Newbie Q's in Ohio.

[What.R.U.Doin]

I have an OTT Standardbred…so I know he drives to a degree. I’d like to explore driving for fun, and maybe later (much later) a show (if he offers to trot not pace).

Anyone know reputable trainers in Ohio (Butler/Warren counties would be ideal).

I’ve read I’ll likely start in a two wheel cart, but what general type will I be looking for to do road and trail driving? My guy is 16.1 and built slightly thick in the body, definitely not as narrow as I’ve seen some. Obviously I will refer to a professional in fit and soundness of vehicle, but was putting some feelers out there so I can glance around.

Also, harness types, pros and cons?

Thanks! (Looking to be a sponge and soak up as much as I can before embarking on this adventure.)

[kris0227]

Sent you a PM

[2DogsFarm]

:yes: I can vouch for whatever info @kris0227 sent you.
I drove with her (OK: she was my Ntl Drive Nanny :D) & both her drivers are lovely horses.

That said, I have 1 word for you: BIOTHANE
Get synthetic for your 1st harness - a good heavyweight biothane from a reputable harness-maker.
In OH you can probably find an Amish-owned business that can make what you want at a reasonable cost.

I got bar-gain leather (Tough 1) for my 1st & after just a year of use the brass is already showing some pitting.
Wish I’d held out for chrome…
Also had to have some repairs made to parts that already showed wear.
But since it is now my show harness I can keep it in decent shape with a deep-cleaning before shows & a swipe with a leatherwipe in between.

I <3 my biothane everyday harness. Looks good enough to show in & soooo easy to keep clean!

And if you do eventually show & your horse paces, not to worry.
I showed at ADS-rated Villa Louis last year & one entry was a TWH who gaited in harness.
Judges should look at overall way of going & not deduct for pace**.

**more experienced drivers please feel free to correct me on this

[What.R.U.Doin]

Thanks! We’ll see how it goes. There’s a clinic in my area @kris0227 sent me some info on I’ll have to see if I can get off work that day, I think that would be fun. I’m a hardcore, anti biothane person, but I agree with you, it sounds like a better option for a first harness, less upkeep for something not used every single day. I’ll look into it!

[kris0227]

@2DogsFarm

:yes: I can vouch for whatever info @kris0227 sent you.
I drove with her (OK: she was my Ntl Drive Nanny :D) & both her drivers are lovely horses.

That said, I have 1 word for you: BIOTHANE
Get synthetic for your 1st harness - a good heavyweight biothane from a reputable harness-maker.
In OH you can probably find an Amish-owned business that can make what you want at a reasonable cost.

I got bar-gain leather (Tough 1) for my 1st & after just a year of use the brass is already showing some pitting.
Wish I’d held out for chrome…
Also had to have some repairs made to parts that already showed wear.
But since it is now my show harness I can keep it in decent shape with a deep-cleaning before shows & a swipe with a leatherwipe in between.

I <3 my biothane everyday harness. Looks good enough to show in & soooo easy to keep clean!

And if you do eventually show & your horse paces, not to worry.
I showed at ADS-rated Villa Louis last year & one entry was a TWH who gaited in harness.
Judges should look at overall way of going & not deduct for pace**.

**more experienced drivers please feel free to correct me on this

Aww thank you! Are you coming to the National Drive in October? I’ve got both the “kids” signed up.

[2DogsFarm]

Fingers & toes crossed & probably going on the Ramen Diet to make it to HHP in October!
So far I have Bugs lined up for:

*Lake Cty Fair 8/3-5 - inc Gambler’s Choice

*Villa Louis 9/7-9 - GC & Cones along with three arena classes
Don’t you wanna do this?
Such pretty showgrounds, lovely horses from all over the country, jaw-dropping turnouts…
And not overly spendy - all of the above + stall for the weekend is $210

http://www.carriageclassic.com/

Hoping the pursestrings can stretch wide enough to include the Oct Ntl Drive
In the meantime I have driven over to the neighbors’ place to participate in the <insert tongue in cheek>
1st Annual All-Breed Hack-Off with him & his Hackney roadster Pony.
Bugs was not worried at all about the warpspeed pony with the windmill action lapping him.

