CARRIAGE DRIVING

Contents of this page

A Carriage Driving Day

About Carriage Driving

My First Day Driving – Matt Peace

Driving with “Tall Timbers” – Linda Ongley

RDA Carriage Driving and the Hills Club - a 20 Year Partnership

RDA Carriage Driving August 2010

RDA Carriage Driving March 2011

RDA Carriage Driving November 2011

Michelle Harris - Profile of a Carriage Driver

ABOUT CARRIAGE DRIVING

The aim of RDA Carriage Driving is to teach people with disabilities to drive carriage horses. Whenever possible, specially built wheelchair loading carriages are used, giving opportunities to both ambulant people and those who use wheelchairs. An experienced accredited driver, called the RDA Whip, always sits beside the Driver with a disability, in the carriage. Each has a set of reins. This means that whilst the Driver is in control, the RDA Whip can always override control in the interests of safety.

For every carriage driving session there must be three helpers on the ground. They are the groom to hold the horse when necessary, and two other people to assist the driver to get in and out of the vehicle as directed by the RDA Whip.

The helper is an integral part of the smooth running of a Carriage Driving program with a Centre.

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A CARRIAGE DRIVING DAY AT TALL TIMBERS

by Linda Ongley (Carriage Driver)

Every third Saturday of the month, the morning is abuzz at Jan Muspratt’s property at Rossmore. This is where the Tall Timbers carriage driving group holds its drives.

At the helm is Jan, who keeps us all on track for the morning’s driving. John and Margaret Moore arrive with Sonny Boy, and Jan has Nicholas ready for the day. The helpers are allocated their duties, with at least three working with Margaret and Sonny and three with Jan and Nicholas. Each is given a lead rope, as anyone may be called on to assist with holding the ponies when driving in the paddocks. Usually we have four drivers and between six and eight helpers on the day.

Jan uses the wheelchair loading vehicle, whilst Margaret brings her specially designed conventional sulky which has been accredited for RDA use. Each has two drivers for the morning’s work and turns are taken to drive in the two paddocks. In one we usually practise dressage whilst in the other is a cones course. Helpers position themselves around these paddocks.

We are a happy bunch, and during the year have been getting in practice for our State Competition in Cones, Barrels and Dressage. These things give us something to work for, and have good fun doing it. On our most recent day, we spruced up and had photos taken for the State Competition concourse class.

After the morning’s drives are finished, the ponies are unharnessed and washed down. Sonny goes back to his float for a feed whilst Nicholas can’t wait to get to his paddock and roll. We then all adjourn to the barn for morning tea or coffee. We all do our bit in bringing the cakes or biscuits. This is when we catch up on news over the last month and discuss our activities for future driving days.

Without Jan it would not be such a satisfying day, as she gives us a lot of incentive to better ourselves in driving, making it a personal challenge, and this means a lot to us.

MY FIRST DAY

By Matt Peace, Carriage Driver

Saturday morning arrived. I was very excited about my first day at carriage driving. It was something new to learn about and enjoy for recreation.

It was a beautiful spring morning and I watched how “Nick”, the welsh pony was harnessed for the carriage ride. Soon it was my turn to drive the carriage.

Alongside me, was my expert whip, Jan, and off we went through the gate and into a large green paddock. As we drove around I learnt about the use of the reins and how to drive between the cones and around the corners, and to dodge the sheds and people on the sidelines! What fun! Nick was excellent too; he did everything he was told.

I liked the breeze in my face and the sounds of the pony and carriage as we moved around the paddock.

It was great fun and I can’t wait for the next time to come around!

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LINDA ONGLEY

Carriage Driver

I have been blind for almost eight years now, (caused by Glaucoma/retinal detachment), and around four years ago became interested in carriage driving. This was while visiting family in England, and my future sister-in-law taught me the way to drive. This was while she was training another pony in a vehicle and exercising her own.

I found it quite a challenge, but enjoyed the feeling of freedom doing this.  Being totally blind I find some things rather difficult to grasp, and enjoying being around animals found this quite relaxing.  It is not only the driving, but the other bits that go with it, eg. cleaning the harness and grooming before and after, makes me feel quite relaxed sometimes.

Then I found out that Tall Timbers at Box Hill had the carriage driving as well as riding.  So I then pursued this and now have been doing this for almost two years now.

I must say I do get quite a buzz when I manage to get a place when Jan and I have entered in some competitions.

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RDA CARRIAGE DRIVING and the HILLS CLUB – A 20 YEAR PARTNERSHIP

By Janet Muspratt

(as printed in the Hills Club newsletter ‘The Spokesman’ Feb/Mar 2010)

The RDA Tall Timbers Carriage Driving group is about to start up again for another year, which will be its twentieth year of driving. Carriage driving started at the original Tall Timbers Centre at Conrad Rd Kellyville in 1990, but moved to my property at Rossmore in the 1990s where it was much more convenient for all concerned, including the horses. Since then, the land at Kellyville has been sold and the new centre has been developed at Old Pitt Town Rd Box Hill, but driving has stayed at Rossmore.

