Draft Horse Village

farmgirljen

I am really interested in this- I always wanted to do eventing, but this looks like it would be so much fun! There is a course near us, and I watched them schooling it one day recently....

JoanR · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 5:34 pm Post subject:

We have been doing HDTs with drafts here lately and it is a blast. It is like a CDE only not so intense amd not such a long marathon course. You do dressage, then cones, then marathon after lunch. All in one day. The memorizing is a problem for me, but I havce a lot of fun. There are also ADTs (Arena Driving Trials) which are even less intense. We have also been doing Scurries, which is basically cones courses, most of them speed events. I am begininng to like these things better than the draft shows, which are few and far between anyway here in California. You could try "gatoring" for someone or volunteer at an event (they always need help for monitoring hazards) and get to know more about how it works.

Lostfarmer · DHV Addict Joined: 25 Sep 2005 Posts: 1182 Location: Idaho

To compete in a CDE is on my bucket list.
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farmgirljen · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 8:31 pm Post subject:

Joan, what kind of cart are you using when you do these ADT's? if you look on youtube and type in "CDE inavale" you can see some of the videos of the local trial we have here- it looks like a ton of fun!

JoanR · Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2010 1:02 am Post subject:

I have been using my Troyer show cart as it is all I have at the moment. Most people used 4-wheel "carriages" but I have yet to run across one that is actually high enough up and heavy enough for my two Clydes (they are both wheelers in draft shows). Some of my friends have invested in the four-wheeled marathon carriages, but I am not in the position to make such an investment right now. I had planned to do an HDT with both my guys (using my trainer's Leon trining vehicle) but that event got cancelled. At training level you can walk in the hazards, so I would have been able to navigate the hazards slowly with the wide wheel base of the Leon. The place I have been doing HDTs is pretty flat and I have not had problems using the two-wheeled cart. The ADT I did was at the place where my horses live, and I used the Troyer there without a problem. I also use the Troyer for the scurries, which I am thinking may not really be the best idea. I saw some pictures taking of each of my horses cantering the cones with all four legs off the ground! In the HDTs and ADTs, though, there is no cantering at Training Level. The biggest issue, I think, is to keep them at a steady trot for the marathon course (the ones I have done are between 6 and 7 kilometers).

farmgirljen · Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2010 9:26 am Post subject:

That is awesome Joan! I found this cart yesterday when perusing online.... http://feonow.com/stallion.html of course it is a good thing I bought a baby clyde, as it would take me that long to save up to buy this type of cart,lol! my non-horsie 9yr old said "wow mom, that looks like fun! I could be the guy in the back!"

JoanR · Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:37 pm Post subject: Nice vehicle!

I had not run across that brand nor heard it mentioned by my many friends who have been researching and buying marathon vehicles. Recently two different friends purchased marathon vehicles and I hope to be able to hook my guys to each to see if they would work out. It will probably be a long time before I am in a financial position to actually purchase one, but I may win the lottery some day and need to have all my purchases lined up! Ends up they cancelled the driving event I planned to drive my "pair" at, so I will just be living with my Troyer for a while anyway. Recently one of the places that does CDEs and HDTs did a "play day" and everyone got to drive through hazards and on the course. You might want to check and see if that is a possibility in your area.

Going Grey Farm · Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:27 pm Post subject:

Hopefully our resident Foxhunter will weight in..I believe she did CDE's with Ty and kicked draft fanny!! She is an accomplished rider and driver!
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prayerkat · Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 1:24 am Post subject:

Yes Foxhunter is the pro... and well the trace paces... I so wish we had those here... I would love to do that with our clyde too!!!

Cant wait to hear her reply...!
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Foxhunter · Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 6:27 am Post subject:

Aw, Geez...... Embarassed

......coming out of lurkdom.......

Actually, I did HDTs, not CDEs. After assessing how hard it was for Ty's temp to come back down after the marathon phase during HDTs and trace paces, it was pretty clear that it would have stressed his big ole draftie self to do a full length CDE. Ty stood 18.1 and must have weighed close to 2600 lbs. He was a Belgian.

Believe it or not, we successfully competed using the Village Cart that Cari now owns. Like Joan, there was no way I could afford a "proper" marathon carriage so I had to make due with what I had. The biggest challenge was the length of a two wheeled draft vehicle, especially during the hazards and cones phase. The turning radius made very sharp turns difficult. I solved that problem by working hard on teaching Ty to pivot, but still, competing with folks that had the "right" type of vehicle certainly gave us a handicap. As well as did Ty's size. We definitely had many successes and wins against light horses, but when the competiion got up to the higher levels, it was clear that the right equipment gave folks the cutting edge.

A trace pace, which was distance driving against an undiscolosed optimum time to cover the course, was where Tyler clearly excelled. Much like the marathon phase, it was held over a predetermined course, through mainly natural hazards and over fields and roads. We usually covered anywhere from 8 to 10K, which was probably the best distances for his size. Best driven with a partner, who could keep time between kilometers to signal speed up or slow down. Its suggested at the beginning of the pace that a kilometer should be covered in approx. such and such a time and then it was up to the competitor to maintain that pace through out the course. You had to know how much ground your horse covered at what trotting speed necessary (no cantering combined with mandatory walking areas) to finish the course as close to perfect time as possible. We won MANY paces usually within a few seconds of optimium time. They were a blast!!!

I think combined driving "can" be do-able with a draft depending on their size and fitness level. I personally don't think a full fledged CDE could be done because of their size and recovery rate compared to light horses, but there are always some horses that will proove you wrong every time. The main thing is to have fun without undue stress to your horse. It was clear to me after a few vet checks at longer distances, that the time it took Ty's temp to come down was of a concern. I chose to stick with the distances I knew wouldn't put him in any danger and had to be realistic about his limitations because he was a draft. He certainly did open some light horse eyeballs to what a draft horse could do with the right training and fitness though!

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Saddleback Belgians · Joined: 29 Dec 2005 Posts: 22 Location: Indianapolis, IN

I totally agree with Foxhunter. "do-able"

I navigate for a pony. I sometimes feel like we are squeezing through the hazards. ha ha

I sure have thought about participating in practice days with my draft horse. The challenge would be fun.

Rhonda Rowe
Saddleback Belgians

JoanR · Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:51 am Post subject:

I think the dressage portion of the HDT has been where my draft-driving friend and I have really shocked people so far. Of course, we are doing Training Level since we just started, and while the light horse people were all muttering about the harsh judge, my friend (who drove a PAIR of Belgians!) and I were looking at great scores (mine was 40.35 and hers was lower...you go for low score inm these) and awesome comments. I especially cherish the ones that include "great bending" since most of the light horse folks think drafts can't bend. Since I was driving that Troyer show cart with the shafts up to his shoulders, I think my Tuffy
did an admirable job. he is 18-3 and built pretty heavy, so I worry about the marathon. Next year I plan to have him in better condition since I now know better how to condition him. We will be doing a clinic in a few weeks with Leslie Berndyl who is an amazing CDE driver and I cabn't wait to see what she makes of our draft horses. Anyone who has an opportunity to go to a CDE course for a playday or other opportunity to drive the hazards without actually being in an event should do so. Don't worry about not having the "proper" equipment...just have fun!