“I was always interested in driving,” recalled Winfield, who is an EC certified Level 1 Driving Coach, as well as a Carriage Association of America Instructor. “My mom relates a story from my early youth where I fabricated a harness from binder twine and ground drove a very patient mare. I did not actually get involved seriously until my body started objecting to riding and I thought driving would be a way for me to continue my involvement with horses.”
Winfield attended an Introduction to Driving Clinic, and within a year found herself participating in combined driving events (CDEs). While she has been successful in the competition ring, Winfield’s favourite moments have come from teaching.
“A huge highlight is sharing ‘light bulb’ moments with my students – seeing them master a skill is as good as me mastering a skill,” said Winfield. “I want to help beginners get the best possible start in the sport by providing them with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve that goal. I want to help all my students be the best they can be and help them work to aid their horses in being the best they can be in the driving world.”
Lucky number 19: 2019 represents the 19th anniversary of EC certified Level 1 Driving Coach, Kathleen Winfield’s coaching career.
Photo Credit: Jay Winfield
A dynamic discipline, driving offers many possible horse combinations and formations from which to choose. For example, the FEI alone offers three different divisions (singles, pairs, and four-in-hand), separated between horses and ponies, and progressing up to the 4* level. Winfield herself has driven it all: singles, pairs, tandem, unicorn, a four-in-hand of miniature horses, and even a spectacular six-in-hand of Clydesdales.
“You are introducing quite a few more skills when driving a pair as compared to a single,” said Winfield. “You have to help your student manage two equines at once who may or may not be working together. Harnessing, putting to, adjusting lines, and whip management are all different for a pair. Learning how to read the pair dynamic and adjust accordingly takes quite a bit of practice. As a coach, you must be familiar with all these differences and be able to help your student work through the challenges.”
While all breeds are capable of being driving horses, coaches must be vigilant in ensuring that horses are appropriately matched with the work presented to them.
“When coaching different breeds, you have to consider what the horses are physically capable of doing and not ask them to do something that they just cannot do,” instructed Winfield. “You also have to match the driver’s expectations with the skill set of the horses. I would not expect a draft pair to handle an obstacle with the speed and agility of my mini pair, but both pairs certainly could complete the obstacle at their own pace and time. Beyond the physical differences, I don’t find the coaching techniques much different between breeds – you are always dealing with the temperaments and skills sets of the animals you are working with, whether they are 34 inches or 18hh.”
Kathleen maintains that any breed can be a driving horse, as long as it is properly matched with the task and skills at hand. She is pictured driving a draft-cross pair through an obstacle with her husband and navigator, Jay Winfield.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Kathleen Winfield
Regardless of the breed of horse being driven, the athlete must develop sharp communication skills and learn how to interpret the horse’s attitude and behaviour from the driver’s seat.
“While a rider can feel things happening in the horses’ body, a [driving] athlete must be alert and sensitive enough to realize what the horse is communicating,” explained Winfield. “The athlete learns skills – patience, calmness and steadiness – which are all communicated to the horse, and learns to be confident and diligent in preparing for activities, whether working on skills or memorizing dressage tests.”
To teach these communication skills effectively, Winfield creates personalized lesson plans structured around each student’s goals, keeping in mind the frequency with which the student plans to take lessons. And when those students are beginners, Winfield pays particular attention to make sure that the students are learning the fundamentals properly and, most importantly, safely.
“There are lots of challenges for beginner drivers,” said Winfield. “The biggest mistake I see is beginners showing up with improper or unsafe equipment, e.g. harness they pulled out of a barn somewhere or homemade vehicles cobbled together. Sometimes they come with a horse that is unsuitable for the tasks at hand. I recommend that new drivers come to me first before making investments – I can show them what to look for in harness and vehicles, and help them focus in on what they actually need for the driving they want to do. I have students use my equipment and horses to get a feel for the activity and an understanding of the safety considerations.”
Winfield also makes sure that the horses are properly equipped with foundational skills. She explained that driving horses must learn: “To handle having an object attached to it that stays with it throughout its movement; to understand the communication coming from the driver and to respond appropriately; to rely on the driver to help it through challenges that may present themselves along the drive; and the patience required for the harnessing, putting to, and standing still while hitched.”
Once her horse-and-driver teams are proficient in terms of skill, the last step is for Winfield to ensure that her students are adequately versed in the rules and expectations of a competition.
“Mistakes in competition generally occur due to lack of preparation,” explained Winfield. “One of my pet peeves is competitors who do not read the rules prior to competing. There are rule changes every year, and competitors should know what they are. Being eliminated or accumulating unnecessary penalties due to lack of knowledge is very frustrating! Another common mistake is forgetting elements of a dressage test or order of gates in an obstacle – quite often this can be attributed to nerves. This can be addressed by working on the confidence and attitude of the student during lessons.”
Winfield goes to great lengths to prepare her students for competition – this means teaching rules and communicating expectations in addition to skill development.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Kathleen Winfield
In addition to her own coaching program, Winfield brought her expertise to bear in the development of the EC Learn to Drive program, and currently acts as a Driving Evaluator.
“I really want to ensure that my passion for the sport and tradition of driving is passed on to more drivers,” commented Winfield. “I love sharing this activity with my four-legged friends, and to share my skills and knowledge with people who are interested in my sport of driving.”
Did You Know?
As the sponsor of the EC Coaching Certification program, Henry Equestrian Insurance Brokers Ltd. offers a 10% discount on all coaching policies and additional reduced rates for EC certified Coaches!