The Mad River Riding and Driving Club shares the joys of equestrian activity in the Mad River Valley of Vermont.

We meet monthly, on the second Tuesday, usually at Three Mountain Café in Waitsfield. For more information, or to comment on this website, send an email to:

Combined Driving Demonstration

Photos and text by Ginger Hiscock

On August 24, 2004, about 15 members of the MRRDC attended a driving clinic with Dan Easley and Shelby Friml.

Dan explained to us all about the sport of combined driving where you compete in three phases, the driving equivalent of three-day eventing. There is dressage, cones, and the marathon, which is like a cross-country course with obstacles that you drive through and around.

After this informative session, illustrated with videos, we followed Dan and Shelby out to an obstacle course that they had built in the woods for practice. Dan's mare, Holly, is definitely a pro at this, and listening to Dan talk her through it seemed very easy. Then Dan encouraged any of us to try and ride on the back of his four-wheeled cart to get a real feeling for being the "navigator" who helps keep the cart steady.

I think we all came away in awe of this discipline which some of us had never seen. Thank you, Dan, Shelby, and especially Holly.