Disciplines - Driving

The sport has three phases, and is most similar to the mounted equestrian sport of eventing. It is one of the ten international equestrian sport horse disciplines recognized by the FEI.

Phase A1: Presentation
The judge grades on the turnout, safety, cleanliness, general condition and impression of the horses, tack, and vehicle, the matching of the horses or ponies, and the dress of the driver and groom(s). The judging is done at the halt. Pre-novice and novice drivers are judged primarily on safety and fit of the harness and vehicle and a three-phase or marathon vehicle and harness is acceptable. Presentation is judged on the move during the dressage test for more advanced drivers. Presentation carries a maximum of ten penalties.

• Driver, Grooms and Passengers: All persons should be clean and smartly dressed. The livery of the grooms should fit and match if there is more than one groom. The whip should be the correct length, based on the number of horses used. The driver and groom(s) should wear brown gloves, as well as a driving hat and the driver wears an apron.
• Horse(s): The horses should be clean and well-conditioned. If there are several horses, they should be of similar size and type (build), although the wheelers may be larger than the leaders. Matching color is secondary to matching type and size. Manes may or may not be braided, but should be level. Tails should not be braided.
• Harness: Should be "sound, clean, and fit correctly". Harness, if more than one horse is used, should match, although different bits may be used. The overall harness should also match. Martingales other than false martingales are not permitted. Harness straps should not be buckled on the last hole, so that adjustment may be made should a piece of harness break.
• Vehicle: carriage should be the correct size and weight for the horse, as should the height and length of the poles for pairs and fours. Lamps are required at the advanced level, but only required at the training, preliminary, and intermediate levels if the carriage has lamp brackets. A set of spares should be carried on the vehicle in case of emergency: a spare trace of the correct size, a rein splice, a hole punch and similar items are traditionally included. These may be inspected by the judge and the groom will be expected to know how to use them.
• General impression: judged on dress and position of driver and grooms, and suitability of horses and harness to the carriage.

Phase A2: Dressage
The dressage test is somewhat similar to dressage under saddle. The test is performed in a 40- by 80 or 40- by 100- meter arena with letter markers, where transitions in speed and gait are to take place. The judge scores each movement on a scale of 0-10, with a 10 being the highest mark possible. The difficulty of the test increases with each subsequent level of competition. At the lower levels, only one judge will normally be positioned at C (the centre of the short side of the arena) and the Test may have 16 movements. At higher levels, 3 judges may be used and at International competitions and World Championships there may be up to 5 judges, with the Championship Test having 25 movements. The judges' marks are averaged (added together and divided by the number of judges).

Dressage movements may include circles, figures of eight, and crossing the diagonal and all paces - walk, working trot, collected trot, extended trot, canter, a halt, and a rein back. Multiple horses are judged on ability to move in harmony and ideally will have similar conformation, action, and movement. Horses are to remain on the bit throughout the test, maintaining impulsion, elasticity, rhythm, and forward movement. The goal is to make the test look effortless, and an obedient and responsive horse is essential for a good dressage test.

Unlike a ridden dressage test, a driven test allows the use of the voice as an aid. At international level, dressage tests are prepared by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (F.E.I.) which is the governing body of competitive carriage driving.[1]

Phase B: Marathon
The marathon is similar to the second phase of eventing, the speed and endurance. It tests the fitness and stamina of the horses, as well as the driver's knowledge of pace, over a 10-22 km course, divided into 3 or 5 sections. The marathon is the most thrilling phase to watch, and often draws the largest crowds.

Section "E" of the marathon is similar to the cross-country phase of eventing. It has obstacles or "hazards" throughout the course to test the speed and agility of the horses, and the driving ability of the whip. Obstacles may include water, tight twists through trees or man-made obstacles, steep hills, or fences and pens. Drivers are scored on how quickly they can negotiate the obstacle, and must find the fastest route through each. Penalty points are given if too much time is spent in an obstacle, or if the team comes in off the optimum time for the whole course.

Phase C: Cones
The cones phase is a test of accuracy, speed and obedience, equivalent to the show jumping phase of eventing. Competitors walk the cones course before they drive it. The driver negotiates a course of up to 20 pairs of cones, each cone having a ball balanced on top. The cones are only a few centimeters wider than the wheels of the carriage, depending on the level of the class and the type of turnout (from 50 cm at the lower levels, to only 22 cm at the advanced singles level). Knocking over one or both of a pair of cones adds three penalties to the driver's score. There are also obstacles made of raised rails in a U or right angle, and a wooden bridge. The cones section is timed and going over the time set for the driver's class leads to penalties. Circling before an obstacle and refusals are also awarded penalty points.

The Team

• The driver or whip: The person who controls the horses and carriage through the use of the reins, whip and voice. The driver may speak to the horses at any time without penalty.
• The groom: The groom is indispensable to the driver who, for reasons of safety, must stay on the carriage to hold the reins and control the horses while they are hitched or put to the carriage. The groom sits on the carriage either beside or behind the driver for the dressage and cones phases and may stand on the back of the carriage for the marathon (and may stand in all phases in indoor driving trials). The groom, who must be able-boldied, helps the driver to hitch or put the horse to the carriage - and helps unhitch - can jump off the carriage to adjust the harness or to correct a problem if required to do so by the driver (although doing this while actually in the competition arena or in an obstacle is penalised). When the competitor is performing dressage and in the obstacle cones driving phases, the groom should not speak or assist the driver except in very specific circumstances. Normally all types of turnout carry one groom except four-in-hands which have two.
• The navigator: Navigating the course and obstacle routes on the marathon phase is an important part of the groom's job and usually, on a four-in-hand carriage, the navigator stands on the carriage immediately behind the driver and a second groom stands behind the navigator and has the task of keeping the carriage upright. The navigator reminds the driver where to go and usually keeps the time with a stopwatch or two: during the marathon phase and in the obstacles the grooms can speak and signal to the driver. A single groom combines navigating routes with timing and keeping the carriage balanced. The step or steps on the carriage behind the driver are called the backstep and the grooms are also called backsteppers.

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