The Hills Harness Club has had a close association with RDA Tall Timbers going back to the late 1970s, with club members giving rides in their vehicles at the annual Gala Days at the centre, firstly up and down Conrad Road and later in the paddocks beside the centre at Kellyville. Sadly that area is now completely covered in houses with not a sign that RDA was ever part of the scene there.

The Hills Club has supplied most of the Whips (driving instructors), ponies and volunteer ground helpers over the years. The first Whips to be accredited at Tall Timbers were Graham Randall, Ken Thomas, Sandra Ferris, Aileen Pamment, Chris Reinhardt and me. Ground helpers in the earlier years included Joy Harris, Joan Thomas, Jenny Fawbert, Jeanie Muspratt, Bill Arnold, June Malmberg, Margie Randall, and Max and Kath Smith. Margaret Moore (Whip) and Alan Ongley and John Moore (helpers) have continued the Hills Club association in more recent years. Drivers have quite often been Hills members too, including our first driver Michelle Harris (still driving), Greg Pike, and current drivers Linda Ongley and Lynne Buckingham.

Vehicle building, maintenance and repairs have been done from time to time also by Hills people including Bill Arnold, Eddie Dobbin, Alan Ongley and John Moore. To top off the support that the club has given to RDA Tall Timbers carriage driving, there is a special fund within the Hills books which is used to purchase equipment for ‘our’ RDA from time to time such as helmets, reins and leads. Hills Club cones, gate numbers and dressage letters are also always on hand for use when required.

A number of horses and ponies have done service over the years including my ponies Berkeley (the first driving pony for RDA TT), Elle, Harlequin and Nicholas; Cadet belonging to the Randalls, and Sonny Boy belonging to John and Margaret Moore. Nicholas and Sonny Boy are the current driving ponies.

Driving has progressed from the first lessons mostly walking in a small arena at Kellyville to the current ones held in paddocks of about an acre each with drivers concentrating on perfecting their skills in activities such as dressage, cones driving and barrel racing. Along the way, highlights have included Greg Pike competing in the World CDE Championships for Drivers with Disabilities at Wolfsburg in Germany in 1998, driving a borrowed German Fjord pony and vehicle, accompanied by Ken Thomas as Whip; several successful visits to the Royal Easter Show competing in the RDA classes by Michelle, Greg and former driver Fiona McGonigal; and competing in the NSW and Australian CDE Championships at Gundagai and Parkes, other CDEs at Camden and Raymond Terrace, as well as at Castle Hill and Stroud Shows.

The successful formula which has endured since 1990 is to drive once a month on a Saturday morning, it having proved the most suitable time and regularity for the drivers, Whips and ground helpers. For quite a few years now, Margaret Moore and I have been the Whips, with our ponies Sonny Boy and Nicholas. We have settled on having a limit of four drivers – two per pony, with each driver having about 40 minutes of driving. Current drivers are Michelle Harris, Linda Ongley and Lynne Buckingham, with a new driver to start this year, whilst regular ground helpers are Joy Harris, Alan Ongley, John Moore, Felicity Rowntree, Debbie Lyshak, Tiffany Cornall and Lyn Sclanders.

We have a special accredited wheelchair loading vehicle which Michelle always uses, and Margaret and John bring their accredited pony sulky for more ambulant drivers. RDA regulations require the wearing of helmets, a Whip in the vehicle with the driver, and at least three ground helpers per turnout to be alert for any problems and assist if needed. Another requirement is that the Whip holds a second set of reins in the interests of safety, but in the true spirit of RDA carriage driving, the driver takes control of the horse and does the all driving – something that has been encouraged right from the start of Tall Timbers carriage driving way back in 1990.

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TALL TIMBERS CARRIAGE DRIVING - AUGUST 2010

By Janet Muspratt (Carriage Driving Coordinator)

The group has been lucky with fine weather for all the driving days this year.

We have been concentrating on completing the events in the 2010 State Carriage Driving Competition. The new dressage test – the ACDS Novice CC is longer and calls for more difficult movements than the AA and BB we have done previously. It is good to have this extra challenge and our drivers and whips (coaches) are working hard at it. Our ground helpers are becoming very helpful dressage judges with frank but constructive advice on our efforts.

Our May driving day began on a great note with the presentation of the 2009 RDA NSW Champion Driver Trophy and Certificate to Michelle Harris. Michelle, driving Nicholas, achieved this by winning her dressage, cones and photograph classes and coming 4^th in the barrels. It was very exciting to have Michelle win and also bring the trophy to Tall Timbers for the first time. Michelle has been driving for many years but is still striving for improvement. This was especially evident in her excellent cones driving results (a rare clear round in a difficult course in the 2009 comp) and increasingly accurate dressage tests. Nicholas is not always totally cooperative in dressage so is not a ‘walkover’ drive.

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CARRIAGE DRIVING – MARCH 2011

By Janet Muspratt, Carriage Driving Co-ordinator .

The presentation of the State Carriage Driving Competition results and ribbons was the highlight of the first get together for 2011 for the Tall Timbers carriage driving group at Rossmore.

