Are Headers in Walk/Trot and Classic Driving Classes Needed?
By Black Eye Beth on Feb 26, 2008 in Humor/Opinions, Lessons/Academy
Have you ever watched a walk/trot class and have been on the edge of your seat, hoping and praying that an unruly horse doesn’t do something crazy to injure its rider or one of the other kids in the ring? Unfortunately it seems like there is always at least one of these horses in every class, sometimes more. Maybe it is because I am a mom, or maybe I am just over protective, but I often catch myself thinking “What are these parents thinking? Is a ribbon that important?”. However, I do know from experience that a horse can act perfectly suitable at home but then turn into the “devil-incarnate” once it enters a show ring.
MochaMom brought up a point in a comment to the post “Accident at a Show-What do YOU do?”. She said “We wouldn’t need to allow headers in the Classic Pleasure Driving classes or in the Walk-Trot classes “for safety” if there weren’t so many who were over-mounted or over-hitched.” I don’t know that I agree that headers would not be required if ill-behaved horses could somehow be banned in the walk/trot division. Horses possess free-will and even the most “bomb-proof” mount (I personally don’t believe that a “bomb proof” horse exists) can spook at something new (like a carriage wreck on the other side of the gate; hopefully not something they see everyday). Even when my daughter did ride in the walk/trot division and I was 99% certain her horse would behave for her, there was still that 1% of question in my mind. I was very happy when they called for headers to enter the ring. It seems like an “ounce of prevention” sort of thing.
I believe the same goes for the Classic Driving division. One has to take into account the the drivers are also amateurs, many of which have very limited experience driving. Something out of the ordinary can happen and an inexperienced driver may not know what to do. I know I when I began driving I was always very happy to see my trainer come in and stand by my horse in the line up, even though, luckily, she didn’t have to help in anyway.
So, I wonder what other people think: If headers weren’t allowed in either class would that decrease the number of “problem” horses entering the class or would that just open up the possibility of more accidents and injury?
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Personally, I hate to have a header at the head of my driving horses. The moment that someone “grabs” the lines or the horse….I the driver, have lost control. To have someone STANDING in FRONT of a carriage is sheer madness. Did you ever wonder where the term “got the shaft’ came from. If you rely on a header…you and your horse shouldn’t be in the ring. Driving horses must be taught to stand NOI MATTER what is happening around them. The driver must be bomb proof as well as the horse .A driver must make the choice instantly as to whether to move forward in an emergecy or to stand still. With someone on the ground…you , the driver cannot make that choice. Drivers used to carry a groom and the groom would be “put down” at the driver’s command….not standing in the front of the horse waiting to get the shaft. Just my humble thought.
I believe that there are NOT enough really well trained horses out there….suitability of horse to rider or driver is what we a talking about here.. When my daughter was little she rode a Morgan x quarter horse sidesaddle. When she was about 8 she decided she wanted to go into the evening class of “Ladies sidesaddle.’ The class was filled with snorting arabs, saddlebreds and Morgans…I let her go, but stood by the gate ready to make a flying leap shold she need help. Before she went in I asked all the “ladies’ to watch out for her. Some of the answers were unbelievable.
In the past woman rode “ladies horses” that were well trained. Sarah’s little horse “Candy’ did not pick up one lead in front of the judge. He called her up after the ribons were placed and said:
“It has been way too long since I have seen a child on a horse that was suited to a child.”
He then said. ” I could not give this child a ribbon because her horse did not pick up the right lead. Had the horse picked up the lead, this little girl would have won the class. She is the only female out here riding a horse that is suited for a child riding sidesaddle. We have moved away from horsemanship into only
show horses. Please have this little girl take a victoy lap.”
Sarah had no idea what was going on, but she cantered around the ring to a standing ovation.
That judge was never asked back.
Carole | Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
I didn’t get to read all of Carole’s post as I am in a hurry, but will finish when I return.
With a nephew who is in the making for a walk/trotter in a year or two I wouldn’t imagine not having a header for him. Horses have a will of their own and if they want to back up or walk around they will with a tiny kid on their backs, or do what I like to call the “pee pee dance” (our poor guy has to be ready way before the class so we can leave him alone long enough to pee before he gets in the ring or he will almost trot in place lol). Our little gelding is perfectly suited to the walk/trot division, but like Black Eye Beth said, things can happen outside of the ring to startle the most even keeled animals. Children are only capable of handling certain situations to a certain extent, I wouldn’t want to be the one to endanger a child.
