I finally did it!...Tandem that is. :-)

[HackneyHorseDriver]

I’m still on cloud nine. I finally drove my Hackney horses in Tandem this weekend with the help of Andy Marcoux. My mare Lucy was the wheeler and one that I thought might not like this new arrangement but she was completely comfortable and worked like a seasoned lady. CC my 18 year old seasoned fine harness, carriage singles and pairs guy was not so sure about being a leader at first. He sure looked to sexy for his harness for a little while but finally settled in and made life easier. I am so hooked on Tandem with my mixed Hackney horses. I can’t wait for my next lessons in Spring. The only bummer was no one got any photos and the apprentice hit the wrong button on the video camera and got nothing recorded.

Anyone else do Tandem? Any suggestions for winter exercises when the snow is flying. I know I will be practicing with a tandem whip and furling it.

Denise

[goodhors]

You might want to get a seat heater, for sitting out in the cold, sending the whiplash out and back! Takes a lot of practice to get smooth. A bale of straw makes a good target, while sitting up on the seat or chair. You need the raised seat, height of cart seat, to get room to swing, no interference from hitting the floor or other things. Kind of like fly fishing, send it out, bring it back in, furl it up. Long stick whip is a big help, better aim.

If you get REALLY desperate, we bought a whip that extends the stick you could try. That stick is REALLY, REALLY LONG, 4-in-hand length I believe. I saw it at the CAA Conference a few years ago and bought it, thought husband could try it. After husband got up from the floor laughing at whip, shooting it out to be long and short, we stood it in the corner and have never used it. Has a pretty short lash, since stick length would put lash exactly where you aim it.

Glad to hear things went so well with your horses. Having Andy there to give you pointers was really a plus. I have heard real nice things about his training style in clinics. Leaders have to be really confident, to be brave alone out there. Tandem is MUCH fun, really gets your heart going!

We didn’t have nearly as much fun as seeing Andy would have been. However it was the only weekend the guys could come trim trees. Got rid of lots of dead branches before winter winds. I now have a bunch of winter wood piled up, a burn pile for a weenie roast, some trees with many less branches. Trees will look much nicer next summer with their new growth.

You do know that Multiples are addicting? You have taken another step on that downward path. Actually, sounds like you are ready to run down and join the rest of us!!

[War_Admiral]

Awww, I’m jealous!! (Kidding.)

I confess that tandem is the ONLY multiple I have any interest in trying, and really only b/c HRH Avery would (still) make the most asp-kicking header in the world. I just could never find a wheeler that could match or better his 17.2h. :no:

Do we get pics???

[RidesAHaflinger]

I think Dick Kearley drives a tandem hitch of his Caspians. And I know Thomas has driven a tandem because we’ve seen that world-famous picture of his leader turned around facing the wheeler. I’m a wanna-be tandem driver but lack the proper equipment for it- might be able to borrow it sometime and give it a shot. Hope you get some pics to share next time!

@HackneyHorseDriver;2813821

Anyone else do Tandem? Any suggestions for winter exercises when the snow is flying. I know I will be practicing with a tandem whip and furling it.

Denise

[ironbessflint]

Oh congrats!!! That’s awesome!! Bummer about no pictures/video, but that just means you’ll have to do it again

[pricestory]

YOU FOLKS ARE NUTS:yes::eek::yes:

Seriously, I’m thrilled for you, I just have no desire to ever have more than one brain in front of me to deal with.

[kearleydk]

beginner’s luck

I think I am incredibly lucky in that I have two horses that love to be out there as leader. Triumph in particular does not do well in any other hitch position. We use him in the 4 in hand because we have to but he really shines as tandem or unicorn leader.

In my limited experience it’s all about the horse because I certainly not skilled enough to make a leader of something that didn’t just want to do it.

I’m also dealing with a rare breed that contains no seasoned animals. They are all young since the first imports to the US were in the 90’s. None of them have any experience that would make them better leaders. It’s just their personality.

Dick

[HackneyHorseDriver]

HAHAHAHA. Yes nuts over carriage driving for sure.

I have driven pairs for several years for various clients and friends, mostly ponies, Perches, Clydes, Shires, and Belgians. It has been several years and I miss it very much. The two Hackneys horses I have don’t work as one is 14.3 hh, very fancy, bay with three whites and a big star. The other is 15.1 hh, more sport horse type, chestnut with two low hind socks.

GH - thanks for the tips. I’m gonna need them to get through the winter. Andy has only been gone one day and I’m having withdrawl. It is hard to explain but to put two wonderful horses together and have it all work well was a real treat.

IBF - we do have a video tape…in fact were tracking it down as the person that filmed it didn’t leave it with the rest of the tapes. Crossing fingers we find it as I really want to see what my kids looked like from the ground.

Give me a few years to get good and maybe I’ll be crazy enough to show them in public.

Oh no, now I need a full time groom too. :eek::winkgrin:

Denise

[kearleydk]

next question

Anybody done a Random? Three horses in a row? Bob and I missed that one in the multiple hitch demo at the National Drive. There’s always something more to try.

Dick

[Happy_Feet]

My dad has driven our two hackney ponies tandem. It scares the begeebies outta me, but he really loves driving tandem. the wheeler, is not thrilled about being the “work horse” but puts up with it and is gettting the hang of it. I only have aspirations of driving a team - I’ll leave tandem to you crazies!!!

[ironbessflint]

@HackneyHorseDriver;2814595

IBF - we do have a video tape…in fact were tracking it down as the person that filmed it didn’t leave it with the rest of the tapes. Crossing fingers we find it as I really want to see what my kids looked like from the ground.

