Combined Driving
Combined driving is a Carriage Driving sport that involves one or more riders driving a carriage pulled by one or more horses, and undertaking three events. This sport is similar to Equestion Eventing.
Combined Driving consists of three stages:
1 Dressage: This stage takes place in 40 X 80m - 100m arena, with markers that indicate where transition in speed and gait should happen. Movements performed during dressage include figures of eight, circles, and crossing the diagonal. All paces, working trot, extended trot, collected trot, walk, canter, halt, and a rein back have to be used during movements. The goal for this stage is to make the movements look effortless.
2. Cross-country marathon: This phase is to test the fitness and stamina of horses and the appropriate pacing knowledge of the riders. The course used is 10 - 22km long which is divided into 3 or 5 sections, with each section requiring the horse to be driven at walk or trot. The final section of the marathon will consist of up to eight specially built obstacles.
3. Obstacle cone driving: This stage is a test for accuracy, speed and obedience. The competitors have to navigate through a course that consists of up to 20 cones. The course has to be completed both by walk and trot.
All three stages of the competition are judged based on various factors, and winners are decided based on the combined points for all three stages.
Similar Sports
- Eventing — riders compete in three types of races, dressage, cross-country and show jumping, in a single competition.
- Scurry Driving — ponies pull a carriage with two riders around a track.
- Chuckwagon Racing — a chuckwagon is pulled by four thoroughbred horses around a track.
- Harness Racing — horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a sulky.
- Pleasure Driving — a horse and carriage sport judged on a horse's manners, performance, quality and conformation.
- Skijøring — being pulled either by a dog, a horse or a motor-operated vehicle while on skis.
- Chariot Racing — horses pull along a driver riding a chariot (extinct sport).
- Horse Racing — equestrian sport that involves jockeys riding horses or being pulled along by horses.
Related Pages
- About Carriage Driving — sports in which horses or ponies are hitched to a wagon, carriage, cart or sleigh by means of a harness.
- Four-in-hand coach driving was an event at the 1900 Olympic Games.
- About other equestrian sports
- List of all sports involving horses
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
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