CARRIAGE DRIVING
The sport of Carriage Driving is one of the fastest growing equestrian sports in both Europe and America.
Carriage Driving has many different facets, you can break your child's pony that they have outgrown, and trot around the countryside for fun and relaxation or you can compete at different levels. The Horse & Carriage Society caters for the social and fun event side of driving and the competitive side falls under GHS. There are all types of competitions available but the most popular is the Combined Driving Trial. These trials are based on the ridden Three Phase event. and demands versatility of both the driver and the horses to compete in the three very different aspects of the competition, each with its own specific requirements.
Suppleness and obedience are required for dressage, whereas fitness and bravery are required to complete the grueling marathon. Finally the horses must prove that they have recovered from the marathon and that they have the stamina and obedience to finally compete in a complicated test of precision and timing on the cones course.
Dressage
The first phase of the competition is Dressage. This is driven to prescribed tests in an arena that measures 40 x 100 meters. The various different equipages, ranging from small section A ponies to large part bred Hackneys or Friesians compete in different classes that are set on size of the horse and whether it is a single, pair or four in hand (Team). A well-driven dressage test will show an even rhythmic test with accurate well-executed transitions. Marks are also awarded for the way in which the entire equipage is "turned out".
Marathon
The marathon or cross-country phase consists of several sections, all of which are timed. A compulsory trot and walk section may be included. The timing of each section is crucial, and a good groom or navigator will assist the driver by working out a timing schedule that will allow the horse to take it easy on some sections, reserving energy for the more taxing hazards. In the final section of the marathon there will be up to 8 " Hazards." These consist of either natural hazards such as dongas and trees or man made ones that are laid out with "gates" that are marked alphabetically. These gates are marked with red and white flags. You can actually see the more experienced horses looking for the red and white markers as they speed through the hazards.
Cones
On the final day of the competition drivers face a completely different challenge, the Cones. This is a test of precision and timing to demonstrate how well the horse has recovered from the stress of the marathon, both physically and mentally. The drivers wind their way through a course of tightly spaced pairs of cones, trying to keep within an allotted time. The cones are measured and the drivers only have 25cm clearance on their wheel width.
The sport of Carriage Driving is one of the fastest growing equestrian sports in both Europe and America.
Carriage Driving has many different facets, you can break your child's pony that they have outgrown, and trot around the countryside for fun and relaxation or you can compete at different levels. The Horse & Carriage Society caters for the social and fun event side of driving and the competitive side falls under GHS. There are all types of competitions available but the most popular is the Combined Driving Trial. These trials are based on the ridden Three Phase event. and demands versatility of both the driver and the horses to compete in the three very different aspects of the competition, each with its own specific requirements.
Suppleness and obedience are required for dressage, whereas fitness and bravery are required to complete the grueling marathon. Finally the horses must prove that they have recovered from the marathon and that they have the stamina and obedience to finally compete in a complicated test of precision and timing on the cones course.
Dressage
The first phase of the competition is Dressage. This is driven to prescribed tests in an arena that measures 40 x 100 meters. The various different equipages, ranging from small section A ponies to large part bred Hackneys or Friesians compete in different classes that are set on size of the horse and whether it is a single, pair or four in hand (Team). A well-driven dressage test will show an even rhythmic test with accurate well-executed transitions. Marks are also awarded for the way in which the entire equipage is "turned out".
Marathon
The marathon or cross-country phase consists of several sections, all of which are timed. A compulsory trot and walk section may be included. The timing of each section is crucial, and a good groom or navigator will assist the driver by working out a timing schedule that will allow the horse to take it easy on some sections, reserving energy for the more taxing hazards. In the final section of the marathon there will be up to 8 " Hazards." These consist of either natural hazards such as dongas and trees or man made ones that are laid out with "gates" that are marked alphabetically. These gates are marked with red and white flags. You can actually see the more experienced horses looking for the red and white markers as they speed through the hazards.
Cones
On the final day of the competition drivers face a completely different challenge, the Cones. This is a test of precision and timing to demonstrate how well the horse has recovered from the stress of the marathon, both physically and mentally. The drivers wind their way through a course of tightly spaced pairs of cones, trying to keep within an allotted time. The cones are measured and the drivers only have 25cm clearance on their wheel width.
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