Tips

Returning from a recent carriage drive on the east coast i was shocked and saddened by
the numbers of turnouts that performed.......let's say "less than well"! Horses not willing
to stand at stops, rearing and leaping into the collars are not pleasures to drive! They
not only ware on your nerves, but also on the nerves of the drivers around you! Poorly
performing horses not only harm your enjoyment but also your reputation in the field.

There are many ways to help you train your horses well at home to stand quietly and
stand relaxed at stops.

I see alot of this training going unused with very poor results. Surprisingly this is more
common in stables with a professional trainer, I acquaint this to the common reality
that the horses are worked weekly buy the trainer at home and the owner comes to the
farm on the weekends and drives his horses in circles around the local towns, never
really training himself or this/her horses to do the job they are being asked to do when
one goes off the farm to a drive elsewhere.

All to often people drive there horses at home for there weekend entertainment, but
forget about learning to really drive! too many coaching teams, pairs and singles are
leaving home with drivers that are not able to negotiate the terrain without hitting
something!

At this drive I just returned from one person was given an award for hitting the same
tree "twice" on two different days, one day completely shattering his carriage wheel
right off! This is not the type of award you want your fellow drivers to be handing you!
All joking aside people can and do get hurt!

So please do us all a favor and the sport of driving a favor and really focus on improving
your driving skills as a driver and focus on what problems your horses currently have
when you go away and "fix" them for next time.