About Driving

“Horses were driven long before they were ridden. As vehicles have eliminated the need for horses as a primary form of transportation, Driving has turned into a fast-growing sports discipline”

What is Driving?
Driving, which became an FEI discipline in 1970, is the oldest competitive equestrian sport. It is a discipline without riders; instead drivers sit on a vehicle drawn by a single horse or pony, a pair or a team of four. Modern Driving competitions consist of three phases:

1. Dressage: A sequence of compulsory figures performed within a 100 x 40m rectangle.
The smoothness of the manoeuvres, the obedience of the horse, impulsion and positioning are assessed. Click here for a full explanation of Dressage.

2. Marathon: A truly spectacular trial, the marathon is a course over a maximum of 18km, which includes natural hazards such as sharp turns, water and steep hills as well as constructed  obstacles.

3. Obstacle Driving / “Cones”:  This tests the fitness and suppleness of the horses after the marathon. To successfully negotiate the cones course, drivers must weave cleanly through a narrow track outlined by cones with balls balanced on top.

Main competitions

• FEI World Equestrian Games
• FEI World and Continental Championships
• FEI World CupTM Driving Series