Practice, practice, practice

Since Draken lives in NY and I live in Pittsburgh sometimes it gets interesting when we want to learn a new skill.  In the days before gas became so expensive I used to drive home about every other weekend in the summer.  I don't board him in Pittsburgh as there is very little carriage driving here.  (There are lots of STBs as we're just a few miles from The Meadows Racetrack, just not the type of driving that we do.)  So when I do go home we try to put in some quality driving time.   When I'm not home my mom, Joyce Haak, takes him out a few times a week. 

Below is some video of us practicing our circles one handed. Many thanks to my Facebook friends for offering suggestions on going to the left, which we were struggling with when we started.

Showing at TVHA - Musical Driven Dressage

In our local area there are not any CDEs, the closest one is four hours away, but we do have some nice local shows through Tri Valley Horseman Assoc.  Draken and I competed this weekend in pleasure, reinsmanship, super reinsmanship, driven musical dressage, obstacles and halter.  We show in both open and ladies classes.  We came home with four blues, a red, two thirds and a fourth (I think).  Below is video from our driven dressage program. 

Overall, I was really happy with the program.  After watching the video I see that I need to work on picking my line back up after doing the one handed circles.  Draken did his 'spin' better to the right than the left but I think some of that was because he thought we was doing a regular dressage test where you continue down the line.  Next time I'll have to prep him a bit better.  Ideally I'd like to do more with him in the ring but you're only allowed three minutes.

Obstacle class penalties

In a recent post I mentioned that we are penalized for cantering at some shows.  Most pleasure shows do not allow cantering at all.  At the end of this post is the penalty structure for ADS obstacle class, one of the most common places accidental cantering occurs.  Most shows, including pleasure shows, have some type of obstacle class as drivers tend to really enjoy them.

For CDEs (Combined Driving Events) you can canter if you're competing in the higher divisions.  At the World Equestrian Games most of the teams will be cantering at some point, and that is definitely allowed.  This is a video of Gavin Robson driving a Four in Hand of Dutch Warmbloods at the 2009 Kentucky Cup and Lexington Combined Driving Classic - a 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Test Event.  Something to keep in mind as you watch the video is that the cones are only set 6 inches wider than the carriage wheel base.


Penalties


a) Knocking over start or finish marker ................................................. 5 seconds

b) Knocking down or dislodging obstacle.............................................. 5 seconds

c) Break to canter

1st break to canter..................................................................... 5 seconds

2nd break to canter ................................................................... 5 seconds

3rd break to canter .................................................................... 5 seconds

4th break to canter .................................................................Elimination

Prolonged canter.............................................................................Elimination

d) Disobedience or groom(s) dismounting (cumulative over course)

1st incident................................................................................ 5 seconds

2nd incident ............................................................................ 10 seconds

3rd incident............................................................................Elimination

e) Starting before signal......................................................................Elimination

f) Failure to cross starting line within one minute of signal ..............Elimination

g) Off-course.......................................................................................Elimination

h) Outside assistance...........................................................................Elimination

i) Failure to carry whip (Article25B.4) .............................................Elimination

j) Use of a tie-down or overcheck .....................................................Elimination

k) Breakage of harness or vehicle .......................................................Elimination

l) Exceeding time limit (twice time allowed) .....................................Elimination

m) Entries that overturn .......................................................................Elimination

n) Failure of entire entry to pass through start or finish markers .................................................................................Elimination

Nine years ago today!

That's right, it's been 9 years!  The Lorenzo Driving Competition is this weekend and that was our first show in 2001.  Today was the Marathon, with some of the ring classes starting in the afternoon.  This photo by Gerry Hook shows Draken going through their water obstacle in 2009.

The marathon at Lorenzo is a "country" marathon.  That essentially means that all the hazards are natural.  It's not like a CDE or a Driving Trial where there are man-made hazards that you go through.  The marathon is similar to the second phase of eventing, the speed and endurance. It tests the fitness and stamina of the horses, as well as the driver's knowledge of pace.  This is where that 8 mile an hour trot plays an important part.  Even with a stopwatch, if you don't know how fast your horse is going then you're going to have a hard time meeting the optimal time.  You receive penalty points for going over or going under.

Do you ride him?

Draken under saddle
Originally uploaded by librarygirl01

Technically Draken does ride, in fact we won the 2007 SPHO Ride and Drive class. However, we very rarely ride him mainly because we prefer to drive. While I used to ride extensively I haven't in years. I'm sure if we practiced we would both be better at it. The reality is that he primarily gets ridden at holidays by my young nephew.

In 2008, my nephew was visiting. He was almost 5 years old and learning to ride. We have a Fjord in addition to Draken. My nephew decided that the Fjord was just too slow and that Draken is a National Champion Trotter :) We tried to see if that was a firm designation or if champion or maybe reserve champion would work - nope! Nothing but the best for my nephew!

One thing to note, with the SPHO Ride and Drive class they don't ask you to canter, some ride and drive classes do ask for a canter. Draken does canter (and enjoys doing so in the pasture) but for pleasure driving we only want him to trot (we get penalty points for more than three cantering strides) so we discourage cantering. Many trainers feel it is important to feel comfortable with your horse cantering in harness. It's a safety issue so that should they spook, both you and your horse know how to safely canter in harness. Draken knows how to canter and we're both okay with it.

