Combined driving
Combined driving is an equestrian sport involving carriage driving. In this discipline, the driver sits on a vehicle drawn by a single horse, a pair or a team of four. The sport has three phases: dressage, cross-country marathon and obstacle cone driving — patterned after the mounted equestrian sport of eventing. It is one of the ten international equestrian sport horse disciplines recognized by the Fédération Équestre Internationale. Combined driving became an FEI discipline in 1970 when Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the then-president of FEI, produced the first rule book.
Competitor
Driver
The driver controls the horse or horses through the reins, whip and voice. Although there is a seat next to the driver on some sport carriages — jokingly called the suicide seat — it is not generally occupied in competition if there is a stand or seat behind the driver for attendants. The driver is the official competitor.Navigator and groom
When driving a four-in-hand, a driver and two attendants are required on the carriage. Driving a pair requires one groom, and for driving a single horse a groom is optional. A groom may also have the job of navigator, who stands behind the driver and can give verbal directions to the driver. The navigator may also help keep time with a stopwatch and tell the driver if he is going too slow or too fast in timed events. If there is a second groom, they will stand behind the navigator and help with ballast and balance during fast maneuvers. Steps on the carriage behind the driver are called the backstep and the grooms are also called backsteppers.Grooms are required for safety reasons because the driver must stay on the carriage at all times, holding the reins and controlling the horses. A groom will hitch the horse to the carriage and will adjust harness or correct problems if needed. However, if a groom falls off or exits the carriage during competition there will be penalty points assessed. If there is a collision with an object or a horse falls, the grooms are needed to hold horses and help untangle harness.
Horse
Driving horses or ponies may be of any breed, although warmbloods are often seen at the highest levels of competition. If multiple horses are used together, they should be of similar height, build, and movement, and preferably similar color. Horses closest to the driver are called wheelers, and those in the front are called leaders.Carriage and harness
Competitors may use either 2-wheeled or 4-wheeled vehicles, but 4-wheelers are most often used in modern competition, with two-wheelers used mainly at the beginning levels or with smaller ponies. Some competitors use two carriages at competition: a sturdy sport carriage for the marathon phase, and a more traditional looking carriage for dressage and obstacle phases. Most marathon carriages are of a modern design, built from steel or aluminum, with hydraulic disc brakes, a low centre of gravity, and a very small turning radius. The harness used with a marathon carriage is often made from synthetic materials, whereas an attractive presentation harness is usually made of leather and is used for the dressage and obstacles portions of the competition."Three-phase" carriages are popular, especially at entry levels, as drivers need only one vehicle. These carriages have extending axles to make the rear wheels the required width for the dressage and obstacles phases. All carriages for the marathon phase are 125 cm minimum track width, measured on the ground and on the rear wheels. For Indoor driving trials, carriages should be a minimum width of 125 cm for all phases.
Phases of competition
Phase A1: Presentation
The judge grades on the turnout, safety, cleanliness, general condition and impression of the horses, harness, and vehicle, the matching of the horses or ponies, and the attire of the driver and grooms. For newcomer or novice classes, presentation is inspected and marked by a judge at a stand-still before dressage. For more advanced classes, presentation is judged on-the-move as part of the driven dressage test. Pre-novice and novice drivers are judged primarily on safety and fit of the harness and vehicle and a three-phase or marathon vehicle and harness is acceptable. Presentation carries a maximum of ten penalties.- Driver, grooms and passengers should be clean and smartly dressed. The livery of the grooms should fit and match if there is more than one groom. The whip should be the correct length based on the number of horses used. Drivers and grooms should wear brown gloves, as well as a driving hat, and the driver wears an apron.
- Horses should be clean and well-conditioned. If there are several horses, they should be of similar size and type, although the wheelers may be larger than the leaders. Matching color is secondary to matching type and size. Manes may or may not be braided, but should be level. Tails should not be braided.
