Newbie questions coming from an experienced rider

[awolffphotog]

I had free leased a pony out to a home who has recently returned because the child has decided that she’s not horsie, unlike the mother. While this pony was at the home, they did a lot of driving with him out on the roads, parades, etc. It was really great for him and he’s a solid driving pony now, except I’m not a solid driver. He’s up for sale, but in the meantime, I don’t intend for him to sit in a field. I’m trying to have him go to a driving home because I don’t want him bounced from one child to another (he’s 11 hands). I don’t have a cart though. Would interested parties come look at him without a cart? Is it worthwhile to find something, and if so, any suggestions on cheap carts/harness that won’t cause issues? I have driven and know how to hook up, but it’s been a while. He’s super safe enough that I feel comfortable doing it without tons of experience.

Also, for now, I’m long lining him. Coming from someone who has a heavy dressage background, what am I encouraging and what am I not? My understanding is that a driving pony won’t bend through the ribcage the same way a ridden horse would because of the shafts, but I imagine I should still work on bend and stretching into the bit, tempo, and responsiveness. Any other suggestions on basics to keep in mind, or what NOT to do if I want him to go to a driving home? Also, what do the different disciplines look for? He’s a super fancy, leggy buckskin 11 hand Shetland with too much knee action for children’s hunters, but a huge trot and a great mix of whoa and go. I’m kinda thinking CDI, but is 11 hands too small for that?

Thanks! Sorry for the beginner questions.

[butlerfamilyzoo]

“CDE” i think you meant. 11h is not too small! Can you get video of the previous leasee driving him? While i think you might have some interest in people wanting to come and try him in person, for anyone that isnt local, a video would be good.

Another option would be to send him to a driving trainer for a month or two on consignment maybe? You might invest just as much, likely more into buying harness and cart to sell him yourself.

And yes, coming from a dressage rider/driver, i work my horses in hand the same as i would for dressage or driving. They can get quite a bit of bend, even inbetween shafts, than you would think.

I think a fancy 11h pony could do well in pleasure or CDE. My suggestion would be to make sure he’s fit, clipped up and handsome, present him as a well polished looking boy and have him working nicely in hand, if you can also show driving video, you might get yourself a buyer from that alone. I really cant recommend “cheap” options for cart and harness, yes, you can get deals on used equipment, but it’s not something i would ever wish to go “cheap” on in regards to construction because so many accidents happen due to equipment failure. Been there, done that. Which is why i said, you might do just as well sending him away to be sold, it would likely cost you the same either way.

If you buy cheap cart and harness quality wise to get a cheap price, it will NOT hold it’s value. So though it may only be a few weeks old when you go to resell it, you will likely end up giving it away…

[awolffphotog]

Yes, CDE I have mixed that up forever, lol.

I do have some video of her driving him, but it’s very, very minimal (like, five seconds in a parade), and unfortunately she was in the hospital right before he had to be shipped back.

I’ll look into driving trainers. We have the Gayla Center around here and that’s the only place I know of with a good reputation. I see how the economics of that can make more sense. I was hoping there was a brand that used can be affordable. I hate to create pressure spots or issues, which is why I’m just long lining him now.

Are there any driving sales sites/classifieds where I can get good comparisons of how to price him? And one last question: What are the basics that people want to see in a driving horse? If that’s even a possible question to answer.

[butlerfamilyzoo]

If “I” were to buy a driving horse, frankly, i would want to see pics/video of him at some kind of shows, and preferably decent scores or placings… I have not bought a finished horse, i seem to buy them all with no prior driving training, i would be concerned with buying a horse that is already driving without a fairly decent resume to back it. Nothing against the others out there, but for me, it would be risky, especially to buy one i only have 5sec of video in a parade… I would be more hesistant buying one that might come with an issue or bad habit, than i am training one that i know exactly what it does and doesnt know… I think there are a lot of people in the sport like me. While it’s really fun and quickly growing, it’s a sport that can go to heck in a handbasket in a split second due to one of those bad habits, etc… So i’m probably not the best to ask when it comes to what i would want to see in a more finished product to buy, since i likely wouldnt be buying it. lol

I really dont know of a good classified site for driving horses only. The American Driving Society website has a classifies section with horses/ponies on there, but it’s a pretty small selection. The best place to get them sold is on the CD-L email list. You can join it here:
http://www.carriagedriving.net/index.php?m=c&inc=31

I would say join the daily digest, not individual emails, cause some days there are LOTS… That list has most of the top names in the sport watching and/or posting in regularly, as well as most the harness/carriage dealers.

