Carriage instructor leads driving afternoon
If the energy crisis really starts to bite, at least nine carriage drivers in Golden Bay will still be smiling. Last Sunday they gathered at the Kotinga Pony Club grounds to absorb the wisdom and clear instruction of Richmond Saddlery co-owner Athol Allan.
Athol expressed his appreciation of the skills being displayed by the group in the sport and art of driving a horse in harness.
“It’s not like riding a horse where you can influence it with your legs and seat and hands, and are more connected physically,” he said. “When you’re driving you have your reins, your voice and your driving whip for guidance and you have to be effective with these.”
Athol had the drivers working to improve their communication with their horses. He stressed the importance of balancing the horse with the reins and said the simple figure of eight and a straight line were deceptively difficult to achieve. “These are the basics to get a handle on,” he said.
Organiser Pam Schinkel said the afternoon was well worthwhile. “Athol is a good teacher and I came away feeling even more enthused and with good ideas to work with.”
Many of the drivers use the local roads to get around and part of the training of a harness horse is to accustom it to the traffic of the twenty-first century. Pam says they are very appreciative that the local drivers, especially the truck and tanker drivers, are so considerate.
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