What size pony could pull two small adults for a CDE? I think at some point I would love to have a small pony that I could do some recreational driving with and try my hand at a CDE, as an eventer on the full sized guys. I would like my partner to also participate and think he might dig driving. I want to stay pony sized, so what size should I be looking for?
I think a lot depends on the pony. I drove Maggie as a single and she’s 12.2. Since she was driven just about every day she was in super condition and sailed through the vet checks 
A friend drives a stouter 12 hand pony successfully. I don’t think I’d go any smaller than that, though.
Much can depend on how competitive you are, in your pony choices to look at.
You have to match time and speed at the higher CDE levels, and a larger pony handles the weight of two adults, even small ones, better. This weight may need to be hauled on STEEP hills, going thru sandy water hazards with numerous gates. That kind of going is hard work, even when fit. Little animals have to work extremely hard with the load and ground, to match the strength of larger animals.
Many folks say they will just do lower level, get small ponies. Then they get the bug to move up after some competitions, having so much fun. Animals are not capable, or have to work harder than they should, to suit the higher levels.
CDE is an intense sport, even at low levels. Equines need to be real fit, have a little fire, to want to do this as your good companion. Some just are not competitors or don’t like this kind of work.
Ashemont has gone from one small pony to a Pair. Job is easier with the Pair strength, hauling two adults at the levels she wants to play in. They are fit, like to go, makes it more fun for all. Others on here have moved up in pony size, as they want to compete at a higher level.
Having a larger pony, you can also ride him, get more training and conditioning on him. Skills learned, ridden or driven, transfer to the other discipline, make him a better, all over animal. Hard to ride your 11H small pony, and finding a good kid can be difficult. Kids keep on growing, only helpful for a short time, darn them!
Little old Fluffy, may drive, be real safe, but you will be very limited in using him if he is small. Just can’t manage the loads and conditions for competition. He could be real cheap though, a good learning animal to start with, then move up to a better animal if you like driving.
I would go with the larger pony. Closer to 14H, and you won’t be lacking if you do move up. He will be able to cart a couple friends and you for fun drives at home as well. Driving has many facets, CDE is only one. You might be surprised at how much you get into driving, especially if you can take non-driving friends and family along.
Of course if for some reason size is an issue you could always go the opposite route and get a VSE (a mini) - you don’t need a navigator then and it’s amazing how much they can pull for their size!
GH is right - I DID move up to a pair. Partly because hubby wanted to navigate and he’s 100+ lbs heavier then the 'gator I was using :uhoh: But mainly I did it because I could. Mollie was offered to me and I decided to give it a try and found out I LOVE driving a pair! Made going back to a single boring. So now I’m sending our mare Mehru off to Bill to get broken - hopefully in January if he has room - so that I can drive her in a pair with her daddy, Phoenix 
:yes:
Driving is very addictive no matter which aspect of it appeals to you. I suggest you give it all a try because you might be surprised at what you really like. I thought I’d like the pleasure shows but soon found going around in circles tiring. Didn’t think I had the courage to do CDE and yet now I can’t imagine NOT doing it :lol: Hmmmm… that reminds me. Jan 1 is the opening date for our first CDE … gotta get the entry ready… 
I love driving the minis! I like their compact size and they are sooo fun to drive- hence the idea of a small pony might be able to pull two adults, but certainly the mini’s are too small for that. So, that brings me back to the pony idea. I love the fun of the little guys, but would like to be able to bring my partner along- would it make a difference for doing CDE’s w/o a navigator, but pleasure driving with two people?
Large.
I have all three pony sizes…and would only take multiple people with a pair of the smalls or mediums. It isn’t fair for a small to have to pull two adults, even small adults, no matter how fit the pony is. A medium can do a better job, but with a large you won’t have to worry about the load at all. A large (13.3h to 14.1h) is the perfect size for multiple people in the carriage, no matter their size or weight.
Personally speak when a back stepper is required.
I’ve got them all shapes and sizes but I’d never contemplate doing anything as challenging as driving trials with a single pony and 2 adults… no matter how small they are.
