[LuvinThePaint]

I was wondering if it was easier to break (and I don't like to use that term but having a blonde moment and can't think of another) a horse that has been broke to drive?

My mare was broke to drive and has been drove 10 times. Never in a race or anything just been hooked up with the others and pulled the wagon around. I just thought that it might be easier because she has had the harness on and bit in. I really don't know much about driving a horse so please let me know if I have made a mistake on something.

[emnhorserider]

Yes it is absolutely easy to train a horse to ride (the term I like to use) after it as been trained to drive. Because by that time they know voice commands, about bit pressure and have been exposed to lots of different things.

[Kicks]

Until Kicks, I always started my 'youngens' in harness long before I started under saddle - easy transition IF their basics were really there. Had a fantastic young man who started him though he was already good at long reining.

[jumphigher]

My friend used to have an old cart horse, that was never broken to ride, it was broken to drive as a 3 y/o and was now like 11 i think? And we just chucked a saddle on it and jumped on, and he was fine!
I dont know how much work it would take to school them up or anything, but this horse was pretty laid back and was really easy going!
x

[doublebarr]

Originally Posted by LuvinThePaint

My mare was broke to drive and has been drove 10 times.

Not in this case. She is a "green" driver, so she will still be a "green" rider. It takes a lot more than 10 hitches to make a driving horse, but a seasoned driving horse is "usually" pretty easy to convert to saddle. They're used to having "stuff" on and all over them and adding a saddle and rider is no biggie. However, they will have to learn to "ballance" themselves with the addition of a rider as they have never had to do with a hitch.

We have drivers (working drafts) that we have never "broke" to ride that we can and do hop up on to ride back to the barn from the "wagon yard" because walking is silly when a horse is handy, LOL.

[morablogan]

I have a couple horses here that were broke to drive and broke well, the only problem I found with them is they are not asked to flex. The verticle flexing was great just the lateral flexing needed much work. That is true for my driving pony too, he's just been started under saddle and he wouldn't flex laterally at all. I talked to a driving trainer and he told me that they very seldom ask for that kind of bending.

[LuvinThePaint]

So because she is only green drove then she will be just like a regular horse to ride. Darn it!! lol and here I thought I was going to save my behind from meeting the ground. I know she is super sweet but I don't expect her not to react.

Is there anything that I could do to keep her calm so I don't take flying lessons?

[SaddleUp158]

Have all your groundwork thoroughly completed. I have seen countless colts and fillies broke at the barn back home and I just broke my first cold and not one of them had a negative reaction to their first rider. That is not to say that extensive groundwork is going to eliminate all possiblities of a "flying lesson" but it will be very beneficial.

[doublebarr]

Originally Posted by SaddleUp158

Have all your groundwork thoroughly completed. I have seen countless colts and fillies broke at the barn back home and I just broke my first cold and not one of them had a negative reaction to their first rider. That is not to say that extensive groundwork is going to eliminate all possiblities of a "flying lesson" but it will be very beneficial.

LOL, love the way you put that

And I agree. The driving is a good thing and it will serve you well for her to understand directreining and you have some voice cues installed for forward and whoa if she was broke to drive right. It's a good foundation, just not a long time one yet.