This is a special page I have set up especially for documenting Phantom's driving training! I am happy to share my methods with those of you who may be interested in starting your own young horses!

NOTE: I don't have any magic formulas and am by no means a professional trainer - I just try and be quiet and consistent and let the horse tell me what the next step should be. With young horses, the number one word is "consistency". Do everything the same way, every day and your horse will be very trusting of you and willing to do whatever you ask of it. And I try and make it fun for both me and the horse!!!

Phantom was taught to line drive when he was a long weanling/yearling (1997-98), and we did quite a bit of that, using the halter rings as our "bridle".Over the spring and summer, he progressed to wearing a bridle with bit (a french mouth snaffle), and to not only line driving with me behind him as pictured below, but also long lining.

Phantom line driving at 8 months of age...

Phantom in long lines, working to the left...

For Phantom's long lining sessions, he would be outfitted in a simple surcingle (as shown in the above picture), with two longe lines running from the bit rings, through the SIDE surcingle rings and back to my hands. The bit of choice is either a large ring broken snaffle as shown above, or a three-piece French mouth snaffle. We would then work at a walk and trot on a large circle, using rein commands to familiarize him with bending, spiraling in and out, etc. This was done both directions until he was very comfortable with it, for about 10-15 minutes a session.

We then progressed to outfitting Phantom in the full driving harness: breastcollar, saddle, backstrap, breeching and crupper. (Yes, Hank's harness fits him...scary!!!) We did a lot of simple hand walking around to accustom him to the weight and feel of this new apparatus, and then longed him lightly at a walk and trot. We then line drove him a little at the walk to get him used to the feel of the crupper and breeching, as well as the breast collar.

We then added the driving bridle with blinders, and first hand walked Phantom until he was accustomed to the feeling of not being able to see as freely as usual. We did this when he was alone in the arena first, and then worked when there was lots of commotion going on so he would become used to all of the activity.

Phantom line driving in full harness at 18 months of age...

After Phantom was comfortable with all of the preceding steps, we harnessed up with all pieces of the driving harness, and line drove. The above photograph shows Phantom in perhaps his fourth or fifth line driving session. Once again, we started small, perhaps five minutes at a time, when the arena was quiet, and gradually added more time and commotion. He has taken all of this like a true driving horse!!!

This is the next step in his training. After line driving in full harness, we attached the traces to the breast collar. We then had someone lead Phantom while I put weight on the traces to simulate the carriage's future weight. He responded like a trooper, pushing his shoulder into the breast collar and pulling. I then increased my pull, and so did he, and then see-sawed the traces from side to side on his hindquarters (simulating turns in the carriage) - no problem!

We have added the next step to carriage training - shafts. Using a homemade shaft trainer (three pieces of PVC pipe joined with elbow joints in a "U" shape), we have introduced the shafts into the tugs of the harness.

In the above picture you can see how this works - adding a little pressure to the horse's sides to accustom him to the feel, while still being light enough to not scare him at this early stage.

Once Phantom became accustomed to this, we allowed the shafts to drop on the ground and line drove him, so he becomes used to the feel of the shafts moving as they are dragging on the ground. They also do make a little bit of noise, so he becomes accustomed to hearing something behind him.

The shafts can also be wrapped up in the breeching straps to keep them off of the ground if you desire; we have done training both ways...

The most important thing we are trying to emphasize at this point is WHOA and we are also working on standing for longer periods of time during our driving sessions. These are two of the most important lessons that a driving horse can know - whoa and stand. It is not only important for safety while driving, but also when hitching and unhitching.

Over the course of the summer of 1999 (Phantom's two year old year), we worked on reinforcing our line driving, adding the trot and doing lots of "whoas" and stands. We began driving outside as well as inside, which he handled well, and without stress or excitement, even at a busier barn with horses and riders jumping fences around him.

In the early fall, we concentrated on teaching Phantom how to pull by once again adding weight to the traces. We then attached the breeching to the tug loops to simulate the tightness when hitched to the carriage, and went through our ground driving sequence. We also practiced lifting the shafts over him and moving them on his sides to let him feel their presence.

Phantom is now three... finally, the day has arrived!!! The first day, we simply hitched Phantom to the carriage with the traces only, and walked in both directions for approximately 10 minutes. We then hitched the breeching and walked for another 5 minutes or so, with lots of stops, so he could fell the breeching hit. He was calm and willing, so we called it a day!

On the second day, we hitched and sat in the cart - as he was calm and quiet, we asked him to walk forward, and walked in a few circles before quitting. We also did a few steps of back.

Over the next few sessions, we will concentrate on walking and making big circles, teaching Phantom that the carriage is fun, while teaching him to carry himself well and work within the confines of the shafts. When he is comfortable, we will begin our work at the trot.

We have now introduced the trot in harness. Phantom is trotting at a nice consistent pace, changing directions on the long diagonal of the ring and beginning to do circles. We are keeping the sessions short and easy going, not asking for too much bend or tight turns for now, instead concentrating on keeping him confortable and confident in harness.

Our next steps will be to begin to introduce bending and circle work; some of this we will start on the ground while line driving. We are also going to start obstacle work to get ready for the obstacle classes later on!!!

Here is Phantom competing at his first Pinto show - all that hard work paid off, as he won both the Amateur and Open Pleasure Driving in his first try!!!

Phantom's first driving championship!

In addition to winning the circuit championship shown above at one of our local shows, Phantom was also the champion in Amateur and Open Pleasure Driving for the PA Pinto Horse Club for 2000!

Phantom started out his four year old year (his second in harness) with two wins in Pleasure Driving, earning APHA points in his first out...and topped off 2001 by being named multiple World Champion in Driving at the Pinto World Show in Tulsa, OK.