A welsh B or C of the old fashioned type and up to weight would manage the job though if the adults are small and light weight and the carriage is well balanced.
Like this one of mine which is just over 13 hands:
[IMG]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a205/classic_carriages/driving/DSCF0039.jpg)
You might also want to consider some of the other native breed British ponies which make terrific driving ponies and are up to the job in that they’re a little larger and also useful enough to ride and drive. e.g. Highland, Connemara, New Forest, Dartmoor.
Morgans are a good choice! While they often come in larger sizes, they are also very often 14.0-14.2 hh. The National Morgan Pony Registry (google it) encourages Morgan ponies for families and driving. I know as the years go by the smaller horses look alot more feasible lol.
Poppy was 13.2h when I got her but she grew another inch. She is a great size but I still and careful about weight when we compete in hills or sand. She is a Morgan and strong but not hot, maybe even a little lazy. When fit, we have no problems with a light vehicle, pony batmobile, and a normal size gator.
I think something between 13.2 and 14.2 is perfect. Our pony Merlin is 13.2 and I really like the size (just big enough that I can ride him too). My husband drives; he weighs about 160, and I navigate and weigh about 120. Our carriage is about 315 pounds.
I’ve become a huge fan of Welsh ponies–great work ethic and very athletic. Of course, morgans have such a strong presence in the sport. And there’s so many other breeds and crosses; that’s what makes driving so much fun–you see all kinds of horses and ponies out there.
We did compete a 11.3 hand Shetland through Prelim; however, he really had to have him fit and if the going was heavy, it was tough on him. He was funny though–consistenly beat the large ponies in the hazards and on course. On dressage tests, we’d typically get “spotted mini” in the description section; we wanted to change his name to “Coco I’m Not a Mini.”
Coco in action! http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=145655&l=f803e&id=1059684218
Merlin http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=157667&l=bf842&id=1059684218
out of lurkdom
Just had to put in my 2 cents worth here. And my own peril disagree with Thomas.
First Sammi Orem made her mark in the world of CDE with her hackney pony, Pita. That under 13 hand single horse took her through a lot of wins. As she moved up in that world she has gone for bigger and more powerful ponies but remember she is a world class competitor. Not many of us run in those circles.
Both Ashemont and I have had a lot of fun with under 13 hand single ponies. Both of us have moved into multiples because (a) we can (b) we love our ponies so more is better and © we truly enjoy driving multiples more than singles. We didn’t really move to multiples because our 12 hand singles were unable to do the work.
At the National Drive a couple of years ago I persuaded Charlie Lee to try driving my little Caspian stallion, Kiyan.
Charlie, who drives Percherons, was amazed that the little stallion pulled us around the grounds for an hour without any desire to stop and rest. He said his big horses would have wanted to stop several times.
I’m completely sold on the Caspian Horse as the “right size” animal.
They are easy to manage, easy to harness, easy to keep, have super hard feet, and a terrific work ethic. This can be found in other breeds but the odds are WAY better in the Caspian because they are HORSES rather than ponies.
Dick
^ So what are you actually disagreeing with???
disagree
Well Thomas I agree with well over 90% of what you post but I am not on board with your suggestion that horses under 13 hands should not be allowed in CDE with somebody on the back step.
It’s no big deal either way IMO as I pointed out that when Sammi went to getting real serious about winning CDE’s she went to larger ponies. She could compete and win with the 12 hand pony so there are 12 hand horses out there that can surely handle the work.
I’ll go back to lurking and driving pairs and more.
Dick
I’m absolutely aware that there are a few who compete with ponies under 13 hands but it doesn’t alter my considered opinion that it’s generally too much for them.
Isn’t the fact that Sammi chose to go on to larger ponies when she got serious testament to this?
[QUOTE=Thomas_1;3799584]
Isn’t the fact that Sammi chose to go on to larger ponies when she got serious testament to this?[/QUOTE]
I hope Don will weigh in on this because I think there was more to it than just the size…
I know I moved from just a single small pony to a pair because my husband wanted to be on the back step and at 240 lbs it was a bit much to ask of Maggie. So now my goal at each CDE is to have fun and finish… and to finish still married :lol:
