I'm thinking about driving again - so far that's as far as we've ever gotten, but maybe SOMEDAY...
Anyway, I've been doing a little reading and I'm ready to start thinking about some details. Does anyone have any good sources for driving in more "natural" ways? My gut tells me that I don't want to use blinkers - I believe that Christine and Robyn have said they've started driving horses without them, and I won't be driving any horse that I don't trust fully. I'm also wary about using overchecks, probably don't want to use a martingale, and I definitely don't want to use a dropped noseband. So, any good sources? I know that Pat Parelli is starting to show some NH ground driving and ponying, but I don't think they have any materials on driving a cart. I don't want to abandon the tack that's TRULY necessary to be safe, but I sure don't want to use overly restrictive tack if there's no valid reason I have two harnesses, but I suspect I'll have to buy a few new parts to get the fit right. I don't give a fig about "tradition" - just the safety and comfort of the horse and humans. We'll start this very slowly, in the ring first. I'll start with a mature horse (Saga, Trausti, Skjoni, Melnir or Sina most likely) who's quite used to the trails, know how to ground drive, and who knows how to steer from the saddle and from the ground. Karen Thomas, NC