Nor did he object to the asshat who zoomed! past us on the road there,
Because, ya know we go so slow & he was in such a hurry… :mad:
OTOH, on the way home a driver actually slowed behind us & put on his flashers. :love-struck:
So auto-chivalry does still exist.

[kris0227]

@2DogsFarm

Fingers & toes crossed & probably going on the Ramen Diet to make it to HHP in October!
So far I have Bugs lined up for:

*Lake Cty Fair 8/3-5 - inc Gambler’s Choice

*Villa Louis 9/7-9 - GC & Cones along with three arena classes
Don’t you wanna do this?
Such pretty showgrounds, lovely horses from all over the country, jaw-dropping turnouts…
And not overly spendy - all of the above + stall for the weekend is $210

http://www.carriageclassic.com/

Hoping the pursestrings can stretch wide enough to include the Oct Ntl Drive
In the meantime I have driven over to the neighbors’ place to participate in the <insert tongue in cheek>
1st Annual All-Breed Hack-Off with him & his Hackney roadster Pony.
Bugs was not worried at all about the warpspeed pony with the windmill action lapping him.

Nor did he object to the asshat who zoomed! past us on the road there,
Because, ya know we go so slow & he was in such a hurry… :mad:
OTOH, on the way home a driver actually slowed behind us & put on his flashers. :love-struck:
So auto-chivalry does still exist.

While Villa Louis sounds great, it is a LOOONNNNGGGG way from me, and the cost might not be high, but the diesel to get me there with the new behemoth of a trailer (I’ve upgraded since the Spring Fling), is not likely to happen for some time. That and Nelina is a busy pony with her dressage as well… I think every weekend is booked between now and early September, at some point, we need a weekend off!

[2DogsFarm]

@What.R.U.Doin

I’m a hardcore, anti biothane person, but I agree with you, it sounds like a better option for a first harness, less upkeep for something not used every single day. I’ll look into it!

I was very anti-synthetic too.
Especially when it first appeared & looked all shiny & brightly-colored :disgust:
But nowadays it looks just like leather, both in heft & appearance & the savings in cleaning time alone got me interested.
Coming home from a long drive to have to clean leather after doing everything else - putting pony away, putting cart away, etc - biothane just has to be swiped off with a wet towel, or even left until the next day :eek:
Or week :rolleyes:

[2DogsFarm]

@kris0227

While Villa Louis sounds great, it is a LOOONNNNGGGG way from me, and the cost might not be high, but the diesel to get me there with the new behemoth of a trailer (I’ve upgraded since the Spring Fling), is not likely to happen for some time. That and Nelina is a busy pony with her dressage as well… I think every weekend is booked between now and early September, at some point, we need a weekend off!

We could caravan… :winkgrin:
I understand.
Hoping some friends from Carriage Club come this year so I am not making the 5h+ drive solo.
But I have been going since 2015 - 1st year spectating with friends, 2nd year with a friend showing her pony & last year Bugs’ debut
There were 14 minis in our division last year!
Talk about The Swarm… :lol:

P.S.
I am making him wear his wings for GC @ Fair :tickled_pink:

[kris0227]

@What.R.U.Doin

Thanks! We’ll see how it goes. There’s a clinic in my area @kris0227 sent me some info on I’ll have to see if I can get off work that day, I think that would be fun. I’m a hardcore, anti biothane person, but I agree with you, it sounds like a better option for a first harness, less upkeep for something not used every single day. I’ll look into it!

I love biothane, the harness in my avatar is all biothane, well, it’s Betathane. Bio is thick, unforgiving, and shiny. Betathane is similar, but much softer with a matte, leather like finish. If you come to the clinic, I have some catalogs for an Amish maker here in Ohio that will make you a harness to fit out of leather, biothane, or betathane.

[RMJacobs]

I loved my synthetic harness! I had a leather one for my Hackney, and detested it after a few cleanings. I bought synthetic for my larger pony and absolutely loved it. I’m out of driving now due to age and disability of both myself and my remaining pony, and my synthetic harness got snapped up quickly when I advertised it. I still have the leather one, in spite of a couple of attempts to sell it.

