Cross training the driving horse.

[Zwarte]

I recently purchased a wonderful Morgan gelding in Iowa (Cadeuceus/Wyoming Flyhawk breeding) and brought him home where Morgans are a rarity. I am so happy with him. He is all solid black, chunky Morgan goodness.

The barn where I have him is accommodating - allowing me to convert an old barrel racing arena to a driven dressage arena and the owners are supportive even though no one had ever seen a marathon carriage or horses trained to to competitive driving. My plans for this horse are to practice and prepare for driven competition this fall. I will also trail ride him for some variety.

Not sure why, but one of the dressage riders at the barn approached a friend of mine and asked whether I would allow her to train and show him in ridden dressage.

My first thought was: "Certainly not! He has a different job. "

But as a more theoretical question, do any of you drivers cross train your driving horses and, in particular, with ridden dressage? What would be the benefits or dangers?

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[Christa_P]

It would be good for him. The frame and muscleing required for the driven dressage is the same as for ridden dressage. It is very common for driving horses to be cross-trained under saddle.

I had a OTTB mare that I used to drive that also was well schooled in dressage, jumping and trail riding. Actually the first season I showed her driving I was also eventing her novice level, working on a solid dressage basics, and trail riding several days a week. I am currently woking with another OTTB with the same goal of versaltility. Also, my mom had a WB/TB that won almost every time out pleasure driving due to her solid dressage background.

[Drive_NJ]

Well to me there are many benefits for having the horse trained for RIDDEN dressage
But I would first investigate the riders training style and general behavior around horses - to make sure it complemented my style

I would also make sure how much time would be spent training dressage and would it interfere with my plans for driving the horse

and on the same note - would SHOWING the horse in ridden dressage interfere with my driving time

AND (a big one) who would be paying for the dressage showing
sometimes people riding YOUR horse expect YOU to pick up the tab, regardless if the showing is for their benefit

You just want to be clear in all facets that this extra riding time will not get in the way of what YOU want to do with the horse

We had a friend who just wanted her Fjord pony ridden while she was laid up
The rider started dressage training which DID help the pony but when our friend wanted her TRAIL HORSE back the rider went ballistic about “I would not have wasted my time training this pony for shows ( that she expected my friend to pay for) if Id known you only wanted to trail ride … .”

[buck22]

First, what a supremely elegant boy!! He’s just stunning looking, oozes Morgan!

I cross train my driving morgan, in fact this morning we were working on renvers/travers in long lines, long lining over cavaletti, and free jumping grids. My horse has a back and shoulder issue, so working over poles and jumps is very helpful. But also, I think it keeps up a good communication between us, and I love the athletic and suppling benefits, especially of lateral work. For instance, he tends to get excited and want to dive shoulder first into his turns when we practice hazards. Working on travers is helping him think his way around a tighter turn and engage his outside hind better so he can lift through the shoulder and be more handy.

Absolutely echo the good advice above however, the style in which your horse is ridden should be in line with your values and sensibilities. I once rode a friend’s trail horse for her while she was unable to ride for a while. With her permission I used the horse for dressage lessons with a trainer she knew and liked. The horse was very lazy so we worked on getting him more on the leg. Well, when the friend came back to ride him finally, he was a bit more forward than she preferred.

It would be a shame if you were working hard on square halts for example, and the rider didn’t reinforce that.

[vtdobes]

Oh sure! The last season I showed my mare we did one show where we showed Western Dressage on Friday, Hunt Seat on Saturday and carriage driving on Sunday

Of course she is a Morgan so can do everything!!!

[MunchingonHay]

I know for a FACT that horses that are competing at the highest FEI levels/World Championships are all ridden and trained in Dressage. Chester’s horses, Michael Freund’s horses, Chardon’s, Koos’, …Its good for them mentality, changes the routine, its engages the hind end, builds up the top line, you can ride places you can’t take a carriage…etc.

