Carriage Driving Looks Like Fun…How Do I Get Started?

Easiest Method – Learn First!

• Find experienced carriage drivers to mentor you.
  • Talk to competitors at the carriage shows (when they aren’t getting ready for a class)
    • Ask them about their horse and carriage and why they chose them
  • Join American Driving Society and the Carriage Association of America
    • Publications
    • Resources
  • Join a driving club in your area
  • Join Carriage Driving Facebook Groups
    • Beginning Carriage Driving
    • Carriage Driving Classifieds
    • Carriage Driving Online
    • CDE & Pleasure Driving
    • et al
  • Find an instructor
    • Look for someone who drives like you want to drive.
      • Draft and breed show drivers harness and drive differently than carriage drivers
    • Look for someone who drives at the level to which you aspire!
      • If you want to compete, find an instructor who competes themselves.
    • Even a couple of lessons can be extremely beneficial if you can’t schedule or afford consistent lessons
      • The instructor can start you safely and properly so you don’t develop unsafe, bad habits.
      • Drive their experienced horses so you know how it is supposed to feel.
    • Take the information from your trusted mentors to purchase safe & proper equipment
      • In carriage driving, You Get What You Pay For! (“Buy Quality, Cry Once”)

 More Independent Method

• Purchase a good book(s) (my favorites)
  • “Essential Guide to Carriage Driving” (I consider this Carriage Driving 101; available from us)
  • “On the Box Seat” (102 - available from us)
• Read through our article series here!