Bad Idea?

Okay since my parents were no help im going to ask what you all think. The more I think about it the more I would love to train Dolphin for harness work and driving just to keep him in shape and give him alittle something different to do. He is 18 years old and we have had him since he was 7 and we rescued him. To understand Dolphin you have to understand where he came from.

We got Dolphin when we were visiting family in PA years ago. My grandparents lived out in amish country and their neighbors had a few draft horses. Dolphin being one of them he was actually a plow horse but instead of looking strong and stunning he looked skin and bones and mean as all get out. My dad being the person he is talked to the man at the farm but of course he offended him by trying to tell him how to train and raise his animals :rolleyes: .

Two months later my grandmother calls and said that the local shelter seized two of the worst off horses from the farm the young Perch (Dolphin) and an old TB that wasent even being worked anymore (Old Max who passed away 4 years later). Once again my dad being my dad took all the shots to bring both horses here. Old Max was a sweet old man he could have been and ottb but we never really knew. Dolphin seemed the healthier he got the meaner he was. He had problems with other horses all except Old Max and like I have said in anouther thread had a habit of charging anyone who came in his paddock. It took over a year to fully calm Dolphin down. He became my horse as he trusted me first and he loved and still loves me most. He no longer charges me but trots over to me like a happy puppy wanting a scratch behind the ears.

We trained Dolphin to be ridden and is ridden western style and is just a pleasure horse. He is pretty well loved in our town by all the little kids as he walks in parades and i have given "pony' rides with him.

But like I said I feel like he is bored and im wondering if it wouldn't be the worst idea to train him to pull a small cart. He hasent seen a harness since he came to us or anything that has to do with driving. I have read up plenty on training a horse in driving work and have seen my manager train his Morgans to pull carts so im familer with the ground work and everything.

Do you think he may be too old and too tramatized to even try this? I don't want to blow the trust and love I have built up with him over the years. My parents just say use my best judgement and trust myself to do whats best for Dolphin. Thats not very helpful I talked to my sister who is in new horse la la land and she isn't much help either. Im just not sure if its been to long and if its even worth it.

Well if you do train him to do cart work, will it be something you'll follow up on and do enough that it is worth it? Hes not old enough that you couldnt teach him, but if he was traumatized from the previous farm you might have to work at it harder and very carefully. Since he trusts you it shouldnt be that bad though.

Well if you do train him to do cart work, will it be something you'll follow up on and do enough that it is worth it? Hes not old enough that you couldnt teach him, but if he was traumatized from the previous farm you might have to work at it harder and very carefully. Since he trusts you it shouldnt be that bad though.

I would like to be able to drive him on a regular basis if I could get him trained for it. He's an extremely smart horse and catches on quickly. I know he remembers certain things because crops scare the crap out of him (I never EVER use one on him I don't really like using them at all) he gets a bit spooked when he see's people with them. He's definatly had a tramatic past. I may borrow my managers driving stuff like they harness and maybe just get him used to it being around him and his stall. I am willing to take all the time he needs im in no hurry.

If you really want too, just take it reeaally slow, and stop if he is uncomfortable with anything. He is probably already broke, but you never know with his past what may have happened to him. Many riding drafts are previously driving drafts who had a wreck, I've known a few who have been in wrecks, and it was extremely truamatic for them to go back to driving, I really had to come up with some creative ways to make it different but the same, and enjoyable for them.

Tons of luck to you, and if he does enjoy it (some horses love to pull!) then maybe you two will have found something to really put the joy back in his life!

i would do it as he trusts you so but do it Very slowly

If he's Amish raised and a draft, he knows how to drive. Don't worry about over-working him; plow horses pull heavy equipment for eight hours a day at a trot. A light walk around the neighborhood with a little buggy behind them is nothing in comparison.

It's less stressful on the joints and it's good exercise for him. If he doesn't know how, just go slow and steady; start out just leading him around with the harness on until he gets used to it, then start driving him from behind not hooked to anything, just walking behind him. This step may take a little while because riding horses aren't used to thier directions coming from ten feet behind them.

Next, get an old tire or a big sled or something and hitch it to the harness so he gets used to dragging something behind him. Don't attempt to ride on the dragged item at this time.

Then step up to the buggy. Still don't ride in it, drive him from the ground behind or beside the buggy until you have the utmost confidence in him not running off. You actually have a lot less control of the horse driving than you do riding. Finally, if everything is going great, climb into the buggy and go for a drive.