As for headers in Classic. Thank god they are allowing professionals in to do that!! My mom is very very new to driving and showing, and has a great gelding to show in the Classic Division. This seems to be the division novice drivers enter, and that scares me enough knowing my mom is in there. I don’t see why you would have someone head your horse that doesn’t know the horse personally or been instructed on how to do so without interfering. Driving horses need an extra touch of precaution to start with (blinkers/complicated harness/buggy), and I have seen some horrific accidents with novices and professionals. I think having the header in the class even if all they do is stand in front of the horse with a plastic wrapper to keep its attention is very needed. Sometimes seeing a person makes all the difference when they have those blinkers on.
erikarose | Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
Ok, so I have a few more minutes to spare and read Carole’s comment.
Carole, you said “The driver must be bomb proof as well as the horse” I understand that comment and wish it could be true. Please don’t take this the wrong way, but how do your propose we get new driver’s and teams into the ring then? It just doesn’t seem realistic, circumstance is one of the biggest factors with horses and people alike, so even if a driver and horse are a dead broke team at home, at their first show together they could be a complete and total mess. So without actually going to the shows and getting the experience how could they be considered “Bomb proof”.
I also agree with Beth, there are predictable even animals but no such thing as bomb proof.
erikarose | Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
Excellent question…..You need to drive for a couple of years every other day with someone who really knows how to drive…It’s like getting your “learner’s permit’ with a car. Driving is the MOST DANGEROUS part of equine activity. To put untrained horses and drivers together in an arena is begging for an accident.
I think the best annilogy(sp) of driving is…even if you can drive a car…(ie ride a horse) you still need to get a specil liscence for a motoer cycle.(ie driving)( I wish I could spell…but…old and the fingers and mind don’t mind.)
I take my green horses to shows and don’t show them. I do that for at least a year. They get used to seeing everything without the pressure. IF the circus comes to town…I take them and park them and leave them in the trailer parked next to the circus tents. They go to the supermarket in the trailer and never get out. When we get home…they stand in the trailer for an hour or more. I trail ride them…..they go every where for at least a year before they go to a performance. The ones in training…just come along and do nothing.
Remeber…my horses must walk through huge unpredictable groups of people on their way to the arena. They must trust me at all times. We have even gone up in an elevator and then had to come down…neat experience. I have to be boom proof and so do my horses. I teach them to STAND no matter what….
Yes - I agree…little children on horses are at risk in an arena…so why do we do that….we don’t let little children drive cars or motorbikes
Befor you think I am saying that we should not have walk -trot classes….we have to ask ourselves why will we let small children walk and trot but cannot trust the horses to stand in line…..horses must be able to stand. Standing is one of the most important lessons for the RIDER and horse to learn.
Rember all of this is just my oppion. I don’t show but do performances in front of thousands of screaming people. The grand exit is usually with all the performers madly galloping, racing, trotting , roping ( Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show) around the rodeo grounds with the stands filled with people stopping and screaming. The horses that cannot take the pressure should not go. You can figure out the ones who can’t when you park them by the tigers cages or wind up in camel barns in Wyoming during a blizzard.
You can do what you think is best…the horses are yours. If you are having fun and being as safe as you can…go for it.I think it takes a lot of time to train a very well broke horse.
A very well broke horse can have lots of fire, but is wonderful to ride. Please enjoy your horse at your pleasure.
Cheers,Carole
Carole | Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
It’s great to see all of this commentary. I now realize that I miss-spoke when speaking about headers in the Classic Driving division. In the interest of honest dialogue I’m going to go out on a limb here. It’s not my intention to make anyone mad, I just happen to disagree. Perhaps we can all agree that the Morgan breed is versatile enough to include all of us, we just have to carefully choose where we belong.
I don’t really think that there should be NO headers in the Classic Driving division; I just don’t think that they should be PROFESSIONALS. The Classic Division was originally intended to be an all-amateur division for those with the inclination to train and show their own horses, but it has evolved into a less-animated amateur Pleasure division. Let’s face it, a trainer will almost always do a better job than someone who has not devoted their life to training horses and someone thought that we needed to level the playing field for the do-it-yourselfers, not for the less-animated horses. (Perhaps someone would like to address that topic in another Post and see where we end up.)
The problem is not the horses, as I agree that there is no such thing as a bombproof horse. The problem is with the drivers who have not spent enough time driving their horses to have the experience or self-confidence to deal with the potential disasters. As an amateur driver who has been driving and showing since I was 16, I admit that I am more vigilant in the ring when I know that there are inexperienced drivers and horses in the ring with me. But I accept that as part of the game. I also know that my both my horse and every other horse in the ring is unpredictable, but much like driving a car, I try to be aware of all that is going on around me in an effort to avoid trouble. Sometimes I have to make a choice. Sometimes it’s the wrong choice and I throw my horse off stride, but again, I accept that as part of the game. A more experienced driver will probably make the right choice and every time I enter the ring I get more experience.