- Harness should be sound, clean, and fit correctly. Harness, if more than one horse is used, should match, although different bits may be used. The overall harness should also match. Martingales other than false martingales are not permitted. Harness straps should not be buckled on the last hole so that adjustment may be made should a piece of harness break.
- Carriages should be the correct size and weight for the horse, as should the height and length of the poles for pairs and fours. Lamps are required at the advanced level, but only required at the training, preliminary, and intermediate levels and only if the carriage has lamp brackets. A set of spare tools and harness pieces should be carried on the vehicle in case of emergency: a spare trace of the correct size, a rein splice, a hole punch, and similar items are traditionally included. These may be inspected by the judge and the groom will be expected to know how to use them.
- Overall impression is judged on dress and position of driver and grooms, and suitability of horses and harness to the carriage.
Phase A2: Dressage
Dressage movements may include circles, figures of eight, and crossing the diagonal and all paces – walk, working trot, collected trot, extended trot, canter, a halt, and a rein back. Multiple horses are judged on ability to move in harmony and ideally will have similar conformation, action, and movement. Horses are to remain on the bit throughout the test, maintaining impulsion, elasticity, rhythm, and forward movement. The goal is to make the test look effortless, and an obedient and responsive horse is essential for a good dressage test.
Unlike a ridden dressage test, a driven test allows the use of the voice as an aid. At international level, dressage tests are prepared by the Fédération Equestre Internationale which is the governing body of competitive carriage driving.
Phase B: Marathon
The marathon is similar to the second phase of eventing, the speed and endurance. It tests the fitness and stamina of the horses, as well as the driver's knowledge of pace, over a 10–22 km course, divided into 3 or 5 sections. The marathon is the most thrilling phase to watch, and often draws the largest crowds.Section "E" of the marathon is similar to the cross-country phase of eventing. It has obstacles or "hazards" throughout the course to test the speed and agility of the horses, and the driving ability of the whip. Obstacles may include water, tight twists through trees or man-made obstacles, steep hills, or fences and pens. Drivers are scored on how quickly they can negotiate the obstacle, and must find the fastest route through each. Penalty points are given if too much time is spent in an obstacle, or if the team comes in off the optimum time for the whole course.
Marathon sections
The marathon phase has three sections in international competition. Sections A and B may be driven at any pace, but normally will be at a trot. The transfer section is designed to get the competitors from the end of A to the start of B and enough time is given to complete this section at a walking pace. There is a compulsory rest halt at the end of the Transfer section, which may include a veterinary check. The marathon is not a race for speed. Each section has a maximum and a minimum time allowed, giving a two to three minute "window". If a competitor finishes outside this window, penalty points will be awarded. A competitor may also receive penalty points for not driving a section at the required pace.Throughout the marathon and in the obstacles the groom can speak to the driver and assist using their weight and balance to keep the carriage upright or to bounce it off the obstacle uprights. The groom also helps to keep the correct pace by checking the kilometer markers on the course against calculated timings for each section, allowing for ground conditions and the horse's fitness.
The three sections and their maximum lengths and speeds, as specified in the FEI rulebook, are:
| Section | Max. distance | Pace | Speed |
| A | 8000 m | Any pace | 15 km/h |
| Transfer | 800 – 1000 m | Any pace | 7 km/h |
| B | 9000 m | Any pace | 14 km/h |
Section B includes up to eight obstacles, to be driven in sequence. The last designated 300 to 500 m must be driven at walk or trot, with no stopping for any reason.
A time window – a minimum and a maximum time – is calculated for each section according to the length of the section, the average speed of the carriage and whether it is pulled by horses or ponies. After the walk section there is a ten-minute halt, where the horses can be cooled and watered. A veterinary check may follow the Transfer section to ensure that the horses are fit to continue.
At club events, the rules may often be relaxed somewhat with, for instance, a "short marathon" which usually means only section E and the obstacles are driven. This is usually a class designed to encourage drivers of small ponies and young ponies and horses or for inexperienced and junior drivers. It enables newcomers to gain experience and confidence.