Out Of The Rut – Kat Dancer – Aug 2022

The past week has seen intense heat, brilliant blue skies, crystal clear air, stunning sunshine. Mixed into this abundance of warmth and light were the Stampede shenanigans in the big smoke, but out at the Millarville Race Track, on a far smaller scale, the High Country Carriage Driving Club was having a Bonanza!

Over the past year or so I have been most fortunate to resurrect my first love. I started horse-riding at the age of 6 in the southern desert of Iran on small Arabian horses. Returning to England I was lucky to get some riding lessons. Post-graduate education, I hoofed off to Snowball Farm in Buckinghamshire to become a certified British Horse Society Instructor. Fifty years on from those first desert rides with stirrups a foot longer than my legs, I’m working with Arabs, Quarter Horses, Morgan-Percheron Crosses, Shires, Welsh Ponies, you name it. What a treat.

My previous carriage driving experience was pretty limited, mostly due to the expense and the elitism in the English horse scene. Last time I drove was four- in-hand around Windsor Great Park with, coincidentally, a couple of Canadian visitors. It stopped completely when I left England nearly thirty years ago. Being blessed with an offer to learn and teach and learn from driving horses here has opened up an aspect of equitation I always hankered after. Sue most graciously gifted me learning sessions at the HCCDC Driving Bonanza with the extraordinary coaches they brought over from the Netherlands.

I had three lessons during the week and was able, due to the intense heat, to reschedule my day in order to attend the final day of the Driving Bonanza and compete in the Derby both as driver with Sue navigating and later in the day as navigator while Sue drove (far more expertly and efficiently!). My first go-round was perfect in terms of getting round the course correctly, sadly the added excitement of timing on the second round got the better of me and we all got over-excited a couple of times, knocking down a few things as we charged around the course with great enthusiasm.

Beside the sweltering heat and rushing off to pour cold water over my head each time I was approaching boiling point, this event was an absolute joy to attend. Sue and Doug (and others, I apologize for not naming names), did an absolutely sterling job of bringing this event together and creating such an extraordinary opportunity for us all.

The youngest driver was 9! A tiny little mini pony and miniature cart, driven by a tiny human. Fun to watch. A beautiful Fjord pony caught one of the coach’s eye, as I noticed him stepping up to drive the course after the owner had been around once.

Doug’s fabulous black Morgan-Percheron crosses did superbly well, showing off their impressive ‘big blackness’ and presence despite, as we all were, gently roasting in the sun during this spectacular week of sunshine. Our American coach Muffy took one for a drive halfway through the lesson and was reluctant to hand him back, she was having too much fun.

Dutch World-Champion drivers came to teach. They stayed with Sue & Doug so was able to hang out with them before and during the Bonanza, a wealth of experience and knowledge shared with such humility and generosity. It’s so uplifting to be around such people who love what they do and to share knowledge, tips and expertise. This type of coaching is rare and shouldn’t be underrated, by spending time with such folk we are really able to grow and progress.

Pretty much everyone pitches in to help. It’s a huge endeavour to put on something like this – space for horses, massive amounts of water, safety, food, props, coordinating arrangements for visitors… hours and hours of energy. WELL DONE PEEPS!

The Derby is exciting and entertaining to watch – carriages, preferably with horses attached in front – must pass between cones set mere inches wider than the wheels. Then there are obstacles that consist of gates or barrels or such that must be travelled through and around in a series of twists and turns that really challenge the art of the driver in getting the horses pointing in the right direction, right speed, at the right time.

If you’d like to know more about carriage driving here in Alberta, check out www.hccdc.ca. There is always room for a fresh volunteer, if you don’t have a horse or wads of cash, do not despair…people with horses and carriages want competent folk to help and enjoy with them.

If you know nothing about horses, but perhaps might like to experience the blessings of being around them and the huge spiritual, emotional, physical benefits of these wonderful and profound creatures, please reach out. I am doing a lot of work with people who are relatively new to horses… slow, low-key relationship-building between horse and human… a little bit of horse whispering if you like. Depression, anxiety, isolation? let a horse into your life and let them help you help yourself.