Richard

CIRCLES

A couple of really great ways to work on circles is to put markers at each
quarter point of the circle. {Be sure to make them small in case you run
them over! I use the plastic risers for cavalletis as they are bright
colors}. Put them just to the inside of your wheel track. Most people
collapse their circles because they don’t get to the quarter point early
enough and they leave it too quickly. You need at least one stride of one
horses body length on each quarter point of the circle depending on the
length of your set up. Remember to put the horses inside ear on the mark
you want. Once your horses body is on the quarter point, count how many
strides it takes your horse/carriage to keep your circle round (If you
don’t stay there long enough you’ll hit the next marker ~ guaranteed!). For
example when I drive one of the Morgans at the farm, her nose hits 1/2
stride before the quarter point and I slowly say… 1,2, 3 turn now and
that keeps her stride perfectly with the outside of the circle. With a big
strided Friesian gelding or a Warmblood, I only count to 2.
By using the markers it will also give you a more visual effect to work
with Andy’s exercise.

This exercise also works for square deep corners. Put markers out and
force yourself to drive deep.

This is a great exercise for both ridden and driven dressage. Especially
for anyone who is a visual learner.

The markers will constantly remind you to hit your marks, then after a
while you won’t need them as it will become automatic.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!
Jenny Wells
Seacoast Farm
www.seacoastfarm.com

This is really good advice. Of course the bottom line for any circle is
the bend. I don’t talk a lot about bending because most horses don’t
balance or carry themselves well enough to even think about bending.
However, when they do carry themselves you progress to being able to take
the bend of the arc of the circle and then the circle almost takes care of
itself. Now that’s a real goal! While you still walk the ring for markers
so you don’t get too far off if your horse starts to fall apart, you need
them less.
The marker exercise for the deep corners is a great exercise and markers on
the circle can be a great aid to the driver for learning where he or she is
on the circle and seeing sooner when your horse is losing his balance and
track. A lot of people have a hard time knowing where they are in an arena
and exercises like these help a lot. You can only drive a horse accurately
when you know where you’re going. I’d even vote for more than 4 markers on
the circle, 8 would help to plump up the whole circle.
Anne Council

I always found that trying to learn about circles by driving *around*
things generally causes drivers to drive from point to point rather than
truly round. It also has the effect of drawing more focus to the inside
wheel and the inside of the circle, and the inside rein and not far enough
out in front. It’s too easy for beginner drivers to have the mindset of:
Ok, I made it around that one then focus on the next one as they go around.
It’s sort of like the trap of looking down as you drive thru cones.
The temptation is there. Not always, not every driver but enough of them
that I abandoned that method. That said, there’s a lot of right answers in
the horse business so if a method is working for you and your horses, stay
with it.

Drive a better circle by using a square.
Here’s what I do now: I use a 20 meter square….actually 8 of them, 4 on a
side, if I am in my dressage ring. If you drive the largest circle you can
and stay inside the 20 m square, you will drive a 20 meter circle. Touch
your outside wheel to the mid point of each side.

In the dressage ring I start in one corner, drive one square and drive
straight on the long side to the next square and make one circle there and
on to the next one, moving around the entire dressage ring. I don’t worry
too much about perfection in the first few squares. By the time I get to
the last ones (7 and they are *always* better than the first ones. Plus
try to maintain some bend, keeping the horse on the outside rein, on the
straight few strides between each circle. After the eight circles in one
direction, I usually travel the quarter lines and then change direction on
a diagonal and repeat the 8 circles in the opposite directions. I usually
mix in some walk time in between. There are a lots of ways to vary this
with 8 squares and even if you only have 2 squares available, you can make
it work.

What you learn as a driver in this is what *round* feels like and what 20
meters feels like. As far as I know, this can only be achieved by
repetition. The value of this is that, as you drive, you immediately
feel…rather, sense… the circle going off round in time to deliver the
smallest instruction necessary to adjust (the principal of
‘small mistake, small correction’) and you learn the value of creating the
horse you want out in front of you rather than waiting for the horse to
make an error and then going to correct it. It is much easier
to maintain balance necessary to achieve roundness by creating what you
want rather than fixing what you have.