The three Tall Timbers drivers all did very well, in particular Lynne Buckingham who was the Champion Driver for 2010. Lynne, driving Nicholas, won the Photo class from a group of eight entries, the Novice Cones and the Open Dressage, as well as coming third in the Open Bending. Michelle Harris also with Nicholas, came third in the Photo and Open Dressage classes, fourth in the Open Bending and won the Open Cones, whilst Linda Ongley driving Sonny Boy, had four seconds – in the Photo, Open Dressage, Open Bending and Novice Cones classes. Congratulations on a fine effort from everyone.

We are down to one pony (Nicholas) at present with Sonny Boy being retired at the end of 2010. Margaret and John Moore have been bringing Sonny Boy to Rossmore for many years for the monthly driving sessions. He has been a very willing and forward going pony until recently when foot problems have caught up with him. His eye catching liver chestnut coat with beautiful blonde mane and tail has given him many admirers. He will be very hard to replace.

A search is now on for another suitable pony which can be based at the Tall Timbers Centre, Box Hill. An experienced pony of 12 – 14hh which is broken to harness and saddle would be ideal. Please contact Kerry (at our office on 9679 1246) if you know of such a pony.

The calendar for driving at Rossmore in 2011 has been distributed. We will be driving mostly on the second Saturday of the month. A start will be made on activities in the 2011 Carriage Driving Competition in our March driving session.

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CARRIAGE DRIVING – NOVEMBER 2011

By Janet Muspratt (Coordinator and CD Whip)

Our last driving session was a very busy one. It was the day for having photos taken and driving videoed dressage tests for the State Competition. Nicholas was washed the previous day and the harness thoroughly cleaned, including polishing all the brass. The vehicle was also given a good clean and polish.

In the morning, Nick’s hooves were blackened and he was given a good brushing to make his black coat shine. All was going well until we discovered that the vehicle had a flat tyre. Despite attempts to pump it up, it would not budge. Luckily of course we could fall back on the second vehicle, but it needed to be dusted off, and have its brass polished before being used. It was all hands on deck by Joy Harris, Lynne Buckingham, Allan Ongley, Tiffany Cornall and Debbie Lyshak. Meanwhile Linda Ongley, Michelle Harris and I got dressed in our good blouses and coats and had our buttonhole flowers pinned on, ready for the photos. We also put on our driving aprons and gloves.

Many photos were taken with the digital cameras but it was amazingly hard to have everything right – horse’s ears pricked, standing square, harness sitting correctly, vehicle balanced properly, us smiling – so much to think of! Nicholas understandably got pretty tired of it after a while and just wanted to get on and do something, rather standing and posing. With the photos done, we moved on to doing the dressage test. Allan Ongley was behind the video camera, which he had on a tripod, on the tray of my Dodge truck, parked just outside the arena. This gave him a good vantage point overlooking the arena, from the judge’s position at C.

Our ground helpers took up their positions around the arena and we got under way. Michelle drove first. Nick was given a little break before Linda did her dressage test, also driving Nicholas. Our dressage practice over the year hopefully showed in our final tests. As the day was getting quite warm we were pleased when the formalities were all over. Nicholas was unharnessed and let go in his paddock with his mate Spice, and we all adjourned to the shed for our morning tea and chat over how the day had gone. It will now be up to the State Competition judges to see how our photos and dressage tests compare with those of the competitors from the other centres. We will also be submitting our times for the cones course and bending race.

Exciting news ! We have finally found a driving pony for Tall Timbers ! He is a very nice dapple grey pony called Boris and will be seen in his new driving role at the Tall Timbers Centre Box Hill in the New Year.

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MICHELLE HARRIS – PROFILE OF A CARRIAGE DRIVER

Michelle joined Tall Timbers RDA riding group in 1985, aged 22 years. In 1990, Michelle was approached by Janet Muspratt to become a carriage driver. Janet together with several other members of the Hills District Harness Club had just completed training to become Whips (instructors) with Tall Timbers RDA. Michelle was to become their first driving client, using the specially built wheelchair loading vehicle.

Michelle was given the reins and encouraged to take control of the horse from the start. As is RDA policy she was accompanied in the vehicle by a Whip, holding a second set of reins for safety reasons. Outside competition followed after a few years, including CDEs and show classes at the Castle Hill and Stroud Shows. Then came the very exciting occasion when RDA carriage driving classes were held at the Sydney Royal, starting in 1998. One of the highlights for Michelle being winning the RDA Carriage Driving Pony class with Harlequin.

All of these events and many more have been successfully completed - not bad for someone driving from a wheelchair !

Currently Michelle is driving the black Welsh pony gelding Nicholas monthly at Rossmore. Janet continues to be her Whip. They get on well together, with a similar sense of humour, so driving is a happy time with lots of laughs, even though there is sometimes some dispute about which is left and right. Carriage driving has resulted in big physical improvements for Michelle, especially in balance, coordination and strength.

Michelle has also completed her TPC Certificate at TAFE and other courses including computing. This is despite poor vision and coordination. Her’s is definitely a story of success through great determination.