How do you get precision, pizzazz and pageantry all in one horse event? Just try a combined driving event (CDE)! This “extreme sport” of the carriage driving world is quickly gaining in popularity throughout the country.

Combined Driving was the brainchild of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Phillip of Great Britain). It was developed in the early 1970s in order to create a standardized driving competition across Europe. Combined driving is modeled after three-day eventing and includes three phases; Section A - Dressage, Section B - Marathon (cross country), and Section C – Obstacle Driving (cones course). Penalty points are given for each competition, and these are added together to create the final score, with the lowest score being the winner.

In the DVD Combined Driving 101 with Muffy Seaton, the three phases are explained this way: The dressage test is a prescribed pattern that is driven from memory in an arena. It tests the obedience and paces of the horse and the accuracy and ability of the driver. The marathon is a three to five section cross-country phase that is typically eight to 13 km long in the lower levels and includes hazards (obstacles) that must be negotiated in a specific order. It tests the fitness, agility and obedience of the horse as well as the horsemanship, judgment and ability of the driver. The cones phase includes 20 sets of cones with balls on top that are spaced at a prescribed width. This tests the responsiveness and obedience of the horse as well as the accuracy of the driver.

There are four divisions of competition: Training, Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced. These are broken down further by size for each level: Very Small Equine (VSE) (under 99 cm), Pony (may be divided into large and small pony), and Horse (over 148 cm without shoes or over 149 cm with shoes). The classes are divided again as Single, Pair, Tandem or Four-In-Hand.

Some beginner-friendly events may even offer a Limit class that is open only to horse and driver combinations that are not yet eligible to move up to Preliminary Division. Putting it all together, the entry for a first-time entrant might read: Training Level, Single Horse, Limit class.

The Training division is designed for drivers and/or horses who are new to the sport. The dressage test requires basic movements; it offers the shortest marathon and only letters A-C (also called gates) are used in the hazards. In cones, the wheel-width distance is the widest offered (40 cm plus carriage track width for horses and ponies; 35 cm plus track width for VSE. Tandems and four-in-hands are given an additional 10 cm clearance.)

“We are very fortunate to have the range of levels that we do,” explained Muffy Seaton, American Driving Society (ADS) Judge and internationally-known driver of pairs and four-in-hands from Williston, SC. “In Europe, there is no progression of levels the way we have it in the U.S. beginner competitors are expected to perform collected and extended movements in the most basic dressage tests. They’re essentially asking a beginner to perform an advanced level test.”

Get Involved to Learn More

“The best way to learn about a CDE is to be around people who do it; be a volunteer at an event, help a competitor when they compete or just go watch,” explains Marcie Quist of Vass, NC, advanced level driver, ADS judge and technical delegate. “It is virtually impossible to read the rule book and learn exactly what you need to do. Plus many of the rules don’t make sense until you put it all together.”

Seaton echoed those sentiments. “There are a lot of rules and it’s overwhelming to just read the rule book,” she explained. “But like any game, if you don’t know the rules, you won’t have fun. And if you don’t know what’s the wrong thing to do, you will do something wrong,” she said, adding that most competitors have been eliminated from an event for doing something wrong or making an ignorant mistake.

“Mentoring with someone is one of the best ways to learn,” said Quist, who teamed up with Craig Kellogg, nationally-known driving clinician and judge, early in her driving career. Under his tutelage, she went from beginner to advanced level competitor in just a few short years. “When you work closely with someone, you get lots of hands-on involvement that helps you develop a thorough understanding of the entire process both at home and at the event.”

Another way to learn is to enter competitions such as arena driving trials or horse driving trials, which are condensed versions of a CDE. These are typically one-day competitions that often cater to the beginner. They are an excellent way to gain hands-on experience with your horse and become familiar with the different phases of a CDE.

“One day events can be a good place to start, and they cost less,” explained Quist. “The downside is there’s not much time to talk and visit with the more experienced drivers, and this is where a lot of knowledge can be gained. Low-level competitors need just as much time to process the hazards and cones courses as experienced drivers so, for some people, it can be a lot to absorb in one day.”

Training and Conditioning

The marathon phase of a CDE can be long and quite taxing on a horse. Some events have deep sand or steep hills, which makes it even more challenging for the horse.

“It is important to be realistic about what the horse is capable of doing and give him plenty of time to build his fitness,” explained Seaton. “If the horse has an issue like heaves or has to pull the weight of a large driver and navigator, be sure to consider how that will impact the horse.”

There is always a vet check following the initial trot and walk sections of the marathon. If the horse does not meet the recovery targets that the veterinarian is expecting, the horse can be pulled from the competition and not allowed to complete the final hazard section.

“Building the horse’s cardio ability takes a few months. However, building the horse’s strength can take a few years,” explained Quist. “Strength helps the horse make flowing transitions in the dressage test and helps him to get through the hazards where he has to pull, stop, turn and pull again over and over.”

Going up and down hills or driving through sand are excellent ways to help build strength, Quist explained. She also emphasized that it’s important to change the training routine, being sure to include days that are fun for the horse and seem more like play than serious training.

“The real key to doing well in a CDE is getting the horse ready for dressage,” said Quist. “Dressage teaches discipline and when the horse has discipline, everything gets better and is more fun. If the horse can do a good dressage test, he will do better in hazards and cones too.”

In addition, competitors with the lowest dressage scores often have an advantage when going into cones and hazards because it is easier to maintain the lead established by a low score than to make up points in the hazards or cones.

It is also important to practice turning in hazards and negotiating cones. If you don’t have access to hazards, use trees, shrubs, fence posts, or other objects that are readily available and safe. And don’t worry if you don’t have the official CDE cones; traffic cones work just as well and can be purchased at most any hardware store.

“When entering a CDE, be in it to train for the next show, not to win the one you’re at,” advises Seaton. “If you go with that in mind, it will be a much more pleasurable experience.”

Finding CDEs

Information about upcoming CDEs can be found online at the American Driving Society (ADS) website (www.americandrivingsociety.org) by clicking on the Omnibus tab. A printed omnibus is also mailed twice a year to ADS members. The event listing includes details such as who the officials will be, entry fees and deadlines, what dressage tests will be used, etc. Most events use the standard ADS entry form which is available online or inserted in the printed omnibus.

The ADS website also includes a wealth of information about carriage driving, including a list of clubs throughout the country, the official rule book, educational resources, dressage tests, and much more.

Suggested Resources:

• American Driving Society Rule Book, www.americandrivingsociety.org

• Combined Driving 101 with Muffy Seaton DVD by Drive On! Productions

• Navigating 101 DVD by Drive On! Productions

• CAA Guide to Carriage Turnout and Appointments, a Standard Reference for Traditional Drivers, www.caaonline.com, Carriage Association of America

• Driven Dressage with the Single Horse by Sandy Rabinowitz

About the Author:

Rebecca Gutierrez began driving Miniature Horses in 1998 and now competes in CDEs at the Preliminary level with her Morgan horse. She resides in Roswell, NM and often travels to CDEs throughout the country.