Welcome to the CAA Driver Proficiency Program

We hope that your participation in this program will help to increase your awareness and knowledge of driving, how to do so safely and correctly, and earn you a CAA Driver Proficiency Certificate.

The Driver Proficiency Program is based upon an increasing set of skills regarding safety and commonsense horsemanship as it relates to driving. It covers choosing, fitting and maintaining the correct harness and vehicle; balancing a cart; grooming and care of the equine; and safe driving practices. A study syllabus is available for each of the three levels. The program has been adapted by the Carriage Association of America (CAA) from the well-recognized British Driving Society’s evaluation program.

In addition to evaluating drivers’ proficiency at the various levels, this program also allows for those interested in becoming driving instructors to accomplish the prerequisites at the levels. This will ensure the standard for traditional driving and horsemanship skills will continue.

If you already care for your horse (pony/donkey/mule), harness it, put to the carriage and drive, then you are well on your way to being ready for Level 1 of the program!

To further your knowledge of basic driving skills and safety, you will need to do the following:

1) Order the Level 1 & Road Driving Syllabus from the CAA (cost $18.00 plus postage) www.caaonline.com or call CAA office at 859-231-0971.

2) Study the syllabus. If you drive, you will already know much of the material. Other information that you’ll need to know is readily available from books or internet sources. Practice.

3) Although not required, taking a lesson or clinic with Driver Proficiency Instructor is very helpful! You’ll have a chance to review your skills and understand more about how an evaluation will go. See below for a list of Instructors and Evaluators. 

4) If you are lucky enough to live near an Evaluator, you can set up a private evaluation directly with the evaluator. Otherwise, to keep the travel costs down, it makes sense for a group or driving club to organize a group evaluation session, which can be set up directly with an evaluator of your choice.

5) When you are ready, submit your fee and application form for evaluation to the CAA and schedule your evaluation. The Level 1 and Road Driving evaluation takes about 90 minutes.

Level 1, the basic level (but not for complete beginners), is for those ready to drive away from home and is open to CAA memers and non-members. This is a competence evaluation and will confirm that you are doing things safely. This level covers harness knowledge, harnessing and putting to, practical driving, horse care, and general knowledge. Any safe style of driving is accepted.

A Level 1 Syllabus can be purchased directly from the CAA through our bookstore here.

Be sure to return your application to the CAA office before your test. Applications are found in your booklet or here.

Recommended before driving horses/ponies on public roads and in traffic. Road Driving can be taken on its own without actually accomplishing Level I. However, to take Level II, you must have been successful with Level I and Road Driving. The road assessment is open to CAA members and non-members. 

Be sure to return your application to the CAA office before your test. Applications are found in your booklet or here.

Booklets
Level 1 & Road Driving Syllabus ($18)

Level 2 Syllabus ($15)

Level 3 Syllabus ($15)

Syllabi can be purchase in our online bookstore.

Evaluation Fees

Level 1 (CAA members) $75

Level 1 (non-members) $85

Road Driving, taken with Level I $30

Road Driving $60

Level II (CAA members only) $100/unit 1; $75/other units

Level 3 (CAA members only) $85/unit.

Applications for Level 1, 2 & Road Driving are available here. Level 3 applications are here.

Evaluation Fees are paid to the CAA along with your application ahead of your scheduled evaluation date. The CAA pays the evaluators for their time following the examinations. Be sure to return your application to the CAA office before your test. Applications are found in your booklet or here.

For Level 1 and most of Level 2, if you are lucky enough to live near an evaluator, you can set up a private evaluation directly with the evaluator. Otherwise, to keep the travel costs down, it makes sense for a group or driving club to organize a group evaluation session, which can be set up directly with an evaluator of your choice.

Driving the unfamiliar horse (part of Level 2) must be done at an approved facility. We currently have three approved facilities:

3 Hats Training Center
747 Russell Street
Klamath Falls, OR 97603
541-891-1321
541-591-5771
Michael Wakefield
michael@trentofarm.com
Advanced Evaluation Center (All Levels)

Golden Horse Farm
24345 Gore Orphanage Road
New London, Ohio, 44851
440-315-1627
Basic Evaluation Center (Level 1; Road Driving; Level 2 – Unites, 1,2,3,8,9; Level 3 – Units 1,2,4,6,8)

These are resource materials recommended for the program.  It is not required that you read all of them before taking a proficiency. Several of these books and DVDs are good resources for multiple levels. Many of the books and DVDs are available through the CAA Bookstore (click here) or via Google Books (click here). Others are out of print but used copies are usually available from various sources including thriftbooks.com and abebooks.com.

Level 1:

Between the Shafts: A Comprehensive Guide to Driving a Single Horse (DVD) with the British Driving Society
CAA Handbook for Singles and Pairs – published by the CAA and available worldwide via Amazon
Driving by Anne Norris and Caroline Douglas
Driving a Harness Horse by Sallie Walrond
Driving Do’s and Don’ts by Sallie Walrond
Driving Questions Answered by Sallie Walrond
Essential Guide to Carriage Driving by Robyn Cuffey and Jaye-Allison Winkel – Available from the CAA
Guide to Driving Horses by Sallie Walrond
John Parker’s Book of Harness Charts – Available from the CAA
Horse & Cart (DVD) with Robyn Cuffey
Introduction to Driving by the British Driving Society
Learn to Drive Program by Drive Canada
Learning to Carriage Drive by Minta Winn
Make the Most of Carriage Driving by Vivian & Richard Ellis and Joy Claxton
Starting to Drive by Sallie Walrond
U.S. Pony Club Level C Manual

Level 2:

