Driving or Riding?

[WTC101]

I started driving hackney ponies a year or so ago and love it. I also have a show horse and I love that too. I just can't decide which I like better, driving or riding? I love doing both...hmm...
I am just wondering those who drive and ride, which one do you like better and why? :)

[Skyduck]

Both equally. However, when it's really hot and humid it is nice to not wear all those saddlesuit layers.

[GottaDrive]

I only drive. And, I completely enjoy it. Hackney ponies sound like a trip. I drive both fine harness and pleasure driving. I also do combined driving and pleasure carriage. It is very much fun. The past month or two I've been hooking my horses to sleighs and going for sleigh rides. In addition to ASBs, I have a pair of belgians who are very much fun.

[She's Snow Angel]

I'm definatly a rider. I have driven a few and I don't like not being able to see where I 'm going. A hackney pony might be ok, since I could see over him!:p

[Thunderstruck]

I've done both and definitely prefer riding. I just don't feel like I have as much control when I'm behind the horse. Of course I learned to ride when I was 5 and spent most of my childhood on a horse, but didn't learn to drive until 4 years ago so that's probably got soemthing to do with it since I have so much less experience at it.

[WTC101]

hehe, thanks~ I think I really like both. I mean they both have there goods and bads.

keep posting!! :D

[babypony]

I've driven hackneys now for about 12 years and really enjoy driving them more than riding. I've driven horses but like the ponies better because, as someone said, you can see over them. :) I haven't ridden for about 5 years now and I do miss it sometimes. Before starting to drive, I rode for about 35 years, dressage, jumping, sidesaddle, ASBs. I think driving and getting a pony to perform at its best is harder than riding. JMHO

[sparkle]

I like both. I show my one and only show horse both ways- in harness and under saddle. He is not very "competitive" as a CP driving horse since he doesn't have the action that those horses have now (but he does manage to stay in the ribbons somehow :D ) but he absolutely LOVES it. It keeps him in a much better mood if I drive him sporadically at shows- he enjoys it that much and I do it for him. I like driving too- it gets a bit tricky when you're in a fairly small ring in a crowded class in the mud... but hey!! Keeps you on your toes... ;) I will say I just about had an anxiety attack my first time driving in the show ring... it was a rapid realization that it was harder than I thought to see past my horse and now I had other horses and carts in my space to deal with?!?! Yikes!! Now I just love it, probably as much as my horse does... :)

So I'd have to say I probably like both fairly equally, with a slight edge to the riding. :p

[PBJ & P]

I've on;y driven just a handful of times. One was a catch-drive for some friends. Luckily i had driven once before and there was only one other driver in the ring; and she is very experienced. It was fun though. But, I do admit, quite different.

In regards to the Hackney inquires, please, so sometime try to find a good pony to drive. They are so much fun and have fallen in love with the HAckney breed. They are amazing animals and I am slightly upset I didn't get into them earlier. Riding them were very fun.

[Wind_Chill]

oooh, thats tough! i love both. honestly, i'd say it depends what horse or pony i was riding or driving... some horses i'd much rather get a chance to ride than drive anyone... but some ponies are pretty awesome and more fun than other horses to ride....
did that even make sense?
if i had to choose, id say riding though- i feel a bit more in control. i'm always afraid of running into things when i drive hahaha...

[Snap]

I owned a Hackney poney for 7 years . Loved him as if he were my own child. I now own 2 wonderful asb. My lesson mare is my true love . My riding instructors have instilled a passion for riding that I never found in driving. Patti

[Princess Georgia]

I like both equally well however since wrecking my knees (left knee..kicking yearling and right knee...7 mt old doberman puppy at 85 mph) a year ago, riding has been on the back burner for some time. Driving is fun and it gives you a reason to go shopping for fun clothes to wear. However, I will say that everyone who prefers riding should at some point take some driving lessons if only to learn about ring spacing and most of all you can really get a lesson in how to use your hands with more finesse. My riding improved noticeably after I had been driving for awhile. My horse's mouth appreciated it to.

