Hello,
I am interested in training my Arabian to drive, but I want to pick a discipline that will allow us to show on the Breed Circuit. They list the class as “Open Pleasure Driving”
Could anyone please explain what kind of driving that is, and what the basic rules are? Is it a two-wheeled cart class? Is it judged on action like a Park class?
I am strictly interested in the Arabian Breed Show side of things, they often have odd names for very specific classes.
There are three or four driving classes that are on most present-day prizelists at arabian shows - Country Pleasure Driving, Pleasure Driving, and a few shows offer carriage driving. Oh, and Informal Combination, where they are shown both under saddle and driven. The names for driving classes are really not that odd. It makes perfect sense - the same horse who competes as a country english pleasure horse (least amount of motion, most amount of manners) would show in the corresponding driving class. The english pleasure horse (more motion, less manners) likewise. Check out the rulebook here for class specs and rules:
http://www.usef.org/documents/ruleBook/2009/05-AR.pdf
That said, if your horse doesn’t have a considerable amount of motion, I really would not waste your time showing in country or pleasure driving except possibly locally, and maybe Class A, unless you’re just doing it for experience. Carriage driving might be a better option if you have a horse that doesn’t have a lot of motion.
For an idea of what is competitive in the driving divisions, Nationals was just last week, and here’s the open Pleasure Driving class (photog’s site):
http://www.ferraraphoto.com/2008USN/0117/index.htm
And the country pleasure driving open:
http://www.ferraraphoto.com/2008USN/0131/index.htm
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks, that does help.
He doesn’t have a lot of movement…he’s definitely not a Country English Pleasure type, and I’m not padding him or doing any of the elastics/chains stuff. He has traditional Arabian movement, more extension, less knee. He scored ok on his trot in halter, but he was up against padded, older horses.
I was thinking about driving for him though, firstly because he seems to kind of enjoy ground driving (I realize that isn’t the same), and I want to do something with him while I wait for him to be old enough to jump. He’d be three this year, so a light cart isn’t out of the question. Second reason is that most of the driving classes in our region have no other entrants. Heh. Yeah, I like entering classes alone and winning trophies :lol: I’m a ribbon-ho.
More questions, it looks like people wear their saddleseat outfits for driving. Can you just dress nicely, the way you do for draft horse driving? The harnesses look fairly simple, plain leather and maybe a nice browband…you don’t see parade tack the way drafts have? Is there cantering in a driving class? I’m not wild about training a lot of arena work at the canter yet…especially with a load. He does some, but I’d rather stick to something in the walk-trot genre. We are also doing native costume, but galloping around doesn’t really take much training :winkgrin:
I would (obviously) continue to work with a driving instructor, but the one I have doesn’t show Arabians…they are all drafts. I just want to get an idea what is involved from the Arab-specific standpoint.
Arabians show fine harness style like Saddlebreds, which means a lot of patent leather and shoestring-thin harnesses. Definitely no nickel spots or full hames here! :eek:
It’s a good idea for any driving horse to be familiar with cantering in harness so they don’t panic if they do it by accident someday but no, ring classes are only going to have walk, trot and probably some variety of trot-on. Driving is a great activity for a young horse as it doesn’t stress their joints and back the way the weight of a rider will. Good for you for looking into it!
From the way you’ve described your colt I’d aim him for the carriage driving classes. That’s going to be more like a draft class with Meadowbrook-type carts, more substantial and comfortable harnesses and emphasis on manners over style. You can also wear normal dress-up type clothes in that class like slacks or a skirt and a nice sweater or blazer rather than saddleseat attire.
Leia
For Pleasure Driving and Country Pleasure Driving, saddle suits are appropriate. Ladies often wear nice clothes – pant suits, nice dresses.
For gaits for PD and CPD think ‘saddlebred’. Not entirely true but more so than not.
The main thing is you wear something that you can GET OUT OF THE CART in a hurry.
For carriage driving you can look at the Combined Driving Event websites. Most wear an apron on over their nice clothes. Men often wear top hats or other nice hat. Ladies usually wear a ‘sun’ hat.
Thanks guys, this was really helpful! I’m off to google “Meadowbrook” cart and see if I can get my partner to make me one…:lol: I had him all sold to make an easy-entry cart, we’ll see how he feels about this kind!
If we end up pursuing this, I’ll be sure and post some embarassing photos of the training process 
RG–
It sounds like you really want to do the Sport Horse driving which is carriage driving ADS rules. You need a hat, apron, gloves, and whip. The cart is usually a nice wooden road cart. I cannot urge you enough to stay away from a meadowbrooke cart. In this particular class, the gerald carts or roadster 4 wheel vehicles are not appropriate.
You can get away with a nice jacket and blouse with black pants under your apron. I usually wear my ariats for shoes. I have worn a flat pump but like a more horsey type footwear.
You can find jackets and blouses at thrift stores really cheap. Most of jackets have run less than 10 bucks. Blouses for a couple of bucks. A hat is more difficult to find and a bit more expensive. You might get lucky and find one at a thrift store. No cheap straw color hats nor would I recommend a red hat from Walmart. An apron is not hard to make if you can sew. It needs to be empire waist and long enough to hit the top of your footwhen you sit. It must wrap around you enough so you sit on it. Velcro waist band enclosure.
