Intro to Carriage Driving: Don’t Put the Cart Before The Horse By Lauren Pigford Joanna Wilburn and sister Sally Ross Davis introduced about 50 people to the sport of carriage driving at their farm, Rollingwoods Farm in Olive Branch, MS on March 7. Joanna and Sally Ross team up every year with the Nashoba Carriage Society to host the Introduction to Carriage Driving Clinic. This clinic is part of Nashoba’s outreach efforts to generate interest in pleasure and sport driving. The clinic focuses on the fundamentals of driving starting with various parts of the harness, how to put it on correctly, and how to hitch up a cart safely. Members from the Nashoba Carriage Society helped sisters Joanna and Sally Ross by volunteering their time and ponies to the free and open clinic. Ann Kimberlin, one of Nashoba’s members, helps her friends every year with the clinic. Ann is credited with starting the Junior Pleasure Driving Class at the Germantown Charity Horse Show and her own summer camp for junior drivers, Drive My Buggy Carriage Camp, where Joanna is the instructor. “The best thing about the driving clinic is you get to see how it is put together, and you get a chance to drive if you choose,” Ann said. Newcomers to driving had hands-on experience putting on the harness and hitching up the carriages while the ponies stood patiently. Once the ponies were hitched up, volunteers drove attendees around and even let them drive for the first time. There were several different kinds of carriages on display, which the attendees test-drove. Carriages included Meadowbrooks, Easy Entry Training Carts, and several Marathon Carriages. This clinic is always jam-packed with fun and entertainment, and this year was no different. Joanna and Sally Ross have a unique sense of humor that gets everyone involved and eager to learn more. Ann Kimberlin spoke highly of both the sisters, “Sally Ross trains the ponies and Joanna trains people. Joanna is our trainer in residence in this area. She trains people of all ages, from young children to adults. Kids just like her. She makes a game out of it on a level that young children can relate to. She is a very accomplished driving competitor; the whole family is.” Joanna, Sally Ross and the numerous volunteers helped answer questions and gave out information about carriage driving lessons and how to join the Nashoba Carriage Society. This clinic was just as successful as ones in the years before. Each year the clinic grows larger and larger and gets driving enthusiasts excited for the rest of the year.