- Trish Yerges
- Correspondent
Now that better weather has arrived, you may have noticed two fair-haired, robust Norwegian girls getting a little fresh air and running along the country roads of the north valley. Ja, ja, that would be Elska and Judit.
They are Jeanine Rachau's brown dun Norwegian Fjords trotting in synchronized steps and pulling Rachau and her navigator, Kathy Grover of La Grande, in a classy, black, 500-pound marathon carriage. With four disc breaks, a wedged driver's seat, two rear navigator seats, delayed steering, 30-inch diameter wheels, and a pole with shock absorbers, the carriage always turns heads on the road.
"The majority of people who see us are interested in what we're doing. My goal when I take the girls out is to have a good time, be safe and work on the precision of driving," said Rachau.
She's training 16-year-old Elska and 9-year-old Judit to participate in a carriage driving competition at the end of June in Washington. Rachau's interest in equine driving began a couple of years ago and has grown into a passionate pastime. Wondering why she didn't get involved earlier, she said, "Where have you been all my life?"
Rachau is no stranger to horses. "I've been a horse owner for over 30 years and have been fascinated with driving. I dabbled in it, and then I thought, I'm not getting any younger,' so I jumped in feet first," she said. She purchased Elska about three years ago from New Hampshire and Judit from Anvel's Acres in British Columbia.
The pair of Fjords compete in the large pony class. Elska is 14 hands and 950 pounds; Judit is 14.1 hands and 1,050 pounds. Rachau clips the mane on each horse, which exposes a single black stripe framed on either side by light hairstunning for show purposes. One other special treatment her Fjords receive are special shoes called ground control horse shoes.
"They are made of polyurethane for road concussion, and they're thick and durable," Rachau said.
The Norwegian Fjords are all-purpose horses, and they like to work.
"They like to have a job. When I offer them a bit and they take it, it tells me a lot about their ongoing relationship with me and their trust," she explained. The communication she has with her Fjords while driving helps build a mutual trust.
Rachau feels there is greater communication with her Fjords driving than there is if she were to simply ride them. She communicates not only through her reins, but by voice commands.
When she gives the firm command, "Girls walk!" they pick up the pace. When she wants them to slow down, a drawn-out "aaaand walk" will signal that message. "Come!" means a hard right turn and "Get!" signals a hard left turn, said Rachau. These are some basic commands that she uses in carriage driving competitions.
Driving competitions or Combined Driving Events (CDE) originated in Europe in 1969 by Prince Philip and were patterned after the Badminton Horse Trials. It later gained popularity in America and is supported through the American Driving Society of Cross Plains, Wis., and other clubs such as the Blue Mountain Driving Club in Enterprise.
The CDE is comprised of different events usually held over three days. They include driven dressage, cross country marathon and cone driving. The dressage involves a prescribed sequence of movements judged against a standard of absolute perfection.
"The judges may be looking for a working trot, a slow trot, but in any case, they are looking for a steady horse. Dressage shows the driver's ability to communicate with the horses," said Rachau.
The marathon tests the fitness, stamina and obedience of the horses as they navigate up to five sections, which may include mandatory walks, trots and a section with hazards. Drivers are permitted to walk the course the night before competition to plan out a strategy. No horses are allowed on the course until the time of the event. All sections must be navigated and done so within a short amount of time.
The cone driving event requires driving through narrowly spaced pairs of cones. On each cone is balanced a ball. Any miscalculation of the carriage will dislodge the ball and result in penalty points. Precision driving is absolutely necessary. "You have to enter the cones straight and leave them straight," explained Rachau.
Points from all three events are combined and the driver with the fewest points wins the competition.
"For me, it's all about setting goals like endurance, bending and rounding. I like combined drivingjust to have fun. It challenges you mentally and physically," said Rachau.
To prepare herself and condition Elska and Judit, Rachau said they need "road time." When the weather cooperates, she spends about 30 to 50 hours with her Fjords on the country roads of Union county. There they practice walking, trotting and turning on command.
Sharing the road with motorists, however, can pose hazards. If a motorist speeds by the carriage, Rachau, her navigator and the Fjords could be pelted with stones. Rachau appreciates when drivers slow down when passing them.
"We want to thank all the courteous drivers for their attention and courtesy," she said.
For more information on carriage driving, contact club president Millie Read of the Blue Mountain Driving Club in Enterprise at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
