By Rita Thompson Tinsley
On the road to adventure, you must appreciate the ride. Mine will be fueled by pony power. I’ve discovered that pony driving requires a grasp of a whole different vocabulary.
As equestrians, we are familiar with reins, saddles, cinches, bridles, bits, and breast collars. But for equine driving gear, the parts include a harness with breaching, a breast plate, wrap straps, tugs, a crupper, a bridle and bit complete with blinkers, winkers, or blinders and, in Maddie’s case, a cart.
Another important ingredient to this new adventure is a driving instructor who has been there, done that and is meticulous in every way. Luckily, I was familiar with Gary Gang, one of the best driving experts in our community. And I knew that Gary would make this a fun and safe experience. So far, nary a bruise.
Lesson Day One
When we arrived for Maddie’s first driving lesson, Gary was busy working a couple of Percheron draft horses pulling a big, impressive carriage.
I placed Maddie in the round pen to get out of the way as the carriage horses approached. We were totally impressed and certainly relieved to see Maddie Rose walking toward the oncoming rig without hesitation. She was not afraid of its enormity, power and loudness.
(First clue that I may have a future driving horse.)
The first day of training was kept simple. Gary began with an efficient surcingle and longlines, but also added the bridle and bit with blinkers. She accepted the tack and training accessories with fair ease.
Gary began working Maddie using long reins to guide her forward and through turns. She seemed to take each cue willingly, but at times would struggle to turn around and see Gary and what was behind her.
Gary patiently turned her back on course speaking to her gently. Next, the surcingle was removed, and the driving harness tack was introduced including the saddle, breeching, girth and crupper. How many of us truly would allow anyone to touch and manipulate our tail over a crupper? (Show of hands?) Maddie Rose took the new equipment like a champ.
More longlining (ground driving using long lines for guidance) was executed, and then we were done. Not having super-long sessions is important, so the working equine does not become over-inundated or frustrated.
Lesson Day Two
Our second driving lesson was a continuation of longlining with this new-to-her harness gear which she was adapting to pretty well.
The game plan for this session was to begin adding weight to the scenario. I must admit that I was thinking this meant perhaps the handlers were going to tie barbells to her feet or tail but then, after further explanation, I realized this was not the case.
Adding weight to her movement meant that while trainer Gary was longlining Maddie, his assistant began adding pressure to her breast plate little by little pulling from behind.
The weight is the pressure she feels while pulling a cart. (Add this to your driving vocabulary.) Maddie Rose was fine with accepting the new weight.
Lesson Days Three and Four
We graduated from the round pen to the larger driving arena. The equipment was donned, and the longlining began. Also, the cart was present in the arena so that she was constantly walking or trotting past it.
After a few laps around the new setting, Maddie was halted, and I brought the driving cart around. The first steps were easy… for me.
Gary instructed me to pick up the shafts of the cart, then drop them loudly onto the ground behind her. The first time this was executed, Maddie was startled. The second time, she didn’t seem to care as much. The third time, ho-hum.
Next, Gary taught me a very important technique called the Comfort Cuddle, where you take the pony’s head in your hands and rub and massage until they reach their ultimate creature comfort.
When she achieved her true pony-peace, I brought the cart closer so that the shafts were on each side of her, bumping her occasionally for training purposes. I repeated this procedure a few times before Gary and I hitched her up, placing the shafts through the tugs and the traces through the single tree rings, which are bolted to the cart.
Gary put it succinctly. “The pony is our motor, going forward and stopping on command. When we halt, the breaching—the straps that embrace her hind end—hold holds her butt. As she pulls on the breast plate, her energy transfers to the single tree.”
There you have it. Equine driving dynamics as deciphered by the most novice of drivers on the speedway of life. I look forward to parking my pony cart with unprecedented precision. Because that’s the way it will be, driving Miss Maddie Rose.
