Driving: The Horse, the Man, and the Carriage from 1700 up to the Present Day

The focal point of interest in this fascinating and beautiful book by one of the leading authorities in his field is the art of driving for pleasure and the relationship between man, the carriage, and the driving horse. It begins by investigating the emergence of the elegant carriage in Italy and then describes the development of the art of driving in 17th and 18th century France. It follows the development of the perfection of driving for pleasure in England and Germany during the 19th and 20th centuries, commencing with the modern sport of competitive driving as we know it today. Various driving techniques are discussed, as are the different styles of harness and methods of harnessing up in Europe, and includes the development of the driving bit and the special rein systems. Traditional driving as it is known today and the various questions as to how to turnout correctly—which carriage suits, which type of horse, and on what occasion—are dealt with in the last chapter of this book which provides solid answers.