I hitch out in the open near my horse trailer where the harness is stored. If I am lucky I have an adult header, maybe 50% of the time. My driving mare is 28yrs and “been there, done that”.
While you consider her concerns irrational, she is nonetheless concerned, and that in itself deserves consideration. The very fact that this thread has strongly stated opposing viewpoints shows that her viewpoint has merit, even if you disagree.
I would tell her your reasons for doing this, including acclimating the horse to different situations, but then I would respect her wishes.
If I felt strongly about something regarding MY horse, I would expect the trainer, vet, farrier or whatever expert to respect my wishes. I’d want to know their reasoning for their methods, but in the end if I still felt strongly, if they didn’t do it my way the horse would come home with me.
As for her lack of respect for you, this is another issue entirely. Don’t let it cloud your judgment. Simply tell her why you do what you do, then if she still insists, abide by her wishes.
My husband and I agreed long ago to allow each other a limited number of “JUST BECAUSE” rules. He sees no reason not to wrap the lead around his hand (at least with small ponies), but agrees not to do it – JUST BECAUSE.
Well, I’m going to have a talk with her about acceptable driving practices.
For a little more background, this owner doesn’t have a barn. She’s older and lives in a townhouse so pony ain’t going “home”.
And quite the contrary. She thinks the world of me and tells everyone so. In fact, she took it upon herself to nominate me for an award that I truly don’t think I am even in the running for. She apparently really respects me and is proud of my accomplishments. She just wouldn’t think to tell me these things. All I hear is the criticism.
So I guess I will appease her but, really, what am I? I’m not a little girl anymore. I wish she would see that my training really isn’t faulty. And to add to the mix, her mare is a really sane, quiet girl so I feel confident in this mare’s ability to take most of the training in stride. I have taken every precaution necessary to make her driving training very anti-climactic.
Doing it “her way” has been an on going struggle since her horse walked in the barn. And this isn’t just in relation to the horse. I don’t clean stalls right, my show set up is not good enough, I need better clientele, I don’t advertise enough, yayayayayaya… really, cause I’m fine with my life and my work right now. Just right. So far, I’ve shined most of it and move on but I guess this just struck close to my passion and I’m taking this one a little harder.
Unless I missed it? you said you came to a compromise but didn’t say what that was. When I asked you stated that you haven’t decided if you were going to give in (my words) But you ddin’t really say what she was asking of you unless I missed it? Just wondering if it was an unreasonable request or you are just sensetive to her making it.
Changing your perspective on driving.
I think I know the person you are writing about and I think you are both quite correct just looking at it from different views. I come from a long background of Arabs and NSHs and competed in pleasure driving along with riding various English classes. Now I do CDEs. They have very little in common. When I took up with the driving community I was amazed - LOOK!!, I can drive on grass, up and down hills, through the barn and out, through water, mud, snow and on the roads. I felt like I had been set free from the level, carefully groomed and fenced arena! But it took a little bit of time to adjust. Take her to the next ADT - it is eye opener if she has never seen one before. Not as good as a CDE but still gets the point that you can ask a lot more of a driving horse than the typical breed show driving horse is required to do.
re UNHOOKING: I drive slowly up to a wall, almost putting their nose to the wall. Everytime… this is our ritual. So when I am away from home, I use the trailer side as the same device… they are calm and relaxed everytime since this is the ritual everytime.
^ This is my ritual too. I also harness and hitch with horse(s) facing the wall (or trailer). There’s nowhere for them to go and they stand quietly. Mine are well-trained and I’m sure I could hitch them in the open if I wanted to but I don’t want to.
Do you mount your horse in the aisle or outside/indoor ring?
Anyone in the aisle if the horse “lost it” would be dead…no way to get clear of a cart coming their way.
I’ve done it several times, but it is riskier than hitching outside…and why would you increase your risk of getting hurt?
[QUOTE=RidesAHaflinger;6169003]
There’s nowhere for them to go and they stand quietly.[/QUOTE]
Just wanted to point out that if they should panic there is definitely one place for them to go- up and over backwards. Don’t get lax, even when you have a very trustworthy horse.
Not to worry. I do reinforcing training with my ponies at the hitch rail from time to time even though they stand very reliably until I signal them to move off. But I am aware that the odd, unpredictable thing can occur (such as getting the bit caught on something :eek:).
I take nothing for granted when it comes to driving safety. There are enough variables you can’t foresee that it’s a good idea to keep your training as solid as possible. :yes:
All of are horses (standardbreds) are hitched/unhitched in the barn aisle. Shoot even when I worked for barns that broke yearlings we taught them to stand in aisle on cross ties with there heads hooked.
Mounting in the aisle? Depends. I’ve been at shows where I have mounted in the aisle of the shed row barns and rode up to the warm up ring. I’ve hitched at my stalls and driven to the ring. At the KHP, it’s concrete everywhere and unless you want to play pack mule, you hitch at your stalls and drive along the concrete streets and aisles to get to the ring, the trails, you name it.
I believe that horses should be exposed to as many types of distractions as possible here at home so that the off property experience is no big deal.
While I believe preparation is the best teacher for any horse, I also don’t keep my horses in a bubble. They are a very adaptable animal that can be taught infinite amounts of information, depending on their personality and athletic skill. So yes, hitch in the open, hitch in the aisle, hitch inside, outside, at the trailer, anywhere. When I say whoa, it means don’t be afraid of where you are. It’s safe because I am here and you are with me.
Any time I lay my hands on a horse, I am taking a calculated risk for something to not go as planned. I look at hitching in the aisle as a skill the horse works up to. If I was teaching a horse to do six horse roman riding through a ring of fire, I wouldn’t start at the end. I would start at the beginning. And through careful consistent and deliberate training, that horse would learn to do the job. Anything we ask a horse to do has it’s risk but the risk is lessened greatly with proper training and preparation.
