This winter has been a really nasty one for us in Bucks County, PA. We’ve had some serious cold days and way too much ice. It has put training some what on hold from January through February so far. Now, this isn’t always a bad thing. Rest is always needed throughout the training process. But, it can be a little unnerving to have to put your plans and progress on hold.

There is of course, a lot that can be done outside of the carriage during harsh weather conditions. I often go back to lots of ground driving, long lining, relaxation exercises, standing, and working on strengthening the driving aids when it’s too cold or frozen for the carriage, but still manageable enough to not freeze off my toes. Some other things I like to do that help me still feel like I am accomplishing something are:

Plan for the Year Ahead

Winter is a great time to plan out goals for the year. I like to go through all of my local driving clubs, organizations, ect. and see what shows, clinics, or other carriage driving events are coming up. This way I can plan out where we’d like to go and set specific goals throughout the year around those events.

Some good places to look for carriage driving events include:

• American Driving Society’s Calendar
• Carriage Association of America’s Calendar
• DrivingDigest’s Calendar
• Your local driving club’s website
• Your local equine Facebook groups

Continue my Carriage Driving Education

There is really no better time to seek out education opportunities for myself than when I am trying to hide from freezing temps! I especially like to go through my driving library and re-visit some good books and magazine articles, or add to the collection with a new one.

Some books currently in my library that I recommend are:

• Breaking & Training the Driving Horse by Doris Ganton
• The Essential Guide to Carriage Driving by Robyn Cuffey & Jaye-Allison Winkel
• Training for Safety by Margaret Beeman & Ona Kiser
• Understanding Harness by Barb Lee
• Step by Step Guide to Training A Miniature Horse to Drive by Mindy Schroder

I will also look around for local clinics, webinars, or perhaps invest in some digital material from other driving trainers.

Webinars are a great way for driving experts to share their knowledge! It allows people from all over the world to learn from one another. I recently attended a Cones Course Webinar with Linda and Eric Wilking put on by the New England Equestrian Center of Athol. I learned a lot about competing in cones!

There is truly no shortage of information out there, and the winter months off are the perfect time to learn something new or sharpen my skills with information that can be found in a book or online.

Get Social with other Drivers

Social media has really helped to connect the carriage driving world. There are lots of accounts to follow who share great information and experiences. I especially love how connected everyone can easily stay in Facebook groups. I have created a Facebook group for my students and other local carriage drivers to Bucks County, PA to stay connected in and share their knowledge, stories, and experiences.

The Equine Driving Training/Lessons Bucks County has been a true joy for me to share all of our happenings in this winter.

Another favorite of mine is Chimacum Tack’s HorseDriver group.

There really is no shortage of available information out there, and in today’s world there are so many options on different ways to learn! While hands on experience in the carriage is irreplaceable, the foundation work you do to improve your skills outside of the carriage are just as important. If there’s one thing I’d suggest you try this year outside of the carriage, it’s to start growing your driving library and social network!