around to it until late, and was in a hurry so I just drove him over there (first time with a person in the cart, it was only 1/2 mile or so). Because I didn't have a bit, we drove in a halter. He had kids in costumes running up to his head in groups to pet him and adored every second of it (tried to follow them a couple of times). All was fine, and I realize that it could have gone the very opposite way. No worries, like I said, I plan on doing things the right way from now on lol

This time, I am buying a new cart, an EE from Ozark, so I know that it will fit him and have all the needed peices.

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

If you have your set-up by Labor Day weekend, you really ought to join us for our annual beach drive at Long Beach, WA. At the risk of volunteering someone else, I'll mention that Leia is incredibly generous with her time and knowledge and could give you some pointers on harnessing and hitching. Even if you don't have everything by then, you should come anyway. There's always a horse available to drive.

I would love to bring him out there, I don't have a truck or trailer though. I might be able to make it out there alone though, I'll have to see!

That would be really fun!

Oh, I forgot to mention, with me having to board him this time around, I don't have money for a trainer or driving lessons. I've taught myself (with the help of forums and talking with those who know what they are doing) to ride as well as train riding horses. I plan on doing the same now. I'll take lots of pictures this time around, so I know that it is being done right.

ETA:

Here is a link to the old thread. I'm honestly embarassed by how I acted in it, but there are a few more pre-adjustment pictures.

http://www.miniaturehorsetalk.com/index.php?showtopic=126564&st=0

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

From the pictures (and again please forgive me if I insult, its not my intention) it seems that a rather important piece of the harness is missing ... no breast strap? If it is just the cart sitting thro the tugs and not hitched then all I get from the pics is that , yes, the cart is rather large for him. and the breeching is hanging too low. The breeching is an easy fix, just adjust the strap it hangs from (an equal amount on either side is preferable) to have it sit where it should. Lots of pictures would be a help for anyone on here who is trying to help you with final adjustments. there are some very knowledgeable drivers on here who are usually more than happy to help a beginner get started right. You are fortunate to have a horse who is patient and forgiving, its what we all need when we start out. Good for you for being willing to learn how to do things properly for both your sake and his comfort.

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

No I didn't have the breast collar on him, though I did have it on when he was pulling the cart. That cart was awful. The single tree was way messed up. it had no loops on the shaft to wrap the breeching through, no tug stops, it was not a good cart lol. However, it was very well balanced Light as a feather (my friends and I took turns pulling wach other around before we hooked him up) and even with two people in the cart it wasn't hard to pull at all

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

So since I will be driving mostly on gravel and asphalt, should I invest in a pair of driving boots? He has pretty tough feet, but I don't want him to get a stone bruise or anything

 

[susanne]

The asphalt shouldn't be a big problem so long as you build up his time on it...with gravel, it all depends. Mingus is a big princess when it comes to gravel...in his defense, he has tender soles. He does okay on light, even gravel, but he hates the sharp, nasty stuff with a white hot passion. If I even showed him our neighboring logging roads, I imagine he'd faint. We do plan on buying boots, but we also laid down an 8 ft. wide strip of gravel at the front of the corrals, both to toughen feet and to get a bit of drainage. This has really helped Mingus' feet.

Chimacum Tack has Comfy-Fit boots at a very reasonable price.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I've been gone off the forum awhile, sorry. The main reason your last cart slipped forward is that there weren't any footman's loops on the shafts to attach the breeching too. Properly anchored and adjusted, the breeching will keep the cart from rolling up on your horse. You'll be fine with the CTM brand EE from Ozark! No need to get thimbles although I applaud your safety-conscious mindset.

If you have your set-up by Labor Day weekend, you really ought to join us for our annual beach drive at Long Beach, WA. At the risk of volunteering someone else, I'll mention that Leia is incredibly generous with her time and knowledge and could give you some pointers on harnessing and hitching.

Oh m'gosh, totally blushing here!

It's not being generous, I just really enjoy harnessing and seeing it all come together nicely so the horse and human can both have fun. It's like a puzzle!

Leia

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

I wish that I would have his harness to bring so I could make sure it was all adjusted properly! Ah well, I will just have to take lots of pictures to post here to make sure its all adjusted right

And I'll watch you all hook up and get a few pointers

Spanky hasn't had much issues with foot tenderness, so I will hold off on the boots (dang, they are way more spendy than I though!) for now. If he has any issues though I will get a pair.

 

[Sandee]

Your shaft loops are just that LOOPS. Most harness have a way to tighten those loops. I can't see from the picture if yours are ones that will tighten or if you need wrap straps. I'll post a picture of wrap straps so you can see. If the shaft is held tight it shouldn't slip forward. My straps were very long so they wrapped more than once. In a better fitting harness I would only go around twice with the strap - once in front of the loop and once behind it. (the traces are hanging here because he's not pulling but standing at a stop) I hope you can click on the picture to make it larger.