Driving Training

Had a great weekend with Lyz. She is a Silver Level Chris Irwin trainer and a horse chiropractor. Anyone needing her can contact me and I'll put you in touch.  My horses all benefited from her skilled hands, the changes apparent immediately.
While here Lyz ground drove 10 horses all at different levels.  She started with Boomer and Partner working on the technicalities of turn on the forehand (TOF) and turn on the haunches (TOH) on driving lines.  Both horses are normally very light but Boomer's been practicing tuning out students so required a strong blocking rein as well as correct timing.  Partner was being too light on the reins and Lyz had to remind him to stay up in the contact while still asking for the requested movement.
The next day she was able to perfect her timing driving Pal, Bright and Papa. Although well started they haven't done much lately and only a little TOF and TOH so they were a good test of whether she was communicating clearly. Combining a step of TOH immediately followed by a step of TOF tested the concentration and coordination of both parties.
After lunch I had Lyz work through all the steps of preparing for and driving a young horse.  Handy will be two this year and my son started his ground work last year.  He hasn't had any formal work since my son introduced him to his first day of driving at a demo last june.  What Lyz discovered was that if the timing was right a horse that's just learning can already do TOF and TOH.
Just in case she didn't believe me I also had her do the same routine with Pearl.  Pearl turns two this year and other than round penning a couple of times last year to catch her and trimming her feet, she hasn't been worked.  She does wear a winter blanket.  Pearl was introduced to the bridle, surcingle, lunging, vienna line, line around the butt to turn, line across back dragging to make sure she didn't panic and then driving lines. She also showed after a few turns that she was capable of offering TOH and TOF if asked correctly and with proper timing and release. I was very proud of both of them.
The final day I saddled and Lyz lunged the 3 older wild horses and drove 2 of them. This was their second time in the bridle.  They accepted the change in people without difficulty. Lyz was surprised to find all the horses so light but understood by the end where the lightness came from and how to maintain it.

Lyz checks out Red isn't afraid of the dragging lines.

Or of a line going around his hindquarters