If you are going to build an outfit, start with the hat and go from there. It is the most difficult item to find.
My horses compete in CDE and Competitive Trail Driving. They are flat movers compared to those I saw in the photos. I have wanted to do the carriage driving but it seems that the local A shows are always on a CDE weekend. I drive Arabians also. If you click on my link in my signature you can see my horses in CDEs and some pleasure shows.
Your harness should be a full harness with breeching and a breast plate as opposed to a fine harness as seen in those photos or collar as in draft/
Goodluck.
Is that what is in your album? With the white horse and wooden cart? If so, that’s exactly what my horse moves like
I was thinking the breastplate/britchen harness, so that’s good…at least I know how to put that type on! Bonus! Do you have to use blinders? I can get him used to them, but he has pretty eyes :lol:
Also, in your album (I feel like I am spying, but it’s in your signature, so it must be ok, right?) the wooden cart is what I thought Meadowbrook carts were. I am still at the stage where I don’t understand all the equipment…much like how I used to think all English saddles looked virtually the same.
http://www.nikkisponyexpress.net/Project14.jpg
Here’s some photos of the little guy, if seeing him brings up any more results…I don’t have many pictures of him moving, he is a little too lovey at liberty.:rolleyes:
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=wgu58o&s=4
I really have no pictures of him…
Video, turn the sound off if you watch it, something is messed up. He is being SUPER lazy here, I’m trying to stay with him, it was our first-ever show.
http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=rw70bb&s=4
You experience level is unclear, before you go investing in equipment and such head to a Saddlebred, Morgan or Arabian training barn that gives driving lessons and see if you like driving a single light show horse. It is different from driving drafts and from driving carriage driving horses. With driving the show breeds you use two hands on the reins and have a firm contact, and there are many things to learn in working the bridle to get the most out of your horse, and at the same time you have to carry and use your whip as your whip is your legs and seat, the thing that keeps the horse working to the bridle, some people have a hard time getting a hang of it. You may like the picture of it, but you may hate actually doing it.
You must use a bridle with blinkers in all Arabian breed show ring driving classes. In Pleasure Driving or Country Pleasure riving you must use a snaffle bit with a running martingale and an overcheck or sidecheck, whereas in carriage driving you may use a snaffle or liverpool or other appropriate tradional driving bit, but no martingales or checks unless they are appropriate to the vehicle you are driving.
before you go investing in equipment and such head to a Saddlebred, Morgan or Arabian training barn that gives driving lessons and see if you like driving a single light show horse. It is different from driving drafts and from driving carriage driving horses. With driving the show breeds you use two hands on the reins and have a firm contact, and there are many things to learn in working the bridle to get the most out of your horse, and at the same time you have to carry and use your whip as your whip is your legs and seat, the thing that keeps the horse working to the bridle,
I won’t be investing in any equipment until I have a better idea what is involved. 
It is different from driving drafts (only driving I have done so far) so I wanted some more information before I pursued it.
Two hands on the reins with contact, working to the bridle, using the whip, those are all components of ground driving that we use to prepare the horse for under saddle work. It isn’t a completely foreign concept, and it is used in training show drafts as well ETA: I am taking lessons, and my instructor has done Morgan driving, I’ve just never even watched an Arabian driving class, so I wanted the breed-specific info, pretty much to report back to my instructor on what we need to do. I think I want to get out of the draft thing altogether, because my mare really hates driving.
[QUOTE=rugbygirl;3612250]
Here’s some photos of the little guy, if seeing him brings up any more results…I don’t have many pictures of him moving, he is a little too lovey at liberty.:rolleyes:
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=wgu58o&s=4
I really have no pictures of him…
Video, turn the sound off if you watch it, something is messed up. He is being SUPER lazy here, I’m trying to stay with him, it was our first-ever show.
http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=rw70bb&s=4[/QUOTE]
Striking colors on him. Goodlooking boy.
The cart you see in my photo album is a local carriage maker;s version of a country road cart. I am told I could never show with it at Walnut Hill as it is not a true road cart nor is it a true meadowbrooke. Mine is a front easy entry road cart.
Here is what a meadowbrooke looks like.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.liveryone.net/MeadowBrook_Cart.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.liveryone.net/meadowbrook_cart.shtml&h=253&w=355&sz=74&tbnid=qCbelTZBwfcJ::&tbnh=86&tbnw=121&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dphoto%2Bof%2Bmeadowbrooke%2Bcart&usg=__73Y4Kws2hHWvF184qh0QLq7noDk=&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=2&ct=image&cd=1
A meadowbrooke generally has two curved fenders above the wooden wheels. You also have to enter from the back , fold down the seat and sit down. You are literally riding in a box. I am a bit too claustrophobic to ride in one. I want a way out. They tend to be very heavy carts. Some folks get them with flexishafts–it puts a bounce in the cart–can’t imagine how it feels to the horse alll that bouncing on its back.
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