Take a drive in the fun lane with horse-drawn rig

By Marty Metzger
Correspondent

Driving horses is an uncommon skill in Colorado compared with its popularity in other regions of the United States. In some foreign countries, it's as prolific as riding, or even used as a basic means of transportation.

Colorado has its devotees, however.

Carol and Jerry Higgason know the joys of driving. Owners of Hearts & Tails Carriage Co. in Evans, the couple shares that joy by hiring out for weddings, anniversaries and birthday parties and participating in community events, such as Greeley's Winter Festival.

"It is addictive," Carol Higgason said. "We go out, usually on Sunday mornings, and just drive. It's so relaxing. It's just wonderful; not as hard on your back as riding."

She broke several vertebrae four years ago and was unable to ride for eight weeks. Higgason pointed out that many horse-drawn vehicles, like wedding carriages, are extremely smooth, thanks to good suspension systems.

In the United States, most harness work can be divided into pleasure or competitive. The latter is further subdivided into numerous show-ring activities, including breed classes (Arabians, Saddlebreds, Morgans, draft breeds or ponies, for example), chuckwagon races, four-in-hand and harness racing, usually of Standardbreds.

Noncompetitive driving includes private pleasure and rigs for hire, such as horse-drawn cabs and wedding carriages. The Rose Bowl Parade and other such festivities welcome floats and vehicles pulled by horses.

Driving offers people a choice of many solitary or social activities, and driving clubs can be found in some parts of the country.

A riding horse must be trained over time to adjust its balance and body carriage to carry a rider's weight, but pulling uses different muscles and seems to come more naturally. In fact, horses can pull far more weight than they can carry. It's up to responsible owners to prevent serious injuries by limiting the load.

Another practical harness application is for that beloved pony outgrown by a child. Rather than anguish over the decision to sell, why not retrain the pony to drive? The entire family can then enjoy it, and with a proper, patient regime and professional guidance, most ponies will adjust well to the new discipline.

The Higgasons, who have each ridden for many years, learned to drive just seven years ago. They were immediately captivated by the discipline and opened their business in 2004.

The Higgasons' vehicles include a white surrey, a black vis-à-vis, two covered wagons, a hay wagon and a green Irish jaunting cart. This cart originally carried people from train stations to hotels. Passengers face outward, two couples sitting on each side.

Hearts & Tails uses a team of Belgians, a spotted draft team, a single Percheron and a black-and-white quarter horse type mare to pull the various rigs.

The Higgasons start their driving prospects at age 2. Groundwork in harness begins with a person walking behind the horse and giving voice commands. Next, the green animal is hooked up beside a trained one to get the feel of working with another horse. Eventually, the novice is taught to pull a training cart. By age 3, most horses can be safely used for their intended harness purpose.

Are there any drawbacks to driving? Carol Higgason laughed as she described crawling up onto stacked hay bales to harness her 18.2-hand Belgians. Rather than leather, which can weigh about 100 pounds, she far prefers harness made of leather look-alike Bio-Thane(r). Higgason proclaims it wonderful, lightweight and easily wiped clean of dirt with a damp cloth. Available in regular or patent leather styles, Bio-Thane(r) is much stronger than leather, said Higgason.

Jerry Higgason became enamored of horses around age 5. An uncle in Steamboat Springs, who owned a ranch, allowed his little nephew to ride and drive the horses. From that point on, Higgason remained involved in equine endeavors of one kind or another.

"You learn something new every day," he said.

A friend of the Higgasons, Sue Trusty of Fort Morgan, is a good mentor. She drives Hafflingers, has more than 20 years of experience and generously provides her friends with useful training tips.

Teamwork is the Higgasons' key to success at events. Carol usually does the driving while Jerry works from the ground to forestall potential emergencies and to help customers enter and exit the carriages.

"I'm the P.R. man," he quipped. If more than one rig is used at a function, the P.R. man also drives.

Carol named the most important criteria for safe and pleasurable driving experiences. "You must trust your horse and know how to hold the lines because, unlike under saddle, the lines are your only physical contact with the horse," she said. Trust comes from proper training and repetition.

Driving offers horse owners many exhilarating activities, perhaps as diverse as those under saddle. Baby Boomers especially, closing in on their senior years, might choose to explore those options as knees begin to creak and the ground seems to distance itself farther from the top of a prancing steed.

More information about driving horses is available online or by contacting most breed associations.