I’m training my feral (well, no longer feral LOL) Standardbred (by phenotype only, sire/dam unknown) to drive. He’s comin 3. He’s been bitted …and ground driving at a walk is going well. I’m getting ready to fully harness him soon, and next step will be dragging …then hitch! But, here’s my question… He’s a natural pacer. That’s the reason why i’m driving training him, because i don’t want to try to sit that gait!.. Is there a process, a good system for training a pacer that is different from a horse that trots? Any resources anyone can recommend for me to look into?
I do not think his being a pacer would change the training steps for driving.
On the dragging, you will want to drag “poles” so he learn the feel of shafts, as well as a tire on the ground behind him. And then have him doing both of those together as he gets advanced in training.
We cut tree saplings to use as poles to drag on his sides. Free for us. They should be long, ending past his hind feet by a couple more feet, 10ft or so. We snap them on the saddle, string breaks easily if needed.
i have nothing to add on the driving front, but i have a pacer and i’ve had him for 9 years now. i don’t even notice his pace as weird and find it very comfortable to ride. for me, i think i get in mix of a two point and posting position. that’s the best i can describe it. but my friends who have ridden him were able to ride comfortably once they got the hang of it. so i wouldn’t recommend sitting it, but it’s definitely rideable!
2 Likes
My pacer was broke to drive (he raced for one season) before I got him, so unsure I have a ton of info.
That being said, he starts at a nice jog when driving. I usually allow him to swap into a pace whenever it comfortable since his slow pace is about the same speed as a jog. He does swap into it with a kiss noise too. Race speed pace is best achieved on a nice flat spot, with my husband in the jog cart next to me, whooping and hollering. :lol:
My gelding’s pace is way easier to ride than sitting a trot. Once you get the side to side feeling, its easy. He did a race speed pace with me once. There was some swearing from me, but it was INCREDIBLE.
Good luck, and have fun!
1 Like