Rebecca

[equiniphile]

Sent you a PM! Get in touch with Monique and Adam Murfield in Oxford/Hamilton (Butler County). They’ll give you an excellent, safe introduction to driving.

[kris0227]

@equiniphile

Sent you a PM! Get in touch with Monique and Adam Murfield in Oxford/Hamilton (Butler County). They’ll give you an excellent, safe introduction to driving.

That is who I recommended as well. Also, if anyone in the Ohio area is interested, we are having an intro to driving clinic taught by Adam in September aimed at those that are interested in driving, but don’t know where to start!

[Trakehner]

Biothane/Betathane are good for some parts of the harness. I hate bio/beta reins. Remember, there are different quality levels of these materials. The cheap/bad ones are truly nasty.

[2DogsFarm]

@Trakehner

Biothane/Betathane are good for some parts of the harness. I hate bio/beta reins. Remember, there are different quality levels of these materials. The cheap/bad ones are truly nasty.

I tend to agree w/you @Trakehner
I am much happier with the leather lines on my show harness than the beta/bio ones on my synthetic harness.
I worry about trying to handle them if they get wet & I am not wearing gloves… seems like they’d get pretty slippery.
Although, driving thru a water hazard or 3 I never had a problem with the lines & driving a mini meant I got wetter than if I was sitting behind a larger pony or horse
Simple enough to get leather lines separately from the synthetic harness.

Another thing I need to get “fixed” on the synthetic is the use of hook-stud fasteners (back & hip straps).
PITA to reconnect - at least for my arthritic fingers - after adjusting.
I am going to replace with buckles.

[Trakehner]

@2DogsFarm

Another thing I need to get “fixed” on the synthetic is the use of hook-stud fasteners (back & hip straps).
PITA to reconnect - at least for my arthritic fingers - after adjusting.
I am going to replace with buckles.

Buckles are your friend…I prefer leather for the crupper too, softer material.

I found the Beta/Bio reins to be kind’ve sticky when going through the terrets, the leather “drapes” better.

[CERT]

There are some makers, like Camptown, that will put leather in certain areas like the lining of the breastcollar, on the crupper, etc. as it can be shaped better. I am a big fan of beta and bio in most instances, but am aware that leather performs better in some apllications. Also, Beta/biothane is a specific company. They have several variants of biothane both shiny and dull (also called granite), the former looking somewhat like patent leather and the latter more like plain leather. There are other companies that make coated webbing products and they are NOT the same. The Brahama Web that Comfyfit uses comes to mind in particular and I don’t think it wears as well.

[DMK]

I have to say my yonies synthetic reins are pretty comfortable. Originally I was thinking about getting a pair of leather reins since we are talking many decades of serious leather snobbery here, but I like the Yonies one enough that I just may get a colored set of reins for marathon days!

[kris0227]

@CERT

There are some makers, like Camptown, that will put leather in certain areas like the lining of the breastcollar, on the crupper, etc. as it can be shaped better. I am a big fan of beta and bio in most instances, but am aware that leather performs better in some apllications. Also, Beta/biothane is a specific company. They have several variants of biothane both shiny and dull (also called granite), the former looking somewhat like patent leather and the latter more like plain leather. There are other companies that make coated webbing products and they are NOT the same. The Brahama Web that Comfyfit uses comes to mind in particular and I don’t think it wears as well.

I’ve noticed this as well (thinking of those cheap beta/bio traces I had that cracked), most of my harnesses now are the brand name beta/bio and I like them, the betathane is soft and pliable. I do like my beta lines, but I could see how they might get slick when wet, however, I’ve driven in the rain (without gloves) and didn’t have an issue, but my mini is very light in the bridle, so the concern about slippage was minimal.

[RMJacobs]

I loved my synthetic lines. They had just enough of a tacky feel them, and were fine in heavy rain and blizzards (yeah, I pushed it on going out in iffy weather). I also liked my synthetic crupper better than the leather one on my other harness. I think it all depends on the quality of the harness. Mine was Amish made and bought through Harley Troyer, who did a great job fitting my pony who is made up of parts from different size horses.

Rebecca