In my grass dressage arena, I mow (one width of the mower) the long and
short sides, the center line and the 3 lines 20 meters apart from long side
to long side, all shorter than the rest of the arena. This effectively
provides the visual and very driveable guides for the 8 20 meter squares.

Jeff Morse | Green Meads Farm |Richmond, MA
*Carriage Driving & Morgan Horses*

Great discussions by all concerned. I am sure, the writer meant this
properly, but for the benefit of all, let me just give a word of
caution about “forcing yourself to drive deep”. It can very easily get
too deep, especially for a lower level horse. You do not want to loose
the balance nor the easy flow of the movement – so the corner needs to
stay part of a quarter circle. The ADS Manual for Driven Dressage has
for Training Level Corners – “is really part of an 18 meter circle” and
for Prelim: “Are to meet the requirements, preferable decrease the
radius somewhat” and the requirements for Prelim call for 20 meter half
circles. So basically still almost the same as for Training, and what
does an 18 meter circle really mean? It’s pretty much the same as what
we call a 20 meter circle – since we can’t put a wheel on the outside
of the arena, so what we call a 40 meter circle is in effect just a 38
to 39 meter oval, as you almost touch the sidelines with the outside
wheel, yet straddle X in the middle, ok?

Now let’s look at it in practical terms – both for Training as wells
Prelim: You have just come down the center line, have saluted at X and
drive forward to G. Let’s say your test calls for a right turn at C.
From G to M would really be a 20 meter half circle – or see above to be
precise even a little less, maybe 19 meters, since you can’t put your
outside wheel out of the arena. Ok? So that’s really all that is
required – and I have no problem when I judge you on Training or
Prelim, if that’s what you do, starting a half circle once you are over
G. Now, the important point to me is that your outside wheel will get
close to the baseline (the short side of the arena) at the midpoint,
e.g. at the quarter line. In order to get the outside wheel there, you
need to aim your horses head a few feet BEFORE that point, as only then
will your outside wheel get there, and then you can stay on that
quarter circle and next aim a few feet before M so that you get your
outside wheel into M. That’s what is important to me. No need to go
deeper into the corner on Training or Prelim with a big horse – at
least not for me when I judge – but I can’t guarantee that all other
judges see this my way. For Interm or Adv. yes, a couple of strides
along the short side would be nice, and if you have a small pony that’s
fine too.

And as Jeff wrote so well a few days ago – a great way for training
corners is at home to have them “open” so that every so often you do
NOT make that quarter circle there, but go STRAIGHT out of the arena,
so the horse learns to listen to you – rather than anticipate the
corner. Happy driving.
Hardy Zanke

A vote of thanks to Hardy for his suggestions that balance, even tempo,
and correct bend will trump a slight inaccuracy of pattern.

I would argue with Hardy’s you must be over X at all times. (and have on
occasion!).. From C , X is usually at least 45 m. away, If you miss X
by 5 to 6 ft. at the trot and are above X (closer to C) You will get away
with it. Even the judges on the side usually give you the benefit of the
doubt, You carriage is say almost 5 ft wide, If you are sitting in the
middle of the seat that puts close to 3 ft of carriage closer to X than
you are.

Circles,,, you will score better being slightly smaller that you will
slightly larger… Larger is easier to see for the judge, since you come
closer to the sides, 8 m. from the rail is more noticeable than 12
especially at a trot… you’re not there that long! But of course you
score best if you are right on!

Just my observations after being judged for many years , abet mostly in
the ridden ring but still lots in the driven ring too. And I do judge
as well, both ridden and driven.

If you have a couple of friends that drive and a dressage ring, or a close
proximity, drive tests for each other while one “judge” sits at C and/or
at E. There is where you learn what the judge can see and what he/she
can’t…. (remembering of course that most judges in horse years are long dead!)

