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Driving Singles

Throughout the event judges, stewards, and veterinarians monitor the horse's welfare. If necessary, they may interrupt a competitor’s performance to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the horse.

Each phase is scored in penalty points. The final result is calculated by adding together the scores from all three phases. The winner is the competitor with the lowest total penalty points.

A driving competition consists of three phases:

Dressage

The dressage test is driven in a sand or grass arena measuring 40×100 m.
The driver follows a predetermined sequence similar to ridden dressage, including walk, trot, halts, and rein backs on straight and curved lines.
Voice aids are permitted in moderation.
Mandatory equipment includes:
- A driving whip (replacing the rider’s leg aids)

An apron covering the driver’s legs
Hats and gloves for both driver and groom

Judges score movements numerically and provide comments, similar to ridden dressage.
Evaluation focuses on:
- Execution of movements

Horse’s obedience, straightness, relaxation, transitions, and impulsion
Driver’s use of aids and posture
Accuracy of driven paths

Marathon

Drivers and grooms are required to wear:

A safety vest or back protector
A properly fastened helmet

The marathon consists of three sections, with a total length of 14 km.

Section A: Driven across varied terrain—fields, roads, forests—with free choice of gait. The ideal time is based on a brisk trot (approx. 10–15 km/h).
Section T (Transfer): A 1000 m transition followed by a mandatory rest of at least 10 minutes, during which horses may be cared for and a vet checks their fitness to continue.
Section B: Includes 6 obstacles. Obstacles may involve:
- Natural elements (stones, trees, walls)
- Slopes or steep terrain
- Water crossings and bridges

Cones

Course layout

The course includes 20 numbered gates formed by cones.
Total length: 700 meters.
The space between cones is 30 cm wider than the carriage’s wheelbase.
Drivers may walk the course beforehand to familiarize themselves with the layout.

Rules & Scoring

The cones phase follows rules similar to show jumping.
Each cone has a ball placed on top—knocking down a ball results in 3 penalty points.
The course must be completed withing the maximum time set and with as few penalties as possible
The course may include:
- A second round or jump-off
- Elimination for driving the wrong route

Besides cones, the course may feature:

Bridges
Corner obstacles built from poles
Zigzag or serpentine combinations, marked with both numbers and letters

Working Equitation

Working Equitation competitions consist of three (sometimes four, with cattle penning) phases:

Dressage Trial

The dressage test is performed in a 20 x 40 meter arena. The dressage test is ridden with the reins held in one hand. Each movement is scored from 0 to 10, and additional marks are given for overall impression. The judging criteria differ slightly from those used in traditional dressage competitions.

Maneability Trial

In the maneability phase, the rider must complete a series of obstacles with precision and style. The course designer selects obstacles from a list of 18 options. Each obstacle is scored from 0 to 10. Canter is used as the gait.

Speed Trial

The goal is to complete the obstacle course as quickly as possible. Mistakes are converted into time penalties. This phase is not judged for style or precision.

Endurance

This endurance riding class is a timed 120-kilometer race across varied terrain, designed to test the stamina, speed, and strategy of both horse and rider. The goal is to complete the course as quickly as possible while maintaining the horse’s health and fitness throughout the ride.

Distance is 120 kilometers, divided into multiple phases with mandatory rest periods.
After each phase, horses must pass a veterinary inspection to ensure they are fit to continue. Heart rate, hydration, gait, and overall condition are assessed.
At the finish line, the horse must be untacked, blanketed if necessary, and presented to the veterinarian no later than twenty minutes after crossing the finish line. Failure to do so will result in disqualification of the horse and rider.
The fastest horse-and-rider to complete the full distance and pass all vet checks is declared the winner.
Horses that show signs of fatigue, lameness, or elevated heart rate beyond the allowed threshold are withdrawn from the competition.

Draft horse pulling

Witness raw power and teamwork as mighty draft horses compete in a traditional strength contest!

In draft horse pulling, a team of horse and driver competes by pulling a sled on a sand track. The initial weight of the sled is determined by the pulling horse’s own body weight. The competition tests both the horse’s strength and its ability to restart movement from a standstill with a heavy load.

Teams must achieve a "full pull" (20 m) to advance. After every 20 m (referred to as two segments) pull, the horse is stopped for a one-minute break. During this pause, an additional weight equal to 10% of the horse’s body weight is added to the sled.
The horse may stop up to three times during the pull, excluding the official breaks for weight increases. A fourth unplanned stop ends the performance, and the total distance pulled is recorded.
The performance also ends if the horse leaves the pulling track during a pull.
The maximum pulling distance is 350 meters.
Disqualification occurs if the team fails to pull at least two segments (20 meters), or if the driver loses control of the horse during the performance.

Cover photo copyright: “Belgium, Henk van der Wiel” by tailsandfur, CC BY-NC 2.0, photo has been cropped

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