| Author | Message | ||
     Steph Richards |
I actually think we may have been one of the last to use a two wheeler in action as it were, we competed with a bennington backstep and actually held our own against many four wheelers, we came second in the club events at sandringham two yrs in a row and were able to compete against others( the limiting factor was always our dressage scores which had nothing to do with the number of wheels ! ) We used it again last year at a club event when the four whheler we used needed some attention, and if we hadnt got totally lost in one obstacle we would have done well again, what we did find is the Pony seemed to use the fixed shafts as a support which helped her to keep her feet, and she took some time to adjust to the free movement of the four wheeler. As for transport the point is well made we did manage to get the pony and the carriage all into a trailer. | ||
| Jane Wilson |
You make an interesting point Emma but my personal goal has always been to drive a line that doen't put my "bumpers" or "post stoppers" anywhere near a post! I know there are those who think that unless the carriage is scraping round/off each post you're not driving the right line fast enough but I think if you were constantly transmitting the resultant jar to your horse's/pony's shoulders they would soon get sick of the job. Also, I think you can add as many safety features as you like but they won't get you out of trouble if you drive badly (I'm using the royal "you" here - I don't mean "you" personally!). Most new drivers learn the hard way that the shortest route isn't always the fastest regardless of whether you drive a two or a four wheeled carriage. I think however that you do have extra options in a four wheeler as you are effectively articulated! | ||
| Emma Burton |
But does four wheels, brakes and all the extras that come with the recent carriages make better drivers? I've seen some superbly driven 2 wheelers at club level that knock spots off the more stable 4 ones, my biggest concern is that obstacles may be built more challenging because they expect all drivers to have similar vehicles? As a relative newcomer to driving competitions its interesting to see how the carriages have changed over the last years, there are so many safety features now that mean less accidents. Having an older one myself i'm always aware that I can't take the chances I could if I had some of the bumpers and 'post stoppers' that the top carriages have :o) Nothing wrong in improving safety though, thats what knowledge gives us. But i'd really love to see a class of the top drivers showing their skills in a two wheeler only section!! | ||
| Jane Wilson |
You couldn't pay me to go back to a two wheeler! There was an old video we used to show at social gatherings which was a collection of accidents at driving events in the 80's and 90's and which made very salutory viewing! A lot of tip ups occurred because the backstepper was in the wrong place but most were due to driver error. I agree that if you have a young horse who is apt to reverse when challenged, then a two wheeler will be safer than a four, as when a four wheeler keeps getting pushed backwards there comes a point when the only place left to go is over. However, I could be quite wrong but I suspect that if anyone has the stats to hand, there have been far fewer tip-overs since the advent of four wheelers. Or perhaps we've all just learned to be better drivers? It would make for interesting research! | ||
| Skipples |
Hi, I have just checked the rules and it apears that while 2 wheelers were not allowed for singles, they have been recently reinstated. People do still use them, but mostly at the lower levels...as a four wheeler allows tighter turns and gives an advantage in tight obstacles. And yes, I totally agree that novices (people and horses!) should learn with a two wheeler as it is harder to tip a two wheeler - and there are the other benefits of learning to actually drive the carriage as David mentioned. However once you get onto hills such as there are in several obstacles, turning a two wheeler becomes much easier. In terms of safety, with an experienced driver, I think its swings and roundabouts. | ||
| David Stafford |
I must admit firstly that I was under the impression that two wheeled vehicles were no longer allowed on the marathon, but I am obviously wrong!! From a personal point of view I do think that driving young horses in a two wheeler first is better for their education. I also think that novice drivers would also benefit from driving a two wheeler on the marathon as they learn how to 'put the horse in the right spot' when driving hazards before progressing to a four wheeler. | ||
| Christopher Priestley |
Do people still use two wheelers on marathons? I haven't seen one for ages. Yes they are still legal under the BHDTA rules. I suspect the one of the motivations behind the move to four wheelers is safety. Bur I wonder if there are situations where a *good* two wheeler is safer, such as having an inexperienced backstepper??? Also, in an age of rising transport costs, the more transport friendly two wheeler has a good business case. I wonder if this might lead to a revival? Any thoughts? |