Driving
Until the motorcar was devised and until it became a widespread phenomenon, horse drawn carriages were the primary form of transport. In some areas across the world including New Jersey and Guernsey they are still a vital asset to the areas day to day functioning. The towns are so small, other forms of transport are simply not appropriate and not only does it help to uphold local tradition, but it’s a great tourist attraction!
Horse drawn carriages are also a popular mode of transport to events such as weddings, funerals and parties and many people have set up businesses both to cater for this, and simply as a entertainment system for those that want a ‘sunset drive’ or a romantic journey.

Scurry Driving
Not all driving is down to transport, tradition and tourists however. Almost everyone who follows horse culture will immediately think of ‘scurry driving’ when the word is mentioned, as it is by far the most exciting, fun and interesting form of carriage pulling.
Its full name is ‘Double Harness Scurry Driving’ which would therefore suggest there is more than one. There are in fact two ponies pulling the cart, their aim being to get through and around the specified obstacles in record time. Ponies will therefore be seen at a full gallop weaving around a number of different blockages between themselves and the finishing line.
Carriages can be no more than 130cm wide because the distances between the obstacles they must get through are at a minimum of 170cm wide. One person will sit at the front of the carriage to control the ponies, as with normal driving. The second person will stand in a designated area in the back of the cart to balance to journey. These individuals will be seen to be leaning to one side depending on which direction the ponies are headed so as to prevent the cart from toppling over.
For more information on scurry driving, how you can get involved and for shows near you, please click here.

The Driving Harness
The average driver using a single cart has to use a certain set of tack in order to be properly safe and for the horse to be comfortable.
The bridle is the same style as any regular English bridle. The difference is the bit, known as a ‘liverpool’. It has a straight bar mouth piece and at either end is a circle (like a snaffle) but with an additional piece of metal that hangs down in a straight line, known as a ‘cheek piece’. These cheek pieces are punctured with holes at regular intervals that the reins are attached to. The further down the cheek piece the reins are attached, the stronger the bridle is. Furthermore, the bit also has a curb chain for added effect. In this way the liverpool is a similar piece of equipment to the dutch gag. A less popular driving bit is known as a wilson and is the same design as a loose ring snaffle, but with two rings instead of one.
Additionally, the bridle has a pair of blinkers on it that cover the eyes. Due to the fact that horses’ eyes are on the side of its head, its primary focus of vision is behind and to the side, with slightly more limited vision to the front. Blinkers therefore cover the backward and sideward vision to prevent the horse from spooking while in a harness and cart, something that could be potentially disastrous. The restriction in sight also means a horse is more vulnerable so it puts more of its faith into the hands of the driver, allowing them to guide them.
Below the ears on the brow band are two brass rings. Traditionally, these served as an attachment for the bearing reins, a device used to bring up the horses head in a way that was deemed fashionable at the time. The novel ‘Black Beauty’ by Anna Sewell describes the use of these, and it is thanks to this book that they stopped being used so frequently. They are considered inhumane, cruel and damaging to a horse, particularly to the neck, so now they are only ever seen in show rings for displays.
Around the horses neck and shoulders is placed a collar. In the old days, when a horse changed hands through a dealership or the new owners were unsure whether the horse was able to pull a cart, the collar was the way they solved the mystery. The collar would be held out in front of the horse and if it put its head through without encouragement, then that was considered confirmation that the horse knew how to drive. On either side of the collar near the top of the shoulders are two rings that the reins are passed through. Collars are not seen quite so frequently nowadays because there is a particular art and skill to making them. Heavy, working horses and show horses such as Shires will usually wear them, whereas those doing lighter work tend to wear a breast harness instead that serves the same purpose.
A false martingale is then attached to the collar or breastplate and goes between the front legs to attach to the girth of the saddle to secure the entire shoulder harness in place.
The ‘saddle’ is actually known as a ‘driving pad’, but sits in a similar fashion to a regular English saddle. At the top of the pad are two brass rings for the reins, and further down, two loops for the shafts (to attach the horse to the cart). These loops are known as ‘tugs’.
Attached to the back of the pad is a strap that extends all the way back to be looped around the horse’s tail, known as a ‘crupper’. This strap prevents the pad from sliding forward and balances the rest of the harness.
Falling from either side of the horses rump is a set of harness known as the ‘breaching’. This falls all around the back end of the horse and stops just above the hock. These are attached to the shafts, so that when the horse stops, the straps brace against the back of the legs and stop the cart, preventing it from running into the back of the horse. The breaching is like a set of brakes for the cart itself.