You can get a lot out of one lesson, but when you combine that with followup lessons the rewards are exponential. Read how quickly the benefits add up.
Cumulative Learning
The Step Back
Many carriage drivers struggle with their horse taking a step backward after completing a halt. Understanding why the horse is taking the backward step is the first step toward solving the problem.
The Realization
Driving horses takes a tremendous amount of focus and attention. Well, going for a carriage ride doesn’t take much. Almost anyone can get into a carriage with a half-way trained horse and master left, right, stop and go. But really driving horses well, beyond just getting around takes focus, attention, thought, foresight, and coordination. If […]
Building Upon Success
The second clinic in Washington was even more successful than the first! The gains students made between the first and second clinic were clear. On top of that, we had better communication to work on, well, communication!
Mile-High Driving
I spent Memorial Day on the high plains of Colorado giving a 4-day clinic. What a great group drivers, ponies, and horses! I can’t wait to make it back there to work with all them again.
Starting the Season Right!
Every spring for the past, well I don’t know how many years, I’ve traveled to Green Mountain Horse Association (GMHA) for their Combined Test and Arena Driving Trial. For me and my students, it’s a perfect way to start the season. GMHA is a relatively small horse park in comparison to other horse parks that […]
Charmed by the Pacific Northwest
Taking my second trip to the Pacific Northwest has me anxious to go back!
Spring Tuneup Success
I gotta say, I had a really good time this past weekend. Well, that shouldn’t be that much of a surprise, since I was surrounded by some of my favorite people and ponies. But I went into the weekend a little tentative. I’ve had this thought of hosting a driving camp for quite a while, […]
Official Business
I’ve been on “official business” in South Carolina for the past four days, at the Windsor Trace CDE and Combined Test. Well, it was semi-official business. As a combined driving judge, I have to attend a judges’ clinic at least every three years to maintain my judging license with the ADS. So I got to […]
The Perfect Gift
Repetition alone isn’t the key to learning. We’ve all stood somewhere near a ring with a riding instructor yelling “Heels down! Head up!” over and over again until their voice goes hoarse. If yelling those two commands didn’t work the first 16 times, why would they work the following 30 times?
Your e-mails
I hope if you are among the many of us that have been getting bombarded with spring’s “in like a lion” weather, that you’ve been fairing well. All seems to be in good shape here, despite the snow blower breaking. Fortunately, that happened just as I was finishing, rather than when I was beginning. Hopefully, won’t […]
Excessive Use of the Whip
What constitutes “excessive use of the whip?” As carriage drivers, one of our most valuable communication aids is the whip. In fact, it’s so important that we are required to have the whip in hand anytime we are driving in a competition. Like any tool, it can be misused. The American Driving Society lists “excessive […]
Tips for Returning Your Horse to Work
Every spring horse owners around the world wonder and worry about what they should be doing with, and expecting from their horses when they return them to regular work. For some, the worry comes from fresh horses, that are full of a season’s worth of pent-up energy. Others are more concern about getting the horse […]
Leather -vs- Synthetic Harness
The debate over leather versus synthetic harness has carried on since the first synthetic harnesses hit the market. In the beginning, there was no question, a leather harness was the way to go. Synthetic harnesses have come a long way in the 30 years, making the decision less cut and dry. I know you’d love […]
5 Reasons Your Horse Won’t Stand
Having a horse that doesn’t stand can be one of the most frustrating and confounding problems. It limits the activities you can comfortably participate in, it puts you and other people at risk, and can just generally take the fun out of being around your horse. There are reasons that your horse won’t stand that […]
