From: kcumming@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Kitty Cummings)
Subject: driving
Originator: kcumming@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu
Organization: State University of New York at Binghamton
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 13:48:34 GMT


Though I have doen some driving in the past and shown locally in
driving and i teach my young horses to ground drive, etc.- I haven't
ever gotten very deep into competition driving (ie. pleasure, obstacle,
and I'm sure there's others).  The recent talk on driving has been very
interesting, especially the notes from Marsha (thanks!) on book
recopmendations (beleive it or not, i already have the second one you
recommended).  

It seems too that I will have to be learning more about it in the near
future - so all this talk has been helpful.  One of my boarders just
purchased my 2yr red dun app filly, 'Rosie'.  This woman is *very*
experienced in CT and dressage - though she hasn't actively shown in
quite a few years.  We will show 'rosie' in huntseat/western pleasure,
and her new owner will eventually compete with her in dressage - but she
*really* wants 'Rosie' to learn to drive, and drive well.  Her husband
likes horses, but isn't really into riding and her young daughter
suffers from a severe siezure disorder and though she (the daughter)
rides in a theraputic riding program - it's unlikely she'll be able to
do a lot on a horse without spotters, etc.  So, her mom wants 'Rosie' to
drive so that they can enjoy her as a family - go out for summer drives
together, winter sliegh rides, etc.  

So, we'll be teaching 'Rosie' to drive for her so she's a dependable,
enjoyable and reliable driving horse - but she's so elegant and
gourgeous that i want to compete in pleasure driving with her on a more
competitive level than I've ever done in driving (like qualify her for
the world show) and her 'new' mom is all for it. I'm also interested in
the cross-country obstacle driving competitions a s'Rosie' (like her mom
- the horsey one ;)  ) is going to be an unflappable, do everything type
horse.  S0, anyone have any driving competition expereince??? in iether
pleasure driving or the XC type??

We were thinking of a Meadow-wood (sp?) as a pleasure driving
competition vehicle - is this acceptable???  What is the acceptable
attire - colors, use of lap robe, style for men/women???  Let's keep
this thread on driving going - I have LOTS to learn about the sport.

BTW - 'Rosie' has been long-lined previuously and is going really well
under saddle, bends/steers/softens, etc really well.  So last night we
put her in the harness (in the arena) and ground drove her in harness,
then we took a heave jump rail and her new owner walked beside her
dragging the pole while my sister 'drove' her. She did great!  We
progressed to actually putting the pole through the shaft loops (sorry -
it's been a whil;e since i went over the names for the parts of my
harness :) ) and letting her drag it with someone walking right next to
her.  We only used one pole on the inside so it wouldn't be too scarry.
She's a real level headed filly and we called it a night after this.


i like Marsha's suggestion of taking the blinders off a green horse so
they can see what's behind them.  I feel comfortable knowing that the
horse *knows* what's behind him, instead of waiting for the day that he
suddenly 'discovers' something is chasing him.

Well, now that I've rambled plenty . . . 

Kitty Cummings
Kit-Mar Appaloosas
Ritter Hof German Shepherds

Newsgroups: rec.equestrian