Understanding Harness by Barb Lee – Available from the CAA
Putting-To A Pair by Caroline Douglas and Sophie Adkins
On the Box Seat by Tom Ryder – Available from the CAA
Manual of Stable Management by Drive Canada
Double Up! A Comprehensive Guide to Pair Driving (DVD)
The Art of Driving by Max Pape
Breaking a Horse to Harness by Sallie Walrond
Carriage Terminology: An Historical Dictionary by Don Berkebile
Carriage Turnout & Appointment Booklets – published by the CAA
Driving a Tandem by Paul Doliveux
Driving for Pleasure by Francis T. Underhill – Free on Archive.org
Driving by the Duke of Beaufort – Free on Archive.org
Driving by Francis M. Ware – Free on Archive.org
Encyclopedia of Driving by Sallie Walrond
Long Reining to Break Horse to Harness by Heinrich Freiherr von Senden
Looking at Carriages by Sallie Walrond
A Manual of Coaching by Fairman Rogers

Level 3:

The Private Stable: Establishment, Management and Appointments by James A. Garland – Free on Archive.org
Manual of Coaching by Fairman Rogers
Driving for Pleasure by Francis T. Underhill – Free on Archive.org
Driving by the Duke of Beaufort – Free on Archive.org
Driving by Francis M. Ware – Free on Archive.org

This level is suited to the more experienced driver who participates in some form of competitive driving, and it may include pair driving. The prerequisites for this level are successful completion of Level 1 and the Road Driving Assessment, followed by additional driving instruction/experience. Typical drivers at this level will be able to drive an unfamiliar horse, work competently in a driving environment with some responsibility, drive competently in company of other horses and perhaps in competition, and look after a group of horses/ponies competently and maintain them over a period of time both in work and at rest. Drivers must be able to drive with the traditional English (one-handed) or Achenbach style of driving. Available to CAA members only. Purchase Booklet

Be sure to return your application to the CAA office before your test. Applications are found in your booklet or here.

The highest recognition offered this level requires demonstration of horsemanship and driving ability, continuing with unit-based competence. In order to achieve a full certificate for Level 3, a candidate must complete all the compulsory Units, 1,2,3, plus any one of the optional Units 4,5, or 6. Candidates will receive credit for all units they complete successfully. Available to CAA members only. Purchase Booklet

Be sure to return your application to the CAA office before your test. Applications are found in your booklet or here

Level 3’s Compulsory Units:

1. Training of the Driven Horse; 2. Practical Driving – Single Horse; 3. Vehicles and Harness

Level 3’s Optional Units:

Any one Unit is required for the full certificate:

4. Pair Driving – Advanced Level;

5. Driving with Four Reins -Tandem; 6. Driving with Four Reins – Four-in-hand

Upon successful completion of each level, you will receive a certificate of accomplishment and a pin from the CAA.

Garnet Blatchford
Elkhorn, NE 68022
(402) 681-6779
Level 1 Instructor
Level 1 Evaluator
garnetblat@gmail.com

Theresa D. Burns
Perry, IA 50220
515-975-6102
Level 1 Instructor
theresadburns@gmail.com

Patricia Demers
Prescott Valley, AZ 86315
661-317-4556
Levels 1, 2, & 3 Instructor
Level 1, 2 and 3 Evaluator
carpediemfarm@aol.com

John Greenall
W. Windsor, VT 05089
802-436-2266
Level 1 Instructor
john@greenallcarriage.com

Steve Holm
Southern Pines, NC 28388
413-822-1267 (mobile)
Levels 1, 2 & 3 Instructor
Level 1, 2 and 3 Evaluator
trotoneasy@aol.com

Josh Hoyles
Surrey, BC
V4N 5Y9 Canada
778-919-2697
Level 1 Instructor
Level 1 Evaluator
joshvct@gmail.com

Elizabeth Keathley
Woodbury, TN 37190
615-563-1942
Levels 1 & 2 Instructor
ekeathley1@gmail.com

Andy Marcoux
Medway, MA 02053
(508) 298-8504
Levels 1, 2 & 3 Instructor
Level 1, 2 and 3 Evaluator
andy@coachmansdelight.com

Jane Moody
Bonanza, OR 97623
707-637-3103
Levels 1, 2, & 3 Instructor
Level 1, 2, & 3 Evaluator
JaneMoody3103@gmail.com

Ann Petersen
Montville, OH 44064
440-479-0972
Level 1 Instructor
Level 1 Evaluator
aep2004@peoplepc.com

Terry Pickett
Metamora, MI 48455
810-796-3024
Levels 1, 2 & 3 Instructor
Level 1, 2 and 3 Evaluator
tpickett55@yahoo.com

Holly Pulsifer
Topsham, ME
(978) 356-3655
Level 1 Instructor
Level 1 Evaluator
hpulsifer@hotmail.com

Kacy Tipton-Fashik
Grand Oaks Resort
3000 Marion County Road
Weirsdale, FL 32195
352-750-5500 x229 or 352-409-1398
Levels 1 & 2 Instructor
Level 1 Evaluator
kacyf@thegrandoaks.com

Jerry Trapani
E. Islip, NY 11730
631-277-4967
Levels 1, 2 & 3 Instructor
Level 1, 2 and 3 Evaluator
shadbelly4@aol.com

Melissa Warner
Lady Lake, FL 32159
772-349-5729
Levels 1, 2 & 3 Instructor
Level 1 Evaluator
melissajwarner67@adnorwick

Michael Wakefield
Klamath Falls, OR 97603
541-891-1321
Levels 1, 2 & 3 Instructor
Level 1, 2 and 3 Evaluator
Michael@trentofarm.com

Kathleen Winfield
Millarville, AB
T0L 1K0 Canada
403-931-0389
Level 1 Instructor
winfieldkj@gmail.com

Steve Wood
Elk River, MN 55330
763-441-5335
Level 1 Instructor
wildwoodsleighandcarriage@yahoo.com