DrivenTo Succeed Meet some Quarter Horses who compete in all-breed driving By Holly Clanahan, America’s Horse Recently, the American Driving Society (ADS) sent a mass e-mail to its members, asking how many of them drive their American Quarter Horses in open shows. Debbie George, the ADS and AQHA member behind that effort, was wowed by the response. she wrote in an e-mail to AQHA, “Turns out there are a lot of us out there driving our Quarter Horses!” One woman sent in photos showing her horse turning a cow on the fence, and then pulling a cart in the next picture. The type of driving seen in ADS shows differs from the pleasure driving classes held as part of AQHA shows. Many of the ADS classes take place off-road, and they can feature a variety of vehicles, from the road cart that Debbie and her husband Bob use, to an antique road coach pulled by a four-in-hand team. Here are a few of the options available: --Cones or obstacle classes require the driver to go through a set of markers set inches wider than the wheel width and topped with balls. There are left and right turns, combinations and sometimes obstacles like bridges. The winner is the driver who completes the course with the fewest balls knocked down in the shortest time. A variation called “gamblers choice” offers different types of obstacles, similar to a trail class, sometimes with fun themes like “a day at the beach,” which incorporates beach umbrellas, sand and water into the obstacles. --Driven dressage is judged similarly to ridden dressage tests. The drivers must perform a set of movements including changes of gait, circles, turns and extensions. As in ridden dressage, the horse’s training shines through in his gaits, transitions and the accuracy with which he can follow the pattern. --Marathons take the horse and driver from the ring to the countryside. These longer drives can go off-road or through town, and they are judged on both turnout and performance. --Combined driving can be equated to three-day eventing, with a dressage component, a cross-country marathon, and a fast-paced cones course. Besides the driving competions, Debbie and Bob George of Quakertown, Pennsylvania love taking their American Quarter Horse, Pocos Cherokee Jet, out on the trails for some recreational driving. “I’d love to encourage people to get their Quarter Horses driving,” Debbie said. “For horses that compete in other disciplines, [their owners] have all said driving improves their performance in other events. It puts you in a unique position, too, where you can really watch your horse work and see how he’s using himself, how he’s using his back.” Plus, “it’s a lot of fun,” she said. If you’re interested in learning to drive, visit www.americandrivingsociety.com and click on “regions” to find a driving club near you.