I USUALLY hear the driven competitor before I see them approach the obstacle, bringing a rash of adrenaline mixed with a dose of nervousness and excitement.
Being vet on duty at a carriage-driving event is, for me, massively more challenging than competitively driving in one, even though our horses and ponies competing at UK indoor, club and national levels of competition often have long athletic careers, which are relatively untroubled by accidents and major orthopaedic ailments.
Our equine athletes have a tough time. Unlike most equestrian sports, carriagedriving outdoor competitions include a 90-minute marathon section. This is split into a number of sections, each of which has a specific time limit, so requiring significant precision.
There is a 10-minute halt break after the first trot section, followed by the more testing obstacle section with up to eight obstacles, which are driven as fast as possible. Seconds