You will learn how to drive a test…. I was amazed at how much I learned
on the subjects of “how to” and “how not to” when I started judging schooling
shows for local clubs. Even coming up with scores and better yet why you gave
that mark, what was good what could be better. It is a real eye opener, and a
great way to spend a twilight or a sunny Sunday …. And Oh yes … remember
to bring the wine for later!
The Brinkers

Try thinking of the diameter of the smallest figure in the test for
which you are training. At the lower levels this will be the turn onto,
and off the long center line: A-X-C, and perhaps the short center line:
B-X-E, and visa-virsa. Those turns will be one quadrant of a 20M.
circle.
Later on, the smallest figure in the test will be a 15M circle. When
you reach a test including a figure of that dimension, it is THAT
figure which determines how deep you go into corners and turns: i.e. a
quadrant of a 15M. circle. By then you both may be able to go deeper
into the corners, showing a more square turn, especially in walk on the
bit, or in collected trot. Keep in mind that if you ask enough to lose
balance and rhythm, then you have asked too much for that horse at this
time. However,next to the rein-back, the fact that you are approaching
a corner needs always to include thoughts of collection…the earliest
thoughts, so as to enhance balance and rhythm; if those are lost, even
for a couple of strides, you have probebly tried to go too deep for
that horse at this time. Think of driving UPHILL into the corner and
FORWARD out.
By the way, driven or ridden, can you pass the inner hand forward thru`
the turn, proving that the horse is truly on the outer rein? That was a
requirement when I was young, in Europe!

Susie Buchanan

Gordon Fulton
gsfulton@telusplanet.net

Driving is supposed to be comfortable for the driver.

For driving as a means of transportation this would make sense. Horses don’t travel very fast in relation to the motorized transportation speeds common today. That 10 minute trip to the grocery or hardware store might have taken an hour in the horse and buggy days. Drivers and their passengers certainly made all attempts to be as comfortable as they could. Vehicle makers extended every effort design comfort into their vehicles. The comfort of their vehicles was a selling point over their competition. Following the evolution of transportation comfort from the horse to the automobile, the comfort of one automobile over another is still a major selling point.

If you are not comfortable in the driver’s seat, your horse will feel it and, in many cases, it will react in ways that, in the very least, affect his efficiency to do the job you are asking, and perhaps react even in ways that jeopardize the safety of  you, your passengers and your neighbors. Primarily I am referring to physical comfort. If you are tense or if you are trying to hold yourself in some awkward position while driving, you will not be able to take full advantage of the remarkably responsive and cooperative capacity of the horse’s mouth and brain. Your tension will interfere with the delivery of subtle yet powerful instructions from your hands thru the reins. Your horse will either object because he knows how the instructions should feel when delivered properly or the instructions will be confusing and perhaps even punishing to his mouth. If your hands are extended in front of you too far, they will become very heavy and your arms will become tired in short order while trying to hold them there. If you have stiffness in your back, your back will become a source of aggravation and not only will your horses performance begin to suffer, you will begin to find driving more of a chore and increasingly less enjoyable. Body position and the knowledge of what to do with your body while driving does not have quite as dramatic an effect on horse performance as a rider’s body position but its still crucial in terms of forming that winning relationship or union with your driving horse.

Driving is supposed to be comfortable for your horse.

If your horse is uncomfortable it is unfair to ask him to work. He can not deliver a good performance. It is important that you check your horse for pain and stiffness. One of the best times to do that is while grooming him. He will tell you if and where he is uncomfortable if you know how to listen. Pay attention to when he moves away from your curry or brush. If he curls his body away or moves parts of his body away from you as you groom him, that may not be a sign that “it’s just the way he is.” or ” He just doesn’t like stiff brushes”.  Horses LIKE to be groomed. It’s one of the ways horses give each other pleasure in the pasture. He may be telling you his muscles or joints are not feeling right. Likewise, when you put on his tack, does he move away or flinch when you approach? Does he dance around when you girth him up? Does he argue about putting the bridle on? These can be signs that he is uncomfortable. Check the fit of his tack. If you are unsure about where things really are supposed to go, ask someone to help you who knows. There is nothing like the guilt associated with having asked your horse to perform while you were oblivious to his discomfort all along.

