tips on breaking to drive?

[oberchis]

Hi everyone, I'm planning on breaking my shetland to harness but have never done this before so any tips be brilliant, she's 3 year old mini shetland and I've just started long reining her

[oberchis]

Also best harness etc to get (cheapish)

[ilovenatives]

I shall be watching this thread with interest as we have a standard shettie who we would like to drive . Just need to get some harness now before we can move on from long reining . Someone correct me if i am wrong but do you start off by getting the pony to drag a tyre behind them first before putting them in a cart

[globetrotter]

please go and buy Sallie Walrond's book Breaking a Horse to Harness first .

[sorayawilliam]

hi i have just broke my welsh section A to harness and what i did is got a cheep shiers harness and longrained for a mounth in the hole blikers and stuff then i wachted breaking to harness BDS on youtube i also whent and got a dvd from robinsons and watched how to do it the proper way then after longraining for a mouth to get used to commands and working in the harness i put broom sticks in the tugs so he could get used to the pretend shafts by the side of him i also made him get used to umbrellas and plasic bags and also traffic i takes alot of hard work but it will be good when finaly you break to harness the dvd and youtube clip should give you the next steps on how to break but i would also find someone local who know what there onabout to help you

sorayawilliam

[ilovenatives]

Thanks Globetrotter will do

[ilovenatives]

Thanks Sorayawilliam some good tips there . was planning on getting someone who knows what they are doing to come and advise when i have harness so they can help with fitting etc

[sorayawilliam]

thax thats what i did thaksfully i have my dad who can help me as he know what to do haha lol

[ilovenatives]

My mum has broken a few ponies to drive but it was probably 30 years ago so she is not sure she can remember much lol

[sorayawilliam]

I LOVE CART DRIVEING

[pipsqueek]

loads and load of ground work start of by long reining with the harness on so as they can get used to looking into the blinkers
you will be surprised what they will shy at with them on
that they would not of done without them
its like breaking a horse for under saddle the more ground work you do the better the result you will have
also when used to that let him pull something like a tyre behind them
i did my chap and then i sent him to someone for him to get used to the trap he was only there 2 weeks
hope this helps

[ilovenatives]

Thanks Pipsqueak
I knew i could remember something about dragging a tyre .

[penduk]

My mare pulling a tyre





and the tyre itself

[zoonie]

Good pics - did you drill a hole through the tyre to fit the swingle tree? Makes it really tidy
I like your mare - do you drive her much?

[penduk]

Yes we drilled a hole and have used a washer and bolt to keep the chain in place. The mare is now a broodmare as I had no time to keep her fit and in work. Hopefully when she drops her next foal in 2013 she will return to work.