The biggest difference is the aids, riders tend to want to use their leg and seat (as they should) driven horses use whip, voice and rein aids. But most horses are smart enough to know the difference between being ridden and driven :D.

Actually, most FEI warmbloods are failed dressage horses. ;).

And I echo the statement about making sure you and the rider are on the same page about training and way of handing your morgan. For example, if you are interested in doing CDE’s you want your morgan on the bit pushing from behind and going forward, pleasure horses tend to be a bit more ‘nose out’ with not as much push from the engine.

PS. I worked with a Flyhawk he was my favorite morgan to work with.

[MunchingonHay]

I know for a FACT that horses that are competing at the highest FEI levels/World Championships are all ridden and trained in Dressage. Chester’s horses, Michael Freund’s horses, Chardon’s, Koos’, …Its good for them mentality, changes the routine, its engages the hind end, builds up the top line, you can ride places you can’t take a carriage…etc.

The biggest difference is the aids, riders tend to want to use their leg and seat (as they should) driven horses use whip, voice and rein aids. But most horses are smart enough to know the difference between being ridden and driven :D.

Actually, most FEI warmbloods are failed dressage horses. ;).

And I echo the statement about making sure you and the rider are on the same page about training and way of handing your morgan. For example, if you are interested in doing CDE’s you want your morgan on the bit pushing from behind and going forward, pleasure horses tend to be a bit more ‘nose out’ with not as much push from the engine.

PS. I worked with a Flyhawk he was my favorite morgan to work with.

[Ceylon_Star]

My cob (draftXmorgan) does a bit of everything under saddle - dressage, jumping, trail riding, a bit of reining, will hopefully get out on the cross country course at some point, and has dabbled in some gaming just for fun. It’s built his confidence up (and his muscle!) beautifully, which has REALLY helped me with his driving training!

I’d like to compete CDE with him eventually, but if competing doesn’t happen (there’s not much offered within reasonable driving distance [not counting the ferry ride] from us) that’s fine too. I really just want an all-around horse who I can play around with in anything I want to try. He’s confident, he moves nicely, he has self-carriage, and that’s the important part. Which specific sports he participates in isn’t a concern for me, as long as those three things are consistent. If I find a sport he really doesn’t like, then I won’t do that, no biggie.

A friend of mine took her former paralympic dressage mount out to work cows as a way to cross-train, and recently got her trained to drive as well! She’s a HUGE advocate for cross-training, no matter what your horse competes in. The cowhorse people got quite a kick out of this high level dressage horse and rider, in full-blown dressage tack, going out to work cows!

[2tempe]

OP - many moons ago I sent my driving horse to a trainer, who spent quite a bit of time riding the horse. Trainer wanted the mare to understand contact and connection.(which I admit was lacking) The difference that under-saddle work made was amazing: her gaits were better, the picture was better, and her ability to do turns on the cones courses was awesome - we came away from the Walnut Hill show winner of one of the obstacle classes the next year. So I say GO FOR IT - not necessarily to show a bunch, but certainly for the learning.

[ZELLA]

I think ridden dressage can do nothing but help your driving horse. I’d do more of it if it didn’t wreck my back so much to do so! And the more we ride, the better our driven dressage scores are. My CDE pony cross-trains with ridden dressage and hacking. We’ll often first scout out new places to drive by hacking, because it can be easier to manage aggressive dogs on the road, roads that end in cliffs, critter holes, and surprise bogs from the saddle first. Mine also has a second career as an occasional beginner kid lesson/camp/vaulting pony. Her very active Morgan/Welsh mind is kept busy and happy with the variety.

[Idrivetrotters]

I have an OTSTB and cross training is what we do as he is super versatile and athletic. He is training for Limited Distance rides, he also gaits under saddle so we do gaited dressage training (we haven’t competed yet, but we will next year once we move to where there are actual horse shows) and I pop over a few fences. I like keeping things fresh for him and the more skills he learns the more responsive he gets.