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Post by pinklauraloz on Sept 1, 2011 10:21:13 GMT
Well I think I have now sorted the problems with the carriage?! Took my boy out for a practice yesterday and I am so pleased with him. We have stuff to work on but he is behaving so well. What do you guys think? I would love comments good or bad. How can I help him to work lower and on the bridle as he would undersaddle? Should he go a little higher in harness? This is him undersaddle
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mikeb
Single Horse
Posts: 162
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Post by mikeb on Sept 3, 2011 10:15:55 GMT
He's lovely - heaps of presence and paces look good Wouldn't worry about his head height as long as he's accepting the bit and working into it properly - a higher head carriage is usually preferred in carriage horses (just look at Gelderlanders ) I'd have a look at your traces again - length doesn't look too bad but it looks like you have it through the breeching rather than a separate trace carrier and there is a definite kink in the line of the trace at that point which isn't good from a draft point of view. You can order trace carriers separately and could just use binder twine or a cable tie for the time being!
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Post by churumbeque on Sept 3, 2011 23:25:23 GMT
Look at your 1st picture. See how much slack is in the traces and how short your reins are? He is actually pulling the cart with the bit as that is the only point of contact. I think you need to let your reins out a bit and let him reach for the bit. Half halts will also help and there was a good article in ADS magazine last month on how to do them correctly. If you are doing driven dressage or wanting to show in pleasure driving you do need the lower frame and not the higher headset that you might see at a breed show
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Post by pinklauraloz on Sept 5, 2011 10:18:11 GMT
Thanks for your replies, I am very pleased with him so far.
I put the traces through the breeching on the advice of my experiened driving freind, I didn't realise that it was right! opps
With regard to the first picture, this was actually taken as I was coming from trot to walk hence the baggy traces and short reins.
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zoonie
Single Horse
Posts: 176
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Post by zoonie on Sept 12, 2011 14:50:06 GMT
Just keep him forward into your hand and 'ask' him to soften - no different to riding. Don't let him take hold - if he tries to grab the bit or lean then let him drop and take up the contact again, he will soon get the hang of it. I have to say I think he is a cracker and you have the makings of a lovely turnout - can you get some proper lessons with him? No offence but I think your 'experienced friend' might be a little short of expert.
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moirar
Novice Novice Pony
Posts: 8
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Post by moirar on Oct 7, 2011 7:25:19 GMT
I have recently changed from a basic exercise cart to a bennington, while driving the old cart I could put traces through the breeching because it had a high swingle tree, the swingle tree on new one is much lower so I have gone over to trace carriers to ensure straight line of draft, mine are improvised from spare breeching straps of a smaller harness. Also have found that I need the traces much shorter than I did on other vehicle. Set up with original vehicle Set up on Bennington
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Post by rabatsa on Oct 7, 2011 12:34:10 GMT
Much better, however I would drop your breeching down and put your collar up a bit.
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moirar
Novice Novice Pony
Posts: 8
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Post by moirar on Oct 7, 2011 14:43:58 GMT
Yes looking at pics you are probably right only problem being there are no more holes in loin strap to put breeching down (yes he has got rather a fat bottom) and if I lift collar up it goes right across his wind pipe, holes are probably spaced a bit wide could do with an in between hole, or maybe need a false martingale to hold centre of collar down?
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Post by churumbeque on Oct 7, 2011 22:07:59 GMT
I think the breeching is ok. I have been taught that if it were lower the weight of the cart can push their back legs out from under them if you are going down a hill, but do agree that collar needs to go up. Try 2" or so it won't cut off his air
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Post by gonewiththewind on Oct 20, 2011 20:57:03 GMT
the collar is far too low. I think you could easily go up a hole without impeding his windpipe. If not then it might be worth investing in an empathy collar. The breeching is high enough that it could easily slip up under his tail and cause him to buck. Now you have such a lovely carriage would it be worth getting harness that fits better and that has a better breeching with more padding. I love the pony.
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Post by rabatsa on Oct 22, 2011 14:58:54 GMT
I am going off empathy collars after having used them for several years on different horses/ponies. If you look at the collar and neck after a hard drive there are contact points and gaps. The contact points are where an ordinary breast collar would also touch, but whereas a plain breast collar has contact all the way round the empathy concentrates the pressure. It is also harder to get a true line of draught.
Too high a breast collar will only rarely affect the windpipe as it is buried quite deeply in the neck. It is better too high than too low as galls on the points of the shoulder can put a pony off harness work for life.
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zoonie
Single Horse
Posts: 176
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Post by zoonie on Oct 22, 2011 15:40:22 GMT
I am 100% in agreement with you Rabatsa - a pony will never choke itself pulling but it will get sore shoulders with badly fitted harness and could ruin a good driving pony. Empathy collars are a no-go for me too - I sold Gypsy's after a couple of weeks as he stopped going forward (!) And I know of a couple of other drivers who have changed back to conventional breast collars as their horses weren't going as well in the empathy collars - they move too much and I think they make them feel insecure. Narrow breast collars and breeching can easily be padded out with waffle pads, Zilco do really good ones - contact Jack-in-a-box or Bennington and these suppliers will also be able to send you longer loin straps - synthetic ones look fine for tootling about and club stuff.
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Post by gonewiththewind on Oct 22, 2011 18:51:37 GMT
I have never actually used an empathy collar but have seen them in use for road work only. interesting to hear views on them as I had wondered whether to invest in one - think I will stay as I am.
I do find that pads on the breeching tend to slip a lot - or maybe it is just me. I put them on breast collars but not had much luck on breechings.
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mikeb
Single Horse
Posts: 162
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Post by mikeb on Oct 25, 2011 7:17:44 GMT
I have an empathy collar for Ziggy and really like it on him - he's very broad across the front and I find it gets a very even contact. His is a Mk II one - most of the one's you see gaping and horrible looking are the Mk I. Horses for courses...
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