One of the most important areas in your examination of your horse’s comfort is his mouth. With so many bits to choose from, bit fitting and selection can be a mysterious science. My best advice is to have someone who has a lot of experience with using many different bits help you find the one that is best for your horse. Bit selection is worthy of an article itself so I won’t cover it here. A clinic or lesson with a professional trainer will be well worth the money for this subject alone.

An Exercise In Comfort

Here is simple exercise that you can use for the rest of your life with both riding and driving horses. I set it up for drivers here.  I am going to assume your horse is well broke to drive and familiar with his surroundings. Drive him into a field or in a large ring and set him in a straight line at the walk. Close your eyes. You can open them at any instant and opening your eyes is one of the fastest things you can physically do! So don’t be scared. Driving with you eyes closed, begin at your feet and check yourself for tension and for comfort and make any changes that seem right. Place one foot forward and one foot back underneath you. This will give you support in any direction as you are jostled about in the vehicle and will help prevent you from getting braced or getting top heavy. Move up your body, checking for flexibility and tension, making changes as you go. Let your weight drop down around your spine onto your butt cheeks. Take some of the weight off your feet and let gravity keep you on the seat. Let the motion of the vehicle move your body. Now sit up a little taller and find your balance. Play around with leaning forward and back and from side to side until you find a balance that feels right. Pay special attention to the middle of your back. Release tension and stiffness there. Hang your elbows at your side or slightly forward of vertical. Point your thumbs up and inward slightly. This may vary depending on how you are holding the reins and that alone is worthy of a separate article. But in general, look for a position of your arms and hands that feels comfortable. Now’s the time to experiment. Open your eyes. That’s it. Now look at your horse. 9 times out of 10 he will be more relaxed, more supple and will have lowered his head and neck.

The next time you do this exercise, give a quick check of your self, then pay attention to what you can feel in your hands. Your horse uses his head and neck to help him balance as he walks. You should feel his head moving thru the rein in your hand. Let that motion move your hands and arms while at the same time maintaining a connection to your horse thru the rein. This may take a little practice. But it will plant the feel of this kind of connection in the subconscious part of your brain. This is useful because if you try to too hard to work at that connection or force it to happen, you will not be successful. And once again, when you open your eyes, you horse most likely will have changed in a very positive way.

In conclusion

After your drive pay attention to how you feel. Often in the ‘heat of the battle’, our attention is focused so intently on the horse in front of us that we fail to pay attention to some aspects of ourselves that have a powerful influence on how our horse behaves when we drive him. Are your fingers cramped, tired, stiff sore? Are your biceps tired? Is your back stiff? Do you find yourself stretching when you get down from the seat? Are your extremities cold?  (Poor blood circulation can be sign of stiffness and tension) Does your neck hurt? Next time you drive, close your eyes and you should be able to find the source of your discomfort. You should not feel stressed after driving. Quite the opposite! You should feel relaxed. Driving should be comfortable.

Editors Corner
Volunteering for a driving Event
The Mane Event
Wild Rose Classic CDE
Francois Bergeron Clinic

Editor’s Corner
Taking Care of your carriage
Intro to Driving Clinic
Bomb Proofing Clinic
Were Buggy about our hobby
Upcoming events

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Editor’s Corner
Meet the Directors
Meet the Directors…con’t…
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We’re buggy about our hobby!
Upcoming events, shows & clinics

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Signs of Teeth Problems
Pratt Family at the NBH
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AGM announcement
In Memorium—Lorne Hill
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Bomb proofing, Bill Lower and the NBH, Oh My!