Well if you can’t track it down, let me know! I’d be happy to come down and drool…I mean tape…while you do it again

[quote=HackneyHorseDriver;2814595]Oh no, now I need a full time groom too. :eek::winkgrin:
[/quote]

Give me the word and I’ll GLADLY quit the day job. :yes:

[lindac]

[QUOTE=kearleydk;2814598]
Anybody done a Random? Three horses in a row? Bob and I missed that one in the multiple hitch demo at the National Drive. There’s always something more to try.

Dick[/QUOTE]

I know this isn’t a random but it is 3 horses. What do you call this arrangement?

http://www.drivingpairs.com/PGMain.php?ID=27&pg=4

[mares_tails]

Randem

[QUOTE=kearleydk;2814598]
Anybody done a Random? Three horses in a row?
Dick[/QUOTE]

Or three horses any which way? :winkgrin:

“Randem: Applied to a style of driving in which three horses are harnessed tandem.” [OED]

Random: Without definite aim, direction, rule, or method.

.

[mares_tails]

Three abreast

[QUOTE=lindac;2815184]
I know this isn’t a random but it is 3 horses. What do you call this arrangement?

http://www.drivingpairs.com/PGMain.php?ID=27&pg=4[/QUOTE]

As the caption says, “three abreast”

.

[Thomas_1]

I drive tandem. For a long time I sort of was specialising in it and drove mine successfully and nationals and fei.

Indeed I’ve driven all combinations at some point during my life so including random, unicorn and pickaxe. The largest team I’ve driven was 8, though that was just at home messing about! Though I regularly used to take teams of 6 ponies out on exercise to keep them fit - but again that was when I was much younger and fitter and with much better reaction time than now!

Tandem is regarded as probably the most difficult combination in driving and because the leader is completely free to move left or right without restriction and being so far ahead it is essential that he is brave, forward going, absolutely attentive and biddable and that he listens to you ALWAYS - and you need to have a voice loud enough for him to hear you from way out front there. Also in my experience tandem was the hardest combination to get horses to work well and properly together. Particularly when you’re doing the likes of HDT (CDE) when you’re looking for the sorts of horses that will have that competitive edge and bravery and go on natural andrenalin for the cross country phase. Now when its a pair this desire to compete is something you can use to your advantage, but when you’ve horses in tandem its blooming difficult if they both want to compete with each other and the one in draft wants to catch up or race the one in front! Likewise its often the case when the one in front feels lost or uncertain and then the natural inclination will be to stop and turn to look for reassurance or direction from either his equine friend behind or the driver!

Its happened to EVERY tandem driver and the first time it happens will be absolutely memorable!

[goodhors]

[QUOTE=Thomas_1;2819638]
Likewise its often the case when the one in front feels lost or uncertain and then the natural inclination will be to stop and turn to look for reassurance or direction from either his equine friend behind or the driver!

Its happened to EVERY tandem driver and the first time it happens will be absolutely memorable![/QUOTE]

Thomas has got that correct, happens with EVERY Tandem.

You just stop, everyone stand still, maybe pat the Leader head beside carriage, say “Good Horsie”. Exhale, inhale several times.

Then if you feel enough in control, you ask Leader to step over using reins and voice, get swung back in front of Wheeler, halt. Exhale, inhale again, then ask horses to walk on, try straight forward again.

If Leader doesn’t understand how to swing or is not cooperative, the groom hops down, leads him/her, back to position in front of Wheeler. THEN you exhale, inhale before setting off again.

Usually takes a while before Leader correctly understands their position and that they SHOULD be in front of other horse. These are the groom-fixing-Leader times, teaching the horses. As Leader gains experience, confidence, Driver gets more finesse, they move on to Leader being self-moving back to correct location.

Our last Tandem Leader appeared to want to be told she was “doing fine, now go back where you belong” after checking with Driver! It ceased with more practice time BEING the Leader. She was used to being Single or half of a partnership BESIDE the other horse. We really told her how wonderful she looked out front, encouraged her Princess attitude, so she thought she was HOT STUFF!! We laughed all the time, but she BELIEVED, so nothing else mattered. She was fearless, thought everyone was admiring her, and they were. Got to go with what works! Having a horse with a big ego makes it easier.

[Thomas_1]

You missed out the bit where you say “oh F**%@” or pray depending on your beliefs! :winkgrin:

[goodhors]

[QUOTE=Thomas_1;2820816]
You missed out the bit where you say “oh F**%@” or pray depending on your beliefs! :winkgrin:[/QUOTE]

We have to require other language to retain the G, Family rating for the kid grooms! Ha Ha! “Good Horsie, that was a REALLY dumb thing to do!” is about as bad as was allowed in front of the kids.

[HackneyHorseDriver]

Yes we had that happen in the first lesson. My leader is very full of himself, yet brave and bold to be alone. He had been a pair mate previously and at first was trying to understand why his lady was staying behind him. On one of the laps in the indoor he all of a sudden turned left, but we got lucky and when he saw the wall stopped and just stood.

I also rode with our friends tandem a few years back and he showed me how on a narrow country road to bring the leader around the wheeler. The leader came round and was looking at me, but soon all followed and we were back on the road home.

I’ve been reading through Driving A Tandem by Paul Doliveux which I’ve had for sometime, but now makes more sense after the lessons. The rein board will come in handy this winter so I can wrap my brain around the four reins without having to look at them.

Denise

[Ashemont]

During a demonstration of various hitches at The National Drive, Bob Giles had two of Dick’s Caspians in tandem and, of course, the leader turned back around. Bob was just too cool as he quietly untangled them and got them going again. He actually seemed to enjoy having the boys mess up so that he could show the audience that it happens to everyone and that’s when you really need to remain calm. It was a great demo! Still not enough to tempt me though…