The same thinking might be applied to the Walk-Trot division. Those kids are obviously able to sit on a horse at a walk and trot. The problems usually occur on the rail when the horse does something (like trot a little faster or shy) that the rider doesn’t know how to deal with, similar to new car drivers. By the time the class lines up, headers are superfluous. To be really useful the headers would need to be in the ring while the class is on the rail. More time spent in the saddle at home would go a long way toward minimizing the problems and relieving their parents’ and grandparents’ anxiety.
Mocha Mom | Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
You are so right….more time in the saddle and more time with the horse. Some of the very best horsemen and horses woman are the amateurs who train their own horses. In this day and age of the clock everyone is limated on time and you cannot teach a horse ar person by the clock. The most important thing is to be safe and have fun.
Have fun! Be safe!
Cheers,Carole
Carole | Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
As Erikarose pointed out, just because you can drive for hours at home doesn’t mean you are going encounter the same things at a show. Why is an ounce of prevention a bad thing?
Also the horses that are in the classic division are driven by amateurs so I can’t see how having a professional trainer head them makes that horse any better than if a non-professional head them (unless you think the it is a political move so that the judge knows what trainer is associated with what horse. I figured that there are amateur shows for the do-it-yourselfers. (I feel another post question coming on…if you run with the “big dogs” vs specifically amateur shows)
I have to admit that I will NEVER think that having a header come in for kids is a bad thing. No argument will change my mind. I just don’t think it is worth having a kid hurt because you can’t have a header in there during the line up to help them work through a problem. I don’t care if every horse is “bomb proof” and the kid is a “star” in the saddle, things just happen sometimes. If they are standing still there is a bigger chance of them going up and over. I even feel better when my daughter is in an Academy shows with horses that have been “around the world” a time or two and the trainer stands with her (even if the horse is standing perfectly still). Maybe it is a mom thing but the safety of my daughter far outweighs trying to prove that her horse is perfect. Maybe the walk/trot division is just a bad idea for the A rated shows to begin with (?)
Black Eye Beth | Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
I am on the fence again, as usual since I have experiences in the ring training my own classic horse and showing a professionally trained horse. Horse shows are supposed to be fun for all to attend, but like any sport is competetive. I remember getting really PO’ed all the time when I was training my classic horse because I thought the placing was political, but now that I look back at the tapes I can plainly see that the other horses really did deserve better ribbons then I.
It drives me nuts to see toned down pleasure horses in the classic division, as I think a classic horse is born to be a classic horse. The same way I think a hunter is born to be a hunter. But I also understand how a trainer might “bump up” a classic horse to pleasure for a year or two to get the horse experience before the amatuer takes over the reins. And I also see how a horse can be misidentified to fit in one divison, sometimes they start out as high headed big trotting creatures at a young age, and as they mature they tone everything down, much the same as people change as they mature.
I have seen many many horses who will perk up and act like complete gentlemen for their trainers when they are heading, but try to pull some stunts with others. I think it really is all a matter of knowing the horse you are heading. Politics might have something to do with it, who really knows though. Maybe I am just incredibly fortunate to have been around so many honest trainers and judges who would risk upsetting fellow peers to pin the amatuer trained horse over the professional trained horse as long as it deserves the class. I also am a stickler for presentation, if I were judging a class and it was a tie between two horses, I would most certainly choose the horse who’s owner/groom/trainer took the time to make that horse sparkle from head to toe. From my experience that is something that amateur O/T/S horses tend to lack in comparisson to the formally trained horses. Now I’m not saying that is always the case, and maybe it is just the shows that I go to or am seeing things, but I admit that is how I used to be. It is a horse show after all, clean, neat, tidy, perfect presentation should always be important.
erikarose | Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
I don’t think that having headers in the Walk-Trot classes is a bad thing, I just think it’s too little, too late. I am in favor of “an ounce of prevention.” After all, I vaccinate my kids, my horses, and my dogs. I exercise and try to eat right. And, I WEAR A HELMET WHEN I RIDE. If we are going to promote safety in the Walk-Trot classes, why is there so much opposition to an attempt to require helmets for kids?
Mocha Mom | Feb 28, 2008 | Reply
That is an EXCELLENT question! That really doesn’t make much sense does it. Why be safe with a header but then not have kids wear helmets? Very good point.
Black Eye Beth | Feb 28, 2008 | Reply