@DMK and @cattywampus LOL its was my mom that started me driving at that young age. she just handed me the reins and off we went! That’s how you breed your own groom for pleasure driving. 
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I have a friend in Snohomish who has a foaling service. She foals out her own mares but also mares that belong to other people who leave them with her until the mare foals (and I think a bit afterward–I don’t think anyone wants to trailer with a newborn!) She has references. Let me know if you have any interest.
Rebecca
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I was taught how to properly and I’m SURE it was not proper in that video hahaha, we get the job done ok though!
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The same thing we thought about EVERY insane thing we did as a children of the 70’s: What could go wrong? 
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Thanks Cayese. I hadn’t thought of that. Good suggestion
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Rebecca–there are two that I know of in Snohomish and both are good. I have used this one before and the vet lives across the road. We have stall camera apps on our phones. Thanks for your kind offer.
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Hahaha!
Thanks. I’m familiar with EI. A great group. I’ve already contacted them but haven’t heard back yet.
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Thanks Munching. I thought so. I’m familiar with long lining. Do you think I should get a bridle with blinkers?
I will contact Sargent in Lodi.
Yes, it’s just a good thing to get them used to, it will also reveal all those flaws in your training pretty quickly. We think we are so good with our aids while lunging and long lining, and what we don’t know is how many body cues we are actually doing (dipping a shoulder for a canter, squaring up shoulders to slow down and so on). You think you have a horse well trained to verbal commands and then you realize you have a horse well trained to your body language.
But don’t invest too much money in tack just yet. Typically a good harness will run to about $1000 new, although you will see huge variations on that price and the lower cost ones are generally considered unsafe for you and poorly fitting at best. Unfortunately the entire harness is like your bit or girth, we should tolerate zero failure points, and that comes at some cost. But a good place to learn about harness and fitting is IVC Carriage Supply. Myrna has a great blog on there, going back years with all sorts of articles on things beginning drivers should know. It’s a great learning resource.
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@Furiant This is a really good comment. I still have to say if I had to choose one over the other…I’d pick riding. There is something about the physical connection and being able to pat him on the neck that is missing to me with driving. And a good gallop through the woods!
I also learned recently that while road driving gets a little boring to me unless I have someone with Im chatting with; I got my first opportunity this spring to be able to drive in a large outdoor and have been really having some fun with the cones. Play around with different driving…applications??..too!
I likely would have never got into driving had I not bought a horse who loved it…and I glad I did 
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Its always a good idea to use the tack that is associated with the task at hand. So yes, I would get a blinkered bridle BUT lessons first. The lines can become a mangled up rat’s nest really quickly if you don’t know what you are doing.
Ground work as a whole is a great skill to have. When I worked with FEI level CDE drivers, I would ground drive my team at least twice a month. Working on collection and lenghtening, shoulder in, half passing, getting off the fore and using their backs correctly, etc it all be done on the ground.
Maddie at Sargent is amazing. I am glad you are going to reach out to them. I knew her when she worked in Fl for Chester Weber.
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Totally Team Driving here. I have so much more fun driving I rarely ride. I used to think XC was the most fun you could have with a horse, but driving is no contest.
Thanks DMK. Just what I needed to know.
I think I’m Team Indecisive 
I do love driving, but when Katydid wrapped up a few weeks ago, I was really excited to switch my primary focus back to ridden dressage after a pretty intense CDE season. But in a few months I know I’ll be back to missing CDEs. This year I am trying to integrate both year round. Last winter I split the week into 2-3 days riding and 3-4 driving as a way to work on improving our dressage test. This summer I’m not going to be quite that intense but I am doing fitness drives every other week and following them up with some driven dressage as we work on that 3* test, so about 4 days driving every 14 days is the plan.
I will say if my life was a choice between trail/pleasure driving and riding, I’d probably choose riding. Fortunately I have a healthy balance in and out of the arena, in both riding and driving. But it’s pretty obvious I fall into the competitive side of horse ownership, so it isn’t a surprise that I’d gravitate towards that option.
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I took up driving because I could no longer ride due to increasing disability and balance problems. I love driving, but wish I could have kept riding as well. I took my two driving ponies (separately, because they hated each other) out for rambles around the neighborhood, visiting friends, and one time even delivering Girl Scout cookies by pony cart. I miss having that freedom since I had to retire my last pony. And now I live in a condo, a tough place to keep a horse!
Rebecca
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George Bowman said it best, “you can only ride for so long, but you can drive until the day you die”.
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How funny–my friend in Snohomish who I was going to recommend said that a Dales pony named Berry Blossom is there to be foaled out. That’s your girl, right? So glad you picked her–she is great. I’ve known R. a long time, in spite of the distance between us.
Rebecca
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I took my Dales Pony to the midwife (2 hours away) Saturday. I don’t have large animal vets or big box stores where I live. But have been practicing harnessing and driving with friend’s Fjord. Cart I’m thinking of getting is two wheel but heavy and high, it’s a Coyaltix, made in Poland. Know anything about these?
