One of my current passions is learning and competing in the sport of Combined Driving. We were first introduced to the sport in Florida. At that time, we owned large Shire draft horses and enjoyed participating in parades, weddings, and country carriage drives. Once we saw Combined Driving in action, we quickly realized that it requires a much nimbler type of horse—one that is fast, accurate, and elegant.
Over the past five to six years, we have transitioned from driving Shire horses to Dutch Harness and Hackney horses, which are much better suited for the sport. We currently have five horses, and most often compete with a pair.
Combined Driving originated in Europe in the 1970s and remains very popular there, but it’s steadily growing in the U.S. as well. We now compete throughout New England, Florida, and Bromont, Canada. The sport is highly technical, with many rules and regulations, so it has taken years to fully learn the ropes.
I am the driver for our pair, and my husband, Chris, serves as my “navigator.” Together, we currently compete at the Preliminary Level, and in 2024, we were thrilled to win the Preliminary Pair Horse National Championship at the Garden State Horse Park in New Jersey.
We know there’s still much to learn, but we absolutely love the sport, the horses, and the wonderful community we’ve met along the way. We’re excited to see where this journey takes us next!
