In the Driver’s Seat with Elisa

In the Driver’s Seat with Elisa Marocchi A Mish-Mash of Tips and Tricks!

Over the years, experienced drivers accumulate “tricks of the trade.” They may be slick ways to accomplish everyday tasks, habits that keep them safe, or little things to make your horse or pony more comfortable. In this article, I’ll share some ways for drivers to stay safe.

Keep your bridle in place

Having a bridle come off while in harness is the last thing any driver wants to see happen. While ensuring your throatlatch is done up snugly and teaching your horse not to rub his head while in harness can help prevent this from occurring, adding a gullet strap and a mane tie can make it nearly impossible for a horse to shake or rub their bridle off.

Gullet straps run between the throatlatch and the noseband (Photo 1a). The strap should be adjusted to take up the slack between the two attachment points (Photo 1b). They are available from most harness supply outlets and online, but you can also make one in a pinch from a nylon dog or cat collar, or even from a piece of baling twine.

At the beginning of the driving season, I braid a shoelace into my horse’s mane at the poll (Photo 2a). Each week, I take it out, brush the mane out then put it back in place again. Use the shoelace to tie the crownpiece in place (Photo 2b). When combined with a gullet strap, this tie makes it almost impossible for a horse to rub or shake off the bridle.

One more tip to keep bridles in place… ensure your horse’s bridle path is kept clipped. I have had some owners object to trimming a bridle path as the breed they own is traditionally shown with a full mane. However, if one clips the path only as wide as the crownpiece of the bridle, the clipped area will be covered and no one will know the difference.

Safe Harnessing and Putting-to

When harnessing, leave the tips of straps out of the keepers until you’ve finished adjusting that piece of harness. As an example, many of us adjust our girth in an incremental fashion. We put the backsaddle on and buckle it relatively loosely, then go back and tighten it after the horse has stood for a few minutes. Leaving the tip of the strap out of the keeper serves as a reminder that the girth hasn’t been fully tightened yet. If you read last month’s article about using a safety checklist, this will stand out during your check and you won’t drive away with your girth loose. (Photo 3)

At my barn, the rule is that the lines are in the hands of a competent driver from the time the shafts are placed through the tugs during putting-to until the cart is removed from the horse at the end of the drive. For pairs and multiples this may not be practical but in those instances you hopefully have an extra set of hands capable of assisting you.

Watch your horse as you get in the vehicle and sit down immediately upon entering the box. Take a moment before getting on the carriage to see where you will place your feet to climb aboard, then focus your attention on the horse as you move onto the vehicle (Photo 4). This way, if you see your horse beginning to react to anything unexpected, you can be ready to deal with it. Follow the same process when dismounting the carriage at the end of the drive. Sitting down promptly upon entering the vehicle will prevent you from toppling out should the horse make an unexpected move.

1a 1b 2a 2b

Pay attention to your surroundings and be prepared to act/react

Driving your horse is not the time to daydream or “zone out.” Despite the fact my horses drink from the same trough as the neighbourhood deer (and sometimes even at the same time!) my horses still startle when a deer pops out from behind the barn. Be ready for the unexpected, scan your surroundings constantly and be proactive if you see a potentially worrisome situation developing around you.

These simple tips are easy to incorporate into your driving routine, they don’t take any extra time to do, and will help keep you and your equine driving partner safe.

Safe Driving!3

Elisa Marocchi is an Equestrian Canada licensed driving coach and a member of the EC Driving Committee. She owns and operates Wildwood Farm, a full service driving facility near 100 Mile House BC. An active driving coach since 2000, Elisa offers clinics and lessons in a safe, supportive and fun manner both on and off the farm. As a combined driving competitor, Elisa has successfully competed throughout North America with both her own homebred horses and those of clients.

(See her listing in our Business Services section under TRAINERS)

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