As we head into the Christmas season, many carriage drivers are delivering Santa in holiday parades – so let’s set ourselves up for success! While you’re thinking about all the fun activities you will be participating in with your horses, it’s important to take a little time and check out your carriage and harness before the big day, especially if you’re using your much-loved antique carriage that you only bring out for special occasions.
The following suggested check points are not all-inclusive, so make sure you know your own equipment, and inspect it thoroughly! If you need assistance, your local driving club or your instructor may be able to help.
First, walk around the carriage and visually inspect for obvious issues. The body and the springs should be sound and solid. Any leather or nylon straps should be supple, strong, and evenly matched lengths on both sides of the carriage.
Then pay close attention to the moving parts: turntable, wheels, and axles. All nuts and bolts, cotter pins, or other securing hardware must be present, in good condition, and appropriately tightened.
Ensure that your turntable has a little grease on it and turns smoothly and easily. Wheels should be properly secured to the hubs, and spokes should be tight. Tires, whether rubber or iron, should be tight and well seated on the wheel.
Axles should have enough grease or oil to allow the wheel to spin easily. Check to see if the axles or wheel bearings may need to be greased. If you have an oil axle, do the hub caps have oil in them, and are the leather washers in good condition?
If you’re using a modern carriage that has brakes, also ensure that your brake reservoir has the correct fluid at the correct fill levels.
Next, think about your harness. If you are using harness that you don’t use every day, you’ll want to inspect that for good condition, too. Try it on your horse to make sure it fits well, in case your horse may have put on or lost weight.
I would suggest that a week or two before the event, you may want to do a test drive with the carriage, harness, and horses that you will be using. This “dress rehearsal” gives you a chance to practice for the big day, and if you notice any issues, you should have time to make any needed adjustments. Remember, every drive is a training opportunity. If you will be driving in a crowd or in a line of carriages at your event, find a creative way to practice so you and your horses will have the best experience.
It’s also a good time to look over that insurance policy and make sure that you’re covered for the event, even if it is just friends or family riding with you.
As the big day approaches and you’re busy loading your carriage onto your trailer, take an extra minute to check over how it’s secured. I remember once following a good friend who forgot about the rubber mat in the rear of their carriage, and it disappeared across the highway – so if you’re using an open trailer, make sure that you’ve removed seat cushions, floor mats, and anything else that might blow off of your carriage. Once you’re all packed up and ready, check again that you have everything you need. We’re all prone to forgetting things occasionally, so a checklist would be a big help.
Check your trailer for safety, too. Do all the tires have enough air and a good tread? Do you know how to change a tire, and do you have the tools to change a tire? It’s no fun sitting on the side of a busy highway missing your event whilst you wait for a recovery vehicle.
Also keep in mind, trailering our carriages can be much harder on them than driving them; just think about how much work the springs on your carriage do as we travel down the highway. Here at Ranch Ride Carriage Drive, we always try to stop about 10 -15 minutes into our journey just to check that nothing is shifting, and all the straps are still tight.
When the big day arrives and you’re heading to the drive, make sure you have plenty of extra time. After you arrive at the event, it’s always a good idea to re-inspect your carriage body, hardware, and moving parts to make sure nothing has come loose during transport. And there’s nothing worse than rushing to get harnessed up and hitched when under pressure! Remember, whatever you are thinking and feeling goes straight down the reins, so if you are rushed and stressed, your horses will be too, and even your passengers and the event organizers can feel it as well. So plan ahead, arrive with plenty of time to spare, relax, and enjoy the experience.
Ranch Ride Carriage Drive LLC 