Dartmoor Driving is a small, family business, teaching carriage driving to people at all levels in some of the most beautiful countryside to be found.
John Arden has been with horses all his life, and has been teaching carriage driving for the past 32 years; he holds all 4 proficiency certificates from the British Driving Society. He has a lifetime’s experience of working with horses in all aspects from racing, private driving to working horses on the land. He was born and bred on Dartmoor and has collected a wealth of stories and tales of the mysteries and traditions of the Moor.
Dartmoor Driving is open all the year round and our courses are run in a happy, relaxed atmosphere in order to give you a holiday as well as widen your driving experience. The numbers are kept low on each course so that John can give you individual attention. The complete beginner is as welcome as the experienced driver. You will have a chance to drive singles, pairs, and for those more experienced there may be tandem, team, or unicorn! For the beginner there are quiet sensible cobs that will give you all the confidence you want, while for the more experienced, there are ponies full of spirit that will give you a real buzz as they tackle the demanding hills on Dartmoor. Each course is planned individually to suit the driver’s needs.
Most of the driving is done with cobs along the miles of quiet lanes, both on the Moor and the countryside adjoining it – always with an instructor in the vehicle with you. For safety, we always use two sets of reins, so that John always has overall control of the horse. Even though our horses and ponies are very good in traffic, we avoid all heavy traffic.