First Drive

In 1999, I was excited to arrive at my parent's farm in Central NY as I was going to get to drive the new horse I had heard about. As soon as I arrived I hitched up and headed out, except we only took two steps before the horse stopped. Sure enough, examining the harness showed a buckle done wrong. That fixed we were off again. After a few turns around the pasture we headed off to town over bridges, railroad tracks and rumble strips. None of them caused a moments pause, that is until we reached home. There my mother asked how the horse was doing. I was full of praise, telling them all that we had done. My mother replied with "That's the first time he's ever been to town or on the road. He's fresh off the track."

That was the start of my relationship with Draken. Believing that if I just asked, he would be up to the task. In the eleven years since then he's won three SPHO national championships along with numerous regional and local awards.

It hasn't always been the easiest path, but it's certainly been worthwhile. Draken excelled at marathon and cones from the day we got him from the Morrisville College Standardbred Racing Program but with an average road gate of 13mph, slowing him down took many hours of trail driving, particularly on the part of my mother, Joyce Haak. In 2001, we attended our first show together (Lorenzo) but it wasn't until 2005 that we decided to enter the pleasure driving ring. That year Draken realized what this new thing that we were asking him to do was and he went from not placing in pleasure classes to winning his first SPHO national pleasure driving championship. Today, at age 18, Draken has received comments like "I've never seen a horse listen to you like he does" and "The horse really wants to do well" from some very well respected judges.

If you were going to sum up Draken, it's not what he does that makes him special, it's the presence and personality that he brings that makes him a living embodiment of the Standardbred spirit.

What is a Standardbred?

Standardbreds (STB) are a 'newer' breed, dating back just over 200 years, but it is a true American breed.  The name "Standardbred" originated because the early trotters were required to reach a certain standard for the mile distance in order to be registered as part of the new breed. The mile is still the standard distance covered in nearly every harness race.  At the racetrack Standardbreds race in one of two gaits - a trot or a pace.  (Draken raced as a pacer, meaning that his front and hind left side legs moved forward at the same time.  In the show ring Draken does not pace, he trots or moves his left front leg forward the same time he moves his right back leg forward.)

Many Standardbred resemble Thoroughbreds but they tend to be longer in body and shorter.  Most Standardbreds averaging between 15 and 16 hands and weigh between 800 and 1,000 pounds. STBs come in all colors but most are brown or bay.  They are well known of their easy going temperament.

Standardbreds on the racetrack generally trot the mile in under 2 minutes.  By comparison, the average horse has a speed of 8-10 miles an hour at the trot.  (When we first got Draken his average trot was between 13-15 miles per hour.  Through training, and age, Draken now averages about 8 miles an hour.) 

If you're interested in learning more about Standardbred racing please visit the United States Trotting Association.

May 2008 - The Journey Begins

We first started on this Journey to WEG with Draken way back in May of 2008.  At that time the USTA (United States Trotting Association) sent out a call looking for Standardbreds who would be interested in representing them at the World Equestrian Games.  Shortly thereafter, we sent in Draken's resume for consideration.

Draken’s Resume for Standardbred Ambassador


Draken (L24426)

Owned by Bruce and Joyce Haak

Shown by Kathleen Haak

Draken would make an extraordinary ambassador for the Standardbred industry at the 2010 FEI World Championships. He completed a successful racing career with Morrisville College, while teaching young adults about Standardbred racing. Since retiring in 2000, he has gone on to successfully compete in pleasure, marathon, cones and dressage driving. In addition, he has been the center of attention at clinics involving shoeing, harnessing, and driving in a wide variety of arenas - everything from local 4-H events to the Kentucky Horse Park. As a three-time SPHO national champion driving horse he shows off the best traits of a driving Standardbred.

Standardbreds are to other horses what DSL is to dial-up – simply a faster way of getting to your destination. Once standardbreds were prized for their speed and temperament, now they are seen as out-of-date. By exhibiting Standardbreds at the FEI World Championships the world will be reminded of their speed and willing temperament, making them excellent choices for endurance, driving and eventing. A Standardbred verse in the phases of competitive carriage driving is an excellent choice for an ambassador to the FEI World Championships.

Draken’s Accomplishments and Awards

2007

Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization – National Champion Driving Horse

Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization – William B. Weaver Harness Champion

Tri-Valley Horseman Association - High Point Performance Driving Horse

Tri-Valley Horseman Association - High Point Pleasure Driving Horse

Saratoga Driving Association Driving Trial – 4th Place Overall, 1st Place Marathon

Standardbred Pleasure Horse Weekend at the Kentucky Horse Park – participant

Carriage Roundup at the Kentucky Horse Park – participant in Parade of Breeds



2006

Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization – National Champion Driving Horse

Garden State Horse and Carriage Society show – 2 wins, placed in every class

Barneveld Horseman’s Association – Marathon Champion Trophy Winner

Dancing With Horses – 1st Place, Driven Dressage

Tri-Valley Horseman Association July Show – Driving Horse Champion



2005

Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization – National Champion Driving Horse

Barneveld Horseman’s Association – Reserve Champion Driving Horse

Tri-Valley Horseman Association July Show – Driving Horse Champion

Carriage Roundup at the Kentucky Horse Park – participant in Parade of Breeds


Draken in the News

Draken has been mentioned or featured in articles for:

The Whip

Horse Bits

AmeriCan Carriage Driver

Hoof Beats

Tri-Town News

Binghamton Press & Sun

www.Zootoo.com

www.Cowboy.com