You can also search up the local driving club to you and see if they have a classifieds section on their site. Price ranges greatly vary. For one with as little info as you’ve given here, though he may be fancy, and buckskin to boot, i’m a sucker for color, i think you’ll be hard pressed to sell him for too much to the driving comunity. I think he needs more of a resume. But at the same time, if you sent him away for training, i’m not sure that he would bring a whole lot more if he hasnt been out winning something. It can totally depend on how fancy that pony is, and if he’s that cool and still ammy friendly, likely if you sent him somewhere like Gayla’s he’ll be sold by word of mouth from there.

The driving market is tougher than most the other “sport horse” markets, i think because it’s such a “any horse can do this” kind of field. It doesnt take a fancy pedigree to rise to the top in the sport. Which is refreshing for those of us coming into driving from dressage or hunters… But maybe has some shock factor when people find out that it’s cheaper to buy a well trained driving horse than it is to send one to a trainer for a few months…

I had a very nice bay roan 38" mini gelding. He was given to me as a 3yr old, i had him gelded, sent to a trainer for 3 months, brought him home and drove the snot out of him down roads, on trails, everywhere in between, took him to a pleasure show and won a couple blues and reds, took him to a schooling HDT, he did well there, got good video there, had tons of pictures. I advertised him for $1800 as a 6yr old. I sold him for $1600 to a therapy center needing a larger driving mini. I had more than that invested in him by then, but it was such a super home where i knew he would thrive on the attention. Maybe with a few more shows under his belt he would have been worth more, i dont know, maybe not. I see horses with more training selling in the same price bracket and some higher in the 4-6k range. I think it would take a pretty seasoned competitor to pull more than 5k in this market, though you do have some of the all-around ride/drive horses/ponies that pull more $$ easier, and then within breeds that might pull more money too. I’m in welsh, i would say the typical price tag for a well finished all-around welsh pony in this age range would be 7-10k, with a show record. This is all just averages of course… There are sure exceptions!

[awolffphotog]

That’s very helpful! Thank you.

I guess what I’m trying to figure out are the pieces people want to see to show that they’re safe. I’m actually not opposed to possibly getting a cart and showing him myself. I used to show him when he was a yearling in halter classes, and I think it might be fun. Plus it would be refreshing to wear a hat and not a helmet! I need to see what’s around here and what would be good classes to start in, and get a few lessons from Sterling first, to make sure I’m not crazy That’s gonna have to be a whole nother thread in time, though.

[MunchingonHay]

your in lex, KY. I would contact Gayla Driving Center http://gayladrivingcenter.com/

They can help you and are right down the road. They may even know people looking for a good little pony!

[2tempe]

On this list there is a Kentucky chapter…

http://www.caaonline.com/caa_content.asp?PageType=Dept&Key=18

[Zwarte]

Would the cart he was driven in before be available to you?

[awolffphotog]

Nope She’s six hours away and uses it for her miniature donkey, so she doesn’t want to sell it.

[susanne]

List him on the L’il Beginnings sales board. Even though he’s not a mini, there are many Shetlands advertised there and many people are interested in them, especially as he has driving experience.

Other excellent resources include:

Yahoo groups
CD-L
Recreational Driving
MiniHorseDriving

There are many Facebook groups based around driving, and several focus on minis and small ponies. Do a search for CDE, combined driving, driving, etc.
CDE4VSE is an excellent group, and they’ll forgive the fact that your horse is not a VSE.

[butlerfamilyzoo]

I second the Lil Beginnings board! I watch that one all the time, and yes, lots of shetlands get put on there.