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Chariot Class Rant (  Posted 21 September 2009 - 01:47 PM)

I love the roman chariot class at AMHR Nationals. It is definitely my favorite. My old mare, Tippy, definitely agrees with me. (For those who don't know Tippy is 18 years old and still competing.)

I work very hard at making sure my horse is comfortable and happy showing in this class. My chariot has been custom made for Tippy and is balanced so that the shafts are neutral. I stand over the axle to keep the shafts neutral. Tippy has a custom chariot harness as well. It is a chimicum sport harness with a sliding backband and freedom collar. It has breeching and no check.

I am not trying to pick on anyone... but i was saddened watching horses in chariot this year who were not correctly or considerately attired. It hurt me to watch some of them try to compete. Here are some suggestions and observations.

1. PLEASE do not use a check and martingale in chariot. It is not fair to expect the horse to pull such a big vehicle at high speed with his head checked up sky high. I noticed that in both open and ammy tippy was the only horse with no check. Some horses had very tight checks! A check is not required in the rules for chariot.

2. Chariots are heavy clumsy vehicles- don't expect your horse to pull and stop (more on this in my next point) one in a refined, decorative show harness.
Use something sturdier, wider, and more comfortable than your show harness. I saw one other person in the class with a wide breast collar, but the majority of my competition has on show harnesses.

3. PLEASE Use breeching. I know this is nationals and show people have an aversion to breeching but... IF the class is called correctly (which this year in open is the first time i have ever seen this happen) it calls for a GALLOP to WALK transition. Think about a horse having to stop a chariot from a gallop on his back. Not one other person in the class had breeching, most had their harnesses tied down hard to shaft stops.

4. BALANCE your chariot. read articles on cart balance. a chariot is not a show cart pulled around a graded surface at a merry trot. Balance matters here.

5. Do NOT stand in the nose of the chariot, in front of the axle. Stand above the axle in the chariot, not forward of it. Standing in front of the axle puts all your weight down onto the back of the horse.

6. Chariot rules are not the same as show ring driving rules. Note that in addition to not requiring a check, chariot rules also allow shoes, boots, and draft harness bits.

ok off my soapbox now.
flame away

2011 AMHR Chariot Races - Parade Lap and 1st Heat

I attended the Nationals and this year on Friday night "real chariots" races were held.

Before you watch these: CAUTION. Driving Chariots is dangerous.

• Do not try this without have many hours of driving experience.
• Make sure your horse is well trained so you can control him during the excitement of the contest
• Carefully inspect and make sure everything on your chariot is in good shape (During one chariot class, a driver's chariot broke where the shaft attaches to the chariot. Luckily the driver was able to stop the horse before the shaft dug into the ground and could flip the chariot.)
• Practice the proper gaits and enter the driving classes before you even consider entering a chariot race.

Parade Lap and First Heat
More heats after I get them processed. Also will list winners.

AMHR Chariot Racing, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Heats

Second heat:

I was talking with an AMHR member who remembers back when the chariot classes were first put in the rulebook. According to my source, it was in 1994, and racing was one of the classes.

The rules for the races were explained, but now even the AMHR does not have a copy.

Does ANYONE have a copy they can send to me??

Third Heat

Fourth Heat

Final Heats and Winners

After three heats all six competitors were called back into the ring. Everyone assumed winners would be announced...not so...

Seems there was a tie and a run off was necessary.

And now for the placings in the chariot race.

299 - Single Roman Chariot Race, 38"& Under NR
Entries that placed:
Entry	Place	Horse	Owner	Rider	Trainer
874	1	MY TINY HOOVES BOSS'S TINY TATTOO	MEHARRY, MELISSA	MEHARRY, MELISSA	MEHARRY, MELISSA
1556	2	PAINTED DESERT MACHOS ANGELINA	ANDERSON, RAYMOND	PRICE, KALA	ANDERSON, RAYMOND
868	3	KFME MAGIC	KUCZER, ERICA	KUCZER, ERICA	KUCZER, LINDA
1156	4	WALL STREET BETTY BOOP'S BILLY ED	STRASSLE, MIKE/LISA	STRASSLE, MIKE	STRASSLE, MIKE/LISA
882	5	LIL PROMISES REGAL DANDY BOY	STEP, BO/BARB/BECKY	STEP, BO	STEP, BO/BARB/BECKY
873	6	KFME BUGLE BOY BILLY	KUCZER, CHASITY	KUCZER, LINDA	KUCZER, LINDA
885	7	FRICHNICK'S WALK IN THE CLOUDS	STEP, BO/BARB/BECKY	STEP, BO	STEP, BO/BARB/BECKY
659	8	CAREYS KUEL MICRO DUDE	BRUTON, DENI	BRUTON, DENI	NAPIER, DANNY/DONNA

2011 AMHR - Amateur Roman Chariot Winners

105 - Amateur Roman Chariot, 38" & Under (15141)
Entries that placed:
Entry	Place	Horse	Owner
1156	1	WALL STREET BETTY BOOP'S BILLY ED	STRASSLE, MIKE/LISA
874	2	MY TINY HOOVES BOSS'S TINY TATTOO	MEHARRY, MELISSA
1556	3	PAINTED DESERT MACHOS ANGELINA	ANDERSON, RAYMOND
882	4	LIL PROMISES REGAL DANDY BOY	STEP, BO/BARB/BECKY
696	5	GRAHAMS CHORUS GIRL	FOX, ALYSSA
659	6	CAREYS KUEL MICRO DUDE	BRUTON, DENI

This year was a large class compared to previous years. Perhaps chariots are catching on. There was a seventh entry, but unfortunately they scratched because their horse pulled up lame just last week. Too bad, it would have been nice to see them again.

Sandy Beach Loves Kids

Sandy has spent the summer playing best friend to most of the girls in an Amish family. Talk about a kid friend mini, below you see the girls hitching you the cart. The younger brother is supervising, after all he's three and must take charge.

After hitching her up they start off for a ride, four little girls with the seven year old taking command.

While there is video, just thought I would add one more photo of Sandy being ridden as well.

Read more about Toad Hill's Sandy Beach by clicking on her name above.
Sandy has never been exposed to a stallion, she is just a sweet little horse that I have kept since she was born on the farm.

Time to Get the Team Home for Winter

Toad Hill's Lincoln Award and Toad Hill's Baldrige Award are half brothers born within two weeks of each other. Their sire is Toad Hill's Rust Spot.
As luck would have it they are pretty close to a perfectly matched pair of sorrel pintos with blue eyes.

Yesterday I drove down to Arthur to bring the team back for the winter and try a little work with them myself.

That's Daniel, my expert 12 year old trainer. He has done all the work with the team since they were two year olds and next year if that chariot is ever completed we should have them ready for show.
This pair will ground tie while in harness and are working towards moving in a synchronized manner.

Wendy Steerman went with use to pick up the horses, and she could not wait until it was her turn to ride in the breaking chariot. Knowing Wendy, she probably will want one of her own by next year.

Lincoln and Baldrige are now working as a team for carriage rides up in Wilmington, IL.