Driving A Horse With One Line…

[TBigLug]

Do my eyes decieve me or is this guy driving his horse with one line?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT-4_P1Kjsk

Talk about well trained! Risky too I would think.

What about you guys?

[john plowden]

One line from a loop that runs to each bit ring – A friend of mine from Canada uses one line like this … can’t remember what the term is – safe enough with both sides of the mouth in hand so to speak –
John

[TBigLug]

That makes more sense. I wasn’t paying attention to see it attached to each side. It makes sense, use voice commands for turning and the line for safety and whoa if they can’t hear over the trees. I guess that is a safe approach afterall.

[Joshua Kingsley]

I think that they call that a jerk line? I have never seen one used in person but have herd stories. It does look kinda neat though. Hummm should I try it ??? my old gelding would be the way I would try it he stops at the hint of WOHA. Thats what you get with a gelding pushing the same vintage as myself.
Neat topic.
Joshua

[Rod44]

Not their first day in the woods!!! Sure fun to watch.

[CharlyBonifaz]

Risky too I would think.

in todays traffic you wouldn’t want to use it (the reason it was forbidden about 100years ago in Germany);
but with logging I think it is ideal: no mixing up of lines, you don’t have to watch their length when you pick up again to go, you have one more hand to use, you can go instantly wherever your position behind the horse is; actually most of the horses worked like this, function by verbal command; this line is sort of an “attention” mode
yes, oxen can very well work like that too
thanks for the video, highly fascinating 😉

[simon lenihan]

our stallions and one of our mares work on the jerk line, this is common in europe, we find it alot safer working this way in tight situations. Joshua bet you would have your gelding going in one week, start in a wide open space where you can move to either side of the horse, once mastered move into the woods.
simon lenihan

[john plowden]

Simon – Is there a ring or roller for the single line or is it firmly attached at the center of the reins?
John

[Joshua Kingsley]

@simon lenihan 12089 wrote:

our stallions and one of our mares work on the jerk line, this is common in europe, we find it alot safer working this way in tight situations. Joshua bet you would have your gelding going in one week, start in a wide open space where you can move to either side of the horse, once mastered move into the woods.
simon lenihan

Simon,
I may have to give it a try after I bing him in from pasture. He has had a vacation for the last few months as I try to heal. How would I set up the line? Do I use one of my team lines so I have one in my hand and hook into both sides into the bridle?
Thanks, Josh

[Lingodog13]

The book Farming With Horses by Steve Bowers has some good pictures and decent explanation of driving with a single or jerk line.

[simon lenihan]

john / josh, your standard lines will not do, the german and french collars are designed for the jerk line set up, i will send some pics to carl to post, you will see from these how it works. A line goes from bit to bit which comes back roughly as far as the horses withers, this has a ring on which can slide up and down the rope, the single line is connected to this ring and can be what ever length you want. Slide the ring to the left give one jerk with the command to go left, slide it to the right and give several short jerks with the command to go right. You will notice on the collars shown that the single line comes through a ring on top of the collar on the right hand side standing behind the horse and through a hame ring lower down on the left hand side again standing behind the horse, this raises the line off of the horses back and allows you to have full control.
simon lenihan

[simon lenihan]

belgian ardenners with jerk line set up.
simon lenihan

[john plowden]

Simon – Thank you – I think I’ll give it a whirl –
John

[Scott G]

I have heard about using a jerk line and had a picture in my mind how they might work. This is the first time I’ve actually seen one used though. Not aware of anybody in my area that uses one.

There could definitely be some application in the forestry world. Especially in the tight, steep, & nasty.

One question I have though; I am all about soft mouths and feeling the contact and pressure with any horse I’m working with. Do you lose any of that “connection” with a jerk line?

Cool thing about horses & forestry; there is something new to learn everyday no matter how long you’ve been it.

BTW, its dumping here. “They” say we’re in for about 2 feet and 40mph winds…

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