What equipment do you need to start ground driving a horse?

Setting up correctly for ground driving is important both for safety and for the effectiveness of the training. The equipment required is simple but must be properly fitted and of adequate quality to give the handler reliable control and the horse a clear, comfortable experience. The reins themselves are the most critical piece of equipment. Ground driving reins, also called long lines, should be at least twenty feet long — longer is often better, particularly when working the horse at a distance or asking for canter. They need to be strong enough not to break under pressure but light enough that the handler can feel subtle changes in the horse's mouth or nose through them. Cotton, biothane, and soft leather are all good options. Bungee or elastic reins are used by some trainers to reduce harshness on a sensitive mouth, though many trainers prefer non-elastic lines for clearer communication. For a horse being introduced to ground driving for the first time, a halter is an acceptable starting point because it removes bit pressure from the equation and allows the horse to learn the concept of rein guidance without the added sensitivity of a bit in his mouth. As training advances, working with a snaffle bit in a bridle is preferable because it more closely simulates the contact the horse will later feel from a rider's hands or a carriage driver's lines. A surcingle — a wide band that fastens around the horse's barrel with rings at multiple heights — is extremely useful for routing the reins. Passing the reins through the surcingle rings at the appropriate height keeps them from falling below the horse's hocks, where they could cause a dangerous entanglement, and creates a rein angle that more closely simulates what a driver or rider would produce. Some trainers use a saddle with the stirrups tied together under the horse's belly instead of a surcingle, which works well for horses already familiar with saddle work. Protective boots on all four legs are strongly recommended, particularly when beginning work, as a horse unaccustomed to the reins running along his sides and hindquarters may kick out, and the boots reduce the risk of self-inflicted injury.