I think any riding program would benefit by also instructing the students in driving as well.

[ASB_EQ_Gal]

I probably like riding better just because I don't drive horses very often. I've droven probably 3 in my life by myself lol. One is our pinto but I probably only drove him like twice because someone else started driving him, which sucked. Another was a Gaited Saddlebred that I would jog somedays to keep him in condition (I gotta say rackin' in the cart was pretty fun. Wonder if anyone elses horse does that too.) Another was the Hackney Pony at the same barn. He was a road pony and my boss/trainer would have me excersize him for him sometimes and I gotta say there were some scary moments but it was pretty fun.
Have never shown driving though.

But speaking of hackney's I rode that one (KC) sometimes and MAN it was a blast. Everyone needs to be able to ride one sometime in there life HA!

[High Stakes]

I love both! Horses and ponies to drive and horses to ride.

I've shown fine harness, pleasure driving, roadster horse, hackney roadster, harness pony, equitation, three gaited, five gaited, pleasure and in hand. A nice horse is wonderful to ride or drive, whichever division suits it better.

I like to line and jog horses too. I feel secure in the bike or buggy.

You can see over the top of ponies but they're like little sports cars, very quick!

[Highstep]

I have been driving now going on 8 years. Starded with a NSH then a Saddlebred. Now I have moved on to Hackney ponys to drive. I am just now taking Saddle Seat lessons and have only been on about 10 times now. I love bolth. But driving a hot road pony is the Bomb. I own a Hackney Pony and my wife rides. But soon we will have our own Saddlebred to ride and drive.

[minny68]

I find both to be a lot of fun. I have been riding much longer then drivin, but we used to have Standardbred race horses and would condition them at home - working up to 20 miles per day jogging so we all got good at the driving thing pretty quick. I will only be showing in harness this coming year and I am really looking forward to it as it has been quite some time since I have had a harness horse.

[AlbertaSaddler]

I much prefer to ride! I've rode in a Chuckwagon behind four ex-track Thoroughbreds, and that was a rush, but since being in a wagon wreck on a hunting trip, I ride thank you very much :)

[Doc94]

I mainly ride and i drive sometimes at our barn just for fun but i do not show in driving, but i truley like riding and driving i would probably like driving more if i could drive roadster:D I've always wanted too and it looks so fun:p

[PBJ & P]

I totally agree with Princess Georgia in saying that driving helps the hands. And seriously, for anyone whose always wanted to drive a pony, go out and find a local barn that has them. They are an absolute BLAST!!!! I have ridden since I was four, but I think ponies definitely tug at my heart strings a bit more at times. Nothing against saddlebreds, I'll ride anything yo put me on (or anything that is ridable for that matter! goats, sheep, bulls, elephants, camels...waiting for the osterich though!).

[roseofwindhaven]

I have shown both in riding and driving classes. I ride English, Hunter, Western, and my favorite, bareback! I love the feel of a horse underneath me. The power and intelligence they have is felt and you are on top of the world. I have driven pleasure and road ponies. I hate it. I feel like I have no control. It is very unnatural. Hooking a horse to a cart that chases them. It's one of those things though that I have to do because now my Arabian cannot be ridden that much, and loves to drive. I also know how good of exercise it is for my horses. Jogging builds so much muscle and stamina. Oh well, I guess I will enjoy riding and then just exercise with driving when I have to.

[Goofy0805]

I really enjoy both! I have driven many horses but only once in a show. I mostly do riding though. I think I enjoy having the control when riding and being able to feel what the horse is doing or feeling. You really don't have that control with driving. In the show I drove in, my horse started rearing up and wouldn't go forward. There was nothing I could do since I was behind him. And it is hard to push the horse up if all you have are the reigns. But it is a rush. It's a much different experience and I will continue to ride and drive and love it all!:D