We need to drag our arena (hand raking it is getting old - even though it’s a good workout I guess). We don’t have a tractor, nor a 4-wheeler. But we have 2 former Amish Shetty types who can drive (and a harness that fits them).
Which kind of a drag would you use (they’re strong, but probably not to the point of pulling a full size drag harrow you’d hitch behind a tractor through sand)? Any ideas?
I don’t have any answers for you but I have always wanted to use my horses to help with horse chores! Cheering you on!! 😊
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Are you sure they have driven as a team before? Have you driven a team???
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Do you have a riding lawn mower? If so that will generally be sufficient to pull a regular drag. (Not that you can’t use your ponies, but just in case you want an alterative.)
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Yes, I have driven them as a team - but we could also drag with just the one pony (provided the harrow was light enough)
And no, no riding landmower either.
And Foxglove, thanks for sharing! I’ll look into the spring tooth harrow more!
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A pasture harrow would work too. Add a few cinder blocks to make it go a bit deeper if needed.
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I’ve seen people drag arenas with a regular truck and a regular sedan.
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I don’t think we can answer this question properly without photos of the ponies in question! 
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Ah, but right now these two are fluffy woolly mammoths - not sure they’re ready for 'Internet fame" 
Thanks everyone for the ideas!
You might consider a chain harrow for use as a drag. One section should probably be small enough for a Shetland to manage. TSC sells them, of a weight I consider “useful”. I have seen some that are extremely light wire, which does not stay down to be very effective, even with teeth.
If you are a “farm friend” at TSC, their seasonal coupon will give 10% off right now on the purchase. The TSC model has teeth on one side, which are slanted. The tow pipe will hook on either end for light bite or aggressive bite on packed surface. Flipping the section over gives a smooth surface for leveling loose dirt, breaking up recent manure. My friend has this small section of chain harrow, uses it with teeth down for smoothing her crushed asphalt driveway. Removes low spots, tread lines, pulling it with her lawn mower.
A driving trainer friend uses her single section of chain harrow for dragging her arena. She starts with the flat side down for less resistance on the WELL TRAINED driving horse who is unfit at pulling weight. So that would be my suggestion, start the pulling on the flat side. Make sure pony ignores various noises, perhaps ringing bells, other noises during drag-less practice. Chain harrow can be noisy hitting rocks, hard surfaces like an aisle or driveway. Make BIG turns because it will cut corners shorter than the path pony is on.
Please be very careful restarting the pony driving! Have good equipment, practice his responses before hitching to anything. Moving pony up thru dragged tire sizes from small to larger, before ateaching the chair harrow. I actually drag tires with the tractor for smoothing muddy paddocks, the arena outside, before we got the chain harrow…
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Goodhors, thank you so much!! This is extremely helpful!
