#horses - #I'm trying to get into driving and have some questions...

I'm trying to get into driving and have some questions...

I'm 25, from the UK and I've been riding since I was 6, two years ago I was injured in an unrelated accident and now have lots of metal in my legs and although I can now walk fine, I don't have much lower body strength anymore which makes riding a horse much more difficult and very uncomfortable, so I sold my horse and tried to move on. I can't though, I miss horses terribly, so driving seems like my only option — I've ridding in carriages but be never driven a horse before. Of course I plan on talking to a professional and having some lessons but I'd like to learn as much as I can beforehand as well, so I have some questions:

• What is some advise that you'd give to a new driver?

• When traits should one look for in a driving horse, aside from those traits that one looks for in riding horses as well? The horse that I sold was a 17 year old Irish sport mare, and before her I rode a Thoroughbred that my parents had purchased off the track.

• Can you tell me about the different vehicles and suggest which sorts might suit a person who is looking to drive on the road and on trails (often narrow and unfinished) for purely recreational purposes?

• Is bitless driving a thing that can be done?

Submitted May 19, 2018 at 07:47AM by Christine-de-Pizan
via reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/Horses/comments/8klcuj/im_trying_to_get_into_driving_and_have_some/?utm_source=ifttt